AGI

Society

Our societies are changing on both sides of the Atlantic thanks to demographic change, immigration and integration, and regional differences—among other factors. Greater understanding about our cultures, an open exchange about emerging issues, and fostering dialogue between different groups can help German and American societies build stronger internal and external connections and awareness.
Reset

Us versus Them: The Steady Narrative of “Othering” in Historical and Contemporary Debates in Germany and the U.S.

Germany and the United States today face rising anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim sentiment as nativist politics on both sides of the Atlantic gain not only traction, but also legitimacy. From the …

Getting Over the Cold War. Why German-American Relations Need a New Narrative

According to the planners of Germany’s current year-long public diplomacy campaign, Deutschlandjahr USA, Germany and the United States are “Wunderbar Together.” Under this—some would say catchy, some would say naïve—slogan, …

Comparing the Experiences of Discrimination Faced by Jews in Early 20th Century Germany and by Muslims in Contemporary Germany

As a DAAD/AGI Research Fellow from October to December 2018, Dr. Ufuk Topkara conducted research on a project that emerges out of the interconnected strands of intellectual inquiry: comparing the …

The U.S. and Germany Are Losing Cultural Ambassadors: Students Studying Abroad

Last month, the Institute of International Education and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs released their Open Doors 2018 report, which assesses the role of …

The Radicalization of the Extreme Right: Charlottesville August 2017 and Chemnitz August 2018  

In Germany, as in the United States, we are confronted with growing right-wing radicalism. Right-wing populists or radicals “offer” “solutions” by addressing perceived or real weaknesses or even crises in …

The Radicalization of the Extreme Right: Charlottesville and Chemnitz

As a DAAD/AGI Research Fellow from October to December 2018, Prof. Dr. Hajo Funke looked at the developments of two extreme-right events, in Charlottesville and Chemnitz, including the conditions of …

Migration – A Global Reality or Threat

On December 12, 164 nations ratified the United Nations-Migration Pact (or Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration) at a UN conference in Marrakesh, the very first of its …

The Dilemmas of Promoting Gender Equality in Times of Polarization

The political landscapes in both countries are characterized by increasing polarization. In the U.S., a man became president who makes a spectacle of himself through derogative language and who tends …

Bridging Troubled Waters: Civil Societies in Dark Times of Transatlantic Partnership

Much of the focus of our work (and that of our predecessors) in the AGI NextGen project has focused on the reconciliatory role of “good” civil society in a challenging …

“Othering” Across and Beyond the Pond

During a recent discussion about the problematic state of the transatlantic relationship, someone explained that we needed to realize that important parts of the American political establishment and their voters …

How Much Can Education Serve as a Mechanism for the Integration of Minorities and Immigrants?

Experiences from Germany and the United States In both the United States and Germany education is key for the successful integration of society and an acceptance of diversity. Diversity education, …

Rainbow Politics: Comparing LGBT+ Rights in Germany and the United States

On October 1, 2017, Karl Kreile and Bodo Mende exchanged vows at the town hall in Schöneberg—the first same-sex couple married in Germany. More than two years earlier, the United …