Transatlantic Perspectives
Private Health Care Insurance: Accessibility and Efficiency in the U.S. and Germany
Different Systems, Similar Debates Despite different health care systems in Germany and the U.S., similar debates and health policy questions can be identified in both countries. Some common issues are the role of the private insurance market and competition in health care. In the U.S., the 2010 Affordable Care Act reform has… Read more >
What Do Citizens in Europe and the United States Think About Fiscal Austerity?
There is currently no national government in the European Union (EU) that is not indebted to a certain extent. The same holds true for the United States, Switzerland, and the other member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Moreover, many sub-national jurisdictions (e.g., states, cities) in these countries… Read more >
The Debate over Betreuungsgeld
Viewed narrowly, the passage of Betreuungsgeld demonstrated the power of a small but determined party in a coalition government; it is a bit harder to determine its meaning for German family policy more generally. Considering Germany’s belated commitment to making adequate numbers of child care places available, does Betreuungsgeld simply represent the dying gasp of a deeply conservative strand of German family policy, one that has sought to maintain a housewife role for women since the early days of the Federal Republic?
Who Can Lead the Change?
“Comfort women,” the Dokdo/Takeshima islands, and the Yasukuni shrine are the Achilles’ heel of South Korean-Japanese relations. Recurring for decades, the clashes over history issues this year have taken a serious turn. Despite the ever-flourishing trade relations and socio-cultural interaction, the acrimonious mood between two state leaders seemed to drag the whole… Read more >
The Comprehensive Approach in Euro-Atlantic Security
The transformation of the international arena in the last two decades and the respective revisions of international conflict management have made the realignment of traditional security concepts possible and necessary. With the widening of the notion of security, conceptual approaches within the international community to handle the new conflict management challenges altered… Read more >
Domestic Structures in Germany and Japan and Their Influence on Reconciliation Policy
Comparing reconciliation politics of different states helps us to understand better the reasons why reconciliation, i.e., the process of normalization of bilateral relations after conflict between former perpetrator and victim states, is or is not taking place. In order to gain valid insights, a rigorous analytical framework is needed which can be… Read more >
Presidential Election 2012: Foreign and National Security Issues
Foreign policy in the race for the presidency has historically not been center stage, or barely even on stage at all. While the vote is predicted to be focused primarily on jobs and the economy, the 2012 election is concluding with a number of foreign and security issues that will confront the… Read more >
The United States Economy after the 2012 Election: Playing Chicken
American elections are many things. One thing they rarely produce, however, is a deep and detailed discussion of policy proposals. This is particularly true for economic policy. In 2012, both presidential candidates have gone to great lengths to avoid discussing what they would actually do if elected because each is likely to… Read more >
The U.S. Elections 2012: The Role of Health Care Reform
Over the last four years, President Barack Obama’s most significant bill was the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), which introduced a major reform of the U.S. health care system. Although most provisions of the bill were affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in summer 2012, Republican opposition to the bill has been… Read more >
From Consolidation to Globalization: The Changing Nature of NATO Partnerships
What is the vision for NATO today? On July 4, 2012 NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen outlined his vision: A NATO that derives its strength and vitality from engaging with partners. An alliance situated at the center of a wide ranging security network, detecting risks and threats early on, and being… Read more >
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