Then, They Were Twelve

The title Ambassador conjures up images of a gentleman with a chauffeur-driven limousine, flanked at plush cocktail parties by his perfect wife, who normally handles state dinners, tea parties, and flower arrangements. S^D'ephocle shows how this picture changes completely when the ambassador happens to be a woman, and how the role of the spouse of the ambassador changes as a result. Then, They Were Twelve is a historical account of the Washington diplomatic scene of the late 1990s, when the number of women ambassadors reached the double digits for the first time.

Séphocle provides a series of candid and stimulating conversations with the women ambassadors about their lives, their work, and the struggle for the advancement of women in their countries. These women of state from various corners of the globe demonstrate a unique approach to diplomacy. This book will be of great interest to scholars, researchers, students, and the concerned reader involved with diplomacy and women's studies.

MARILYN SÉPHOCLE is Associate Professor of German at Howard University. Professor Séphocle has served with the United Nations and worked as a business consultant in the field of cross-cultural human resource management. She has published articles on cultural and social contributions of people of African descent in Europe, particularly in Germany. She is also author of Die Rezeption der Négritude in Deutschland, written in German, focused on the German critique of major African and Caribbean writers.