Transatlantic dialogues, think tanks and the evolution of the Italian Communist Party: Cold War politics and post-1970s transformations

This article examines the evolution of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) within the context of Cold War transatlantic relations and the global trends of the 1970s. It focuses on the interactions between the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and the Italian Institute of International Affairs (IAI), highlighting how this collaboration helped steer the PCI’s political and ideological shifts, particularly through the influence of IAI founder Altiero Spinelli. The article also emphasizes the counterbalancing role of conservative American and Italian political circles in reinforcing Cold War paradigms. Ultimately, the PCI’s strategic adaptations in its post-Cold War era, were influenced by these transatlantic dialogues.