Politics behind globalization: the influence of political and security variables on economic interdependence among States

The dissertation investigates the influence of domestic and international politics on economic interdependence among states in the age of globalization. On the one hand it aims at updating the studies on the influence of political variables on international trade taking into consideration the post-Cold War years. On the other hand it aims at expanding the operational definition of economic interdependence performing the first empirical of the influence of politics on bilateral flows of FDI. Through an extensive use of panel data analysis, I find that both domestic and international politics have a relevant impact on economic interdependence even in the context of globalization. However, none of the classic theories of international relations on the causes and consequences of interdependence can fully explain the current dynamics. The system is increasingly complex and the realist and liberal seem to work together accounting for different phenomena that happen contemporaneously.