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E-book

The e-book series Aspen Italia Views – published with the Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana (founded by Giovanni Treccani) – presents analyses and studies conducted by preeminent authors on the major challenges facing contemporary societies. The series provides a modern and lively intellectual forum on topics ranging from culture and technology to politics and national and international security.

The publications are characterized by a business community emphasis, with an approach that is scientific and that focuses on the dynamics and scenarios of strategic interest to entrepreneurial activity.

The series can be downloaded from the internet and read on desktop computers, laptops, or tablets with any e-book reader app.

The following e-books are available in the Aspen Italia Views series:

April 2023
 
 

In Favor of Pure Science A Global Report by the Aspen lnstitute Science & Society Program in Collaboration Among the 13 International Partners and 1 International Initiative of the Aspen lnstitute


The Aspen Initiative in Favor of Pure Science project unites Aspen Institutes around the world in the joint objective of placing science at the core of public and private policies and of raising political and economic decision-makers’ awareness of the importance of investing in this field.
The Aspen institutes, through the presentation of the global report In Favor of Pure Science on the status of science in each institute’s country, intend to provide a composite picture of current best practices and of ongoing and future projects. To that end, each institute contributed by collecting and sharing ideas and proposals within its network (scientists, academics, researchers and representatives of economic and institutional spheres).
Our belief is that today, an important part of the Aspen mission throughout the world is to make a plea in favor of pure science as a “public good”: a plea for more public and private funding, a plea for more freedom of research, a plea for more globalized research, a plea for a more open access to pure science for minorities of all kinds.
In the medium-to-long run, this project will have the objective to make the consciousness of the importance of putting pure science at the center of public and private policies a structural element of the “enlightened leadership” at the national and, ever more importantly, at the global level, for the general wellbeing of humanity.

January 2017
 
 

Beyond the migration and asylum crisis. Options and lessons for Europe


Migration and asylum policies have long been a peripheral and low-priority field in the wider domain of European politics. Since 2015, this has fundamentally changed. The dramatic shortcomings in the management of cross-Mediterranean “mixed migration” flows have triggered a politically devastating governance crisis. The reduction in arrivals brought about by the signature of a controversial deal between the EU and Turkey has temporarily assuaged the sense of emergency. But the structural weaknesses and political contradictions that caused the crisis remain unresolved. Europe’s Achilles’ heel is more exposed than ever: after the Brexit vote and Trump’s victory, migration issues are far from having exhausted their potential to generate political shocks. Future rounds of political elections in France, Germany and elsewhere might bring further evidence.
This ebook approaches this decisive set of issues in a timely way, though not in the spirit of an “instant book”. In Part I, it provides a broad reconstruction of the deep historical roots of the current situation, followed by a critical appraisal of the key drivers in European policy responses, and by some thoughtful recommendations on possible strategic adjustments. Part II brings together the authoritative and forward-looking voices of eleven renowned scholars and experts from different geographical areas (several EU countries, but also the South and East Mediterranean and North America) and disciplinary backgrounds (from political science to sociology and international relations). Each of them adds to our understanding of the complexity of such a multi-faceted crisis. All together, they provide the reader with a rich and original orientation toolkit in a tormented landscape that is changing fast but will not disappear soon.

December 2015
 
 

Bordering a new Middle East


Borders are a fundamental yet tricky issue in international politics. Despite their seemingly static nature, shifting frontiers are at the heart of many historical changes, not just through war. The Middle East and North Africa are experiencing important transitions, some of which are traumatic. In the Middle East there is a “great imbalance”: power relationships are contested and far from clear and alliances, as well as the resilience of state institutions, are tested. Such a strategic outlook is especially conducive to violent conflict. One of the transitions currently underway has to do with state borders and their practical meaning.
The chapters of the book cover (individually on in conjunction with other countries) Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf monarchies, Syria, Turkey