A historical and political perspective on the Mediterranean world with a focus on political, economic and cultural bonds between Italy and the Eastern and Southern Mediterranean. The course starts with a historical introduction to the multi-faceted concept of “Mediterranean” and to some key political processes of unification of the Mediterranean region from ancient to modern times. It will then focus on Italian foreign and Mediterranean policy and on recent developments of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. To this end, the course will debate contemporary issues of Euro-Mediterranean integration including the implementation and possible reform of Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP) and EU enlargement. The course will have a special focus specifically on recent developments in the area: The so called “Arab spring”, the future of the Israeli-Palestinian “peace process”, the roots of foreign intervention in Libya and the issue of migrations which has been at the hearth of recent Italian Mediterranean policy. (3 credits)
Additional requirements:
REQUIRED MOVIES
Documentaries by Andrea Segre: “Sangue Verde” and “A sud di Lampedusa” (One single DVD)
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students are able to:
• Reflect upon different definitions of “Mediterranean” and recognize some fundamental periods of political-economic conflict and/or cooperation in Mediterranean history.
• Understand the importance of political and economic relations in the Mediterranean as a line of continuity in Italian foreign policy.
• Analyze Italy’s Mediterranean policy in the broader context of Italy’s European relations.
• Understand the aims, achievements and failures of Italian colonial policy before World War I and in the aftermath of it under Fascism.
• Assess specific Italian interests in Northern Africa and in the Eastern Mediterranean.
• Understand the origins of cooperation between the European Union and non-EU Mediterranean countries.
• Analyze recent and current developments of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation through the Barcelona process and European Neighborhood Policy.
• Understand recent events in the Mediterranean and in the Middle East
FIELD STUDIES AND GUEST LECTURES
- Visit to the Museum of Italian migrations
- Visit to the Jewish Temple in Rome (Sinagoga maggiore)
- Visit to the Mosque in Rome
- Visit to the Institute for International Affairs (IAI)
- Library of the House of Deputies
- Guest lecture on Italy and Migrations in the Mediterranean by Giulia Laganà, UNHCR
Required work and form of assessment:
Class participation (20%); midterm (25%); Research paper and class discussion (25%); final exam (30%).
PLEASE NOTE: Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the turnitin.com site.
content:
Week 1 Introduction to the course
- Introducing the course and the teacher
- Field study to the Museum of Italian migrations
Week 2 The Mediterranean in the Ancient world
- Guest lecture by prof. Ponti on Archeological heritage and the Mediterranean
- The Romans and the Mediterranean
Reading:
F. Braudel, Memory and the Mediterranean, New York, Vintage Books, 2001, ch.8 pp. 271-315
Week 3 Reunified Italy and colonialism in Libya
- Italian foreign policy in the first half of the 20th century, an outline
- The conquest and the colonization of Libya
Readings:
-Ronald Bruce St. John, Libya: From Colony to Independence, Oneworld, 2008, ch. 3 “Italian Colonial Era, 1911-1943, pp. 56-83
Week 4 Italy and Libya from decolonization to date
- Italy’s post-war Mediterranean policy, an outline
- Italy and independent Libya from the 1950s to Qadhafi
Readings:
- Valter Coralluzzo, Italy and the Mediterranean: Relations with the Maghreb countries, Modern Italy, Vol. 13, No. 2, May 2008, 115–133
- Arturo Varvelli, Italy and Libya: Renewing a Special Relationship, The International Spectator, Volume 45, Issue 3 September 2010 , pages 117 – 130
Week 5 Laying the ground for policy papers
- Class discussion on Libya and on how to write policy papers
- Field study to the Library of House of Deputies
Week 6 Midterm exam
Week 7 Mediterranean religions
- Field study to the Jewish Temple in Rome (Sinagoga maggiore)
- Field study to the Mosque in Rome
Week 8 The roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict and Italian foreign policy
- The Arab-Israeli conflict, an outline
- Italian “Mediterranean Atlanticism” and the Arab-Israeli conflict during the Cold War
Readings:
- Charles Smith, “The Arab-Israeli conflict” in Louise Fawcett (ed.), International Relations of the Middle East, Oxford University Press, 2009 pp. 231-253
- Manlio Graziano, The Rise and Fall of ‘Mediterranean Atlanticism’ in Italian Foreign Policy: the Case of the Near East, Modern Italy, Vol. 12, No. 3, November 2007, pp. 287–308
Week 9 The Arab-Israeli peace process and Italian Foreign Policy
- The Oslo peace process and the Road Map to peace: the growing European role
- Discussion of Policy papers: Italian foreign policy, the EU and the peace process
Readings:
- Avi Shlaim, “The Rise and the Fall of the Oslo Peace Process” in Louise Fawcett (ed.), International Relations of the Middle East, Oxford University Press, 2009 pp. 254-271
- Maurizio Carbone and Valter Coralluzzo, The Politics of Italy’s Foreign Policy in the Mediterranean, Mediterranean Politics, Vol. 14, No. 3, 429–435, November 2009
Week 10 The Mediterranean policy of the European Union
- From EEC to EU: departures and continuities
- The Barcellona process , the ENP and the Mediterranean Union
Readings:
- Rosemary Hollis, “Europe in the Middle East” in Louise Fawcett (ed.), International Relations of the Middle East, Oxford University Press, 2009 pp. 331-348
- Maurizio Carbone, Between ambition and ambivalence: Italy and the European Union's Mediterranean policy, Modern Italy, Volume 13, Issue 2, 2008, Pages 155 – 168
Week 11 Italy, the EU and the Arab Spring
- Visit to the Institute for International Affairs (IAI)
- Policy discussion on the EU and the Arab Spring
Readings:
- Kamleh Khatib, The Union for the Mediterranean: Views from the Southern Shores, The International Spectator, Volume 45, Issue 3 September 2010 , pages 41 - 50
- Nathalie Tocci and Jean-Pierre Cassarino, Rethinking the EU’s Mediterranean Policies, Post-1/11, Iai Working Papers 11, 06 – March 2011
Week 12 Migrants in the Mediterranean
- Migrations in the Mediterranean, Libya and beyond
- Policy discussion on “Italy and Libya, a new treaty?”
Documentaries by Andrea Segre: “Sangue Verde” and “A sud di Lampedusa”
Guest Lecture by Giulia Laganà, UNHCR
Required readings:
(all in the reader)
1) F. Braudel, Memory and the Mediterranean, New York, Vintage Books, 2001,
-ch. 1 “seeing the sea” pp. 3-16
-ch. 8 pp. 271-315
2) Ronald Bruce St. John, Libya: From Colony to Independence, Oneworld, 2008, ch. 3 “Italian Colonial Era, 1911-1943, pp. 56-83
3) C.J. Lowe, F. Marzari, Italian Foreign Policy 1870-1940, London, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1975, ch. 6 (pp. 112-132) “The Revival of Italian Nationalism”
4) Valter Coralluzzo, Italy and the Mediterranean: Relations with the Maghreb countries, Modern Italy, Vol. 13, No. 2, May 2008, 115–133
5) Arturo Varvelli, Italy and Libya: Renewing a Special Relationship, The International Spectator, Volume 45, Issue 3 September 2010 , pages 117 – 130
6) Charles Smith, “The Arab-Israeli conflict” in Louise Fawcett (ed.), International Relations of the Middle East, Oxford University Press, 2009 pp. 231-253
7) Manlio Graziano, The Rise and Fall of ‘Mediterranean Atlanticism’ in Italian Foreign Policy: the Case of the Near East, Modern Italy, Vol. 12, No. 3, November 2007, pp. 287–308
8) Avi Shlaim, “The Rise and the Fall of the Oslo Peace Process” in Louise Fawcett (ed.), International Relations of the Middle East, Oxford University Press, 2009 pp. 254-271
9) Sergio Romano, Italian foreign policy after the end of the Cold War, Journal of Modern Italian Studies 14(1) 2009: 8–14
10) Maurizio Carbone and Valter Coralluzzo, The Politics of Italy’s Foreign Policy in the Mediterranean, Mediterranean Politics, Vol. 14, No. 3, 429–435, November 2009
11) Rosemary Hollis, “Europe in the Middle East” in Louise Fawcett (ed.), International Relations of the Middle East, Oxford University Press, 2009 pp. 331-348
12) Maurizio Carbone, Between ambition and ambivalence: Italy and the European Union's Mediterranean policy, Modern Italy, Volume 13, Issue 2, 2008, Pages 155 – 168
13) Kamleh Khatib, The Union for the Mediterranean: Views from the Southern Shores, The International Spectator, Volume 45, Issue 3 September 2010 , pages 41 - 50
14) Nathalie Tocci and Jean-Pierre Cassarino, Rethinking the EU’s Mediterranean Policies, Post-1/11, Iai Working Papers 11, 06 – March 2011
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Mattia Toaldo is a lecturer at IES since 2007. He is Junior Research Fellow in History of International Relations at the University of Roma Tre (Rome) where he’s part of the Nuclear Proliferation International History Project co-managed with the Washington-based Wilson Center. He is currently writing a book for the Routeledge Publishing Company on “The Origins of the War on Terror: Reagan’s policy in Libya and Lebanon”. He earned his Ph.D. in Diplomatic History at Roma 3 and has already published a book in Italian on the 2008 US elections. In the last decade he has worked as manager in an ICT company, journalist at the daily Il Messaggero and extensively as political consultant also for the Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Italy And The Mediterranean World
A historical and political perspective on the Mediterranean world with a focus on political, economic and cultural bonds between Italy and the Eastern and Southern Mediterranean. The course starts with a historical introduction to the multi-faceted concept of “Mediterranean” and to some key political processes of unification of the Mediterranean region from ancient to modern times. It will then focus on Italian foreign and Mediterranean policy and on recent developments of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. To this end, the course will debate contemporary issues of Euro-Mediterranean integration including the implementation and possible reform of Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP) and EU enlargement. The course will have a special focus specifically on recent developments in the area: The so called “Arab spring”, the future of the Israeli-Palestinian “peace process”, the roots of foreign intervention in Libya and the issue of migrations which has been at the hearth of recent Italian Mediterranean policy. (3 credits)
REQUIRED MOVIES
Documentaries by Andrea Segre: “Sangue Verde” and “A sud di Lampedusa” (One single DVD)
By the end of the course, students are able to:
• Reflect upon different definitions of “Mediterranean” and recognize some fundamental periods of political-economic conflict and/or cooperation in Mediterranean history.
• Understand the importance of political and economic relations in the Mediterranean as a line of continuity in Italian foreign policy.
• Analyze Italy’s Mediterranean policy in the broader context of Italy’s European relations.
• Understand the aims, achievements and failures of Italian colonial policy before World War I and in the aftermath of it under Fascism.
• Assess specific Italian interests in Northern Africa and in the Eastern Mediterranean.
• Understand the origins of cooperation between the European Union and non-EU Mediterranean countries.
• Analyze recent and current developments of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation through the Barcelona process and European Neighborhood Policy.
• Understand recent events in the Mediterranean and in the Middle East
Lectures, seminar discussions, students’ presentations, guest lectures.
FIELD STUDIES AND GUEST LECTURES
- Visit to the Museum of Italian migrations
- Visit to the Jewish Temple in Rome (Sinagoga maggiore)
- Visit to the Mosque in Rome
- Visit to the Institute for International Affairs (IAI)
- Library of the House of Deputies
- Guest lecture on Italy and Migrations in the Mediterranean by Giulia Laganà, UNHCR
Class participation (20%); midterm (25%); Research paper and class discussion (25%); final exam (30%).
PLEASE NOTE: Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the turnitin.com site.
Week 1 Introduction to the course
- Introducing the course and the teacher
- Field study to the Museum of Italian migrations
Week 2 The Mediterranean in the Ancient world
- Guest lecture by prof. Ponti on Archeological heritage and the Mediterranean
- The Romans and the Mediterranean
Reading:
F. Braudel, Memory and the Mediterranean, New York, Vintage Books, 2001, ch.8 pp. 271-315
Week 3 Reunified Italy and colonialism in Libya
- Italian foreign policy in the first half of the 20th century, an outline
- The conquest and the colonization of Libya
Readings:
-Ronald Bruce St. John, Libya: From Colony to Independence, Oneworld, 2008, ch. 3 “Italian Colonial Era, 1911-1943, pp. 56-83
Week 4 Italy and Libya from decolonization to date
- Italy’s post-war Mediterranean policy, an outline
- Italy and independent Libya from the 1950s to Qadhafi
Readings:
- Valter Coralluzzo, Italy and the Mediterranean: Relations with the Maghreb countries, Modern Italy, Vol. 13, No. 2, May 2008, 115–133
- Arturo Varvelli, Italy and Libya: Renewing a Special Relationship, The International Spectator, Volume 45, Issue 3 September 2010 , pages 117 – 130
Week 5 Laying the ground for policy papers
- Class discussion on Libya and on how to write policy papers
- Field study to the Library of House of Deputies
Week 6 Midterm exam
Week 7 Mediterranean religions
- Field study to the Jewish Temple in Rome (Sinagoga maggiore)
- Field study to the Mosque in Rome
Week 8 The roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict and Italian foreign policy
- The Arab-Israeli conflict, an outline
- Italian “Mediterranean Atlanticism” and the Arab-Israeli conflict during the Cold War
Readings:
- Charles Smith, “The Arab-Israeli conflict” in Louise Fawcett (ed.), International Relations of the Middle East, Oxford University Press, 2009 pp. 231-253
- Manlio Graziano, The Rise and Fall of ‘Mediterranean Atlanticism’ in Italian Foreign Policy: the Case of the Near East, Modern Italy, Vol. 12, No. 3, November 2007, pp. 287–308
Week 9 The Arab-Israeli peace process and Italian Foreign Policy
- The Oslo peace process and the Road Map to peace: the growing European role
- Discussion of Policy papers: Italian foreign policy, the EU and the peace process
Readings:
- Avi Shlaim, “The Rise and the Fall of the Oslo Peace Process” in Louise Fawcett (ed.), International Relations of the Middle East, Oxford University Press, 2009 pp. 254-271
- Maurizio Carbone and Valter Coralluzzo, The Politics of Italy’s Foreign Policy in the Mediterranean, Mediterranean Politics, Vol. 14, No. 3, 429–435, November 2009
Week 10 The Mediterranean policy of the European Union
- From EEC to EU: departures and continuities
- The Barcellona process , the ENP and the Mediterranean Union
Readings:
- Rosemary Hollis, “Europe in the Middle East” in Louise Fawcett (ed.), International Relations of the Middle East, Oxford University Press, 2009 pp. 331-348
- Maurizio Carbone, Between ambition and ambivalence: Italy and the European Union's Mediterranean policy, Modern Italy, Volume 13, Issue 2, 2008, Pages 155 – 168
Week 11 Italy, the EU and the Arab Spring
- Visit to the Institute for International Affairs (IAI)
- Policy discussion on the EU and the Arab Spring
Readings:
- Kamleh Khatib, The Union for the Mediterranean: Views from the Southern Shores, The International Spectator, Volume 45, Issue 3 September 2010 , pages 41 - 50
- Nathalie Tocci and Jean-Pierre Cassarino, Rethinking the EU’s Mediterranean Policies, Post-1/11, Iai Working Papers 11, 06 – March 2011
Week 12 Migrants in the Mediterranean
- Migrations in the Mediterranean, Libya and beyond
- Policy discussion on “Italy and Libya, a new treaty?”
Documentaries by Andrea Segre: “Sangue Verde” and “A sud di Lampedusa”
Guest Lecture by Giulia Laganà, UNHCR
(all in the reader)
1) F. Braudel, Memory and the Mediterranean, New York, Vintage Books, 2001,
-ch. 1 “seeing the sea” pp. 3-16
-ch. 8 pp. 271-315
2) Ronald Bruce St. John, Libya: From Colony to Independence, Oneworld, 2008, ch. 3 “Italian Colonial Era, 1911-1943, pp. 56-83
3) C.J. Lowe, F. Marzari, Italian Foreign Policy 1870-1940, London, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1975, ch. 6 (pp. 112-132) “The Revival of Italian Nationalism”
4) Valter Coralluzzo, Italy and the Mediterranean: Relations with the Maghreb countries, Modern Italy, Vol. 13, No. 2, May 2008, 115–133
5) Arturo Varvelli, Italy and Libya: Renewing a Special Relationship, The International Spectator, Volume 45, Issue 3 September 2010 , pages 117 – 130
6) Charles Smith, “The Arab-Israeli conflict” in Louise Fawcett (ed.), International Relations of the Middle East, Oxford University Press, 2009 pp. 231-253
7) Manlio Graziano, The Rise and Fall of ‘Mediterranean Atlanticism’ in Italian Foreign Policy: the Case of the Near East, Modern Italy, Vol. 12, No. 3, November 2007, pp. 287–308
8) Avi Shlaim, “The Rise and the Fall of the Oslo Peace Process” in Louise Fawcett (ed.), International Relations of the Middle East, Oxford University Press, 2009 pp. 254-271
9) Sergio Romano, Italian foreign policy after the end of the Cold War, Journal of Modern Italian Studies 14(1) 2009: 8–14
10) Maurizio Carbone and Valter Coralluzzo, The Politics of Italy’s Foreign Policy in the Mediterranean, Mediterranean Politics, Vol. 14, No. 3, 429–435, November 2009
11) Rosemary Hollis, “Europe in the Middle East” in Louise Fawcett (ed.), International Relations of the Middle East, Oxford University Press, 2009 pp. 331-348
12) Maurizio Carbone, Between ambition and ambivalence: Italy and the European Union's Mediterranean policy, Modern Italy, Volume 13, Issue 2, 2008, Pages 155 – 168
13) Kamleh Khatib, The Union for the Mediterranean: Views from the Southern Shores, The International Spectator, Volume 45, Issue 3 September 2010 , pages 41 - 50
14) Nathalie Tocci and Jean-Pierre Cassarino, Rethinking the EU’s Mediterranean Policies, Post-1/11, Iai Working Papers 11, 06 – March 2011
Mattia Toaldo is a lecturer at IES since 2007. He is Junior Research Fellow in History of International Relations at the University of Roma Tre (Rome) where he’s part of the Nuclear Proliferation International History Project co-managed with the Washington-based Wilson Center. He is currently writing a book for the Routeledge Publishing Company on “The Origins of the War on Terror: Reagan’s policy in Libya and Lebanon”. He earned his Ph.D. in Diplomatic History at Roma 3 and has already published a book in Italian on the 2008 US elections. In the last decade he has worked as manager in an ICT company, journalist at the daily Il Messaggero and extensively as political consultant also for the Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry.