Like all professions, diplomacy has spawned its own specialized terminology, and it is this lexicon which provides A Dictionary of Diplomacy's thematic spine. However, the dictionary also includes entries on legal terms, political events, international organizations and major figures who have occupied the diplomatic scene or have written influentially about it over the last half millennium. Students of international politics and related subjects can turn to this book for assistance in understanding the technicalities of diplomatic and associated language. However, the authors have in mind especially the junior members of the many diplomatic services of the world. G. R. Berridge and Alan James have aimed to answer their queries about what can easily seem a somewhat arcane profession and to provide explanations for key terms concerning the political context within which diplomacy takes place.