The Political Economy of Submarine Cables : the Quantum Cable Project in the Mediterranean Sea

The literature on the political economy of submarine cables is exceedingly scarce and inconsistent. Therefore, this paper aims to address some of the concerns by developing a collection of possible political economy theorisations of the causal mechanisms between the presence and capacity of submarine communication cables and countries' economies and polities. For each theory, this paper assesses the different expectations and policy implications that the instauration of the submarine cable has on the national and regional economies. In the following section, the article employs a qualitative methodology to forecast the different economic and political effects that previous assumptions could have in the new emerging scenario of the Quantum Cable initiative in the Mediterranean Sea. By implementing the previous political economy models, the article shows the consequences of the Quantum Cable project on the Mediterranean economic structure and relations. Finally, the paper concludes that scholars must account for these dynamics in their future models. This paper aims to encourage further research on the economic, political, and social effects of submarine cables and other Internet connections more broadly. Further, it can theoretically equip other studies on the political and economic preconditions needed for a successful international or regional technological cooperation