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Emiliano Alessandri

Emiliano Alessandri is Transatlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Washington, where he develops GMF's work on the Mediterranean, Turkish, and wider-Atlantic security issues. Prior to joining GMF, Dr. Alessandri was a visiting fellow at the Center on the US and Europe (CUSE) of Brookings Institution in Washington D.C. where he conducted research on European security issues and Turkey.

Alessandri has extensive knowledge of transatlantic affairs and the modern history of U.S.-European relations. He wrote his doctoral thesis on the intellectual and historical origins of the idea of an “Atlantic community” under the supervision of Cambridge historian David Reynolds, of Christ’s College. He has held several positions in leading foreign-policy think tanks and academic institutions in Italy, the UK and the U.S. From 2008-2009 he worked in the Directorate General for Enlargement of the European Commission. He has participated in several research projects and initiatives regarding Turkey and Turkey-EU relations, including “Talking Turkey”, a joint multi-year project between IAI of Rome, TEPAV of Ankara, and Istituto Paralleli of Turin to offer recommendations for a European communication strategy for Turkey. In 2009, Alessandri was a visiting fellow at The Center for European Studies of the Middle East Technical University (CES-METU) in Ankara, where he conducted research on Turkish foreign policy in the Middle East and its impact on European perceptions of Turkey.

Alessandri is an associate fellow at the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) of Rome and serves on the board of the IAI-based The International Spectator.

Education:
Dr. Alessandri was educated at the University of Bologna, the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of the Johns Hopkins University, Princeton University, and received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge.

Blog Contributions
Click here for all of this author's GMF blog posts

News Articles

American Elections at a Time of Crisis: The Risks of IntrospectionJanuary 30, 2012

Failing to see the global stakes of the next Presidential elections will be at America’s and the world’s peril.

Italian-Turkish Relations: Potential and Limits of a ‘Strategic Partnership’November 29, 2011

In this paper, published in the Spring 2011 edition of Perceptions, GMF Transatlantic Fellow Emiliano Alessandri reviews the current status of Italian-Turkish relations following the "Arab Spring" and the potential for strategic realignments in the MENA region....

Hanging Between Hope and Fear: Italians at the Heart of International CrisisOctober 25, 2011

Italy’s public opinion seems more open and daring of its political elites on some hot issues of the international agenda. Although increasingly concerned about the economic context and for the future of the European integration process, Italians seems rather optimist about stabilizing the situation in Libya and strongly in favor of promoting democracy in the Arab world, even if this entails the risk of greater short-term instability.

Commentary on “Yet NATO remains central to Turkey?s wider regional role”June 23, 2011Sinan Ülgen’s argument that Turkey is ‘broadening its reach’ as opposed to ‘turning its back on the West’ is a welcome distinction, and one which helps us more accurately to grasp the new trends in Turkish foreign policy while refocusing the debate away from ideology towards strategy.

Turkey’s Global StrategyJune 07, 2011

After nearly a decade in power, Turkey's Justice and Development Party (AKP) has grown increasingly confident in its foreign policy, prompting observers to wondered aloud whether the country might be leaving "the West," forcing that group to confront the question "who lost Turkey?"

Turkey’s Future Reforms and the European UnionMay 24, 2011The European Union (EU) has played a critical role in Turkey’s reform process since the end of the Cold War but over time it has become less central a factor in Turkey’s internal transformation. The goals of “Europeanization” and “democratization” are no longer fully intertwined and the ruling elite seems to be focused on power consolidation just as much as on democratic consolidation.

Iran and Turkey After Egypt: Time for Regional Realignments?April 19, 2011Both Iran and Turkey have a major stake in how the political landscape in North Africa and the Middle East is reshaped in the months ahead. While regional uprisings (with the possible exception of a resurgence of Kurdish separatism) do not necessarily threaten the stability of the Turkish state, Iran is experiencing its own waves of protests.

The Turkish model tested by the Arab RevolutionsMarch 20, 2011GMF's Emiliano Alessandri suggests that while Turkey can be a source of inspiration for the reform movements in the Arab world, regional leadership emanating from Ankara might not be the logical consequence of democratization in the region.

Transatlantic Relations at Midterm: Not All BadNovember 06, 2010Most Europeans simply do not understand why American voters have so soon lost faith in a leader who in so many areas, from the economy to diplomacy, has worked to redress the difficult legacies of the Bush era, restoring America’s influence, image and credibility as a leader in Europe and around the world.

Democratization and Europeanization in Turkey After the September 12 ReferendumOctober 21, 2010The recent reform of the Turkish constitution makes Turkey a more democratic country according to European Union standards. This does not mean, however, that Turkey is automatically closer to its goal of EU membership as a result of the September 12 referendum.

Publications

Greater Alignment, Yet Separate Paths?December 08, 2011

This policy brief asks if the relationship between Turkey and the EU bound to be marked by a high degree of alignment but only limited convergence....

In the Wake of the Revolutions: Rethinking Mediterranean Security and StrategyNovember 22, 2011

In this Mediterranean Strategy Group paper, Emiliano Alessandri outlines the rapidly evolving strategic environment of the Mediterranean region,including new priorities and challenges for the transatlantic community.

Turkey’s Emergence as a Middle Eastern Stakeholder and What this Means for the WestOctober 10, 2011

Turkey and the West Address the Arab SpringJune 08, 2011

This brief summarizes discussions at the “EU, Turkish, and U.S. Responses to the Arab Spring: Exploring Synergies in a Transatlantic Context” conference in May 2011.

Beyond Enlargement? European Skepticism, Turkish Cynicism, and the Uncertain Future of EU-Turkey RelationsFebruary 24, 2011

This policy brief examines the current attitudes toward Turkey joining the EU, both from within Turkey and from the EU.

Maritime Commerce and Security in the Mediterranean and Adjacent Waters – Summary ReportDecember 22, 2010This report summarizes the main issues on maritime commerce and security debated during the fourth meeting of the Mediterranean Strategy Group, held in Genoa, on October 24 -26, 2010.

The European Commission’s 2010 “Progress Report” and Real Progress in Turkey-EU RelationsNovember 16, 2010

Two issues may help to provide a better grasp of the problem of whether Turkey will eventually decide to go it alone in world affairs: the recent reform of the Turkish Constitution and the evolution of Turkish foreign policy.