The Role of Think Tanks and Technical Experts in Foreign and Security Policy

This international conference - in cooperation with Centre de la Méditerranée Moderne e Contemporaine [4], LSE !deas [5], LUISS School of Government [6], University of Nice Sophia Antipolis [7] - is part of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Rome's Istituto Affari Internazionali.

Taking IAI's role as a starting point, we wish to look more carefully at the think tank model and its role: as promoter of a specific foreign and defense policy culture (the philosophy behind the creation of IAI) aimed at spreading greater awareness and knowledge about international relations and defence; as a participant in international networks which represent a form of "parallel diplomacy" and offer the chance to play a direct role in steering government action; in educating and training elites.