- Room 102, 21 Portland Villas, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA
- +44 1752 585715
- lorenzo.cladi@plymouth.ac.uk

Profiles
Dr Lorenzo Cladi
Lecturer in International Relations
School of Society and Culture (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business)
- European security
- NATO
- Foreign policy
Email publicrelations@plymouth.ac.uk to enquire.
Biography
Biography
I joined the University of Plymouth in 2016. Between 2019 and 2021 I was Associated Head of School - Teaching and Learning in the School of Law, Criminology and Government. Before joining the University of Plymouth, I held academic appointments at the University of Birmingham (UK), University of Bath (UK), St. Bonaventure University in New York, and Loughborough University (UK).
Qualifications
- Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (University of Plymouth, 2021)
- PGCert in Academic Practice (University of Birmingham, 2016)
- PhD in International Relations (Loughborough University, 2011)
- MSc in European Politics (University of Dundee, 2006)
- Laurea (BSc) in International and Diplomatic Sciences (University of Bologna in Forli, Italy, 2005)
Professional membership
- European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR)
- Transatlantic Studies Association (TSA)
- Political Studies Association (PSA)
- Italian Standing Group on International Relations (SGRI)
Roles on external bodies
- Co-convenor of the BISA European Security Working Group
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching interests
I currently teach and lead 3 modules:
- Stage 2, International Security Studies. This module examines the concept of security in contemporary international relations. It examines a variety of security concepts from deterrence and the security dilemma to arms control, peacekeeping, terrorism, regional security complexes and governance. It then seeks to relate these to practical examples from world politics.
- Stage 3, NATO after the end of the Cold War and beyond. This module studies the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) from a theoretical as well policy point of view. The aim is to investigate the relevance of NATO in the 21st century by looking at how NATO survived and developed in the aftermath of the Cold War, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. By looking at key developments in international security in the post-Cold War period, this module also looks at the challenges, which NATO has faced and overcome, but it also critically reflects on the contemporary relevance of NATO.
- MA, Strategy and security studies. This module considers how national policymakers devise strategy to cope with the security challenges of the 21st Century. The broadening of the security agenda has brought a large number of issues and actors under the purview of security practitioners. As a result, it has become less clear where the boundaries of responsibility lie and how security problems should be prioritised. The module examines theories and developments in strategy and security to identify the most important risks and threats.
PhD supervision
I am interested in supervising students in the following areas:
- NATO
- Foreign policy
- European security
Research
Research
Research interests
- NATO
- The EU's security and defence policy
- Italian foreign policy in the post-Cold War period
Publications
Publications
Cladi, L. and Locatelli, A. (eds.) (2016) International Relations Theory and European Security: We Thought We Knew, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge
Cladi, L. (2023) 'Copying flexibly: role reorientation and the UK's military cooperation with European allies after Brexit', forthcoming in International Politics
Cladi, L. (2022) 'Persevering with bandwagoning, not hedging: why European security cooperation still conforms to realism', Defence Studies, 22 (4), pp. 624-643
Cladi, L. (2022) ‘Damned if you do and damned if you don’t: the use of prime ministerial discretion and the royal prerogative’, Parliamentary Affairs, 75 (1), pp. 174-194
Cladi, L. (2021) ‘Doing more for less? Status insecurity and the UK’s contribution to European security after Brexit’, International Politics, 58, pp. 919-936
Cladi, L. and Locatelli, A. (2021) ‘Explaining Italian foreign policy adjustment after Brexit: a neoclassical realist account’, Journal of European Integration, 43 (4), pp. 459-473
Cladi, L. and Locatelli, A. (2020) ‘Italy in the EU after Brexit: carrying through or taking a bet?’, Politique européenne, 70, https://www.cairn.info/revue-politique-europeenne-2020-4.htm
Cladi, L. and Locatelli, A. (2020) ‘The me too syndrome reloaded: change and continuity in Italian relations with France and Germany after Brexit’, Italian Political Science, 15 (1), pp. 1-13
Cladi, L. and Locatelli, A. (2020) ‘Keep calm and carry on (differently): NATO and CSDP after Brexit’, Global Policy, 11 (1), pp. 5-14
Cladi, L. and Locatelli, A. (2019) ‘Why did Italy contribute to UNIFIL II? An analytical eclectic analysis’, Italian Political Science Review/Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica, 49 (1), pp. 85-97
Cladi, L. and Webber, M. (2016) ‘Between autonomy and effectiveness: reassessing the EU’s foreign policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’, European Foreign Affairs Review, 21 (4), pp. 559-578
Cladi, L. and Locatelli, A. (2013) ‘Worth a Shot: On the Explanatory Power of Bandwagoning in Transatlantic Relations’, Contemporary Security Policy, Vol. 34, No. 2, pp. 374-381
Cladi, L., Green, S., Morris, P. et al. (2013) ‘Undergraduate teaching on biological weapons and bioterrorism at medical schools in the UK and the Republic of Ireland: results of a cross-sectional study’, British Medical Journal, Vol. 3, pp. 1-8
Cladi, L. and Locatelli, A. (2012) ‘Bandwagoning, not Balancing: Why Europe Confounded Realism’, Contemporary Security Policy, Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 1-25
Cladi, L. and Webber, M. (2011) ‘Italian foreign policy in the post-Cold War period: a neoclassical realist analysis’, European Security, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 205-219
Cladi, L. and Locatelli, A. (2023) ' ‘Quale autonomia strategica? Le ambizioni europee, la reazione americana e il futuro della partnership transatlantica’, in G. Natalizia and L. Termine, eds., La NATO verso il 2030: continuità e discontinuità nelle relazioni transatlantiche dopo il nuovo Concetto Strategico, Bologna: Il Mulino, pp. 131-143
Cladi, L. (2019) ‘Diplomatic Security in Times of Austerity The Case of Italy’, in E. Cusumano and C. Kinsey (eds.) Diplomatic Security: a comparative analysis, Stanford: Stanford University Press
Cladi, L. (2017) ‘The Free Rider Problem’, in F.M. Moghaddam (ed.), Sage Encyclopedia of Political Behaviour, Thousand Oaks California: Sage
Cladi, L. (2017) ‘The Bandwagoning State’, in F.M. Moghaddam (ed.), Sage Encyclopedia of Political Behaviour, Thousand Oaks California: Sage
Cladi, L. and Locatelli, A. (2016) ‘Structural Realism: balancing, bandwagoning or what?’ in L. Cladi and A. Locatelli (eds.) International Relations Theory and European Security: We Thought We Knew, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge
Cladi, L. (2016) ‘The EU’s foreign policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: a story of underachievement?’ In L. Cladi and A. Locatelli (eds.) International Relations Theory and European Security: We Thought We Knew, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge