The titles posted at the start of the year

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?

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?

95) What is the role of rivers and fresh water in international relations?

96) Write an assessment of progress and failures so far in moving towards the SDGs in Italy and globally.

97) Is the rise of populism a real threat to the international liberal order and to EU unity?

 

98) What progress is being made in the field of green energies? (Include information on: what the main green energy sources are, examples of the latest technological developments, cost effectiveness and percentage of final energy consumption from green sources 2018-19, worldwide, in the EU and in Italy. You will need to do some research!)

 

99) 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall has the West lost its way? Are its ideas and resolve failing?

 

100) How do global and national demographic trends affect international relations?

 

101) What is the role of the diplomat in today's world? How do developments in the information and communications technologies affect that role?

 

102) What role does China play in international relations today? How should Italy, the EU and other groups handle relations with China?

 

103) 'Fake news' – What is it? How is it used? What can be done about it?

 

104) Is the world becoming less democratic?

 

106)'Soft power' and the Italian model. Discuss.

 

105) What are the main challenges facing Africa?

 

107) How is the situation evolving in Libya? What is at stake for Italy and the EU? What is Italy's diplomatic position and line of action in this regard?

 

108) Human rights - are we making significant progress in real terms?

  

109) A second Arab Spring – street protests across the Arab world (and beyond) 2019-20.

110) Action on global climate change after COP 25.

111) Brexit, post-Brexit and reshaping EU-UK relations.

112) Epidemics and the risk of a pandemic – causes and responses. How should individual countries and the international community deal with this kind of challenge? Illustrate your answer with one or more current examples.                                                                                                                            or:                                                                                                                                                             You have been sent as a diplomatic representative of the Italian government to a public meeting in Geneva  to give representatives of the WHO, other UN agencies and the international press an update on Italy's strategy for dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak.

113) What is 5G? Why is it important? What advantages does it provide? What are the technical, health and security concerns? Are these concerns resolvable? What is the EU's position?

114) Europe has some of the world's biggest companies but some experts argue that nearly all of these are in the old economy (e.g. Volkswagen, cars, Eni, oil and gas, ING, financial services) and very few of them are leaders in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) or other high-tech sectors. Is this true? Are we losing the battle for the new economy? And, if so, why? And what should the EU do about it?

115) Artificial intelligence – Who will control it and why is this important?

116) Outline the goals of the new European Commission President. Can you explain why she has set herself these objectives and what difficulties she may face in trying to achieve them?

117) As a representative of the Italian Foreign Ministry you have been invited to NATO's Allied Joint Force Command, Naples 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.

118) Is the rise of populism a real threat to the international liberal order and to EU unity?

119) What is 'soft power' and how is it exercised? To illustrate your ideas give examples relating to Italy and examples relating to other countries.

120) '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.

121) What progress has been made since the Paris agreement of 2015 in the terms of countering climate change and global warming and in the use and development of renewable energies and green technologies?

122) What is the role of the diplomat in the world of today?

123) International law - how effective is it in shaping international affairs and the behaviour of states? Illustrate your answer with practical examples from current international relations.

124) To what extent is a state's foreign policy driven by its economic interests? Illustrate your answer with practical examples from current international relations.

125) To what extent is a state's foreign policy driven by its history and its popular idea of itself? Illustrate your answer with practical examples from current international relations.