COVID-19 and realism in international relations: is there a nexus between the ongoing pandemic and a seemingly surpassed political theory

Yesterday, I had a wonderful lunch-time conversation with Professor Antonio Trampus of Ca’ Foscari. This talk made me thing about the years spent in academia, when I studied the Theory of International Relations.

As political scientist and expert in international relations, he said this time is interesting to study: as the COVID-19 spread perfectly shows, at an international level the World is still basically organised on a power-politics Morgenthau-style kind of form.

World politics is always and necessarily a field of conflict among actors pursuing power, and this is more clear in time of health emergencies.

As an Italian, one of the countries severely hit by the virus, COVID-19 and realism is are straightforwardly linked. Substantially, there is no form of international co-operation and combined assaults at Italian market shares in key fields. The French Canal + ad [https://bit.ly/2VHs9jW] shows only too well.

With an increasing number of countries either banning or limiting flights from and to Italy, the emergency is no longer health-related only. How all this will effect the international recruitment of students by Italian universities?

Talking to friends and colleagues around the World, the best-case scenario I got is that in 2020 there will be “no growth”. Many report a “two-digit fall”; some say other countries are already actively cannibalizing our market share.

 

Enrico Sartor – Fabruary 7th, 2020