On the Fringes of Diplomacy by Antony Best, John Fisher - 9781409401193

Taylor & Francis

This volume gives further impetus to the recent trend of looking beyond the major figures of diplomats and foreign secretaries when seeking to understand of British foreign policy and diplomacy during the height of empire. By focusing on the legion of influential but less well-known figures on the fringes of diplomatic circles, it reveals how it is possible to observe the ways that such individuals, often overlooked by historians, can affect government decisions. > In recent decades the study of British foreign policy and diplomacy has broadened in focus. No longer is it enough for historians to look at the actions of the elite figures - diplomats and foreign secretaries - in isolation; increasingly the role of their advisers and subordinates, and those on the fringes of the diplomatic world, is recognised as having exerted critical influence on key decisions and policies. This volume gives further impetus to this revelation, honing in on the fringes of British diplomacy through a.