Italy's Foreign Policy in the Twenty-First Century
The New Assertiveness of an Aspiring Middle Power
Edited by Bertjan Verbeek, Giampiero Giacomello
Publication date:
09 December 2011Length of book:
252 pagesPublisher
Lexington BooksISBN-13: 9780739148686
Italy’s Foreign Policy in the Twenty-First Century: The New Assertiveness of an Aspiring Middle Power, edited by Giampiero Giacomello and Bertjan Verbeek, shows how changes in Italy’s international and domestic environment since the early 1990s have affected Italy’s foreign policy and raised its aspiration to become, and be treated as, a middle power. The contributors theoretically engage with both rationalist and constructivist accounts of middle power behavior. They reveal that the end of the Cold War, the advent of globalization, and the increase in institutionalized regional cooperation have increased Italy’s freedom to maneuver (by reducing its dependence on the United States) while simultaneously causing Italy’s policy freedom to decrease as a result of delegation of policy competencies to the EU and the need for cooperation in a globalized world.
Domestic changes, notably the transition from the First to the Second Republic and the transformation of political leadership in Italy under Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, have altered the specific way domestic politics is played out in foreign policy. Rather than adopting the more common focus on Italy’s bilateral relations with other counties or regions, Italy’s Foreign Policy in the Twenty-First Century centers on actors, issues, and policy instruments in vital areas of Italy’s foreign. In addition, it discusses the search for Italy’s position in global affairs and emphasizes the importance of leadership styles, domestic political agendas, and party rhetoric in determining Italy’s foreign policy. As Giacomello and Verbeek’s volume demonstrates, being consistent with such strategic prescription has always been a problematic undertaking for various Italian governments.
Domestic changes, notably the transition from the First to the Second Republic and the transformation of political leadership in Italy under Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, have altered the specific way domestic politics is played out in foreign policy. Rather than adopting the more common focus on Italy’s bilateral relations with other counties or regions, Italy’s Foreign Policy in the Twenty-First Century centers on actors, issues, and policy instruments in vital areas of Italy’s foreign. In addition, it discusses the search for Italy’s position in global affairs and emphasizes the importance of leadership styles, domestic political agendas, and party rhetoric in determining Italy’s foreign policy. As Giacomello and Verbeek’s volume demonstrates, being consistent with such strategic prescription has always been a problematic undertaking for various Italian governments.
“Understanding middle-sized powers is the most important challenge facing analysts of foreign affairs. Such countries not only make the difference between the success and failure of ‘coalitions of the willing’; they also provide leadership and initiative where greater powers fail to act. Italy is a case in point. As this collection edited by Giampiero Giacomello and Bertjan Verbeek shows, Italy has built significant relationships—not just with the United States and the other countries of Europe, but in crucial hot-spots like Lebanon, Libya, and Iran. Italy also played important roles in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo. The challenge is to understand when Italy will act and when it will retreat into the background. International conditions create the context, but domestic politics provides both the motivation and constraint. Giacomello and Verbeek’s collection offers essential insight into the operation of Italian foreign policy. It should be read not just by those interested to learn about Italy, but also by anyone who seeks to understand the role of middle-sized powers in current affairs.” —Erik Jones, Johns Hopkins University