The South Caucasus and the wider Caspian region are experiencing a period of rapid geopolitical transformation shaped by shifting power balances, regional connectivity projects, energy diplomacy, and increasing competition among...
Read MoreRecent publications
From Survival to Regional Power: Israel and the Transformation of the Middle East, 1960s–1970s
Historical Context and Structural FoundationsThe decades of the 1960s and 1970s marked a critical turning point in the evolution of the Middle East. During this period, Israel underwent profound transformation,...
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Rethinking Social Security Cooperation in Italy–South Korea Relations
IntroductionBilateral social security agreements are essential in today’s globalized world to guarantee expatriates’ welfare, facilitate international labor mobility, and promote global cooperation. They prevent migrant workers from paying social security...
Read MoreCan Middle Powers survive the U.S.-China Crossfire?
The Myth of the Multipolar Buffer in a Bipolar RealityFor a diverse, geographically dispersed array of middle powers spanning from the institutional, regulatory corridors of Brussels to the dynamic, diplomatic...
Read MoreBeyond the Factory Model: Korea, Vietnam, and Strategic Co-Development
President Lee Jae-myung’s April 2026 state visit to Vietnam was framed by a rare symmetry of diplomatic timing. General Secretary To Lam had been the first state guest received by...
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Can AI Drive Armenia’s Digital Reindustrialization?
Armenia’s emerging artificial intelligence (AI) sector should be understood not as a sudden technological success story, but as a late attempt to overcome a long cycle of post-Soviet economic narrowing....
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Italy’s BRI Exit: Realignment in a Divided World
Italy’s Entry into the Belt and Road Initiative: Expectations and ControversiesOn March 22, 2019, Italy became the first G7 country to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China to...
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Why Should India Draw Attention to the Trans-Afghan Corridor?
India’s government-owned company, India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), has suspended its involvement in developing the Chabahar ocean port in south-eastern Iran, transferring its remaining financial commitment to Tehran. This follows...
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Meloni’s Baku Visit and the Italy-Azerbaijan Axis
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s official visit to Azerbaijan on 4 May 2026 formalized the transformation of relations between Rome and Baku from a conventional diplomatic relationship into a comprehensive...
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Japan’s China Policy Shift Under the Takaichi Doctrine
The release of Japan’s 2026 Diplomatic Bluebook and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s subsequent declaration on constitutional revision represent more than just a change in wording; they signal a fundamental pivot...
Read MoreSouth Korea as an Arctic Enabler: A New Diplomatic Discourse for South Korea in the Arctic
The Strategic Weight of Diplomatic DiscourseIn international relations (IR), the language states use to describe their role — the frames, metaphors, and identity claims embedded in policy documents and diplomatic...
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Deepening the Korea–Bulgaria Strategic Value Alliance amid the Reconfiguration of Energy Sovereignty in Southeast Europe
IntroductionAs Korea and Bulgaria mark the 36th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026, their bilateral ties are entering a new phase defined less by symbolism and more by converging strategic...
Read MoreRecent events
Regions & Programs
“The Caspian Region Is Entering a New Geopolitical Order”
The South Caucasus and the wider Caspian region are experiencing a period of rapid geopolitical transformation shaped by shifting power…
Can Middle Powers survive the U.S.-China Crossfire?
The Myth of the Multipolar Buffer in a Bipolar RealityFor a diverse, geographically dispersed array of middle powers spanning from…
Rethinking Social Security Cooperation in Italy–South Korea Relations
IntroductionBilateral social security agreements are essential in today’s globalized world to guarantee expatriates’ welfare, facilitate international labor mobility, and promote…
Can Middle Powers survive the U.S.-China Crossfire?
The Myth of the Multipolar Buffer in a Bipolar RealityFor a diverse, geographically dispersed array of middle powers spanning from…
Beyond the Factory Model: Korea, Vietnam, and Strategic Co-Development
President Lee Jae-myung’s April 2026 state visit to Vietnam was framed by a rare symmetry of diplomatic timing. General Secretary…
South Korea as an Arctic Enabler: A New Diplomatic Discourse for South Korea in the Arctic
The Strategic Weight of Diplomatic DiscourseIn international relations (IR), the language states use to describe their role — the frames,…