Gaynor Johnson

This book examines the evolution of the Foreign Office in the 20th century and the way in which it has responded to Britain's changing role in international affairs. The last century was one of unprecedented change in the way foreign policy and diplomacy were conducted. The work of 'The Office' expanded enormously in the 20th century, and oversaw the transition from Empire to Commonwealth, with the merger of the Foreign and Colonial Offices taking place in the 1960s. The book focuses on the challenges posed by waging world war and the process of peacemaking, as well as the diplomatic gridlock of the Cold War. Contributions also discusses ways in which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to modernise to meet the challenges of diplomacy in the 21st century. This book was previously published as a special issue of the journal Contemporary British History.

The Foreign Office and British Diplomacy in the Twentieth Century

MATTHEW HUGHES

What is fanaticism? Is the term at all useful? After all, one person's fanatic is another's freedom fighter. This new book probves these key questions of the twenty first century. It details how throughout history there have been fanatics eager to pursue their religious, political or personal agendas. Fanaticism has fuelled many of the conflicts of the twentieth century, in particular the theatres of combat of the Second World War. More recently, religious fanaticism has bedevilled affairs in the Middle East and elsewhere. Is fanaticism becoming more fanatical in the new millennium? As the events of 11 September 2001 prove, fanaticism, however it is defined, continues to dominate international affairs. The volume covers the nature and philosophy of fanaticism, the connection between political ideology and fanaticism, and the relationship between fanaticism and war in the contemporary era. To illustrate these themes, the volume presents a broad range of case studies including the Dervishes in the Sudan in the 1890s, fanaticism in the context of the Pacific war, 1937-45, the 12th SS Hitler Jugend Division in action in Normandy in 1944, the German army on the Eastern Front, and terrorism and guerrilla war after 1945.

Fanaticism and Conflict in the Modern Age

Sarah Leonard

Christian Kaunert

Lars Berger

This book examines Western foreign policy towards the Middle East, and the extent to which the promotion of democracy has been in conflict with, or supported by, other goals (geo-strategic, economic, and cultural) in the policies of the major actors towards the Middle East. Does the Arab Spring provide a new opening for cooperation with the region? Contributions are offered by scholars with research interests in Middle Eastern politics, and by those analysing the policies and interests of external actors. Against the backdrop of the recent ‘War on Terror’, the comparative and interdisciplinary outlook of the book will offer the opportunity for much needed intellectual exchanges between political scientists, contemporary historians, and international relations scholars from Europe, North America and the Middle East. Since it coincides with and/or follows the final phases of US and British withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, this book will be highly relevant to both academics and policy-makers in the UK and abroad, making a significant contribution not only to the scholarly investigation of Western foreign policies, but also to the study of the Middle East in general. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Cambridge Review of International Affairs.

Western Foreign Policy and the Middle East

This book, which consists of essays by leading scholars in the field of twentieth century international history, examines the wider context of one of the most bitter and bloody civil wars in European history - the Spanish Civil War. The chapters discuss all of the major debates that surround the ideological and political context of the war, including the extent to which it could be regarded as a 'dress rehearsal' for the Second World War. The book also debates the nature of civil war in the twentieth century and as such will be of interest to military and international historians as well as to historians of the history of ideas.

Gaynor Johnson

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