Celebrity Diplomacy

Celebrity Diplomacy is insightful and well written. Anyone interested in the global significance of celebrity diplomacy will enjoy this book. Cooper has provided the reader with an interesting history of celebrities who have both failed and succeeded (at varying levels)in using their status to impact global politics. Bono (of U2) is essentially used as a unique case (or typology) for what responsible, intellectual and thoughtful celebrity looks like. The argument suggests that we can not over look the impact these high profile individuals have on social problems. Their involvement is important and not "fad-ish" and is therefore worthy of academic inquiry.

This is the first book to really take international celebrity advocacy seriously. Bono, Angelina, Geldof, Gates, Soros, N'Dour and others are drastically changing how diplomacy is done - anyone studying IR needs to understand the influence these individuals wield. Cooper gives the reader a better idea of who these celebrities are, why they've stepped out of their 'celebrity' shoes, and what impact they're really having. Great read!

Artfully combining an experienced intellectual analysis of new forms of complex diplomacy with an appreciation for the dynamism and fluidity of popular culture, Cooper's Celebrity Diplomacy fills a glaring and growing gap in the study of contemporary international relations. From Gates to Geldof to Shakira, the growing diplomatic potential of celebrities continues to evolve and show its true form. However, the subject has been largely undervalued in previous works, like Alleyne's "The United Nations' Celebrity Diplomacy," which considers the subject only as a crutch and potential veneer for a faltering UN, and is even more commonly discarded. Cooper's work illustrates the distinct shortcomings in either of these positions. Positioning this new form of diplomat in an international milieu where the prominent groups and organizations are plagued by questions of legitimacy and efficiency, Cooper illustrates the strength of such a mobile network of individuals endowed with populist recognition and access to the world's greatest powers. Furthermore, in distinguishing Sir Bob's aggressive sound bite politics from Bono's more reserved diplomacy, etc., he constructs a guidebook for this growing network and its many facets. Ultimately, the work is integral to any serious contemplation of contemporary diplomacy; an insightful lens through which to view the ever-evolving international stage and its modern players.