Italian Foreign Policy Portal of the University of Bologna, Master of International Relations
www.foreignpolicy.it
EDITORIAL NOTE
Europe, Georgia, Terrorism and an Aging Political System: Hot Issues for the Italian Government
SONIA LUCARELLI (University of Bologna at Forlì), Editor of the Newsletter Section
This issue of our Newsletter deals with some hot issue of Italian foreign policy (its relations with the European Union during the first months of the Berlusconi government - L. Fioramonti & S. Lucarelli -, and Italy's contribution to the recent Georgian crisis - F. Bindi) as well as with two structural dimensions of the Italian political system (its aging political leadership - J. Laurence - and Italy's readiness with respect to nuclear, batereological, chemical and radiological menaces - M. Barbeschi & M.
Nones).
IN THIS ISSUE:
LORENZO FIORAMONTI and SONIA LUCARELLI More of the same? Berlusconi’s government and Europe
When Berlusconi’s new alliance, the Freedom People’s Party, won the national elections last April, the reactions of the most influential European newspapers were lukewarm at best. At the time, a quick review of the main op-eds made it clear that most European commentators feared one of the consequences of Berlusconi’s victory was that Italy would continue distancing itself from the European Union, in terms of both its internal policies (particularly, with regard to justice and the economy) and its foreign policy priorities.
FEDERIGA BINDI On Italy's position and the weight of history - remarks on the Georgian crise
In a recent article, the WSJ defined Italy's position on the Georgian crisis as "morally equivocal", a rather ungenerous comment that fails to consider some of the aspects of this complicated situation. In particular, it failed to consider the legacies of the past, something Minister Franco Frattini referred to as “Russia’s historical reasons” in his recent audit to the Italian Parliament.
JONATHAN LAURENCE Renewal and Continuity in Italian Foreign Policy
When looking for the next crop of politicians likely to shape Italian foreign policy in the coming years, it is remarkable how few fresh faces dot the crowd. The Italian Republic’s chronic reliance on septuagenarians and octogenarians for its political leadership has earned it the label of gerontocrazia.
MICHELE NONES and MAURIZIO BARBESCHI Are We Ready? Analysing Italy's readiness with respect to NBCR terroristic threats:
The analysis of the NBCR (Nuclear, Batereological, Chemical and Radiological Menace) has been the subject of strategic studies since the cold war. It is only in the last decade, though, that the study of the actors involved in such analysis shifted from national to non-state actors.
On Italy's position and the weight of history - remarks on the Georgian crise
In a recent article, the WSJ defined Italy's position on the Georgian crisis as "morally equivocal", a rather ungenerous comment that fails to consider some of the aspects of this complicated situation. In particular, it failed to consider the legacies of the past, something Minister Franco Frattini referred to as “Russia’s historical reasons” in his recent audit to the Italian Parliament.
The Newsletter section includes periodical series of short articles in English on various topics dealing with Italian Foreign policy at large. The newsletter will offer three sections: (1) An editorial on Italy's most recent involvement in world politics (2) A digest of the foreign press on Italian foreign policy (3) A series of comments and focuses on specific aspects of Italian foreign policy and the most important events in international politics.
Contributions to the newsletter are open to the Italian and international community of scholars and policy analysts. Though not tied to any fixed dates, it aims to appear at least four times a year.
Readers are invited to send their comments or propose their contributions to:
info@foreignpolicy.it
The Resources section divides into seven areas: Bibliography, Abstract, Press and media, Unpublished theses, Working papers, Seminars and conferences and Primary sources and documents
