Position/Role

Junior researcher in the Security and Defence programmes of the Institute of International Affairs (IAI) in Rome

Professional career

Before starting to work as junior researcher, Karolina Muti has managed the international relations of a small enterprise in the Marche region (2013-2014) and worked with asylum seekers in an NGO (2014). In 2017 she graduates with honors in International Security and Politics from the department of International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs of University of Bologna (Forlì department) with a thesis on European defence. During her university years, she teaches classes of History and institutions of the EU in primary, middle and high schools as European tutor with the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence in Forlì and wins two scholarships that allow her to complete studying periods in Santiago de Chile and Moscow. In 2017 she joins the Institute of International Affairs (IAI) as a trainee and project assistant, and then joins the research team of the Institute's Security and Defense programs in 2018. Karolina Muti has carried out research on issues related to defense and defense industry in Europe; Poland and the Polish security and defense strategy, and EU civilian missions. In addition, she deals with European projects related to non-conventional CBRN threats (nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological) and has contributed to the creation of the first Italian Cluster dedicated to CBRN threats (https://cbrnitalia.it/). Karolina is an Italian and Polish native speaker and speaks English, Spanish, and Russian.

Scientific results

Karolina worked on projects funded by the European Commission (https://www.iai.it/en/ricerche/encircle, https://www.iai.it/en/ricerche/next-generation-information-systems-support-eu-external-policies-civilnext) and by the European Defense Agency (EDA) (https://www.iai.it/en/ricerche/european-defence-technological-industrial-base) on topics such as the main and future trends in the European defense industry, the Polish security and defense strategy, EU civilian missions, as well as on nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological threats (CBRN). In addition, she participates to the creation and coordination of the first Italian Cluster dedicated to CBRN threats (https://cbrnitalia.it/).

In December 2018 Karolina was invited by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland to present an analysis on Poland and European defense during the conference for the celebration of the centenary of Poland's independence. In April 2019 a study about “Italians and defense" in which she collaborated was presented at the Italian Senate (https://www.iai.it/it/eventi/gli-italiani-e-la-difesa-presentazione- of the investigation-iai-laps-on-threats-to-security). Her articles were quoted by the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP),  (https://www.swp-berlin.org/fileadmin/contents/products/journal_review/2019JR01_lun_sru.pdf), Radio radicale (www.radioradicale.it/scheda/571749/rassegna-di-geopoliticala-capita-di-resilienza-due-u-control-le-sovraniste), and  Paolo Pagliaro’s “Il Punto” programme. 

Editorial work and publications

In Italian: 

[2019] K.Muti, A.Marrone, “Gli Italiani e la difesa: consenso inatteso su minacce e sicurezza”, in Affarinternazionali.

[2019] (cooperation with P.Isernia, A.Marrone et alia), “Gli italiani e la Difesa” (Rapporto di ricerca a cura di Laboratorio di analisi politiche e sociali (LAPS) e IAI), Documenti IAI 19|08, Rome.

[2019] K.Muti, “Polonia: garanzia di sicurezza sperasi con Fort Trump”, in Affarinternazionalie Europa Atlantica. 

[2018] K.Muti, L.Botti, “La sicurezza dell’Italia e la minaccia nucleare, biologica, chimica e radiologica”, Documenti IAI 18/24, Rome. 

[2018] K.Muti, M.Moretti, “Campagna elettorale: linguaggio e scelte retoriche dei candidati” in Affarinternazionali.

In English:

[2018] K.Muti, “Poland – the missing link of European defence”, IAI Commentary 18/48, Rome.

[2017] K.Muti, review of  “The Transformation of Italian Armed Forces in Comparative Perspective” by F. Coticchia e F.N. Moro for The International Spectator. 

Awards and prizes

In September 2018 she was selected by the German Ministry of Defense to participate to a series of high level meetings in Berlin on security policies in Germany and Europe, with other European experts and professionals.

In March 2019 she was selected with other American and European experts to participate in a series of high level meetings in Moscow dedicated to Russian foreign policy and public diplomacy.