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