Paul Sharp

Sharp's 2009 book argues that diplomacy does not take place simply between states but wherever people live in different groups . He identifies a distinct 'diplomatic tradition' of international thought—premised on the way people live in groups, the differences between intra- and inter-group relations, and the perspectives of those who handle relations between groups . Rather than using IR theory to explain what diplomats do, Sharp explores what diplomacy and diplomats can contribute to international relations theory. His core claim is that the demand for diplomacy is rising, not falling, as diverse actors beyond states enter international relations .

Sharp organizes his book around three conventional IR traditions—radical, rational, and realist—and shows how each misunderstands or underestimates diplomacy . The radical tradition dismisses diplomacy as a tool of oppressive states; the rational tradition overestimates the possibility of universal solutions; the realist tradition treats diplomacy as merely a technique of statecraft. Sharp argues that a distinct diplomatic tradition exists alongside these, one derived from the actual experience of managing 'relations of separateness' . This tradition suggests that how relations are conducted matters more than how international society is configured .

Sharp builds his diplomatic theory on the recognition that humans live in groups and maintain a stronger sense of obligation to members of their own group than to outsiders . This 'separateness'—neither complete isolation nor complete integration—is the condition diplomacy addresses. Sharp argues that diplomacy's main purpose is to build bridges between peoples while maintaining their separate identities . Unlike scholars who focus on human similarities and togetherness, Sharp classifies people's separateness as a distinctive form of human relations that makes diplomacy always necessary .

Sharp directly challenges the modernization thesis that diplomacy would fade into irrelevance as interdependence increased. He argues the opposite: diplomacy becomes the predominant shaper of international dialogue . As professional diplomats lose their monopoly on international relations, numerous new actors appear—NGO negotiators, business diplomats, individuals—creating a rising demand for diplomatic skills across society . Sharp calls for 'disseminating diplomats more widely within societies,' suggesting diplomats should see themselves as 'lobbyists, architects and agents of a new global civil society' .

The final section of Sharp's book applies 'diplomatic thinking' to specific international problems: rogue state diplomacy, greedy company diplomacy, crazy religion diplomacy, and dumb public diplomacy . On greedy companies, Sharp challenges the view that economics alone can govern corporate behavior, arguing that human imperfections—the desire to obtain what has not been earned, the urge to use force, the need to fudge—make diplomacy unavoidable even in economic relations . He suggests that diplomatic understanding can help manage these issues by focusing on how relations are conducted rather than seeking definitive solutions.

Sharp is Professor of Political Science at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, where he has taught for many years . He has authored or edited eight previous books on international relations . Beyond Diplomatic Theory of International Relations (2009), his works include Diplomacy in the 21st Century: A Brief Introduction (2019), which employs a 'diplomatic perspective' to address 'bad leaders, bad media, and bad followers' , and the co-edited Sage Handbook of Diplomacy (2016) . He serves as an Honorary Editor of the Hague Journal of Diplomacy .

Reviewers place Sharp's Diplomatic Theory in the grand tradition of the English School. Richard Little of the University of Bristol called it a book that 'takes English School thinking about diplomacy to a new level of sophistication' . Sharp's focus on international society, pluralism, and the management of relations between separate groups aligns with English School concerns, but his distinctive contribution is to center diplomacy itself as the key practice. Raymond Cohen described it as 'a beautifully crafted book in the grand tradition of the English School, full of profound insights into the realities of international relations' .