The Future is Female

Debunking myths: Does the contemporary focus on improving women’s position in economic production deliver ‘empowerment’?

In-Depth Analysis By Francesca Giuliano on May 7, 2021 | Reading time 9 min

Growing concern about the correlation between women and poverty in developing countries has expanded in the last decades within the field of international development. Studies to investigate the effectiveness of the ‘investing in girls and women’ narrative have shown that economic empowerment is not enough to confer women and girls a just and equitable position in society – quite the contrary. This analysis explores why economically investing in women and girls in developing countries is not an effective strategy to eradicate gender inequalities.

Enrico Letta

The new Italian Democratic Party

Opinion By Gaetano Mautone on May 3, 2021 | Reading time 3 min

Recently, Nicola Zingaretti has resigned as secretary of the Italian Democratic Party. Zingaretti’s resignation was unexpected and created a crisis – which was ultimately solved by the election of the former PM Enrico Letta as the new secretary. Before his election, Letta gave a long speech addressing various issues. His main goal appears to reform the Party for new future challenges.

Hearing of Josep Borrell

Borell’s journey to the Tsar’s court: Between passivity and foolishness

Opinion By Andrea Salvadori on May 1, 2021 | Reading time 3 min

Josep Borell, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policies (HR), concluded his visit to Russia on 6th February 2021. During his visit, the HR met the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister, Sergej Lavrov, to discuss the future EU-Russia relationship. This opinion discusses the outcome of the visit and offers a perspective for the EU-Russia relationship in the near future.

Skyscrapers in Dubai

The United Arab Emirates: A quickly changing country

Opinion By Francesco Rossi on April 23, 2021 | Reading time 3 min

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a population of 9 million people, 9/10 of whom are foreigners. Overall, 200 nationalities make up the population of the UAE, with an overwhelming presence of Indian and Pakistani expatriates, followed by Asian, African, European, and American populations. The UAE is hence a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society, governed by the typical laws and customs of the Muslim religion.

Protests in Poland

Who safeguards our rights?

Brief Analysis By Zuzanna Zajac on April 19, 2021 | Reading time 3 min

The Advocate for Citizens Rights is claimed to be an independent legal authority, that is supposed to safeguard the rights of the inhabitants of a certain country. It goes without saying that this role as well as the responsibilities associated with it are of extreme importance. Nevertheless, considering the recent events that are taking place in Poland, this position proves more significant and problematic than ever.

Are we observing the end of state diplomacy?

In-Depth Analysis By Anna Zanetti on April 16, 2021 | Reading time 9 min

Since the 1980s, new forms of alternative diplomacies are rising which are enacted not only by states but also by non-state actors as international organizations and companies or similar entities. This contributed to the increased complexity in the communications between international actors, impeding the states to ignore these new evolving features of global governance. Nevertheless, the pre-eminence of state diplomacy is still strong and they still maintain their central role in the international foreign policy setting.

Mario Draghi at the EP

Italy’s complex domestic situation

Opinion By Gaetano Mautone on April 12, 2021 | Reading time 3 min

In a short time, Prime Minister Draghi cleared the chain of command of Conte’s previous government, consistent with the premises that accompanied the establishment of the new government, characterised by the central role of the Prime Minister and his collaborators and their two main objectives: reach herd immunity and reignite the Italian economy through the Next Generation EU investments.

IMF MD Asia Trip

The Spreading Tentacles of Chinese Economic Diplomacy: Ethnic Conflict in Indonesia and Pakistan

In-Depth Analysis By Lorenzo Flego on April 9, 2021 | Reading time 20 min

In 2014, China’s GDP based on purchasing power parity has overtaken that of the United States. Though the US is still regarded as the world’s major economy, trends are shifting away from the narrative of a post-Cold War hegemony of liberal democracies. In light of such circumstances, this analysis assesses how Chinese development finance and investment in the Global South is shaping both, current geopolitics and the internal structure of Pakistan and Indonesia.

Przemysław Czarnek

The Polish Politics Of Confusion – The Second Fragment: Perspectives for Young People

Brief Analysis By Zuzanna Zajac on April 5, 2021 | Reading time 7 min

According to OKO press, a polish investigative journalism website, 64% of young people would prefer to live and work outside of Poland. While there are diverse reasons for this, many respondents mention the current political, social and economic atmosphere as a reason. What are thus the economic and social challenges that young people must currently face and what vision of the future is the government laying in front of them?