Margherita Mencarelli
Da una mediazione multilaterale alla gestione del conflitto: l'evoluzione della politica estera degli Stati Uniti nei confronti del conflitto israelo-palestinese
The project examines the evolution of U.S. foreign policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by comparing two paradigms of American mediation, the multilateral two-state framework of the Oslo Accords and the minilateral regional normalisation approach embodied in the Abraham Accords. Drawing on debates within Foreign Policy Analysis and realist theory, the research explores how systemic pressures, domestic political dynamics, and strategic priorities have reshaped U.S. engagement in the conflict. Using qualitative methods including process tracing and discourse analysis, the study analyses the changes in U.S. policy instruments, diplomatic formats, and official narratives, focusing on the transition from a resolution-oriented mediation strategy aimed at negotiated peace to a management-oriented approach prioritising regional stability. Treating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a privileged case study, the project interprets U.S. foreign policy transformation as an expression of changing hegemonic mediation practices in contexts of protracted conflicts.
The project examines the evolution of U.S. foreign policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by comparing two paradigms of American mediation: the multilateral framework based on the two-state solution of the Oslo Accords, and the minilateral approach characterised by regional normalisation in the Abraham Accords. Referencing debates within foreign policy analysis and realist theory, the research explores how systemic pressures, internal political dynamics, and strategic priorities have reshaped U.S. engagement in the conflict. Using qualitative methods, including process tracing and discourse analysis, the study analyses the changes in U.S. policy instruments, diplomatic formats, and official narratives, focusing on the transition from a conflict-resolution-oriented mediation strategy to an approach oriented towards management and regional stability. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is treated as a privileged case study to interpret the transformation of U.S. foreign policy as an expression of changing practices of hegemonic mediation in the context of protracted conflicts.
Research Interests
International Relations, U.S. Foreign Policy, Middle East, Israel, Palestine.