ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at several approaches taken by different scholars or schools of thought and the way they have organized the same information to set out different narratives and explanations as to the purpose and goals of diplomacy. It focuses on wider patterns to see how societies have organized power and how that has affected the way they communicate with others. The goal is a theory that helps frame and explain the essential and relational nature of diplomacy in terms of communication with dialogue, representation, and negotiation at the core of its purpose. Many scholars have discussed the origins of diplomacy and it is instructive to note the features they highlight as well as how their histories are framed to support their point of view. Some of the scholars remain firmly rooted in the more traditional perspective, while more efforts have begun to offer a critique as to the usefulness of the Westphalian state in terms of understanding current trends.
