United States
Climate and Energy Policy After the U.S. Midterm Elections
Conditions for U.S. climate and energy policy have changed considerably after comprehensive climate and energy legislation failed in the 111th Congress. In the newly elected 112th Congress, emphasis will likely shift away from climate change to more orthodox supply side energy strategies. Writing from a European perspective, Sascha Müller-Kraenner, Managing Director of The Nature Conservancy in Europe and a regular contributor to the Advisor, explores the consequences of these U.S. changes for the European Union’s climate and energy strategy as well as for a future international climate regime.
American Education Reform Process in Isolation
While American education policy has mostly been conducted at the local level, recent reform efforts have been enacted at the federal level. These reforms, however, have been conducted in ‘isolation’ and with minimal consideration for international evaluations like the OECD’s PISA studies, writes Dr. Kerstin Martens, AICGS Visiting Fellow in fall 2010. Why are such reforms carried out independently of international studies? Dr. Martens examines this issue in her essay.
Anything But SWIFT: Why Data Sharing is Still a Problem for the EU
The fight against terrorism has been on the forefront of the U.S. and German agendas and shapes the relationship between both countries. While cooperation has been strong, differences have arisen in several areas. In Issue Brief 35, Edna Dretzka and DAAD/AICGS Fellow Stormy-Annika Mildner examine the disagreement between the U.S. and EU over sharing private financial data in relation to terrorism. The authors look at the legal situation in the United States and the political struggles in the European Union that hamper better cooperation across the Atlantic, and offer ideas on how the two actors can overcome their differences on data-sharing and SWIFT.
It’s Payback Time: The United States and Germany are Debating a Financial Institution Fee
DAAD/AICGS Fellow Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner examines the differing German and U.S. proposals for an IMF-regulated ‘Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee’ and argues that their implementation is anything but certain. Dr. Mildner writes that the proposals differ with regard to the institutions subjected to the fee, the determinants of the fee (risk, income, and bonuses), the goals of the levy, as well as the appropriate use of the fee revenues, but states that strong transatlantic cooperation in the early stages can result in a more coordinated and effective implementation.
Transatlantic Counterterrorism Policy: Cultural, Economic, and Financial Aspects
The fight against terrorism has been on the forefront of the U.S. and German agendas and shapes the relationship between both countries. While differences in counterterrorism policy exist, the U.S. and Germany have also very successfully cooperated in counterterrorism measures. In Issue Brief 34, Kirsten Verclas, AICGS Research Associate, examines the cultural, economic, and financial aspects of counterterrorism policy in the United States and Germany and how these aspects are combined to shape each country’s overall strategy.
Similarities in Difference: The Challenge of Muslim Integration in Germany and the United States
In Issue Brief 33, “Similarities in Difference: The Challenge of Muslim Integration in Germany and the United States,” Mounir Azzaoui examines the status of Muslim integration in both countries and concludes that even though the challenges each nation faces are somewhat different, a dialogue about the experiences of Muslim integration could be made fruitful for all of the challenges ahead. This Issue Brief is part of AICGS’ project on the “Integration of Muslim Immigrants in Germany and the United States,” which works to deepen the German-American understanding of immigration and integration of Muslims.
Assertive Supremacy and Enlightened Self-Interest: The United States and the “Unity of Europe”
American policy toward the integration of the European continent since the Second World War can be aptly summarized with the help of a statement made by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. “I am extraordinarily patient,” she once said, “provided I get my own way in the end.” …
Looking Ahead: The United States, Germany, and Europe in 2020
What will the world look like in 2020? While this is ultimately unknown, in Policy Report 40, Jackson Janes asserts that over this time, the transatlantic community can only confront challenges together, as it remains the only option open to the West, focusing his essay on the role of the United States and its choices as a superpower. In comparison, Jan Techau centers on Germany and Europe in 2020, arguing that the fundamental pillars of Germany’s postwar and post-unification order will be challenged over the next ten years, making the Federal Republic in 2020 look significantly different from the one today.
‘They Can and Must Increase’: An Analysis of U.S.-Russian Economic Relations in International Comparison
In Issue Brief 31, “‘They Can and Must Increase’: An Analysis of U.S.-Russian Economic Relations in International Comparison,” Deutsche Bank/AICGS Fellow Dr. Thorsten Nestmann analyzes the low level of bilateral economic exchange between Russia and the U.S. and provides some ideas on how to enhance U.S.-Russian economic relations to the benefit of both countries.
Waiting for September: German-American Relations Between Elections
As Germany approaches its September federal election, how will this election shape German-American relations in the coming months? In Issue Brief 30, Jessica Riester, Research Program/ Publications Coordinator at AICGS, examines the policy challenges facing the two countries and the expectations each country has for the other before and after the election, arguing that the German-American relationship can flourish in 2009 and beyond.
