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PSA blog on German Politics Conference at the University of the West of Scotland, September 2023
German Politics Specialist Group conference: German politics in turbulent times
The PSA’s German Politics Specialist Group held a two-day conference at the University of the West of Scotland in Paisley to discuss key challenges and opportunities around the state of German politics in 2023.
On 21 and 22 September 2023, scholars from the UK, Germany, Spain, USA, Iran and India came together for the German Politics Specialist Group’s annual conference – held, for the first time, in Scotland. The conference theme, ‘German Politics in 2023: Historical milestones and contemporary challenges’, challenged scholars to consider the past, present and future of German politics in a year marked by several important anniversaries: 2023 marks 75 years since the Marshall Plan came into effect and 50 years since West and East Germany became members of the United Nations; it has been 25 years since the West German ‘1968 generation’ came into positions of power at the federal level in the red-green coalition government; and it is ten years since the Alternative for Germany (AfD) entered the political stage.
Over the two days of the conference, twelve papers were presented by academics from political sciences, sociology, economics, and cultural studies. This diversity of perspectives created lively discussions amongst presenters, colleagues and students. The first panel explored questions around identity, memory and boundaries 33 years after reunification and did so by analysing film, architecture and literature. Dr Nikhil Sehra from Jawaharlal Nehru University opened this panel with a discussion of how 21st century German film constructs German national identity. This was followed by a paper by Dr Patrick Theiner (University of Edinburgh) and Dr Julia Schwanholz (University of Duisburg-Essen) on an aspect of territorial politics that is often overlooked: the physical and digital architecture of Land parliaments and its meaning. The panel was concluded by Dr Stephan Ehrig from the University of Glasgow who explored novels on East German identity since the fall of the Berlin Wall and their contemporary political implications for identity formation in a reunified Germany.
The second panel was focus on political engagement and political activism. Dr Chantal Sullivan-Thomsett and her University of East Anglia co-authors from the DeepDCarb project outlined perspectives of German members of parliament on their responsibility to lead on climate action during a period of contentious developments in this policy area. Dr Sergio Galaz Garcia from Madrid’s Carlos III University investigated whether eventful times, like the fall of the Berlin Wall, impact people’s interpersonal political discussion, combining important conceptual and methodological contributions to the study of how history changes people. Dr Jan Philipp Thomeczek (University of Potsdam) concluded this panel by looking at the increasing use of referenda and their place within populist parties’ ideology and mobilization strategy.
Before presenters headed for dinner in Glasgow, Professor Hannah Alarian (University of Florida) delivered the keynote on democratic challenges facing an increasingly polarised Europe. Based on her research on citizenship and immigration, she outlined that Europe’s democratic crisis is a crisis of both inclusion and representation before presenting empirically grounded suggestions for how democracies can effectively address these challenges. The keynote received many engaged questions from presenters and also undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The first panel on the second conference day explored political parties’ strategies when competing with old and new challengers against the backdrop of profound societal changes. Dr Yaser Esmailzadeh from the University of Tehran considered the impact of violence and terrorism on Germany’s social cohesion and approach to security policy. Dr Matthias Dilling and Kaelem Dove (Swansea University) investigated whether Germany’s radical right’s shift to anti-Muslim and ‘anti-antisemitism’ rhetoric is reflected in changes in public attitudes. Dr Hartwig Pautz (University of the West of Scotland) presented an analysis of the strategies that ‘mainstream parties’ adopted during the Eurozone crisis and ‘refugee crisis’ when they were faced with populist newcomer parties.
The final panel session considered Germany’s economic position in a globalised world, and particularly in an enlarged European Union. Professor Lothar Funk (University of Applied
Sciences Düsseldorf) provided a challenge to claims that Germany’s recent lacklustre economic performance makes it the ‘sick man of Europe’. Rachel Herring, PhD student at Aston University, presented her research project on Germany’s relations with the Visegrád 4 countries, while Dr Lucas Schramm (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) investigated why Germany reluctantly conceded to key EU fiscal policy initiatives during moments of crisis.
The conference was closed by Angus Robertson – Cabinet Secretary in the Scottish Government for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Member of the Scottish Parliament, and former leader of the Scottish National Party in the Westminster Parliament. Mr Robertson reflected on his time at Westminster during the Brexit debates, outlined his perspective on Scottish-German connections, informed by his German family background and his work as a journalist in Austria and Germany, and emphasized the potential for Scottish and German cooperation in the area of renewable energy.
The co-convenors of the PSA’s German Politics Specialist Group want to thank all who participated in the event for their important and insightful contributions. In particular, we would like to thank the PSA and the University of the West of Scotland for their generous funding that allowed many ECRs and students to attend the conference, including from the Global South. We look forward to seeing participants join us for PSA24 in Glasgow.
Authors:
Dr Chantal Sullivan-Thomsett is a Senior Research Associate at the University of East Anglia and co- convenor of the German Politics Specialist Group.
Dr Hartwig Pautz is Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences at the University of the West of Scotland, co-convenor of the German Politics Specialist Group and co-lead of the UWS-Oxfam Partnership.
Dr Matthias Dilling is a Lecturer in Politics at Swansea University and co- convenor of the German Politics Specialist Group.