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International Programs

  • Rome
    • 13 October 2010
     
     

    Western democracies under pressure

      The members of the first panel analyzed the multiple repercussions of the crisis that began in 2008 on the Western economies, as well as on their political systems and societies. The impact has been profound, putting in question the growth model and the sustainability of the welfare state in its current forms. Major tensions have also emerged between short term needs – such as the bailouts – and longer term goals. The very close link between modern states and capitalism, which in the Western world is captured by the expression “market democracy”, has become more evident than in the past.

    • Rome
      • 14 January 2010
       
       

      Beyond GDP: quantity and quality of growth

        Proceedings at this roundtable discussion got underway with the acknowledgement that, in recent years, consideration of the question of how to measure economic performance and social progress has gone far beyond the concept of Gross Domestic Product. This is true of the efforts of national statistical institutes, major international organizations, as well as the academic and research sphere. Today, there is a vast array of knowledge and statistical data available, enabling a much more comprehensive grasp of economic activities and their actual value.

      • Milan
        • 24 May 2010
         
         

        The China challenge

          At the same time as the China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue, a seminar was held in Milan with Edward Tse, Booz & Company’s Chairman for Greater China and one of the major experts on the Chinese market. The meeting was an opportunity to discuss the economic context businesses find in China, as well as the Chinese government’s main choices in this phase of serious international gravity.

        • Rome
          • 12 February 2009
           
           

          Global Health Forum

            This event was part of the broader Aspen for the G-8 project, dedicated to Italy’s presidency of the G-8. The project aims to contribute to the formulation of guidelines for G-8 action characterized by coordinated efforts between the public and private sectors.

          • Rome
            • 20 February 2009
             
             

            Aspen for the G-8. Sustainable Capitalism

              The crisis currently in progress is exceptional for many reasons, including the fact that it seems to be the culmination of a series of rapid-growth phenomena. The globalization of the 1990s, while producing many positive effects, was too fast and was not accompanied by a sufficient adaptation of the major multilateral institutions, the rules (especially in the financial sector) and the world monetary system itself.

            • Rome
              • 22 June 2009
               
               

              The world after the crisis: designing the future

                The Conference discussion focused on the overall international scenario that may emerge after the worst of the economic crisis has passed. A fundamental question arises concerning the nature of the restructure currently in progress. Does it represent a new paradigm for global capitalism or, less ambitiously, is it just a partial reorganization based on more cautious attitudes and expectations?

              • Rome
                • 12 February 2009
                 
                 

                Ageing societies and sustainable health systems

                  This international workshop, dedicated to the issue of the sustainability of health systems in the face of an ageing population, highlighted the fact that the phenomenon affects all countries, whether developed or developing. Since the middle of the 19th century, life expectancy at birth in all industrialized nations has doubled and, in some cases, more than doubled. At the same time, birth rates and fertility rates have fallen and, in Western countries, have dropped to a quarter of their levels at the beginning of the 20th century.

                • Rome
                  • 27 November 2009
                   
                   

                  Politics, science and innovation across the Atlantic

                    The starting point for the discussions at this event was scientific method, with an emphasis on the complex and often problematic interaction of the “exact” sciences with politics and, more particularly, with the media – an indispensable vehicle for getting through to the general public and hence, indirectly, to leaders. It was stressed that complete adherence by physicists and biologists to professional ethics is essential if knowledge is to be used properly in addressing many social and economic problems.

                  • Rome
                    • 1 July 2009
                     
                     

                    The 2009 G8’s sustainable development challenge: initiative and implementation

                      On the eve of the G8 summit in L’Aquila, this workshop examined the various aspects of sustainable development in light of the commitments made by the major economic powers in recent years and current priorities.

                      The participants took note of the serious overall lack of effective governance, which has been particularly highlighted over the past two decades by the profound transformations that have taken place in the international order – starting with economic growth and demographic trends.

                    • Rome
                      • 8 April 2009
                       
                       

                      The EU and the crisis: light at the end of the tunnel

                        This talk-debate session focused on early signs of a global economic recovery. Whilst the light at the end of the tunnel may not yet be clearly visible, some important signals are already starting to emerge. The first of these is that the governments of EU countries have acted in a timely and effectively coordinated manner. Indeed, their actions have confirmed the primacy of the political sphere and an intergovernmental approach over action through EU institutions (and the European Commission in particular).

                      • Milan
                        • 26 January 2009
                         
                         

                        Europe’s economy after the financial crisis

                          Created by the implosion of the US financial system, the last of the “bubbles” – that of the housing market – is the culmination of over a decade of shortsighted American monetary policies and an inadequate monitoring system. The situation is particularly grave, with forecasts that world growth will fall from 5% in 2007 to little more than 1% in 2009. As yet, it is not possible to predict how long the recession will last.

                        • Rome
                          • 5 May 2009
                           
                           

                          Prospects for the world economy

                            This informal dinner event, organized by Aspen Institute Italia, focused on global governance issues and involved the participation – as guest speakers – of Joseph Stiglitz, economist and professor at Columbia University and Nobel Laureate, Jean-Paul Fitoussi, President of the OFCE in Paris, Meghnad Desai, Professor Emeritus at the London School of Economics, and Rakesh Mohan, Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India.

                          • Rome
                            • 23 September 2008
                             
                             

                            A human security approach in Afghanistan: can the Euro-American community benefit?

                              The concept of “human security” revolves around bettering overall conditions – not just security but economic conditions – for people in a crisis or post-conflict area. It demands, therefore, the setting of different priorities as regards more traditional concepts of national security, state building and nation building.

                            • Rome
                              • 1 July 2008
                               
                               

                              Italy, Europe and the U.S. The Transatlantic link and its future

                                This conference was launched in memory of all that Giovanni Agnelli gave to strengthen relations between the United States and Italy. Discussion went on to focus on two specific demands: one the one hand, the importance of safeguarding the positive aspects of transatlantic relations’ long history and, on the other, the need to constantly adapt policy and discussions to novel challenges.These early years of the twenty-first century have already shown clear signs of change – in some cases radical change – in areas such as the very structure of the international system.

                              • Rome
                                • 1 June 2008
                                 
                                 

                                What does Russia Think? Politics of ideas and policy choices

                                  The international workshop focused particularly on the debate currently underway inside Russia, which sees various schools of thought playing a key role despite the regime’s tight control over political dissent and the media. There was a broad consensus among the participants regarding the main achievement of Putin’s presidency, namely, that of having consolidated the position of the central State and of having exploited energy revenues to increase the economic – and, in part, political – influence of the country on the international stage.

                                • Berlin
                                  • 6 March 2008
                                   
                                   

                                  Russia and the future of Europe’s energy

                                    Evaluating the turnover between Vladimir Putin and Dmitri Medvedev at the presidency requires a recognition of the central role that Putin continues to occupy on the Russian political scene. It seems indeed clear that the structure of power in Moscow has remained fundamentally unchanged, although it is possible that Medvedev will walk the path of cautious liberal reforms.The next few years will see, in any case, further efforts to fully exploit the instrument of energy resources and currency reserves at the country’s disposal.

                                  • Rome
                                    • 16 September 2008
                                     
                                     

                                    Italy, Europe and Israel: building a privileged partnership

                                      Bilateral relations between Italy and Israel have intensified recently, producing some promising results, though, for the big strategic questions and economic issues, broader EU involvement is key. Partially due to 9/11, interest in the underlying motives behind problems in the Middle East and Mediterranean region has grown, and increased attention has revealed the importance of social factors and domestic policy. Such an approach highlights the singular characteristics of Israel, a country which stands out as a sort of outpost for the West in the region.

                                    • Rome
                                      • 1 July 2008
                                       
                                       

                                      The American economy today and its global implications

                                        Discussion here touched on the significant slowdown of America’s economy. Theories to explain this turn of events abound: from the real estate bubble to the sub-prime housing crisis, to more general imbalances. Participants focused on the financial sector, but the dynamics of prices – both for the producer and for the consumer – were also a subject of interest.