The priorities of the Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute (DOC) were discussed during the final panel – ‘Reflections of a Think Tank’ – of the 15th Rhodes Forum, which took place from 6 to 7 October.
The ‘DOC: Reflection as a Think Tank’ session introduced the DOC’s research in critical areas such as the importance of inclusive infrastructural development, the need for alternative economic paradigms, the role of civilisational values in combatting terrorism, and the vitality of restoring innate human values in societies across the world. It also provided an overview of the DOC’s research output since its launch on 1 July 2016.
From different perspectives, the DOC’s leading experts analysed major economic, political, and social trends and offered their insights.
Peter Schulze, DOC Co-founder, who has significant expertise in European-Russian relations, emphasised that as an international think tank, the DOC aims to address pressing social and political issues from a global perspective.
Alexey Malashenko, Chief Researcher and expert on Islamic studies, shared critical thoughts on religion, conflict, migration in Europe, and the post-Soviet transition. His future research will investigate ways by which conflicts in the Middle East can be defused during a period of civilisational transition and will explore how Islam can contribute to world peace.
Vladimir Popov, Research Director in Economics & Political Science, warned that the reversal of the trend in most countries towards the decline in income inequalities over the last three decades has created favourable grounds for the rise of nationalist and anti-globalisation feelings. When globalisation is properly managed, it is good for growth and income distribution and does not lead to ethno-populism and nationalism. But if it is accompanied by a decline in real incomes for a large mass of people, nationalist political forces gain additional arguments for instigating anti-globalisation and isolationist sentiments. The rise in income inequalities within major countries since the 1980s poses a threat not only to social stability but also to globalisation and the growth of the world economy.
Raffaele Marchetti, Assistant Professor in International Relations at the Faculty of Political Science and the School of Government of LUISS, said that migration should be seen as a major topic for the DOC Research Institute. In cooperation with the DOC, he launched the World Politics and Dialogue of Civilizations series – the first issue of which is Debating Migration to Europe – shortly before the Rhodes Forum. .
All panelists emphasised that through our major areas of research, the DOC will continue to promote dialogue as a means for the protection of humanity’s future.
This year’s Rhodes Forum attracted more than 300 participants from 30 countries. The scientific conclusions will be released soon and published on the DOC Research Institute website.
