A comprehensive study of Oman presenting a portrait of a nation through its diplomacy For Oman, the idea of diplomacy refers not only to the country's interactions in the global community, but also to the way in which Omani life itself is shaped by principles and practices of social and political engagement that are essentially diplomatic. Such principles are grounded in ideals of tact and tolerance that have developed over a long historical period. This is therefore a cultural history: an historical account of the formation of a distinctive Omani culture. It argues that this culture is where Oman's contemporary foreign policy has been nurtured, and that it is in this culture that a specific conception and practice of diplomacy has been developed. Key Features *The most comprehensive history in English of Oman's international relations *Draws upon key research into Omani religious and social traditions, and ethnographic studies of language and social customs. *Provides a perspective which places Oman at its centre, rather than as a background actor in broader colonial narratives, Cold War calculations or global concerns over the relationship between Islam and the West *Presents an account of Oman's contemporary behind-the-scenes role in relation to Iranian US relations, and the Middle East peace process *The first book to connect Oman's international relations with considerations of Omani history, culture and social organisation Jeremy Jones recently spent 3 years as a Research Fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, and is currently a Senior Research Associate at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies. His association with Oman dates back to the late 1970s, when he worked as a consultant on a range of public sector and development projects. Nicholas Ridout is Reader in Theatre and Performance Studies at Queen Mary University of London. He has worked for over twenty years, with Jeremy Jones, on research projects in Oman

Map 1: Oman in the Indian Ocean; Map 2: Oman in the Gulf; Introduction; PART I: 1. A Cosmopolitan Nation; 2. A Culture of Diplomacy; PART II: Introduction to Part II; 3. Muscat and Mysore: Between the Empire and the Republic; 4. Diplomacy and 'Piracy': 1797 - 1819; 5. An Englishman in Oman; 6. Moving to Zanzibar; 7. Zanzibar, Britain, the USA and the Slave Trade; PART III: Introduction to Part III; 8. Dealing with Iran: A Delicate Balance; 9. Managing During the Cold War; 10. Neighbours in Arabia; 11. The Key Strategic Ally: Oman and the United States; 12. Working Towards Peace: Oman and the Middle East Process; 13. Oman, Cosmopolitanism and 'Globalisation'; Acknowledgements; Bibliography; Index.