The Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) is an Italian international relations think tank, and non-profit organisation founded in 1965 by Altiero Spinelli. It is ranked among the global top-20 think tanks in the "Foreign Policy and International Relations" and "Defense and National Security" categories, according to the 2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index.2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report
History
Altiero Spinelli was the institute's first director, thanks to joint contributions from the Fondazione Olivetti, the cultural and political association Il Mulino and the Nord e Sud Research Center, as well as to substantial support from the Ford Foundation. Spinelli took North American and British think tanks as a model: he created a flexible private organization, distinct from university institutes and governmental or ministerial research centers, yet capable of inter-acting and cooperating with the government, the public administration, national economic actors and foreign academic centers. These are still the IAI's outstanding features today. In September 2020 the Institute moved to Palazzo Cipolla, an elegant Neo-Renaissance building in the heart of Rome. The institute's main objective is to promote an understanding of the problems of international politics through studies, research, training, meetings and publications, with the aim of increasing the opportunities of all countries to move in the direction of supranational organization, democratic freedom and social justice (IAI Bylaws, Article 1).
Research
Research focuses on the following thematic areas: European Union, politics and institutions Global actors (United States, Latin America, Asia, Russia) Mediterranean, Middle East and Africa Defence, Security and Space Energy and climate Multilateralism and global governance (international political economy, WTO, G7) Italy's foreign policy
The research staff is made up of nearly 40 researchers, including area or project directors. Most of the research projects are carried out together with other institutes with similar characteristics.
The institute is an active participant in – and has sometimes even been a promoter of – important transnational research networks: Council of CouncilsCouncil of Councils ETTG (European Think Tanks Group)ETTG TEPSA (Trans European Policy Studies Association)TEPSA
Publications
The International Spectator, a peer-reviewed English-language international relations quarterly, published by Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group)Routledge Trends and Perspectives in International Politics, a series of books on topical questions in international relations, published by RoutledgeRoutledge IAI Research Studies, a series of books on problems of international affairs in either English or ItalianIAI Research Studies IAI Papers and Documenti IAI, two series of papers produced within the context of IAI research projects and areas of expertiseIAI Papers IAI Commentaries, op-eds on a variety of contemporary issues in Italian and global affairsIAI Commentaries AffarInternazionali, an Italian language webzine on politics, strategy and economicsAffarInternazionali.it
In addition, the IAI manages two websites: iai.it/en: the IAI's official website Affarinternazionali.it: the site of the webzine by the same name
Footnotes
Bibliography
See also
Altiero Spinelli Foreign relations of Italy International affairs Think tank
External links The IAI's official website