ABSTRACT
This chapter offers a brief overview of what might be called ‘classic’ consular responsibilities. It examines the phenomenon of travel warnings, and the context of popular expectations within which they are issued. The chapter outlines the types of political controversy that can surround travel warnings, and notes some of the complexities that surround the management of ‘risk’. It explores some of the unintended consequences that can flow from travel warnings, and looks at alternatives. Where broader depiction of political situations is concerned, there is much to be said for simply drawing travellers’ attention to the rich array of materials available from research institutes. There is an increasing recognition of the roles which research institutes can play in diplomacy, but perhaps not enough recognition of the value of their intellectual product for even lay persons considering travel to different parts of the world.
