Italy For Sale

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Italian Renaissance art, objects, and even the idea of Italy itself figured heavily both in the dynamic international art market and in the eyes of the general public. The alternative objects that were actively dispersed and collected -- authentic works, pastiches, Renaissance-inspired counterfeits, and reproductions -- in the diverse media of paint, plaster, terracotta, and photography, had a tremendous impact on visual culture across social strata. These essays examine less studied aspects of this market through the lens of just a few of the countless successful sales of objects out of Italy.

This in-depth case study evaluates the recent evolution of the Italian real estate market, which has lately been subject to two interlocking phenomena: a serious devaluation of physical assets and, at the same time, a deep legislative innovation of the vehicles investing in this asset class. The novelty of the legal framework of some of the Italian real estate investment vehicles and the recent developments in the market make this detailed analysis a fascinating addition to the literature. The book starts with an analysis of the Italian real estate sector, covering the evolution and performance in light of the economic crisis and the most recent legislative innovations. Italian real estate investment vehicles are then compared with a broader European perspective. Each Italian investment vehicle (real estate investment funds, real estate fixed capital investment companies and real estate investment trusts) is then analysed in both legal and financial details, providing insights into management structure, the rights and powers of investors, the typical investment process and the related costs. The different management models are then compared in order to assess their advantages and disadvantages, especially for institutional investors. The performance measurement of Italian closed-end alternative investment funds and the phenomenon of discount to net asset value for listed real estate investment funds are then subject to a theoretical and empirical examination.

This volume integrates the theme of Spain in Italy into a broad synthesis of late Renaissance and early modern Italy by restoring the contingency of events, local and imperial decision-making, and the distinct voices of individual Spaniards and Italians.

This book details the Italian immigrant experience in San Francisco from the Gold Rush to the Mayoralty of George Moscone - which is to say the entire life cycle of the Italian community - and defines the concept of community in a way never seen before.

States and banks have traditionally maintained close ties. At various points in time, states have used banks to manage their economies and soak up government debt, while banks enjoyed regulatory forbearance, restricted competition, and implicit or explicit guarantees from their home markets. The political foundations of banks have thus been powerful and enduring, with actors on both sides of the aisle reluctant to sever relations. The central argument of this book, however, is that in the world's largest integrated market, Europe, the traditional political ties between states and banks have been transformed. Specifically, through a combination of post-communist transition, monetary union, and economic crisis, states in Europe no longer wield preponderant influence over their banks. Banking on Markets explains why we have witnessed the radical denationalization of this politically vital sector, as well as the consequences for economic volatility and policy autonomy. The findings in Europe have implications for other world regions, which, to varying degrees, have also experienced intensified pressure on their traditional models of domestic political control over finance. Through an investigation of foreign bank behavior in economic crises, the developmental consequences of political control over banks and the emergence of European Banking Union in the Eurozone, the book advances three main findings. First is that foreign bank ownership need not necessarily lead to economic vulnerability of host states. Second is that marketized bank-state ties do, however, limit pathways to catching up in the global economy. And third is that European Banking Union has strengthened the euro's credibility while cutting down substantially on Eurozone member states' economic policy discretion. This book details the intense political struggles that have underpinned all three outcomes. Co-Winner of the 2018 Ed A Hewett Book Prize awarded by the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies.

This follow-up to the 2001 OECD Territorial Review of Bergamo monitors progress over the past 15 years and reassesses the main development challenges the region faces.