This public lecture by historian Laurence Badel examines how women entered the field of official diplomacy and gained access to state responsibilities. It traces a long and complex process, from the informal influence of aristocratic women in diplomatic circles to the gradual professionalisation of women diplomats from the 1920s to the 1970s. The talk highlights the first appointments of women as heads of mission in the interwar period, often shaped by political and discretionary choices, as well as the broader role of international organisations in fostering the feminisation of diplomacy. It also considers the growing presence of women from African, Asian, and Latin American contexts in shaping international affairs during the 20th century.
In French.