Sciences po Aix
Aix-en-Provence
22, 23, 24 May 2025
The World and Europe: Diplomatic Transfers, Networks, Representations and Practices
6th Conference of the New Diplomatic History Network
Sciences Po Aix, Aix-en-Provence, France
22-24 May 2025
Report by Nicolas Badalassi & Louis Clerc
The sixth conference set out to expand the reach of the network by using North-South, South-North, and South-South relations as the framework for exploring diplomatic actors and practices. Curated and hosted by Nicolas Badalassi, the aim was to look beyond the one-directional, Eurocentric interpretation of diplomatic developments to give attention to the many dimensions of South diplomacy and their lasting impact internationally. The location at Sciences Po Aix was ideal for this theme, resulting in many contributions from French scholars and facilitating a fruitful exchange between the rich traditions of French diplomatic studies and the diverse trans-disciplinary community of NDH. It was an event that stretched over three days and 34 sessions, making it the largest conference to date. As with previous conferences, it was youthful in vibe and enthusiasm, something that has always been a key factor in establishing the NDH network. It was also, 12 years after the inaugural (and much smaller) event in Leiden, a gathering of a network that was ready to reflect on its past and eager to consider options for the future.
The conference once again displayed the range of approaches that are being applied to the field of diplomacy, and the value in having a setting such as this where scholars of different stripes can interact on questions of method and analysis. Once again, the common interest in diplomacy enabled conversations to cross disciplinary boundaries with ease, with history providing the broad context for all discussions. The call for papers succeeded in bringing together a good number of papers on Europe-Africa interactions, but a global scope was ensured with a good number of contributions covering Chinese, Western, Central, and South-East Asian, and Latin American actors. A good number of papers brought out the role of female protagonists at all levels of diplomatic practice, including the ‘hidden labour’ of maintaining a diplomatic household. Essential services that enable diplomacy to function were given attention, most notably the role of interpreters and the training programmes that shape the thinking and behaviour of those entering the profession. New themes were also present, such as the significance of water. The keynote by Vineet Thakur was a perfect cap on the wide-ranging research being presented, analysing as it did the world view of Indian diplomats and the global context in which they operated.
Previous conferences have also gathered similarly rich tapestries of diplomacy research, but this event was different in two aspects. It was the first to consider the changing nature of the diplomatic record, in the form of a roundtable led by Louis Clerc on the use of digital sources. The roundtable considered both the availability and use of digital sources for diplomatic history (Musa Samir presented the archives of the European Union), and digital tools allowing various approaches on sources. Sophia Mahroug’s presentation was particularly thought-provoking: she highlighted her PhD project, where she uses both digital and physical sources to approach the rhetoric of Iran’s Guardians of the Revolution-movement.
This open discussion on the means and practices of diplomatic enquiry was carried through to another unique session on the history and future prospects of the NDH network itself. Bringing together a group of scholars to different degrees associated with the network, the plenary began with a contextual background of where the network came from by Giles Scott-Smith before moving into a vibrant dialogue between panel and audience on ‘What next for NDH?’ This exchange was timely but also challenging. NDH has since the beginning been an operation run by a small group of volunteers with no resources and no formal positions or responsibilities. It has nevertheless achieved so much in a relatively short time because of a shared enthusiasm and a recognition that the network is filling a space of enquiry and community that is both distinct and yet wide in scope. All of this has evolved quite organically, and yet after 12 years we can claim a vibrant conference series, a book series with Manchester University Press, and an accredited journal, Diplomatica, published by Brill. But resting on one’s laurels is never wise, and what came out of the panel-audience dialogue was a genuine concern for the future of academia in a time when the humanities in particular are being pushed to the margins or phased out entirely. In short, how can the network draw on its expertise to support the profession in effective ways? Several proposals were made, most of which focused on the value of the conference as a meeting-point for scholars at all levels of career. These will be taken into account as the plans for the next gathering take shape.
It was, significantly, also the first conference to end with serious bids on the table from those who want to host in the future. NDH7 will be in Bilbao, Spain, in May 2027, hosted by the team of Noe Cornago, Carlos Sanz, and Diana Carrió-Invernizzi. Another consortium led by Dino Knudsen and Haakon Ikonomou also pitched for NDH8 in 2029 in Lund, Sweden. This is the kind of enthusiasm that has carried the network to where it is today. It also bodes well for tackling the kinds of challenges raised at the network dialogue in Aix, ensuring that NDH continues to evolve and hopefully enhance its relevance for the field both in theory and practice.
