The main external influence on a state's foreign and security policies is the structure of the international system. Prudent states act within the constraints determined by both the distribution of power in the system and their own position in it. As the international system changes, so, too, do its systemic constraints, with national foreign and security policies also likely to undergo changes as a result. Other factors determining the type of security policies a state adopts include national security culture as well as state capacity. In line with this theoretical approach, this review will discuss how the changing systemic constraints following the Cold War impacted Italy's strategic posture. It will also provide an overview of Italy's security culture, including its professed core national interests and its perceived threats, and examine the evolution of Italy's national security policies.
Systemic Constraints ...