Interpersonal diplomacy : the making of atomic bonds in international crises / Marcus Holmes, Nicholas J. Wheeler.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Holmes, Marcus, author.

Wheeler, Nicholas J., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Diplomacy--Psychological aspects.

Diplomacy.

Heads of state--Psychology.

Heads of state.

Political leadership--Psychological aspects.

Political leadership.

diplomacy.

Physical Description:

1 online resource : illustrations

illustration

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oxford University Press, [2026]

Summary:

"Interpersonal Diplomacy argues that interpersonal relationships between state leaders—often dismissed as epiphenomenal or idiosyncratic—can, under the right conditions, transform adversarial state relations. Drawing on micro-sociological theory, the book develops a novel theory of reassurance diplomacy rooted in social bonding between dyads of leaders. Through in-depth case studies—including Kennedy and Khrushchev, Rajiv Gandhi and Zia-ul-Haq, and Benazir Bhutto and Rajiv Gandhi—the book traces how face-to-face diplomacy and alternative modalities (such as letter writing and virtual communication platforms) can foster social bonds that shape crisis decision-making. Crucially, the book theorizes not only the conditions under which interactions lead to social bonds, but also the challenges of sustaining and institutionalizing these bonds amid domestic constraints and bureaucratic skepticism. Interpersonal Diplomacy addresses key puzzles about variation in leaders’ willingness to meet, why some interpersonal encounters succeed while others fail, and how trust forged at the interpersonal level might (or might not) scale to the state level. By placing micro-interaction at the heart of macro-level change, the book offers a new framework for understanding diplomacy in an era of mounting international crises"-- Oxford Academic

'Interpersonal Diplomacy' offers a pioneering theory of how emotional connection and trust between world leaders can shape the outcomes of international crises, especially those involving nuclear weapons. Drawing on microsociological theory, particularly Randall Collins' theory of interaction rituals, Holmes and Wheeler show how interpersonal dynamics - such as emotional energy, mutual focus of attention, and bodily co-presence - can foster social bonds that transform adversarial relationships. Challenging dominant structural and psychological explanations of crisis diplomacy, the book demonstrates that leader-to-leader interactions can decisively alter the trajectory of high-stakes confrontations

Contents:

Introduction : The puzzle of the interpersonal in the international

Overcoming the four horsemen of reassurance diplomacy

Demystifying personal chemistry in diplomacy

The micro-sociology of social bonds in diplomacy : Is physical co-presence required?

From distrust to trust : John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev, 1961-1963

Healing the scars of partition : Rajiv Gandhi and Zia-ul-Haq, 1984-1988

The “dawn of a new era”? Benazir Bhutto, Rajiv Gandhi, and Vishwanath Pratap Singh, 1988-1990

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index

Online resource; title from home page (Oxford Academic, viewed September 23, 2026)

Other Format:

Print version: Holmes, Marcus Interpersonal diplomacy

ISBN:

9780191923944

019192394X

9780192651921

0192651927

OCLC:

1606142090

Publisher Number:

CIPO000418666

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license