What role, if any, does the foreign ministry perform in contemporary
world politics? Is the argument that it is in a state of terminal
decline accurate or rooted in only partial understandings of its
changing character? Foreign Ministries in the European Union explores
this theme in the context of the EU where foreign ministry has played a
key role in the development of integration but where its role is
increasingly questioned. The contributors examine the foreign ministry
in thirteen member states and draw conclusions that challenge some
conventional wisdoms.