Introduction to Diplomatic History

DIPL 1001: Introduction to Diplomatic History is a survey of the history of diplomacy throughout recorded history. This course is meant to introduce new students to the study of diplomatic history by explaining the concept of diplomacy, terms that the student will use often in the Department of Diplomatic History, and a broad history of international relations on a global scale. This is the first course students new to the department should complete as it will be the foundation for successive courses.

Courses within the Department of Diplomatic History will be primarily self-study, placing the educational responsibility on the student rather than the professor. Although the professor will provide a plan for study and general information, it is the responsibility of the student to fulfil the goals and expectations of the course by completing the readings, studying the provided lesson, and performing independent research to prove comprehension. This course is also designed for homeschooling use, with information for the homeschool instructor to aid the student in successful completion. Recommendations for further study will be provided with each homeschooling lesson to expand upon the basic course.

Denelder Homeschooling Series on History
As denoted by the infobox above, this course is a lesson created by Dr. Jason Denelder as a part of his lesson series for homeschooled students. This lesson was designed as an aid for homeschoolers to further their knowledge on a specific topic, not to replace regular homeschooling lesson plans and resources. The Introduction to Diplomatic History is intended as the first lesson in the Department of Diplomatic History and is classified as HS-DH001 in the Homeschooling Series.

Suggested Readings

 * Diplomacy: An Historical Perspective Simon Szykman. Spring 1995. Carnegie Mellon University.
 * A Brief History of Diplomacy eDiplomat.
 * History and the Evolution of Diplomacy Richard Langhorne.
 * Diplomacy as an Instrument of Good Governance Vladimir Petrovsky.

Goals and Expectations
That students will understand the concept of diplomacy in a historical sense, will understand the basic terms of diplomatic research, and will gain an understanding of international relations on a global scale throughout history. That students will be able to implement their newly gained knowledge and successfully demonstrate their understanding by developing a researched essay on a general topic of diplomatic history.

Essay
The purpose of the essay is to demonstrate an understanding of the basics of diplomacy in the context of diplomatic history. As this is considered a university first-year course, grammar, spelling, and rhetoric should be correct and consistent throughout. Substance, however, is the most important component of a successful essay, demonstrating comprehension of the idea of diplomacy and its practical uses. Students have open control over the topic of their choice as long as it relates to the course material. Essays should be at least two pages long, although this should not be looked upon as a maximum. As the purpose is to demonstrate comprehension, the student should not write a descriptive essay, but rather an analytical essay. This means that the student should analyze a topic in diplomatic history, discussing the consequences of such an action and possible alternate paths and their consequences, using terms and concepts from the lesson.

Since this is an introductory course that encompasses the entire history of international relations, possible topics are endless in scope. In the essay, it is better to narrow in on a particular incident rather than discuss a broad topic. Do not analyze the diplomacy of Europe during the First World War, rather, analyze the effects of the War Guilt Clause on relations between Germany and the United Kingdom. Be specific in your analysis.

For those students wishing for constructive criticism of their essays may email them to Dr. Denelder at jason.denelder@yahoo.com. He will read your essay, making comments and noting corrections where necessary. If submitting the essay, please allow up to two weeks to accommodate Dr. Denelder's busy schedule.

Course Completion
Successful completion of DIPL 1001 is dependent on the student's understanding of the concept of diplomacy and the broad history of international relations demonstrated by the satisfactory completion of an essay on a selected topic of diplomatic history. DIPL 1001 serves as the prerequisite course for continuation into more detailed courses of diplomatic history and should be completed first.

Terms

 * Diplomacy: the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states; also, the employment of tact to gain strategic advantage or to find mutually acceptable solutions to a common challenge
 * International Diplomacy: the conduct of international relations through the intercession of professional diplomats with regard to issues of peace-making, trade, war, economics, and culture
 * Diplomatic Immunity: a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments, which ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws
 * Diplomatic Recognition: a unilateral political act, with domestic and international legal consequences, whereby a state acknowledges an act or status of another state or government
 * Paradiplomacy: the international relations conducted by subnational, regional, local or non-central governments

Course Roster

 * --Jolie 22:22, 9 October 2008 (UTC)

Professorship

 * Dr. Jason Denelder - For questions, concerns, discussion, or comment, please use my talk page or email me at jason.denelder@yahoo.com.