The Zeitgeist

The Zeitgeist


Latest Episodes

Episode 131: Multilateralism in a Fragmenting Global Trading System
August 13, 2025

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 reexam

Episode 130: Germany’s Transatlantic Coordinator on U.S.-German Relations
July 30, 2025

Germanys defense commitments are beginning to match the ambitions of the Zeitenwende, and Germanys 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
July 10, 2025

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
June 18, 2025

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?
June 04, 2025

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
May 13, 2025

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
April 23, 2025

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 Russiathe main threat to European

Episode 124: Tariffs, Taxes, and Their International Ramifications
March 26, 2025

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 administrations approach to

Episode 123: An Expanding German Memory Culture
March 12, 2025

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
February 24, 2025

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 t