Is the current state of our Galaxy primarily the result of its initial conditions or is it the product of a lifetime of complex interactions with its environment? Gathered in this volume are papers presented at an international meeting in Granada, Spain, dedicated to exploring this fundamental question. This review examines all the key physical processes involved in the formation and evolution of the Milky Way. A dozen invited review articles by international experts summarise our understanding to date; whilst more than seventy topical research papers present the latest results. Together, these papers provide a view on topical issues such as disk instabilities, large-scale star formation, large-scale structure formation in our Galaxy, chemical evolution, Disk-Halo feedback, the galactic globular cluster system, stellar populations, and the formation of galaxies. Also included are three panel sessions identifying key routes for critical future research.