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 and Baltic (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?
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.
92)
How much is Italian economic diplomacy worth?
From the concorso. Lingua
inglese
93)
Is
the current international order threatened by growing global
instability?
94)
Free
trade and fair trade – What are the arguments for and against
imposing tariiffs on Chinese exports?
2018
Trade, multilateralism (WTO) and protectionism. Is our society becoming less global?
Land grabbing and water grabbing: human rights and future wealth depend not only on energy and oil but on agriculture.
Italy’s soft power: how to better use our national resources.
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
2018
Quale diplomatico in servizio presso l’Ambasciata d’Italia a Washington, il vostro Capo Missione vi chiede di preparare un discorso sull’attuale ruolo internazionale dell’Italia che egli pronuncerà in occasione della Festa Nazionale della Repubblica, alla presenza delle Autorità politiche e delle personalità del paese di accreditamento.
Il 17 luglio ricorre il XX anniversario dell’adozione dello Statuto di Roma, istitutivo della Corte Penale Internazionale. Riflessioni sul ruolo e sulle prospettive della giustizia internazionale.
La dimensione umanitaria nell’attuale contesto delle crisi internazionali, con particolare riferimento al coinvolgimento delle popolazioni nei conflitti. Il ruolo della comunità internazionale e della società civile.
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?
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento
Nota. Solo i membri di questo blog possono postare un commento.