The Zeitgeist
103 episodes — Page 1 of 3
Episode 146: European Manufacturing and Global Trade
Episode 145: Transatlantic Fractures and the Future of U.S. Relations with Europe
Episode 144: Economic Resilience as Economic Security
Episode 143: Germany’s Political Barometer
Two state elections in western Germany this month resulted in one win for Chancellor Merz’s Christian Democrats and two poor outcomes for the Social Democrats. The Alternative for Germany, meanwhile, performed better …
Episode 142: The AfD and the 2026 State Elections
Five state elections will be held in Germany in 2026. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) enters this “super election year” in a strong position: it is the largest opposition party …
Episode 141: Germany’s Other Populist Party
The BSW (formerly the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, now Alliance for Social Justice and Economic Reason) had early successes after its founding in 2024, winning seats in the European Parliament and …
Episode 140: The Transatlantic Relationship in a Transforming Global Trading System
How have increased geopolitical competition and changing trade policy objectives affected the transatlantic relationship, and what are the shared priorities for German and U.S. business? On this episode of The Zeitgeist, CEO of DHL …
Episode 139: The German-Polish Relationship amid Changing European Security Challenges
The European security landscape is shifting. The United States is pressuring Europe to manage the defense of its region, and many NATO allies have growing doubts about the long-term reliability …
Episode 138: The Trump Administration, the AfD, and German Foreign Policy
Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been known for its foreign policy embrace of Russia and China, but in recent months, the party has turned its sights on building ties …
Episode 137: Friedrich Merz: Foreign Policy Chancellor
Chancellor Merz has received praise internationally for many German foreign policy and defense initiatives in 2025: suspending the “debt brake” to allow for more security investments, expanding the Bundeswehr, committing …
Episode 136: The Role of Communities in Times of Crisis
In Washington, DC, LGBTQ+ organizations enhance the city’s cultural life, provide services, and represent the community’s political interests. At a time when LGBTQ+ communities are losing protections and facing increased …
Episode 135: Reenergizing the German Economy
The German economy is stagnating, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz has promised an autumn of reforms. But are the government’s policies enough to restore competitiveness? Berenberg Chief Economist Holger Schmieding joins …
Episode 134: Europe’s Strategic Dependencies
The dynamics of the transatlantic relationship are changing. As Europe faces the changing policies of the United States toward its alliances, Germany is investing in its armed forces at a …
Episode 133: The SPD and Its Foreign Policy Challenges
The center-left Social Democrats are the junior coalition partner in Friedrich Merz’s government, but they hold two of the most important portfolios for implementing Germany’s security policy revolution known as …
Episode 132: Transatlantic Alliances of the New Right
Ties between far-right parties and movements in Europe and the United States are growing. Annett Meiritz and Juliane Schäuble join this episode of The Zeitgeist to discuss their forthcoming book …
Episode 131: Multilateralism in a Fragmenting Global Trading System
The global trading system is in flux, with increased multipolarity and uncertainty. Disruptions in supply chains and concerns about sustainability and national security have caused countries to reexamine trade policies. …
Episode 130: Germany’s Transatlantic Coordinator on U.S.-German Relations
Germany’s defense commitments are beginning to match the ambitions of the Zeitenwende, and Germany’s increased investments in European security are being noted in Washington. In his first visit to the …
Episode 129: German Constitutional Law and Banning Extremist Political Parties
Even though it came in second place in the 2025 German federal election, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) was subsequently classified as an extremist party by the Office for the …
Episode 128: Queer Economies: Solidarity, Sustainability, and the Struggle for Space
Third spaces where people can gather, organize, and provide support have been critical for LGBTQ+ communities in Germany and the United States. “Building LGBTQ+ Communities in Germany and the United …
Episode 127: A New Normal in Transatlantic Trade?
President Trump claims the international trading system is unfair to the United States. The Trump administration is seeking to rectify trade imbalances through tariffs and is trying to reshape the …
Episode 126: Pride and Politics: The Complex Relationship between the LGBTIQ+ Community and Politics
The LGBTQ+ communities in Germany and the United States have been working toward greater legal rights, but laws and politicians in both countries have threatened to not only halt progress …
Episode 125: The Future of the U.S. Security Relationship with Europe
In his second term, President Trump has continued his criticism of NATO and European allies’ defense efforts while the United States pursues a reset with Russia—the main threat to European …
Episode 124: Tariffs, Taxes, and Their International Ramifications
The Trump administration has taken sweeping actions on tariffs, with more scheduled to be imposed in April. On this episode of The Zeitgeist, Kim Clausing explains the administration’s approach to …
Episode 123: An Expanding German Memory Culture
For decades, memory culture in Germany has largely focused on coming to terms with and memorializing the Holocaust. In recent years, however, memory discourses have expanded to include, among others, …
Episode 122: The German Bundestag Election Results
Shortly after the polls closed in Germany, Jeff Rathke, Eric Langenbacher, and Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger discussed the results of the snap elections. They give their reactions to the performance of the …
Episode 121: Climate Change and National Security
Climate change can create national security risks, test military resilience, and redefine how countries pursue their geopolitical interests. Sherri Goodman, author of Threat Multiplier: Climate, Military Leadership, and the Fight …
Episode 120: The Issues Driving German Politics One Month from the Bundestag Election
With the German elections slated for February 23, Member of the Bundestag Omid Nouripour, a former national co-chairman of the Green Party, joins The Zeitgeist to discuss the issues shaping the campaign. …
Episode 119: Voter Volatility and Political Stagnation
Germany votes for a new parliament on February 23. While the center-right Christian Democrats maintain a lead in the polls, the three parties of Olaf Scholz’s outgoing “traffic light” coalition …
Episode 118: Is There a Leadership Vacuum in Europe?
Who does the United States call when it wants to call Europe, especially as Germany enters a transition through early elections and France experiences political turmoil? Dr. Phyllis Berry joins …
Episode 117: Germany in 2025
The second Trump administration will take office in just over one month—how will it approach the European security order and trade with the European Union? What risks and opportunities does …
Episode 116: The Evolution of LGBTQ+ Rights in Germany
For thirty-five years, the LSVD+ – Queer Diversity Association has been representing the interests of LGBTQ+ people in Germany. Its managing director Klaus Jetz joins The Zeitgeist to discuss how …
Episode 115: The U.S. Election and Germany in Europe
The year 2025 will bring not only a new U.S. administration but also a new EU Commission. What will these changes mean for Germany and the United States, and what …
Episode 114: The Transatlantic Legacy of Stonewall
In September 2024, participants in AGI’s project “Building LGBTQ+ Communities in Germany and the United States: Past, Present, and Future” traveled to New York City for site visits and discussions …
Episode 113: A Geoeconomic Europe?
The German economic model is facing headwinds: a loss of secure energy from Russia, renewed urgency to rebuild its defense capabilities, and a fragmenting global economy where not everyone plays …
Episode 112: Eastern State Elections and Their Implications for National Politics
In state elections in Thuringia and Saxony, the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged to first and second place, respectively, with over 30 percent of the vote in both states. …
Episode 111: Trade and Transatlantic Economic Security
At least since the Hiroshima G7 summit in May 2023, the United States and the European Union have been explicitly calling upon trade policy to advance their economic security. While …
Episode 110: The Continued Strength of the AfD
The eastern German states of Saxony and Thuringia will vote in state elections on September 1, and Brandenburg will vote on September 22. The populist radical-right Alternative for Germany (Alternative …
Episode 109: Angela Merkel’s Legacy
Germany’s longest-serving chancellor of the twenty-first century was also uniquely successful; Angela Merkel left office after sixteen years with an approval rating of over 70 percent. As Germany must now …
Episode 108: The Role of Germany’s Anti-Semitism Commissioners
In 2019, the federal states established the Joint Federal and State Commission to Fight Anti-Semitism and Protect Jewish Life. This initiative builds on Germany’s decades-long political and civil society efforts …
Episode 107: Interpreting the European Parliament Elections
From June 6 to 9, citizens across the European Union’s 27 member states voted for the 720 seats in the European Parliament. The center-right had the strongest result, with the …
Episode 106: LGBTQIA+ Inclusion and the Economy
On this episode of The Zeitgeist, guest host Dr. Eric Langenbacher speaks with two participants of the AGI exchange program, “Building LGBTQ+ Communities in Germany and the United States.” Simon …
Episode 105: Steadfast, Capable, and Ready: An Address by H.E. Boris Pistorius, German Minister of Defense
In this special episode of The Zeitgeist, we are sharing German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius’ address at an event hosted by AGI and Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced …
Episode 104: Germany Grapples with a World of Fragile Security
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 forced Germany’s government and public to think urgently about the threats to their security. Dr. Christian Mölling joins The Zeitgeist to discuss how …
Episode 103: Elections and the European Economy
Elections in Europe and the United States this year could have significant impacts on the European economy. The outcomes will influence how the transatlantic partners address the challenge from China …
Episode 102: The Trends Driving Europe’s Future
Every four years, the U.S. National Intelligence Council publishes its Global Trends report, an unclassified document that seeks to assess the key factors that shape the strategic environment for the …
Episode 101: Germany and the United States in an American Election Year
German Ambassador to the United States Andreas Michaelis joins The Zeitgeist podcast to discuss the state of the German-American relationship, how Germany is working with its key partners in Europe …
Episode 100: The Enduring Allure of Weimar Music and Culture
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
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
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
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 …