International Pecking Orders

Examining the dynamics of international diplomacy, this book explores how hierarchical structures, referred to as the 'international pecking order,' influence multilateral interactions. Drawing on the theories of Goffman and Bourdieu, it argues that diplomacy inherently produces inequalities. Through case studies of NATO and the UN, the author reveals the complexity of these social hierarchies, highlighting their contingent nature, the interplay of constraint and agency, and their local definitions shaped by diplomatic practices across various issues.