In diplomacy, an attaché is a person who is assigned ("to be attached") to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency. Although a
loanword
A loanword (also loan word or loan-word) is a word at least partly assimilated from one language (the donor language) into another language. This is in contrast to cognates, which are words in two or more languages that are similar because ...
from
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
, in English the word is not modified according to
gender
Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining to femininity and masculinity and differentiating between them. Depending on the context, this may include sex-based social structures (i.e. gender roles) and gender identity. Most culture ...
.
An attaché is normally an official, who serves either as a
diplomat
A diplomat (from grc, δίπλωμα; romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state or an intergovernmental institution such as the United Nations or the European Union to conduct diplomacy with one or more other states or interna ...
or as a member of the support staff, under the authority of an
ambassador
An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or s ...
or other head of a
diplomatic mission
A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually den ...
, mostly in
intergovernmental organizations or
international non-governmental organisations or agencies. Attachés monitor various issues related to their area of specialty (see examples below) that may require some action. To this end, attachés may undertake the planning for events to be attended, decisions which will be taken, managing arrangements and agendas, conducting research, and acting as a representative of the interests of their state when necessary, to the types of organizations mentioned above, and also to
national academies
A national academy is an organizational body, usually operating with state financial support and approval, that co-ordinates scholarly research activities and standards for academic disciplines, most frequently in the sciences but also the humani ...
and to industry.
Sometimes an attaché has special responsibilities or expertise. Examples include a
cultural attaché
A cultural attaché is a diplomat with varying responsibilities, depending on the sending state of the attaché. Historically, such posts were filled by writers and artists, giving them a steady income, and allowing them to develop their own creat ...
, customs attaché, police officer attaché, labor attaché, legal attaché, liaison officer attaché,
military/defense attaché,
press attaché,
agricultural attaché, commercial attaché, maritime attaché and
science attaché
A science attaché (also known as a scientific attaché or a technical attaché) is a member of a diplomatic mission, usually an embassy. A science attaché traditionally had three primary functions: advise the ambassador on scientific and technic ...
.
Military attaché
Typically, a military attaché serves on the diplomatic staff of an embassy or consulate while retaining a military commission.
Science attaché
A science attaché advises on issues pertaining to science and technology.
Health attaché
A health attaché advises on global health issues and may serve multiple functions. A "diplomat who collects, analyzes, and acts on information concerning health in a foreign country or countries and provides critical links between public health and foreign affairs stakeholders."
Earlier known more as ''Medical Attaché.''
Holy See
The title is also used in reference to diplomacy and in the hierarchical administration of the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
, specifically in the
Roman Curia, in cases where a priest, usually in the diplomatic corps of the Holy See or else released for service to the
Holy See
The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of R ...
, serves in a
nunciature in a given country or to an international or
intergovernmental organization
Globalization is social change
Social change is the alteration of the social order of a society which may include changes in social institutions, social behaviours or social relations.
Definition
Social change may not refer to the not ...
. Especially in the latter cases, the official often provides a particular expertise in the service of the Church, thus, legal or otherwise.
See also
*
Military attachés and observers in the Russo-Japanese War
*
*
Press secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage.
Dut ...
* ''
Chargé d'affaires
A ''chargé d'affaires'' (), plural ''chargés d'affaires'', often shortened to ''chargé'' (French) and sometimes in colloquial English to ''charge-D'', is a diplomat who serves as an embassy's chief of mission in the absence of the ambassado ...
''
*
Attache case
Notes and references
Bibliography
* Craig, Gordon A. (1949) "Military diplomats in the Prussian and German service: the attachés, 1816-1914." ''Political Science Quarterly'' (1949): 65-9
online
* Cullen, Glen T. (1999)
"Preparing for battle: Learning Lessons in the US Army during World War I." U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (
CGSC)
Combined Arms Research Library
* ---. Office of the Chief of Staff, Second (military) Information Division. (1906). ''Reports of the Military Observers attached to the Armies in Manchuria during the Russo-Japanese War'', Vol. I; (1907). Vol. II. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
* Sisemore, James D. (2003).
"The Russo-Japanese War, Lessons Not Learned." CGSC.
* ---. (1907). ''The Russo-Japanese War, Reports from British Officers Attached to the Japanese Forces in the Field'', Vol. I; (1908). Vol. II. London: General Staff.
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