History of Diplomacy Concentration

“Scholars of diplomacy have identified diplomatic practices across the human experience, spanning the globe and going back before recorded history. Even so, the actual term diplomacy did not enter into usage until the last decade of the eighteenth century.”

- Halvard Leira, “A Conceptual History of Diplomacy,” The SAGE Handbook of Diplomacy, 2016

A sound understanding of historical context and reasoning are some of the most essential tools of the successful student or practitioner of diplomacy.  The History of Diplomacy concentration allows students to explore the origins of diplomacy itself, as well as its various developments over time and from place to place.  This concentration provides a foundation for those who are interested in pursuing work in history, policy and strategy assessment and formulation, international law, or other advanced studies. The concentration also provides students with opportunities to delve into the long-term causes and short-term “sparks” that led to the world wars, the cold war, decolonization, the development of the United Nations and NATO.  As new challenges emerge in the next decades, the History of Diplomacy concentration challenges students to discern the evolving historical contexts that lead to a more full and rich understanding of the present. 

Students in the History of Diplomacy concentration will be required to take six courses from the following list.

Content displayed from this DePaul University catalog page.