A body of water that marks a shared destiny, that unites and too often divides. A place of trade and exchange, a meeting point of cultures, civilisations and religions, a “space-movement” in Fernand Braudel’s definition, because it is what historically crosses it — people, goods, ideas — that shapes its identity.
The Mediterranean is a “space-movement” in transformation: long-latent instability has erupted into conflict. Now more than ever, there is a need for tools that help us find our bearings, understand the complexity of the political, economic and social dynamics that define the region, interpret the present we are living through and the future that awaits us.
The Geopolitical Atlas of the Mediterranean of the Institute of Political Studies “S. Pio V”, now in its 12th edition, continues to be a point of reference for the scholarly and research community, as well as for passionate readers who wish to analyse the changes underway in the Mediterranean basin — marked by the endless tragedy of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and shaken by the war involving Israel, the United States and Iran.
In the Essays section, Dalia Ghanem’s essay explores how Arab states in the region perceive Israel, revealing a gap that is often significant between governments and public opinion. Nimrod Goren’s contribution reverses the perspective and describes how Israel perceives itself after 7 October, painting the picture of a country that often feels misunderstood by its allies, yet in which part of civil society does not shy away from deep self-examination.
The Country Profiles section offers a historical overview and an up-to-date reading of the political, economic, social and international dynamics of the 11 states on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, supported by a rich and comprehensive set of statistics and data.
Finally, the Mediterranean Dialogues section frames the role of key political actors in the area and how they have responded to the growing instability running through it.
The result is a scientifically rigorous yet accessible work, indispensable for understanding the Mediterranean at one of the most tormented moments in its millennia-long history.
With a warning to Europe, to be aware of its role and to work towards relaunching a determined political engagement in the region. Because, as Aldo Moro once said, “No one is called upon to choose between being in Europe and being in the Mediterranean, for the whole of Europe is in the Mediterranean.”
Publisher: Bordeaux edizioni
Year: 2026
