First published in 1917, Satow's Diplomatic Practice has long been hailed as a classic and authoritative text. An indispensable guide for anyone working in or studying the field of diplomacy, this eighth edition builds on the extensive revisions in the sixth and seventh editions. The volume provides an enlarged and updated section on the history of diplomacy, the exponential growth in multilateral diplomatic efforts, and transformations in the corpus of international diplomatic law since the end of the Cold War. This eighth edition further offers a new chapter on recent developments and challenges of modern diplomacy, particularly in light of the increasing importance of China, and the shock to the international system administered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The book also traces the substantial expansion in numbers both of sovereign states and international and regional organizations, and features detailed chapters on diplomatic privileges and immunities, diplomatic missions, as well as consular matters, treatymaking and conferences. The volume also examines alternative forms of diplomacy, from the work of NGOs to the use of secret envoys, and interrogates the interaction between intelligence agencies and commercial security firms. It also discusses the impact of international terrorism and other violent non-state actors on the life and work of a diplomat. Finally, in recognition of the speed of changes in the field over the last twenty years, it includes updated chapters on human rights and public/digital diplomacy by experts in their respective fields.