Loretta Napoleoni
Encyclopedia
Loretta Napoleoni is an Italian
economist
, author
, journalist
and political analyst. She is an expert on the financing of terrorism
and is well known internationally for having calculated the size of the terror economy.
in the mid 1970s, she was a Fulbright scholar at Johns Hopkins University
's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
(SAIS) in Washington, D.C.
, and a Rotary Scholar at the London School of Economics
(LSE). She has a M.Phil.
in Terrorism from LSE, a Master's in International Relations from SAIS, and a Ph.D.
in Economics
from the University of Rome.
As an economist Napoleoni has worked for several banks and international organizations in Europe
and the United States
. In the early 1980s she worked at the National Bank of Hungary on the convertibility of the Hungarian forint
that became the blue print for the convertibility of the ruble
a decade later.
As well as lecturing regularly on the financing of terrorism, Napoleoni advises several governments on counter-terrorism
. As chairman of the counter terrorism financing group for the Club de Madrid, she brought heads of state from around the world together to create a new strategy for combating the financing of terror networks.
Napoleoni lives in London, England, and Whitefish, Montana
, with her husband and children.
course., and lectured at Cambridge University's Judge Business School
in Italy after three decades of silence.
Napoleoni has written novels, guide books in Italian and translated and edited books on terrorism. Her best-selling book Terror Incorporated was translated into 12 languages, Dossier Baghdad is a financial thriller set during the Persian Gulf War
, and she has also published a nonfiction book about Iraq: Insurgent Iraq: Al-Zarqawi and the New Generation. Rogue Economics, was published in 2008 by Seven Stories Press
in the US, and by Turnaround in the UK. Her most recent book in English 10 Years That Shook The World: A Timeline of Events from 2001 was published as an e-book by Seven Stories Press
on 6 September 2011 to mark the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It covers issues as diverse as financial policy, advances in science and technology, new economic policies, propaganda, environmental issues and the revolutionary powers of social media.
Her forthcoming book is called Maonomics: Why Chinese Communists Make Better Capitalists Than We Do. The Italian edition of Maonomics won the 2010 Premio dell'Associazione per il Progresso Economico award
Loretta also writes articles for newspapers and journals including El Pais, Le Monde, The Guardian, Il Venerdi di Repubblica, l'Espresso, l'Unità, Il Caffè and Wired Italia.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and political analyst. She is an expert on the financing of terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
and is well known internationally for having calculated the size of the terror economy.
Life and career
Napoleoni was born and raised in Rome, Italy. An active member of the feminist movementFeminist movement
The feminist movement refers to a series of campaigns for reforms on issues such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, women's suffrage, sexual harassment and sexual violence...
in the mid 1970s, she was a Fulbright scholar at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies , a division of Johns Hopkins University based in Washington, D.C., is one of the world's leading and most prestigious graduate schools devoted to the study of international affairs, economics, diplomacy, and policy research and...
(SAIS) in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and a Rotary Scholar at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(LSE). She has a M.Phil.
Master of Philosophy
The Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
in Terrorism from LSE, a Master's in International Relations from SAIS, and a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
from the University of Rome.
As an economist Napoleoni has worked for several banks and international organizations in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In the early 1980s she worked at the National Bank of Hungary on the convertibility of the Hungarian forint
Hungarian forint
The forint is the currency of Hungary. It is divided into 100 fillér, although fillér coins are no longer in circulation. The introduction of the forint on 1 August 1946 was a crucial step of the post-WWII stabilization of the Hungarian economy, and the currency remained relatively stable until...
that became the blue print for the convertibility of the ruble
Ruble
The ruble or rouble is a unit of currency. Currently, the currency units of Belarus, Russia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria, and, in the past, the currency units of several other countries, notably countries influenced by Russia and the Soviet Union, are named rubles, though they all are...
a decade later.
As well as lecturing regularly on the financing of terrorism, Napoleoni advises several governments on counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
. As chairman of the counter terrorism financing group for the Club de Madrid, she brought heads of state from around the world together to create a new strategy for combating the financing of terror networks.
Napoleoni lives in London, England, and Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish is a city in Flathead County, Montana, United States. The population was 5,032 at the 2000 census. It is home to a ski resort on Big Mountain called Whitefish Mountain Resort. Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer hails from Whitefish....
, with her husband and children.
Appointments
She is a member of the scientific committee of the Fundacion IDEAS, Spain's Socialist Party's think tank. Since 2007 she has been Director of the first Italian investigative journalismInvestigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
course., and lectured at Cambridge University's Judge Business School
Judge Business School
Cambridge Judge Business School, formerly known as the Judge Institute of Management Studies, is the business school of the University of Cambridge. Established in 1990, the School is a provider of management education and is consistently ranked as one of the world's leading business schools. It is...
Publications
Napoleoni's writing appears regularly in many journals and publications, including several European newspapers. She has worked as a foreign correspondent and columnist for several Italian financial papers. She was among the few people to interview the Red BrigadesRed Brigades
The Red Brigades was a Marxist-Leninist terrorist organisation, based in Italy, which was responsible for numerous violent incidents, assassinations, and robberies during the so-called "Years of Lead"...
in Italy after three decades of silence.
Napoleoni has written novels, guide books in Italian and translated and edited books on terrorism. Her best-selling book Terror Incorporated was translated into 12 languages, Dossier Baghdad is a financial thriller set during the Persian Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, and she has also published a nonfiction book about Iraq: Insurgent Iraq: Al-Zarqawi and the New Generation. Rogue Economics, was published in 2008 by Seven Stories Press
Seven Stories Press
Seven Stories Press is an independent publishing company. Located in New York City, the company was founded by editor Dan Simon in 1995 after he parted company with Four Walls Eight Windows. The company was named for its seven founding authors: Annie Ernaux, Gary Null, the estate of Nelson Algren,...
in the US, and by Turnaround in the UK. Her most recent book in English 10 Years That Shook The World: A Timeline of Events from 2001 was published as an e-book by Seven Stories Press
Seven Stories Press
Seven Stories Press is an independent publishing company. Located in New York City, the company was founded by editor Dan Simon in 1995 after he parted company with Four Walls Eight Windows. The company was named for its seven founding authors: Annie Ernaux, Gary Null, the estate of Nelson Algren,...
on 6 September 2011 to mark the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It covers issues as diverse as financial policy, advances in science and technology, new economic policies, propaganda, environmental issues and the revolutionary powers of social media.
Her forthcoming book is called Maonomics: Why Chinese Communists Make Better Capitalists Than We Do. The Italian edition of Maonomics won the 2010 Premio dell'Associazione per il Progresso Economico award
Loretta also writes articles for newspapers and journals including El Pais, Le Monde, The Guardian, Il Venerdi di Repubblica, l'Espresso, l'Unità, Il Caffè and Wired Italia.
Quotations
External links
- Loretta Napoleoni website
- Value of Human Rights,Constitutional Rights,and of the Rule of Law
- Democracy Now! Loretta Napoleoni interview (03/2008)
- Democracy Now! Loretta Napoleoni interview (11/2005)
- Audio: Loretta Napoleoni in conversation on the BBC World Service discussion show The ForumThe Forum (BBC World Service)The Forum is the BBC World Service's flagship discussion programme. It brings together prominent thinkers from different disciplines and different parts of the world to try and create stimulating discussion, informed by highly distinct academic, artistic and cultural backgrounds.-Format:Each...
- The intricate economics of terrorism TED (conference)TED (conference)TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading"....