Policies and Strategies for Midland Seas

The term Global Mediterraneans does not simply serve as the title of this volume. It denotes a distinct geopolitical and geostrategic concept that provides its central analytical framework. Proceeding from the premise that geopolitics is the study of the differentiation of political space according to the structural characteristics of space itself, the contributors deliberately place space at the heart of their analysis. Their approach examines space simultaneously as a physical and a political reality, adopting a holistic perspective that encompasses the multiple phenomena arising from these complementary dimensions. This methodological choice has led to a systematic investigation of the internal organisation of the Global Mediterraneans as maritime geopolitical systems, their role within wider regional and global dynamics, the policies that originate within them or are directed towards them, and the actors that shape their evolution.
The result is a multidimensional interpretation of the Global Mediterraneans, identifying them as the geographical pivots of an equal number of Regional Security Complexes which, in the view of the authors and editors of this volume, constitute the principal centres of contemporary international politics and security. The interactions that arise both within the Global Mediterraneans and among them are of such complexity that they cannot be satisfactorily analysed through a single spatial scale. Rather, they require analytical perspectives that are simultaneously multi-scalar and transscalar, capable of capturing the continuous interplay between local, regional and global dynamics.
This volume brings together specialists from a broad range of academic disciplines and research traditions, each contributing the distinctive perspectives of their respective fields. Geopolitical scholars, international relations specialists, economists, geostrategists, academics, and strategic analysts—from both Italy and abroad—share the conviction that the Global Mediterraneans have emerged as maritime geopolitical systems of increasing global significance. Collectively, their contributions provide an interdisciplinary understanding of these maritime systems and of the strategic dynamics that increasingly define them.
The Global Mediterraneans inevitably command the attention of both regional and extra-regional navies. From a military perspective, the Global Mediterraneans constitute the only operational theatres in which every operational domain may realistically become contested simultaneously. In such environments any future confrontation could display unprecedented levels of operational complexity across the maritime, land, air, space, cyber, and cognitive domains. The Global Mediterraneans share another defining characteristic. They are progressively assuming the characteristics of increasingly Narrow Seas as advances in precision strike capabilities, long-range weapon systems, and pervasive surveillance continue to compress the operational environment.
This evolution already requires the development of new strategic concepts, operational doctrines, tactics, procedures, and technologies that will profoundly shape the future development of naval forces and defence industries alike.