Whither WikiLeaks? The Case for the Critical Diplomatic History Method in American Empire Studies

Scholars of American empire are overdue for critical scholarship on the secret U.S. documents that Chelsea Manning sent to WikiLeaks in 2010. The documents feature important information about the role of the United States in the world, but few scholars have investigated what the documents reveal about the structures and operations of American empire. This paper proposes two ways for scholars of American empire to begin incorporating the documents into their research. First, this paper calls for recognition of a field of study called American empire studies. Scholars have been conducting research on empire for over a century, but they have not organized a field of study that is needed for critical scholarship, such as work with the WikiLeaks documents. Second, this paper identifies a method of analysis called the critical diplomatic history method. Several works of critical scholarship provide lessons for how scholars can use the critical diplomatic history method to examine the WikiLeaks documents. By identifying a field of study and a method of analysis, this paper makes the case that scholars can work with the WikiLeaks documents to reveal hidden imperial structures, generate momentum for dismantling the American empire, and empower social movements that are working to create a better world.