Gossips, networks and news
Gossips, networks and news
Networking was integral to a diplomat's work, and it could take place in the antechambers of the royal household, the salons of the nobility or the embassies of foreign powers. Courtiers always talked amongst themselves to alleviate the boredom of their duties, but envoys had compelling sociological and psychological reasons for sharing information: to reconstruct events, ascertain motives and reach consensus. Oral communication networks were by no means perfect. The diplomats of the 1790s had also played their part as pamphleteers and advocates of ‘hack’ journalism. The French restoration, though followed with great hope and anxiety, therefore went ahead without any formal endorsement from the British. The breakdowns of consensus and communication between interest groups that permitted extreme solutions to seem attractive and, thus, viable were feared most by envoys.
Keywords: networking, consensus, courtiers, hack journalism, oral communication networks, diplomat's work, French restoration
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