Project data
Funding Entity: Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR)
Call: PRIN 2022
Coordinator: Università degli Studi di Genova (Italy)
UNISI Principal Investigator: Prof. Francesco Olmastroni
Department: Department of Social, Political and Cognitive Sciences (DISPOC)
Start date: 12 December 2023
End date: 28 February 2026
Description
The project aims to address key gaps in the literature and public debate on Italy’s military operations abroad (MOA) by examining:
a) the political and military lessons learned from past MOA;
b) the drivers and features of the decision-making process behind the operations;
c) the issue-specific positions of Italian elites and public opinion on defense and security policy, based on past experiences and future scenarios.
The first step is identifying the main traits of Italian interventions through an analysis of lessons learned, highlighting approaches, challenges, assets, and outcomes. Building on this, the project will explore how such lessons influence decision-making, including Italy’s capacity to adapt and evolve. We identify three sets of lessons:
(1) those related to realities on the ground during missions, including military performance and civil-military cooperation;
(2) strategic lessons concerning the relevance of specific areas after long-term military engagement;
(3) political lessons, assessing how experiences abroad have shaped domestic policy and political dynamics.
Project website: https://www.italiandefence.org
Disclaimer: This project has been funded under Contract N° 2022J9Z53N, Italian Ministry of Research.