What is the relationship between ordinary people, men and women who do not hold positions of authority, and international affairs? To what extent and in what ways do individuals’ actions influence war and peace, the links between the economy and international politics and, more generally, the ties connecting different social groups? How are those actions, different countries’ cultural traditions, and states’ foreign policies associated? To address these questions one needs to look beyond the mere role of elites: the ruling classes interact, often in very complex ways, with a variety of individuals not belonging to the narrow circles of power. This book offers a novel point of view and an original theoretical outlook for exploring how individual deeds and interactions between individuals affect events that appear distant from everyday life. The author helps readers understand the complicated processes governing international affairs.

Angelo Panebianco teaches Geopolitics and International Relations at the University of Bologna.