1) What are the main
characteristics of a failed (or ‘failing’) state and how should
the international community respond to this challenge? Illustrate
your ideas with examples.
2) Italy is involved in
various foreign policy initiatives as a member of wider institutions
(the EU, NATO, the UN etc.) and as a sovereign state with its own
interests. Describe some of them. You may also want to comment on
their size, length, cost and effectiveness.
3) States are no longer
the only actors on the international stage. How does this affect
international relations? Give examples.
4) Outline the current
economic crisis, its nature, its short-term effects, the response of
the global community, and the possible long-term consequences for
international relations.
5) Developing countries
and sustainability. Discuss some of the main factors involved.
6) What are the main
factors that will influence the evolution of relations between China
and the international community? How is China’s role within the
international order changing?
7) Diplomacy – What are
the main factors involved in the decision by a state or political
movement to take part in, or not to take part in, negotiations with
another state or non-state actor which it considers in some sense
‘the enemy’? Illustrate your point of view with examples from
modern history or the contemporary world.
8) To what extent is
‘security’ now the key word in international relations?
9) How has the Arab
Spring and Winter affected international relations?
10) What are the main
challenges facing Latin America?
11) Is the leadership of
the US and the West within the international order coming to an end?
12) Has the EU
lost its way? What are the main challenges it faces today?
13) How should the
international community respond to the dangers posed by nuclear
technology?
14) The International
Criminal Court – its structure, role and effectiveness to date.
15) What are the main
factors to be weighed when the international community is considering
military intervention in response to a humanitarian crisis?
16) What are the
main challenges facing Africa?
17) What are the
main characteristics, benefits and drawbacks of globalization?
18) Outline the main
characteristics of Italian foreign policy since the end of the Second
World War.
19) To what extent
have states now lost, by choice or by circumstance, much of their
sovereignty?
20) Climate change
and renewable energy. Discuss.
21) What are the
main factors that will influence the evolution of relations between
the EU and the Russian Federation?
22) What are some of
the issues involved in the exploration and development of space by
the international community?
23) Safe-guarding
human rights during the current economic crisis. Discuss.
24) How should the
UN be reformed? Does the structure of the UN make it in some sense
unreformable?
25) The Arab world
needs to change and modernize in order to meet the challenges of the
21st century. Discuss.
26) How is the role
of NATO changing? What challenges does the organization face?
27) What is the role
of information technology and the new media in international
relations?
28) What is the role
of culture in international relations?
29) What kind of
people make good diplomats? What kind of work do they do? What kind
of responsibilities do they have?
30) What are the
realities regarding the development and use of alternative renewable
energies?
31) How do
demographic changes (population growth or decline) affect
international relations?
32) How is climate
change and the need to deal with it affecting international
relations?
33) To what extent
is leadership an important factor in international relations?
Illustrate your answer with examples from contemporary history and
current affairs?
34) What can the
international community do to protect biodiversity? Why is this
question important?
35) State
sovereignty and the responsibility to protect. Discuss both the legal
and practical issues involved. Give examples.
36) What is the role
of the BRICS in international relations?
37) What are the
main questions to be dealt with in order to achieve a lasting
settlement between Israel and the Palestinians?
38) Migration -
Describe the nature, scale, benefits and drawbacks of this phenomenon
with special reference to the EU.
39) What progress
was made in achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals and what
challenges remain? Comment on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development.
40) How is Italy's
diplomatic corps involved in the safe-guarding of Italy's cultural
heritage?
41) What role do
sports and major cultural events play in diplomacy?
42) What should
the EU do to promote awareness of a European identity among EU
citizens?
43) China and its
neighbors. Discuss.
44) To what extent
are international relations influenced by the competition for scarce
resources?
45) In the
contemporary world has the space for diplomacy been reduced?
46) Is ‘cooperation’
the key word in today’s world?
47) Are Western
values universal or are we witnessing a genuine ‘clash of cultures’
in international relations?
48) How should the
international community respond to the threat of piracy?
49) Italy and the
Balkans. Discuss.
50) Can the German
economic model really be a model for other EU countries?
51) The
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) – What is it?
What are the proposed benefits and possible drawbacks? You may want
to discuss it in relation to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
52) What are
some of the problems that the Netherlands is having to deal with
during its presidency of the Council of the European Union from
January to June 2016? What was the Dutch government’s program for
the Presidency? (or Slovakia (Jul–Dec
2016) and Malta (Jan–Jun 2017).
53) What are the
dangers relating to cyber threats and cyber warfare for security,
international relations and the economy.
54) The European
External Action Service. What does it do? Is it effective?
55) Italy and the
Mediterranean. Discuss.
56) The economic
crisis, immigration and the rise of Euroscepticism. Discuss.
57) How do ideas
about identity affect international relations?
58) Although there
are still situations of crisis and institutional fragility in many
parts of Africa, several countries there seem to be registering more
positive economic trends. Comment on this and on the role of the
Africa-EU Partnership in this context, and outline some of the
challenges and opportunities.
59) You have been
asked to accompany a small group of African diplomats on a three day
visit to Expo Milano 2015 this May. Write a short speech of welcome
and introduction, explain the goals of the Expo and describe some of
the things that the group will be able to do and see there.
60) You have been
asked to meet a group of Chinese businessmen on a short visit to
Italy and to tell them something about Destinazione Italia. Write a
short speech of welcome and introduction to explain the goals of the
plan and some of the initiatives that may be relevant to them.
61) How might the
results of the next US Presidential election affect international
relations?
62) How might a
Brexit affect the European Union and the UK itself?
63) How effective
are economic sanctions in international relations? Discuss in
relation to real cases where they have been or are being used.
64) Legacy – What
are the achievements and failures of the Obama administration so far?
Give particular attention to international affairs.
65) How should the
international community, and Italy in particular, respond to the
challenges relating to the Arctic area?
66) Outline some of the
issues concerning ‘what the City Renaissance means in the Digital
Age’ to be explored at the 2016 Major Cities of Europe Conference
in Florence from May 30th to June 1st 2016.
67) What are some of the
main questions to be addressed at the next NATO summit that will take
place on 8-9 July, 2016 in Warsaw, Poland?
68) The economic crisis,
immigration and the rise of Euroscepticism. Discuss.
69) Italy and the Arab
world. Outline some of the challenges Italy faces and how it is
dealing with these questions.
70) Fukushima five years
later –what lessons are there for Japan and the international
community and what are the realities?
71) What is the role of
culture in generating economic activity and as a tool for exercising
‘soft power’? Discuss in relation to Italy and other countries.
72) What are the terms of
the March 2016 migrant deal between the EU and Turkey? Is it a good
deal for the EU and Italy in particular? What questions does it
raise?
73) Italy and Libya –
discuss.
74) Outline the situation
regarding jihadist terrorism in Africa today. What are the effects?
What is being done in response?
75) Fighting corruption –
describe the problem and current attempts to deal with it.
76) What were some of the
goals of the March 2016 Rome Model United Nations?
77) What are some of the
issues involved in the exploration and development of space by the
international community? You may want to refer to the January 2016
8th Annual Conference on European Space Policy.
78) The EU and further
enlargement – is this the right moment?
79) Goals and challenges
for the new UN Secretary General.
80)
2017 the UN International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development
81) Comment on elections,
referendums and international relations for the West in today's
world, taking into consideration one or more of the following
factors:
are traditional parties losing their traditional identities?is there a growing loss of a political culture within society in developed economies?
the role of false news and disinformation
an electorate with greater and greater access to political information compared to the past but which often seems ill-informed or willingly misinformed
82) What is the role of
the diplomat in the world of today?
83) You have been invited to give a
presentation to a group of American and Canadian diplomats and
military officials based in Italy and elsewhere in Europe about
recent developments at the European Defence Agency and future
relations with NATO.
84) As a
representative of the Italian Foreign Ministry you have been asked to
give a presentation at the Polish Cultural Institute in Rome to an
audience made up mainly of diplomats and other officials from Eastern
European (EU) states. The title of your presentation is 'Current
and future relations between the EU and the Russian Federation'.
85) Can the European Union provide the international community with leadership?
86) Is there a role in international relations for the EU as an effective mediator?
85) Can the European Union provide the international community with leadership?
86) Is there a role in international relations for the EU as an effective mediator?
87)
'The necessary basis for
a functioning democracy in a developed economy is a well-informed
electorate.' Discuss
this idea in relation to recent concerns about fake news,
disinformation and security.
(I
am, of course, paraphrasing Thomas Jefferson who said “Whenever the
people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own
government.”)
88)
What
are some of the opportunities and challenges for Italy and the EU in
relation to China's
Belt
and Road Initiative?
89)
How successful were the UN Millennium Development Goals and what
challenges remain? Comment on the progress made so far on the
Sustainable Development Goals.
90)
The EU and Turkey. Discuss.
91)
What is 'soft power' and how is it exercised? To illustrate your
ideas give examples relating to countries other than Italy.
From the concorso. Lingua inglese
92)
How much is Italian economic diplomacy worth?
2017
Inspiring and pioneering women in today’s world: how to break the glass ceiling.
The European perception of the Mediterranean Sea: from an opportunity to a responsibility.
You have been asked to deliver a speech on ethnic and religious identities and international conflicts. What would your key points be?
2016
The recent developments in the international debate over climate change.
Why has international trade so much importance for Italy? The role of Italian diplomacy in this connection.
Is a new world order emerging from the Middle East?
2014
The fight for natural resources is a challenge for the relations between developed countries and emerging economies and is a risk for the stability of the world and the growth of developing countries.
The UN Security Council has been described as a “handbook of irrelevance”, yet Italy is running for a non-permanent seat. Why?
The redistribution of power in a globalized world. Challenges and opportunities.
Seconda Lingua
2017
Gli interessi sono l’unico motore nei rapporti fra gli Stati? Qual è oggi lo spazio dei valori e dell’etica nelle relazioni internazionali?
Provi il candidato ad elaborare una presentazione per una platea extraeuropea del concetto attuale di identità e di confini europei, da definire in base ai valori ed agli interessi strategici condivisi
Le relazioni tra USA e Russia nelle attuali crisi mediorientali
2016
Caso Wikileaks: equilibrio fra il diritto all’informazione dei cittadini e sicurezza nazionale
Prospettive del continente africano. “Neocolonialismi” e fondamentalismi nel XXI secolo
Fonti energetiche tradizionali e rinnovabili: quale futuro per l’energia mondiale
2014
Il 18 luglio cade l’anniversario della morte di Nelson Mandela. la ricorrenza offre l’occasione per trarre un bilancio sulla sua figura storica e il significato della sua eredità.
Evoluzione del partenariato Europa-Africa.
Pur nel permanere di situazioni di crisi e fragilità istituzionali, diversi paesi africani evidenziano dinamiche economiche positive. Nuove sfide e opportunità.
La stampa ha recentemente
titolato: “L’Unione Europea è nei guai. Qualcosa è sbagliato in
Europa, ma nessuno concorda su cosa sia”. Quali sono le cause
profonde del malessere che serpeggia oggi in Europa e della delusione
e disaffezione dei cittadini per il progetto europeo?
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