Giovanni Agostinis

Giovanni Agostinis is a Researcher at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, specializing in South American regionalism and international trade dynamics. He holds a Master of Science in Latin American Studies from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor’s and Master of Philosophy in Diplomacy and International Relations from the University of Bologna.

Education

• Master of Science (MSc) in Latin American Studies – University of Oxford
• Bachelor of Philosophy and Master of Philosophy in Diplomacy and International Relations – University of Bologna

Research Interests

Agostinis focuses on the emergence of regional cooperation in South America, particularly in transport infrastructure, energy integration, and defense, analyzing how economic and geopolitical interests interact to shape regional institutions. His work examines regional integration in developing regions with low economic interdependence, using a historical institutionalist framework to study the feedback between policy ideas and institutional development.

Publication trends reflect his expertise in South American regionalism, with a 2015 article co-authored with Stefano Palestini exploring how Brazil and Venezuela’s leadership influenced sectoral cooperation outcomes in infrastructure and energy. This work highlights the role of state preference convergence and regional institutional building.

Professional Experience

• Two-year tenure with the European Union: European External Action Service (Brussels) and EU External Delegation in Lima, Peru

Language Skills

• Fluency in English and Spanish
• Working knowledge of French