Robert Laker
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In the eyes of the world
Media oversight and diplomatic practices at the League of Nations Assembly
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The institutions and impact of the League of Nations have been the subject of extensive analysis by historians in recent years and yet despite this, one of its primary institutions – the Assembly – has yet to receive serious attention. This chapter intends to begin to redress this by demonstrating that the Assembly served a crucial role within what became known as the Geneva system, becoming its most publicly visible manifestation as a result of a process of coordinated decision-making. It will show that media oversight of the Assembly was actively built into its function and explores how this oversight impacted the diplomatic practices of delegates to this body. Through this, this chapter will not only highlight the function of the Assembly in its broader context but will explore how diplomats at the League engaged with concepts such as public opinion and transparency in their day-to-day work. Finally, it will also argue that, as practices evolved to rely on displays of transparency, the Assembly quickly became a unique point of convergence between open and secret diplomacy, allowing diplomats to become practitioners of both without overt contradiction.

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Instruments of international order

Internationalism and diplomacy, 1900–50

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