Trigger Points in Contemporary German Political Culture

Catalog description

In 2022 Germans elected a new coalition government that promised to transform the country. Less than 100 days later, the Russian invasion in Ukraine forced their hand. This course explores the different dimensions of Germany's transformation after Chancellor Scholz called this a "Turning Point" (Zeitenwende). Starting from an overview of past policies and seeming "givens," we will analyze why there is a need for transformation, what has changed or should be, how the war in Ukraine affected the reform agenda and what conflicts have arisen between the Old and the New Normal. We will consider changes in their domestic and global dimensions, as well as challenges that stem from membership in the European Union. We will address the role of public opinion, the German and EU policies of governance based on various case studies. Through a combination of theoretical perspectives and current events analysis, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of Germany's political dynamics in the contemporary European and global arena.