On November 22, 2023, LUISS University in Rome hosted “The Geopolitics of Strategic Governance” – an invitation-only workshop organised within the REMIT Horizon Europe project. The event focused on the geopolitics of strategic technology governance, the competition among main powers, and the role of international institutions.
The workshop brought together scholars from within the REMIT Research project, in particular from LUISS Guido Carli University, the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, and Maastricht University, the latter including the project’s PI Professor Roberta Haar. However, partners beyond the project consortium that were also included: University of Brussel and the University of Potsdam, for example.
Participants’ collaborative efforts focused on examining issues on a global scale with contributions from the US, Europe, China, Russia, India, Africa, and East Asia, as well as international organisations in the field of technology. Specifically, this workshop provided an opportunity for scholars to pose questions, offer comments, and engage in discussions on topics of relevance for the REMIT project, particularly in the realms of AI, cybersecurity, and the digital space between speakers and participants, who were mostly represented by scholars and PhD candidates from LUISS university. The contributions addressed the interconnected nature of the geopolitical, security, and economic dimensions, exploring the discursive, ideational, and normative aspects of interactions among various stakeholders and the different approaches main powers adopt when it comes to regulating technology.
Utilizing a constructivist conceptual framework and presenting case studies, contributors worked towards creating both coherent but, at the same time, varied contributions. These efforts will culminate in the publication of a special issue, the proposal of which has been already accepted, edited by Professors Thomas Christiansen (LUISS University), Sophie Vanhoonacker (Maastricht University) and Dr Ville Sinkokken (FIIA) in a leading international journal – more information coming soon.
The next phase of the project involves a workshop which will take place at the International Studies Association (ISA) conference to further discuss the final papers developed by the contributors before the submission to the Journal but also ensure a continued and thorough examination of the workshop’s outcomes.
