The latest book from AEJ UK member Nick Hopkinson explores nearly 80 years of work and discussions that turned Wilton Park into a leading international policy forum.
The Policies and Power of Public Diplomacy is edited and mostly written by Hopkinson, former Wilton Park Director, and is the culmination of a three-year project.
He notes the timing of its publication in spring 2025 makes it a kind of “requiem for the post-war global order.
“It is testament to an unprecedented period of international cooperation and the spread of democracy, which albeit imperfect, helped spread greater peace and prosperity throughout the world.”
The Policies and Power of Public Diplomacy explores Wilton Park’s higher level discussions since 1946.
Founded by Sir Heinz Koeppler as part of Winston Churchill’s vision to help build post-war Germany, Wilton Park was part of the (then) Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and established a unique academically independent approach to democracy building.
Over the years Wilton Park evolved into a leading international policy forum for ministers, diplomats, journalists and academics. In addition to helping build post-war Germany, inter alia, consensus in transatlantic security policy, the UK’s membership in the European Economic Community, and the European Union’s ‘Big Bang’ enlargement were progressed.
The book focuses on themes discussed over the years including building democracy; the (first) Cold War; the former Soviet Union/Russia; NATO and transatlantic security; the UK and Europe since the Schuman Plan; EU Enlargement; Africa (including ending apartheid); the re-emergence of China; the Middle East; good government, the media, digitisation and new challenges to democracy; the United Nations, conflict, and humanitarian intervention; as well as major international challenges such as sustainable development, curbing climate change and international health.
It is available free as an open access volume at the following link.
https://www.routledge.com/The-Policies-and-Power-of-Public-Diplomacy-Wilton-Parks-Road/Hopkinson/p/book/9781032831251
