This book explores the politics of officially expressed emotion on the international stage, looking at the ways in which state actors strategically deploy emotional behavior to shape the perceptions of others. Examining diverse instances of emotional behavior, the book reveals that official emotional displays are not simply cheap talk but rather play an important role in the strategies and interactions of state actors. Emotional diplomacy is more than rhetoric; as the book demonstrates, its implications extend to the provision of economic and military aid, great-power cooperation, and even the ... More

This book explores the politics of officially expressed emotion on the international stage, looking at the ways in which state actors strategically deploy emotional behavior to shape the perceptions of others. Examining diverse instances of emotional behavior, the book reveals that official emotional displays are not simply cheap talk but rather play an important role in the strategies and interactions of state actors. Emotional diplomacy is more than rhetoric; as the book demonstrates, its implications extend to the provision of economic and military aid, great-power cooperation, and even the use of armed force. The book provides the theoretical tools necessary for understanding the nature and significance of state-level emotional behavior and offers new observations of how states seek reconciliation, strategically respond to unforeseen crises, and demonstrate resolve in the face of perceived provocations. It investigates three specific strands of emotional diplomacy: those rooted in anger, sympathy, and guilt. The book provides new insights into the 1995–1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis, the post-9/11 reactions of China and Russia, and relations between West Germany and Israel after World War II. The book's arguments can be extended to further cases ranging from Sino-Japanese relations to diplomatic interactions in Latin America. The book offers a unique take on the intersection of strategic action and emotional display, offering a means for making sense of why states appear to behave emotionally.