Women of the World: The Rise of the Female Diplomat

It was not until 1946, after decades of campaigning, that British women were allowed to represent their nation abroad. Helen McCarthy tells the story of the struggle to enter the diplomatic world, played out against a backdrop of war, superpower rivalry and global transformation. She explores the ways in which women influenced foreign affairs before 1946; tells the stories of women who subsequently made the diplomatic grade; and asks whether their presence has changed the way diplomacy is done.