Diplomatic Research
Where diplomacy meets analysis
The Institute for the Study of Diplomacy’s (ISD) analytical resources bring together scholarship and practice to illuminate how diplomacy works — and what it takes to succeed as a diplomat.
From case studies drawn from decades of diplomatic history to policy working groups and candid practitioner conversations, these resources inform students, educators, researchers and policymakers who seek rigorous, experience-grounded perspectives on international affairs.
Case studies
Since the mid-1980s, the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy has pioneered the case study method in international affairs education. Today, ISD’s library includes over 250 cases spanning U.S. diplomatic history — written by senior practitioners who lived the events they describe, as well as academics deeply versed in them. Suitable for students from high school through graduate school, these cases bring the nuance and stakes of real-world diplomacy into the classroom
Diplomatic Immunity Podcast
Frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision makers around the world. Hosted by ISD’s Director of Programs and Research, Kelly McFarland, Diplomatic Immunity features current and former diplomatic officials, scholars and analysts for conversations on the most pressing international issues.
Global Commons Working Group
Bringing together senior practitioners, policymakers and leading academics to identify workable policy solutions and guiding principles for the world’s most pressing diplomatic challenges. The working group draws on its members’ collective expertise to advance substantive dialogue on issues that will define international relations for years to come.
America’s Diplomats
America’s Diplomats is a video series recognizing the career diplomats and foreign policy professionals who represent America abroad. Through in-depth interviews, speakers share the journeys, mentors and defining moments that shaped their careers in service.
Publications archive
ISD’s publications hub brings together research, analysis, and commentary drawn from across our programs — including case studies, working group outputs and podcast resources. A single destination for the full breadth of ISD’s intellectual output.