American-German Institute

The Zeitgeist

Government EN ↓ 100 episodes

The Zeitgeist delves into topics affecting Germany, the United States, and the transatlantic relationship. Hosted by American-German Institute President Jeff Rathke, the show welcomes guests from the policy, academic, and think tank communities, as well as in-house AGI experts. Produced by the American-German Institute.

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American-German Institute

Episodes

Episode 100: The Enduring Allure of Weimar Music and Culture 13.02.2024 17:53

Max Raabe & the Palast Orchester have been playing the music of and inspired by the 1920s and 30s for almost forty years, to enormous success in Germany and internationally. …

Episode 99: Transatlantic Risks in 2024 18.01.2024 35:52

2024 will be a year of crisis and change—the Russian aggression against Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East and Africa; the continuing effects of climate change; and the biggest election …

Episode 98: 2023 in Review 21.12.2023 46:11

2023 was a tumultuous year in German politics and foreign policy. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition government is polling at record lows following a series of unpopular policies and setbacks in …

Episode 97: LGBTQ+ Spaces, Public Art, and Memory 14.12.2023 41:43

Public memorials have many functions: honoring victims, acknowledging history, or symbolizing values. After the 2016 mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, the site was transformed into an …

Episode 96: The United States and Germany in a Shifting Global Order 07.12.2023 46:15

The international order built by the United States after World War II is under strain, and the consensus about America’s role that used to unite U.S. political leaders and the …

Episode 95: German Security Policy’s Balancing Act 21.11.2023 31:08

Dr. Constanze Stelzenmüller joins this episode of The Zeitgeist to discuss Germany, transatlantic defense, and the West’s response to today’s challenging security order. Are Germany and the United States doing …

Episode 94: The German-Israeli Relationship Following the October 7 Terror Attacks 07.11.2023 38:15

On October 7, Hamas terrorists carried out a surprise attack that killed 1,400 people—the deadliest day in Israel’s history. Over 200 people remain hostages. One of the first foreign leaders …

Episode 93: Sahra Wagenknecht Tries to Shake Up German Politics with a New Party 26.10.2023 42:42

On October 23, one of Germany’s most popular politicians Sahra Wagenknecht announced that she would leave the Left Party and form a new political party. The “Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance” (BSW) …

Episode 92: State Elections in Bavaria and Hesse 12.10.2023 38:31

Two German Länder elected their state parliaments on Sunday, October 8: Bavaria and Hesse. In both states, it appears that the current coalitions will continue, led by center-right parties (the …

Episode 91: After the Zeitenwende: Is Germany’s Military Measuring Up? 05.10.2023 26:43

Dr. Eva Högl is the German Bundestag’s Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, assisting the Parliament in their oversight of the German military. She is working to ensure that everyone …

Episode 90: A Fragmenting Global Economic System? 28.09.2023 29:51

The multilateral economic order is in crisis. The WTO no longer has the final word on trade issues, the IMF and World bank have lost market share as lenders, and …

Episode 89: Forty Years of Anticipating Trends 31.08.2023 34:58

Dr. Jill McGovern has been involved with AGI since the idea for it came about in 1981. As part of our AGI at Forty series, Dr. McGovern reflects on how …

Episode 88: The Geoeconomic Evolution of Germany and AGI 17.08.2023 24:52

On this episode of the Zeitgeist, guest host Dr. Eric Langenbacher, Senior Fellow and Director of the Society, Culture & Politics Program, continues our AGI at Forty podcast series with …

Episode 87: German Political Turbulence and the Rise of the Alternative for Germany 26.07.2023 38:15

Squabbles within Germany’s coalition parties and unpopular policy decisions—including a controversial home heating bill spearheaded by Green Party Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck—have dragged the approval rating of the traffic light …

Episode 86: Transatlantic Alignment in the International Economic Order 20.07.2023 39:14

In its economic policies, the Biden administration has focused on domestic investment, close collaboration with like-minded democracies, and addressing geopolitical challenges. The EU is proposing an economic security strategy; the …

Episode 85: Addressing Germany’s Colonial Legacy 29.06.2023

Germany is well-known for its robust memory culture that deals with the crimes of National Socialism and the Holocaust; however, it has only recently begun to address legacy of its …

Episode 84: The Evolution of German-American Relations 15.06.2023 28:47

On this episode of The Zeitgeist, AGI President Jeff Rathke; Dr. Eric Langenbacher, Senior Fellow and Director of AGI’s Society, Culture & Politics Program; and Dr. Jackson Janes, President Emeritus …

Episode 83: Can the WTO Retool for an Age of Geoeconomic Competition? 24.05.2023 29:15

The open and rules-based trading system is at an inflection point. Countries are reexamining their trade policies in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, China’s rise, and Russia’s invasion of …

Episode 82: Dealing with Social Divisions and Integration in Memmingen 10.05.2023 34:05

On this episode of The Zeitgeist, AGI President Jeff Rathke and Susanne Dieper, Director of Programs and Grants, discuss the latest findings in the AGI project “Social Divisions and Questions …

Episode 81: Sustaining Germany’s Support for Ukraine—A Conversation with Dr. Norbert Röttgen 01.05.2023 28:22

On this episode of the Zeitgeist, AGI President Jeff Rathke speaks with Dr. Norbert Röttgen, member of the German Bundestag (CDU) and Vice Chairman of the Atlantik-Brücke, about Germany’s efforts …

Episode 80: 40 Years of AGI—A Conversation with Frank Trommler 13.04.2023 26:55

On this episode of The Zeitgeist, AGI looks back on the 40 years of the Institute’s work on strengthening the American-German relationship through academic research, policy dialogue, and exchanges. AGI …

Episode 79: Germany’s Public Health Care System 09.03.2023 26:16

On this episode of The Zeitgeist, AGI president Jeff Rathke and Dr. Christine Arentz, Professor for Health Economics at the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, discuss Germany’s public health …

Episode 78: Transatlantic Trade Cooperation for the Future—A Conversation with Dan Mullaney 02.03.2023 37:00

Dan Mullaney, Former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle East, is our guest for this episode of The Zeitgeist. Together with AGI President Jeff Rathke and Peter …

Episode 77: Zeitenwende Anniversary 23.02.2023 32:48

On February 27, 2022, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made an historic speech to the German Bundestag, declaring a historic turning point (Zeitenwende) for Germany’s security and defense policy following Russia’s …

Episode 76: Energy, Trade, and Security—Germany’s Expanded Zeitenwende with FDP Caucus Leader Christian Dürr 09.02.2023 31:07

On this episode of the Zeitgeist, our guest is FDP Bundestag Caucus Leader Christian Dürr. He and AGI President Jeff Rathke discuss how Germany has reset its energy policy, the …