Strategic foresight in the Italian policy system: external actors and linkage dynamics

This article examines the role of external actors, specifically international and regional organizations (IROs), in promoting the mainstreaming of strategic foresight (SF), particularly in national contexts where such approaches remain at a nascent stage. It focuses on the case of Italy, where, despite the limited prioritization of SF at the highest levels of government, emerging pockets of foresight-related initiatives are beginning to take shape. This development is significantly encouraged by IROs, which provide normative, cognitive, and operational frameworks, while also acting as sources of legitimacy for a range of initiatives, especially those undertaken at the ministerial level. The Italian case thus illustrates the interplay between external drivers and a growing domestic receptivity. This is further evidenced by the activities of several foresight-oriented policy entrepreneurs, pointing to the gradual emergence of a strategic foresight ecosystem.