The History of Diplomatic Document Publishing Programmes

Abstract

This panel reflects on the historiography of editing and publishing scholarly editions of diplomatic documents over the course of the twentieth century. In the 1920s many European governments began the systematic publication of documents from their diplomatic archives, originally with the intention of explaining their conduct in relation to the origins of the First World War. Some governments had begun the practice much earlier - 'Foreign Relations of the United States' started in 1861. The practice was continued to cover the diplomacy of the inter-war period and then international relations beyond 1945. Meanwhile more countries started publishing their own series of documents, often produced by institutions independent of government. In 1988 an international network of Editors of Diplomatic Documents was founded to discuss and investigate common concerns, concepts, problems and methodologies over a diverse range of historical and historiographical areas. Today, publishing programmes provide resources for the study of international history and provide greater transparency in the process of government policy-making. The volumes of documents not only illuminate national foreign policies but also raise cultural questions relating, for instance, to the nature of diplomatic practice or the under-representation of women as diplomatic actors. This transnational panel explores the origins of national publishing programmes, along with their aims and objectives, similarities and differences, and changes in methodological approach over time. It will also consider issues such as impartiality, access and editorial freedom, which are still a source of lively debate amongst practitioners and scholars.

Papers

The history of 'Documents on Canadian External Relations'

Brendan Kelly

The history of 'Documents on Irish Foreign Policy'

Michael Kennedy

Women in Diplomatic Document Publishing Programmes

Helena Pina Janerio

'British Documents on the Origins of the War, 1898-1914': where it all began for British document publishing

33 Moments of happiness': Working conditions and publications by the Archives of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the years 1989 to 2022

Carola Tischler

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