Hybrid Iran: the Islamic Republic between nuclear aspirations and hybrid war

The search for an interpretative paradigm to analyse the Iranian security policies is of paramount importance. As one of the main actors in the Middle East, especially after Saddam's fall and the Syrian civil war, Teheran will play a central role in shaping the region in the next decades. This thesis will explain Teheran's strategic approach using hybrid warfare as an interpretative lens. The use of hybrid warfare as the main theory will help to analyse the whole Iranian strategic patter thoroughly, drawing a complete picture of Teheran's strategic culture in the new millennium. The analysis will start with a historical retrospective of Iranian foreign policies and with an analysis of the Iranian nuclear crisis to then introduce a case studies model. Using three case studies (the Iranian nuclear program from 2003 to 2016, the Iranian intervention in Iraq and the Iranian intervention in Syria) the thesis found a series of empirical regularities in the Iranian operations, showing how the Iranian pragmatic approach managed to overcome the conventional asymmetries faced by the Islamic Republic. Thanks to hybrid tactics Teheran obtained a series of important long term goals without rising the confrontation level and with limited use of resources. The ratification of the JCPOA, a status of nuclear hedging and the extensive influence gained in the new Iraqi government is the main victories obtained by Teheran with its hybrid approach and represent a test for further application of hybrid warfare in the future

Ningyō Sashichi and Hanshichi: Differing Views on Ancient Edo

Torimonochō have enjoyed immense popularity in Japan since their inception: through highs and lows, these stories have managed to survive for a hundred years with little to no interruption, even during the bleak days of the Pacific War. Even now, when this literary genre has fallen under the radar, and many among the younger generations are unfamiliar with it, it still enjoys a moderate degree of success in its niche market, and it is an important part of the Japanese literary landscape. Despite the depth of the roots torimonochō have in Japan, scholarly attention towards the genre has not been forthcoming: literary criticism in Japanese is not plentiful, and tends to concentrate on a single series, Hanshichi torimonochō, to the near exclusion of others, and the situation is further exacerbated by the extreme scarcity of translations. The present work aims to bridge this gap, however partially, not just by introducing torimonochō to a Western audience, but by presenting some of its lesser-known aspects, and arguing for a re-evaluation of the genre itself. Torimonochō are often presented, and present in the public mind, as an unambiguous unit, something of a monolithic block with little in the way of change: detective stories set in a nostalgia-fuelled Edo period – a ‘golden age’, or the ‘good old times’ – with very rigid, well-defined characteristics more or less impervious to modifications. On a closer look, however, within the compact and apparently strict definition of ‘torimonochō’, one finds a much more fragmentary reality, an amalgamation of different elements which do not even necessarily mesh well with each other. Torimonochō are not a single block, then, but a construction made of many smaller ‘bricks’, quite varied and rarely homogeneous. A hybrid mass without substantial unity, in other words, a commixture the characteristics of which change depending on the author’s vision – and even the reader’s vision. This hybridity manifests itself in three different stages, or layers: (a) the origins of the torimonochō, how they came about and reached their present form; (b) its representational content, how they depict the fantasy world the protagonists inhabit and what this depiction tells us about the real world the authors lived in; and (c) their surrounding context, how the external circumstances around the times of their publication variously affected not just single works, but genre definitions themselves. These three forms of hybridity will be the main subject of the present thesis, the four chapters of which will explore each of these individual sides with the intention of demonstrating that torimonochō is a fundamentally inhomogeneous literary genre. Given the plethora of works, the scope of the paper is limited to the so-called ‘Five Great Torimonochō’: Umon torimonochō, Zenigata Heiji torimono hikae, Wakasama zamurai torimono techō, Hanshichi torimonochō, and Ningyō Sashichi torimonochō, with a special focus on the latter two. The Hanshichi series is of capital importance, not just because it gave birth to the genre itself, but also for its curious ‘heretical’ status among its epigones. The Sashichi series, on the other hand, introduces many variations which set it starkly apart from the traditional concept of torimonochō, endowing it with an importance which has not always been acknowledged by critics

IN LIMINE. FORME MARGINALI E DISCORSI DI CONFINE/FRINGE FORMS AND BORDER DISCOURSES.

In organizing the second edition of the Graduate Conference of the PhD programme in Literary, Linguistics and Comparative Studies at the University of Naples "L'Orientale", which took place in the splendid setting of Palazzo Du Mesnil on 20-21 October 2016, the members of the organizing committee – in full accordance with the PhD coordinator, prof. Carlo Vecce, and the Board of Professors – continued the path traced by their predecessors, remaining faithful to the interdisciplinary dialogue that has characterized our PhD training programme for years. The conference debate was devoted to investigating the concept of limen in its various meanings: limen as threshold, textual and meta-textual margin; limen as border, boundary; limen as extreme limit; limen as in-betweenness, the threshold of consciousness and perception. The concept of limen is referable to what defines, separates, combines, allows the crossing and contamination, the identification or differentiation. It can be fixed, variable, incorporated or invented and is understood as an object in its literal meaning or as a metaphorical concept. The richness of ambivalent meanings linked to this concept has allowed a wide discussion panorama, in which marginal forms and boundary discourses have been analyzed in a multicentric and multidisciplinary perspective. Given the many submissions (almost three times more than the tight constraints), the committee had the delicate and unenviable task of selecting them; the choices were based on the pre-established themes – marginality in literature, linguistics and in the arts – without favouring any kind of approach and remaining open to innovative proposals that could demonstrate the arbitrariness of superficial and hasty 'labels' present in today's cultural landscape. While aware of the inadequacy of any subdivision for an event such as this one, characterized by a constant strive for interdisciplinary contact, it was decided to place the essays gathered together in this volume in three sections: even if corresponding to distinct research areas, they all share the same field of inquiry in a broader sense. The first section of the volume focuses on Textual Crossings. In this part, we find papers analyzing the relationship between text and 'paratext', those describing the processes of rewriting (understood as evolution of a text according to the different wills of the author, both as a re-use and as transfer to different cultural, chronological and linguistic contexts) and those focusing on innovative solutions adopted in some Italian literary texts at linguistic and stylistic levels. In the second section, Boundaries between Arts and Culture, there is room for contributions that deal with literary works relegated to the margins of the canon (for a rate of originality that is too high compared to current trends or because they are considered to be ancillary in some ways). There are also essays that deal with the theme of socio-anthropological margins, particular notions of the concept of limen and those on different artistic and cultural expressions in motion. Finally, we find studies that make an in-depth examination of issues related to cultural crosses and the loss of collective and individual identity. The third section, Linguistic Marginality, focuses on the contacts between different linguistic systems, on the varieties that arise from those contacts, on speakers’ perception of those varieties, on the ways in which the concept of 'crossing a border' is expressed in different linguistic codes, and, not least, about variations related to unusual communication situations (such as, for example, telematic events). A more detailed description of the essays is provided in the abstracts preceding each paper. Before dismissing this volume, we would like to thank all those who made its realization possible: the speakers, who participated in the Graduate Conference and decided to commit themselves by sending their proposals for the publication of its proceedings; the session chairs, who enthusiastically accepted our invitation, enriching the debate with precious insights; the scientific committee members, who meticulously reviewed the papers, guaranteeing the achievement of the standards required for such a publication, and finally Professor Carlo Vecce, for the constant and discreet support at all stages of our work

IN LIMINE. FORME MARGINALI E DISCORSI DI CONFINE/FRINGE FORMS AND BORDER DISCOURSES.

In organizing the second edition of the Graduate Conference of the PhD programme in Literary, Linguistics and Comparative Studies at the University of Naples "L'Orientale", which took place in the splendid setting of Palazzo Du Mesnil on 20-21 October 2016, the members of the organizing committee – in full accordance with the PhD coordinator, prof. Carlo Vecce, and the Board of Professors – continued the path traced by their predecessors, remaining faithful to the interdisciplinary dialogue that has characterized our PhD training programme for years. The conference debate was devoted to investigating the concept of limen in its various meanings: limen as threshold, textual and meta-textual margin; limen as border, boundary; limen as extreme limit; limen as in-betweenness, the threshold of consciousness and perception. The concept of limen is referable to what defines, separates, combines, allows the crossing and contamination, the identification or differentiation. It can be fixed, variable, incorporated or invented and is understood as an object in its literal meaning or as a metaphorical concept. The richness of ambivalent meanings linked to this concept has allowed a wide discussion panorama, in which marginal forms and boundary discourses have been analyzed in a multicentric and multidisciplinary perspective. Given the many submissions (almost three times more than the tight constraints), the committee had the delicate and unenviable task of selecting them; the choices were based on the pre-established themes – marginality in literature, linguistics and in the arts – without favouring any kind of approach and remaining open to innovative proposals that could demonstrate the arbitrariness of superficial and hasty 'labels' present in today's cultural landscape. While aware of the inadequacy of any subdivision for an event such as this one, characterized by a constant strive for interdisciplinary contact, it was decided to place the essays gathered together in this volume in three sections: even if corresponding to distinct research areas, they all share the same field of inquiry in a broader sense. The first section of the volume focuses on Textual Crossings. In this part, we find papers analyzing the relationship between text and 'paratext', those describing the processes of rewriting (understood as evolution of a text according to the different wills of the author, both as a re-use and as transfer to different cultural, chronological and linguistic contexts) and those focusing on innovative solutions adopted in some Italian literary texts at linguistic and stylistic levels. In the second section, Boundaries between Arts and Culture, there is room for contributions that deal with literary works relegated to the margins of the canon (for a rate of originality that is too high compared to current trends or because they are considered to be ancillary in some ways). There are also essays that deal with the theme of socio-anthropological margins, particular notions of the concept of limen and those on different artistic and cultural expressions in motion. Finally, we find studies that make an in-depth examination of issues related to cultural crosses and the loss of collective and individual identity. The third section, Linguistic Marginality, focuses on the contacts between different linguistic systems, on the varieties that arise from those contacts, on speakers’ perception of those varieties, on the ways in which the concept of 'crossing a border' is expressed in different linguistic codes, and, not least, about variations related to unusual communication situations (such as, for example, telematic events). A more detailed description of the essays is provided in the abstracts preceding each paper. Before dismissing this volume, we would like to thank all those who made its realization possible: the speakers, who participated in the Graduate Conference and decided to commit themselves by sending their proposals for the publication of its proceedings; the session chairs, who enthusiastically accepted our invitation, enriching the debate with precious insights; the scientific committee members, who meticulously reviewed the papers, guaranteeing the achievement of the standards required for such a publication, and finally Professor Carlo Vecce, for the constant and discreet support at all stages of our work

Distretti industriali e sostenibilità. Analisi nei distretti e nei poli industriali della Campania

La sostenibilità dei sistemi economici e dei processi produttivi è un elemento di progettualità e di applicazione che, nell’epoca attuale, non può essere sottostimato e merita, invece, un’attenzione particolare alla luce di una serie di variabili che hanno un effetto sullo sviluppo di iniziative e strategie di sostenibilità nelle imprese. In questo lavoro si intende indagare i fattori di contesto legati alle specificità locali e settoriali dei distretti industriali e dei poli produttivi. La scelta dell’unità di indagine dei distretti e dei poli produttivi risulta rilevante per due ordini di motivi. In primo luogo la disaggregazione dei processi produttivi tra più attori, coinvolgendo gli operatori della subfornitura, dell’indotto, dei servizi, fa sì che l’attenzione alla sostenibilità debba spostarsi da una “pratica individuale” di singola impresa a quella di network e distretti. Azioni individuali per la tutela dell’ambiente o dei diritti umani producono risultati limitati che possono essere addirittura vanificati da comportamenti non etici di altri attori della filiera. Per ottenere la finalità ultima di raggiungere un bene davvero comune, è necessario condividere progetti di sostenibilità tra più attori, creare partenariati pubblico-privato, collaborare con la supply chain. Infatti, azioni progettate ed implementate in forma collaborativa consentiranno di sviluppare progetti di maggiori dimensioni, di legittimare i progetti stessi, nonché di fornire loro le condizioni necessarie per poter essere efficacemente sviluppati; allo stesso tempo la sostenibilità diviene un’opportunità per la costruzione di interazioni collaborative e di partnership tra soggetti pubblici e privati. La seconda motivazione si riferisce alla condizione della natura imprenditoriale del tessuto economico-produttivo italiano, caratterizzato quasi esclusivamente da attori di piccole e media dimensione (PMI), per i quali, al fine di diffondere pratiche di corporate social responsibility (CSR), la letteratura ha suggerito di agire attraverso un approccio basato sulla cooperazione, sottolineando che se lo studio della CSR nelle grandi imprese deve basarsi sulla stakeholder theory, per le PMI sarebbe opportuno basarsi sul concetto di social capital; le istituzioni hanno suggerito di supportare scenari basati sul dialogo con gli stakeholder (Unido, 2007) o la formazione di aggregazioni di imprese (ad es. reti di impresa e distretti produttivi), quale risposta per sostenere la crescita e la competitività (EC, 2011). I distretti industriali rappresentano un contesto organizzativo privilegiato per lo studio delle iniziative di sostenibilità nelle PMI in virtù del fattore territorio, ovvero del peculiare legame che tali imprese costruiscono con l’area territoriale in cui sono inserite e con le comunità locali. La questione della sostenibilità dei network e dei distretti è dunque particolarmente rilevante, ma in letteratura si registra una preferenza ad affrontare questo tema a livello di impresa singola (McGuire, Sundgren, Schneeweis, 1988; Wheeler, Colbert, Freeman, 2003). E’ quindi con l’intento di contribuire a colmare questo gap conoscitivo che il lavoro si focalizza sullo studio di progetti di sostenibilità nei distretti industriali e nei poli produttivi, generalmente caratterizzati da un alto livello di interdipendenza produttiva e da relazioni stabili, fondate su basi di norma di natura fiduciaria. Si tratta quindi di progetti che interessano un insieme di imprese a cui è data la possibilità di condividere risorse ed attività allo scopo di migliorare e di rafforzare la propria competitività. La finalità del lavoro è quella di approfondire la conoscenza sulle dinamiche sottostanti la gestione della sostenibilità nei network e nei distretti, le relazioni tra gli attori della rete e gli strumenti idonei a favorire l’engagement. Il lavoro si articola in due parti. La prima concerne il background teorico sulla relazione di reciproca interdipendenza esistente tra territorio ed imprese, soprattutto di piccole e medie dimensioni, che influisce e condiziona la competitività di entrambi (capitolo 1); analizza la risorsa strategica del social capital per progettare e dare attuazione a strategie di sostenibilità, individuandone di queste ultime gli aspetti caratteristici e definitori e focalizzandosi sulla sostenibilità nei distretti industriali e nei network (capitolo 2); propone principi e strumenti per gestire l’engagement e per il governo della sostenibilità nei network (capitolo 3). La seconda parte concerne la ricerca empirica su otto distret-ti/poli produttivi presenti sul territorio della Campania, appartenenti alle filiere tipiche del made in Italy, l’alimentare ed il sistema moda (tessile, conciario, calzature), ed alla filiera dei prodotti di gioielleria - di cui è riconosciuto il valore in termini di tradizione manifatturiera e contribuzione al sistema economico locale- rappresentata da diversi poli produttivi, della gioielleria in pietre preziose (Napoli e Caserta) e della gioielleria in coralli e cammei (Torre del Greco). Le ragioni della ricerca e la metodologia di indagine (capitolo 4), svolta a partire da interviste dirette effettuate con i referenti dei distretti industriali e dei poli produttivi indagati, fanno da premessa all’analisi conoscitiva sullo stato dell’arte delle politiche di sostenibilità nei distretti e nei poli industriali campani, effettuata seguendo il modello delle linee guida ISO 26000, sulle modalità di funzionamento sottostanti ai “progetti di rete”, sulle motivazioni e sui benefici raggiunti o che si intendono raggiungere, sia rispetto ai beneficiari del progetto, intendendo le imprese appartenenti al network, sia i soggetti esterni a cui il progetto si rivolge (capitolo 5). Infine, sono affrontati i temi del ruolo svolto dalle politiche pubbliche locali, da cui emergono elementi di criticità per la gestione della sostenibilità dei distretti e dei poli produttivi, e delle azioni proposte per le istituzioni locali al fine di migliorare la performance sostenibile dei distretti/poli (capitolo 6). Questo libro è anche il frutto della disponibilità di quanti, a vario titolo, hanno collaborato alla sua realizzazione. Sono pertanto doversi i miei ringraziamenti ai referenti dei distretti e dei poli produttivi, oggetto della ricerca empirica, in particolare, al dott. Aniello Pietro Torino, presidente del Distretto Agroalimentare Nocera Inferiore- Gragnano e al dott. Aldo Vastola, direttore dell’agenzia del Distretto “Patto agro Spa; al dott. Antonello Murru, responsabile area II “Promozione e Agricoltura” della CCIA di Avellino, per il Distretto Conciario di Solofra; al dott. Luigi Giamundo per il polo produttivo tessile di San Giuseppe Vesuviano; al dott. Carmine Valentino, Sindaco di Sant’Agata dei Goti, e alla dott.ssa Silvana Malagrinò per il polo tessile di Sant’Agata dei Goti, Casapulla, S. Marco dei Cavoti, Aversa, Trentola Ducenta; al dott Gabriele Piatto, Sindaco di Frignano (CE), per il polo calzaturiero di Grumo Nevano –Aversa; al dott. Roberto de Laurentiis, presidente del Consorzio Antico Borgo Orefici; al dott.Tommaso Mazza, presidente dell’associazione Assocoral; al Generale Maurizio Scoppa, amministratore delegato del Il Tarì e alla dott.ssa Floriana Marino. Ancora un ringraziamento particolare va alle dott.sse Silvia Delli Carpini e Maria Laura Nazzaro che, con tenacia e serietà, hanno svolto le interviste per la ricerca empirica, hanno collaborato alla lettura ed all’analisi dei dati della ricerca, contribuendo alla stesura del rapporto sui distretti e sui poli produttivi in Campania, nonché hanno offerto il loro contributo in diversi aspetti operativi per la realizzazione del volume. Infine un ringraziamento alla mia famiglia, accogliente nelle richieste e concreta nelle risposte