<![CDATA[Grüezi Amerika. Views from the Sister Republic]]>5b4fcaa9-3da5-5b80-9931-255f9f913f33Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:59:19 +0000Captivate.fmClaudia Franziska Brühwilerhttps://artwork.captivate.fm/9a0254d4-1f50-439f-b5ee-49bce77a0c3d/EtYNdPG_zNp-MDeQUPY2CW4P.pngGrüezi Amerika. Views from the Sister RepublicClaudia Franziska BrühwilerClaudia Franziska BrühwilerSince January 20, 2025, we are officially in the era of Trump 2.0. But is it, will it be any different from Trump 1.0? And what do the events across the Atlantic mean for us in Europe?  My name is Claudia Franziska Brühwiler, and I am a professor of American Political Thought and Culture at the University of St.Gallen.  This podcast will take a closer look at current events through the lens of American history, politics, and culture. Sometimes, I will keep it short and share with you my analysis, thoughts, or some background story to what is happening. At other occasions, we will hear from guests from across the HSG community and beyond, who give us new insights into US politics, business, culture, and society.   We will look at the US from the perspective of its sister republic Switzerland. We often get hung up on what separates the US from Switzerland, while in fact we share not only great economic relations. Did you know, for instance, that America’s longest serving finance minister was born in Geneva – and one of our past Federal Councillors had fought in the Civil War? There’s a lot to discover – so I hope you’ll join us!  Cover Art: Anne Fritschhttps://gruezi-amerika.captivate.fmfalseepisodicnopodcastEpisode 43 – Special Episode: The US Strikes against IranEpisode 43 – Special Episode: The US Strikes against IranThe President who had promised an end of “forever wars” and of unnecessary entanglements has greenlit strikes against Iran. Since February 28, Iran is under US and Israeli attack; Ayatollah Khamenei was among the first of the Irani leadership to be killed. President Trump has called on the Iranian people to “take back their country” and has promised the operation to be concluded within five weeks. While few observers mourn the possible demise of the Islamic theocracy, many fear that the US and Israel might have unleashed a regional conflict with a more than doubtful ending. How do the strikes fit into the security strategy as it had been outlined by the Trump Administration? How does Trump’s war put “America First” and fit into “MAGA”? And can we make out a Trump doctrine after all? In this episode we are dissecting these questions with St.Gallen’s security policy expert and Professor of International Relations, James W. Davis.

Professor James Davis has been a fixture for HSG students in International Affairs since 2005 when he left Munich to take on St.Gallen’s Chair in International Relations. Originally from Michigan, he first studied at Michigan State University and then went on to obtain both his Master’s and his PhD from Columbia. He has held positions at various leading research institutions, for instance at Harvard’s John M. Olin Institute for Strategic Studies, and he has received numerous awards and accolades for his work, including the 2011 Credit Suisse Award for Best Teaching, Awarded by the Student Union of the University of St.Gallen. Prof. Davis bridges research and practice, as he has most recently demonstrated by co-initiating the European Nuclear Study Group (ENSG) which he is co-chairing alongside Dr. Tobias Bunde (Munich Security Conference & Hertie School), and Dr. Claudia Major (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, Berlin).

]]>The President who had promised an end of “forever wars” and of unnecessary entanglements has greenlit strikes against Iran. Since February 28, Iran is under US and Israeli attack; Ayatollah Khamenei was among the first of the Irani leadership to be killed. President Trump has called on the Iranian people to “take back their country” and has promised the operation to be concluded within five weeks. While few observers mourn the possible demise of the Islamic theocracy, many fear that the US and Israel might have unleashed a regional conflict with a more than doubtful ending. How do the strikes fit into the security strategy as it had been outlined by the Trump Administration? How does Trump’s war put “America First” and fit into “MAGA”? And can we make out a Trump doctrine after all? In this episode we are dissecting these questions with St.Gallen’s security policy expert and Professor of International Relations, James W. Davis.

Professor James Davis has been a fixture for HSG students in International Affairs since 2005 when he left Munich to take on St.Gallen’s Chair in International Relations. Originally from Michigan, he first studied at Michigan State University and then went on to obtain both his Master’s and his PhD from Columbia. He has held positions at various leading research institutions, for instance at Harvard’s John M. Olin Institute for Strategic Studies, and he has received numerous awards and accolades for his work, including the 2011 Credit Suisse Award for Best Teaching, Awarded by the Student Union of the University of St.Gallen. Prof. Davis bridges research and practice, as he has most recently demonstrated by co-initiating the European Nuclear Study Group (ENSG) which he is co-chairing alongside Dr. Tobias Bunde (Munich Security Conference & Hertie School), and Dr. Claudia Major (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, Berlin).

]]>b876be59-c64e-462f-8b00-57e21f254ce4Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +010032:18falsefull143431Episode 42 – Special Episode: The Trouble with ChagosEpisode 42 – Special Episode: The Trouble with ChagosDisputes over territory seem to be the new norm in transatlantic relations: after fears over the world’s largest island Greenland rattled the entirety of Europe, the fate of a small archipelago in the Indian Ocean has worsened US-UK relations. In 2024, the United Kingdom reached an agreement with Mauritius, transferring sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago to the latter. Earlier, President Trump applauded the deal – but he has since backtracked and demands that the UK keep sovereignty over the group of islands. What’s the trouble with Chagos? And why has its status been disputed for decades? We are breaking down the background of this conflict with Professor Thomas Burri who has been following the story of Chagos for several years.

Professor Thomas Burri is the co-editor of The International Court of Justice and Decolonisation: New Directions from the Chagos Advisory Opinion and has started a series of papers on “Phenomenal International Law,” focusing first on the case of Chagos. Since 2011, he has been teaching International and European Law at the University of St.Gallen where he received the Impact Award for launching «The First University of St.Gallen Grand Challenge – The EU A.I. Act 2023.» Professor Burri received his education at University of Zurich (Dr. iur.), in Bruges (College of Europe, LLM), Basel and Paris (Lic. iur., University of Basel).

Recommendations:

  1. Philippe Sands, The Last Colony
  2. David Vine, Island of Shame

]]>Disputes over territory seem to be the new norm in transatlantic relations: after fears over the world’s largest island Greenland rattled the entirety of Europe, the fate of a small archipelago in the Indian Ocean has worsened US-UK relations. In 2024, the United Kingdom reached an agreement with Mauritius, transferring sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago to the latter. Earlier, President Trump applauded the deal – but he has since backtracked and demands that the UK keep sovereignty over the group of islands. What’s the trouble with Chagos? And why has its status been disputed for decades? We are breaking down the background of this conflict with Professor Thomas Burri who has been following the story of Chagos for several years.

Professor Thomas Burri is the co-editor of The International Court of Justice and Decolonisation: New Directions from the Chagos Advisory Opinion and has started a series of papers on “Phenomenal International Law,” focusing first on the case of Chagos. Since 2011, he has been teaching International and European Law at the University of St.Gallen where he received the Impact Award for launching «The First University of St.Gallen Grand Challenge – The EU A.I. Act 2023.» Professor Burri received his education at University of Zurich (Dr. iur.), in Bruges (College of Europe, LLM), Basel and Paris (Lic. iur., University of Basel).

Recommendations:

  1. Philippe Sands, The Last Colony
  2. David Vine, Island of Shame

]]>cdba7aa1-a5c9-48b5-a4e5-8d9ff3ce53b0Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +010039:05falsefull142421Episode 41 – Trump, Tariffs, and the CourtEpisode 41 – Trump, Tariffs, and the CourtIt's a landmark case: in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump (2026), the Supreme Court declared Donald J. Trump's tariff regime unconstitutional. Specifically, the Court holds that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize the President to impose tariffs. Expectedly, the President denounced the decision and the three conservative Justices who went with the 6:3 majority, including Chief Justice Roberts. We are trying to make sense of it all with Prof. Christoph Frei.

Prof. emeritus Christoph Frei teaches history of political thought, international governance, and world politics at the University of St.Gallen. An award-winning researcher and lecturer, he spent formative research years in the United States and has maintained strong ties to the States throughout his career.

Further reading:

  1. Ilya Shapiro, Supreme Disorder
  2. Claudia F. Brühwiler, "Politiker in Roben? Der Supreme Court und der Vorwurf der Politisierung", Alexandria (full text) content / Richterzeitung (pay wall): Politiker in Roben?
  3. Oren Cass and the future of American conservatism | HSG Focus 25/01 (includes link to the podcast episode with Chris Griswold) und The Federalist Papers

]]>It's a landmark case: in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump (2026), the Supreme Court declared Donald J. Trump's tariff regime unconstitutional. Specifically, the Court holds that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize the President to impose tariffs. Expectedly, the President denounced the decision and the three conservative Justices who went with the 6:3 majority, including Chief Justice Roberts. We are trying to make sense of it all with Prof. Christoph Frei.

Prof. emeritus Christoph Frei teaches history of political thought, international governance, and world politics at the University of St.Gallen. An award-winning researcher and lecturer, he spent formative research years in the United States and has maintained strong ties to the States throughout his career.

Further reading:

  1. Ilya Shapiro, Supreme Disorder
  2. Claudia F. Brühwiler, "Politiker in Roben? Der Supreme Court und der Vorwurf der Politisierung", Alexandria (full text) content / Richterzeitung (pay wall): Politiker in Roben?
  3. Oren Cass and the future of American conservatism | HSG Focus 25/01 (includes link to the podcast episode with Chris Griswold) und The Federalist Papers

]]>1b8af02e-f7f6-4fdb-ac41-17dfbf22cf7bMon, 23 Feb 2026 22:00:00 +010038:16falsefull141411Episode 40 –Henry Wirz, Swiss War Criminal of the Civil WarEpisode 40 –Henry Wirz, Swiss War Criminal of the Civil WarNov. 10, 1865: Heinrich “Henry” Wirz is executed as only one of three men tried, convicted, and executed for war crimes during the Civil War – a Swiss who had fought for the Confederacy. As Captain, he had been in charge of Andersonville Prison, a prisoner-of-war camp in Georgia, and he would be held responsible for the dire conditions under which Union soldiers were held there: “45,000 Union soldiers were imprisoned there, and nearly 13,000 died from disease, poor sanitation, malnutrition, overcrowding, or exposure”. How did Wirz, born in Zurich, end up commanding Andersonville? And was he a mere scapegoat or the monster he was made out to be? Historian Dr. Ben Cloyd will help us shed light on Wirz’s story.

Dr. Cloyd wrote one of the few books that give us insight into Heinrich “Henry” Wirz’s time at Andersonville Prison: Haunted by Atrocity: Civil War Prisons in American Memory focuses on the role of military prison camps in post-Civil War memory and myths. Dr. Cloyd graduated from Louisiana State University with a Master’s degree and a PhD; earlier, obtained a Bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Notre Dame. Nowadays, he is part of the leadership of Mississippi Delta Community College where he serves as Vice President of Enrollment Management.

Recommended reading:

  1. The Destructive War: William Tecumseh Sherman, Stonewall Jackson, and the Americans


]]>Nov. 10, 1865: Heinrich “Henry” Wirz is executed as only one of three men tried, convicted, and executed for war crimes during the Civil War – a Swiss who had fought for the Confederacy. As Captain, he had been in charge of Andersonville Prison, a prisoner-of-war camp in Georgia, and he would be held responsible for the dire conditions under which Union soldiers were held there: “45,000 Union soldiers were imprisoned there, and nearly 13,000 died from disease, poor sanitation, malnutrition, overcrowding, or exposure”. How did Wirz, born in Zurich, end up commanding Andersonville? And was he a mere scapegoat or the monster he was made out to be? Historian Dr. Ben Cloyd will help us shed light on Wirz’s story.

Dr. Cloyd wrote one of the few books that give us insight into Heinrich “Henry” Wirz’s time at Andersonville Prison: Haunted by Atrocity: Civil War Prisons in American Memory focuses on the role of military prison camps in post-Civil War memory and myths. Dr. Cloyd graduated from Louisiana State University with a Master’s degree and a PhD; earlier, obtained a Bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Notre Dame. Nowadays, he is part of the leadership of Mississippi Delta Community College where he serves as Vice President of Enrollment Management.

Recommended reading:

  1. The Destructive War: William Tecumseh Sherman, Stonewall Jackson, and the Americans


]]>ff9ca41b-388d-4122-b958-013df59b61b1Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +010039:26falsefull140401Episode 39 – GrönlandträumeEpisode 39 – Grönlandträume«We need Greenland» – nicht zur Miete, sondern als Besitz, erklärte US-Präsident Donald J. Trump mehrfach, zuletzt auch am World Economic Forum in Davos. Doch dann löste sich die Anspannung: Ein Abkommen mit der NATO sei in Sicht, verkündete er nur Stunden nach einer Rede, in der er zwar einen Militärschlag zur Besitzergreifung ausgeschlossen, den Besitzanspruch aber nochmals unterstrichen hatte. Nie wurde intensiver über das Schicksal der grössten Insel der Welt gesprochen – und nie fühlte sich die dortige Bevölkerung mehr als Spielball anderer. Gemeinsam mit Prof. Dania Achermann erweitern wir den Blick auf Grönland, von der Trumpschen Begehrlichkeit auf ein Territorium mit wechselhafter Geschichte und grosser Bedeutung für die Wissenschaft.

Prof. Dania Achermann ist Associate Professorin an der School of Humanities and Social Sciences der Universität St.Gallen und befasst sich mit Wissenschafts- und Technikgeschichte. Zuvor war sie Juniorprofessorin an der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal, wo sie unter anderem zur Entstehung der Eisbohrkernforschung gearbeitet hat. Vor ihrem Doktorat an der Aarhus University und der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München studierte sie in Zürich Allgemeine Geschichte, Geographie und englische Linguistik.

Tipps

  1. Exploring Greenland: Cold War Science and Technology on Ice
  2. Noch nie unabhängig: Wem gehört Grönland?
  3. Peter Hoeg, Fräulein Smillas Gespür für Schnee (1992)
  4. Grönland: Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte 38/2025

]]>«We need Greenland» – nicht zur Miete, sondern als Besitz, erklärte US-Präsident Donald J. Trump mehrfach, zuletzt auch am World Economic Forum in Davos. Doch dann löste sich die Anspannung: Ein Abkommen mit der NATO sei in Sicht, verkündete er nur Stunden nach einer Rede, in der er zwar einen Militärschlag zur Besitzergreifung ausgeschlossen, den Besitzanspruch aber nochmals unterstrichen hatte. Nie wurde intensiver über das Schicksal der grössten Insel der Welt gesprochen – und nie fühlte sich die dortige Bevölkerung mehr als Spielball anderer. Gemeinsam mit Prof. Dania Achermann erweitern wir den Blick auf Grönland, von der Trumpschen Begehrlichkeit auf ein Territorium mit wechselhafter Geschichte und grosser Bedeutung für die Wissenschaft.

Prof. Dania Achermann ist Associate Professorin an der School of Humanities and Social Sciences der Universität St.Gallen und befasst sich mit Wissenschafts- und Technikgeschichte. Zuvor war sie Juniorprofessorin an der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal, wo sie unter anderem zur Entstehung der Eisbohrkernforschung gearbeitet hat. Vor ihrem Doktorat an der Aarhus University und der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München studierte sie in Zürich Allgemeine Geschichte, Geographie und englische Linguistik.

Tipps

  1. Exploring Greenland: Cold War Science and Technology on Ice
  2. Noch nie unabhängig: Wem gehört Grönland?
  3. Peter Hoeg, Fräulein Smillas Gespür für Schnee (1992)
  4. Grönland: Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte 38/2025

]]>769bb377-b613-451c-8144-e29fc506b011Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +010038:33falsefull139391Episode 38 – Drugs and the Donroe DoctrineEpisode 38 – Drugs and the Donroe DoctrineOn January 3, 2026 US troops captured Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro at his home in Caracas. The political heir of Hugo Chávez had been in office for nearly thirteen years, resorting to electoral fraud and suppressing the opposition to stay in power. During his time in government, around nine million people fled Venezuela. U.S. prosecutors accuse him and the Venezuelan government of a cocaine-trafficking conspiracy and partnering with cartels designated as terrorist groups. But is Venezuela indeed that important for the regional drug trade? And how do countries in the region perceive the U.S. intervention?

Professor Matías Dewey helps us change perspectives and shares with us his expertise on illicit markets. He is Associate Professor of Latin American Studies at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of St.Gallen. A sociologist by training, he studied first in his native country Argentina at the University Del Salvador before pursing a doctorate at the University of Rostock. He obtained his "habilitation" from the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Recommendations:

  1. Javier Ayuero and Katherine Sobering: "The Ambivalent State"
  2. Thomas Grisaffi: "Coca Yes, Cocaine No: How Bolivia's Coca Growers Reshaped Democracy"
  3. HSG FOCUS on "Economies of Crime"

]]>On January 3, 2026 US troops captured Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro at his home in Caracas. The political heir of Hugo Chávez had been in office for nearly thirteen years, resorting to electoral fraud and suppressing the opposition to stay in power. During his time in government, around nine million people fled Venezuela. U.S. prosecutors accuse him and the Venezuelan government of a cocaine-trafficking conspiracy and partnering with cartels designated as terrorist groups. But is Venezuela indeed that important for the regional drug trade? And how do countries in the region perceive the U.S. intervention?

Professor Matías Dewey helps us change perspectives and shares with us his expertise on illicit markets. He is Associate Professor of Latin American Studies at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of St.Gallen. A sociologist by training, he studied first in his native country Argentina at the University Del Salvador before pursing a doctorate at the University of Rostock. He obtained his "habilitation" from the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Recommendations:

  1. Javier Ayuero and Katherine Sobering: "The Ambivalent State"
  2. Thomas Grisaffi: "Coca Yes, Cocaine No: How Bolivia's Coca Growers Reshaped Democracy"
  3. HSG FOCUS on "Economies of Crime"

]]>ff24a8c4-e217-4c9a-8303-a12373281d1cThu, 15 Jan 2026 00:30:00 +010035:15falsefull138381Episode 37 – Die Schweizer Wirtschaftsbeziehungen zu den USA nach einem Jahr Trump 2.0Episode 37 – Die Schweizer Wirtschaftsbeziehungen zu den USA nach einem Jahr Trump 2.0Das Verhältnis zwischen der Schweiz und den USA scheint nach einem Jahr unter Donald Trump 2.0 angespannt, kühl und unsicher. Ausgerechnet zum Nationalfeiertag erreichte die Schweiz die Botschaft, dass die Zollverhandlungen gescheitert, das für das Land weiterhin schlechtere Handelsvoraussetzungen als beispielsweise für die EU-Mitgliedstaaten gelten würden. Auch die Einigung vom November wurde nicht überall als Erfolg gefeiert. Von Goldbarren- oder Oligarchendiplomatie war die Rede, als eine Gruppe Schweizer Wirtschaftsführer mit Präsident Donald J. Trump das amerikanische Zollregime diskutierten. Wie steht es wirklich um die Schweizer Wirtschaftsbeziehungen zu den USA unter Trump 2.0? Wie gut, wie schlecht ist der Zoll-Deal? Kaum jemand kann die Lage besser einordnen als Dr. Rahul Sahgal.

Der CEO der Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce, also der schweizerisch-amerikanischen Handelskammer, ist dreifacher HSG-Alumnus: Nachdem er Abschlüsse in BWL und Jus erlangte, verfasste er eine Dissertation zu «Foreign Direct Investment Decision-making Processes: The Case of Swiss Companies in India». Nach mehrjähriger Erfahrung in der Privatwirtschaft, unter anderem als CEO in Indien, wechselte er in das Eidgenössische Departement des Äusseren und arbeitete von 2017 bis 2021 in der Schweizer Botschaft in Washington, D.C. Vor seiner jetzigen Funktion amtete er zuletzt als stellvertretender Leiter der Steuerabteilung im Staatssekretariat für internationale Finanzfragen (SIF) in Bern.

Empfehlungen:

  1. Politico: Politics, Policy, Political News - POLITICO
  2. Axios: Axios - Breaking news, U.S. news and politics, and local news
  3. Lex Fridman: Lex Fridman - YouTube

]]>Das Verhältnis zwischen der Schweiz und den USA scheint nach einem Jahr unter Donald Trump 2.0 angespannt, kühl und unsicher. Ausgerechnet zum Nationalfeiertag erreichte die Schweiz die Botschaft, dass die Zollverhandlungen gescheitert, das für das Land weiterhin schlechtere Handelsvoraussetzungen als beispielsweise für die EU-Mitgliedstaaten gelten würden. Auch die Einigung vom November wurde nicht überall als Erfolg gefeiert. Von Goldbarren- oder Oligarchendiplomatie war die Rede, als eine Gruppe Schweizer Wirtschaftsführer mit Präsident Donald J. Trump das amerikanische Zollregime diskutierten. Wie steht es wirklich um die Schweizer Wirtschaftsbeziehungen zu den USA unter Trump 2.0? Wie gut, wie schlecht ist der Zoll-Deal? Kaum jemand kann die Lage besser einordnen als Dr. Rahul Sahgal.

Der CEO der Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce, also der schweizerisch-amerikanischen Handelskammer, ist dreifacher HSG-Alumnus: Nachdem er Abschlüsse in BWL und Jus erlangte, verfasste er eine Dissertation zu «Foreign Direct Investment Decision-making Processes: The Case of Swiss Companies in India». Nach mehrjähriger Erfahrung in der Privatwirtschaft, unter anderem als CEO in Indien, wechselte er in das Eidgenössische Departement des Äusseren und arbeitete von 2017 bis 2021 in der Schweizer Botschaft in Washington, D.C. Vor seiner jetzigen Funktion amtete er zuletzt als stellvertretender Leiter der Steuerabteilung im Staatssekretariat für internationale Finanzfragen (SIF) in Bern.

Empfehlungen:

  1. Politico: Politics, Policy, Political News - POLITICO
  2. Axios: Axios - Breaking news, U.S. news and politics, and local news
  3. Lex Fridman: Lex Fridman - YouTube

]]>d5955d81-8868-4f34-b79c-0928f83f81a5Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +010044:52falsefull137371Episode 36 – ‘tis the Season to Watch Christmas Movies!Episode 36 – ‘tis the Season to Watch Christmas Movies!What gets you in a festive mood? For some it’s the lights and mulled wine, wrapping gifts and decorating their home – and for others it’s a Christmas movie! But what is a Christmas movie, anyway? Let’s discuss this with my colleague Professor Suzanne Enzerink! She picks the most American, the most iconic, and the most underrated American Christmas movie.

Suzanne had joined us earlier for Episode 18 to discuss “Hollywood in Times of Political Division.” A Dutch native, she did most of her American Studies coursework at the University of Groningen, with an exchange at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and then obtained a PhD at Brown University. Before joining HSG, she served as an Assistant Professor at American University in Beirut. Her first book, Give Me Color, is scheduled be published in spring 2026.

Trailers for the recommended movies:

  1. Most American
  2. Most iconic
  3. Most underrated 1 / Most underrated 2
  4. Honorable mention

]]>What gets you in a festive mood? For some it’s the lights and mulled wine, wrapping gifts and decorating their home – and for others it’s a Christmas movie! But what is a Christmas movie, anyway? Let’s discuss this with my colleague Professor Suzanne Enzerink! She picks the most American, the most iconic, and the most underrated American Christmas movie.

Suzanne had joined us earlier for Episode 18 to discuss “Hollywood in Times of Political Division.” A Dutch native, she did most of her American Studies coursework at the University of Groningen, with an exchange at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and then obtained a PhD at Brown University. Before joining HSG, she served as an Assistant Professor at American University in Beirut. Her first book, Give Me Color, is scheduled be published in spring 2026.

Trailers for the recommended movies:

  1. Most American
  2. Most iconic
  3. Most underrated 1 / Most underrated 2
  4. Honorable mention

]]>bc207ab5-4e83-4a26-b1e6-97b21c5fe68fMon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +010023:26falsefull136361Episode 35 – JFKs Mörder, QAnon & Co.: Amerikas Liebe zu VerschwörungstheorienEpisode 35 – JFKs Mörder, QAnon & Co.: Amerikas Liebe zu VerschwörungstheorienDie Amerikaner waren nie auf dem Mond.

Die CIA tötete John F. Kennedy.

Die Illuminati kontrollieren alles.

George Soros finanziert illegale Einwanderer, um Amerika zu destabilisieren.

Dank QAnon wissen wir alle, was im Keller einer Washingtoner Pizzeria passiert.

Und natürlich wurde Donald Trump 2020 um den Wahlsieg betrogen.

Dies ist nur eine kleine Auswahl der Verschwörungstheorien, die in Amerika kursieren – und von denen manche sogar vom Präsidenten selbst verbreitet werden. Allerdings, so lernen wir im Gespräch mit dem Tübinger Professor Michael Butter, kennt die amerikanische Geschichte auch «gute» Verschwörungstheorien, die beispielsweise zur Abschaffung der Sklaverei beigetragen haben. Er ist der Experte für Verschwörungstheorien und hat zuletzt ein mehrjähriges europäisches Forschungsprojekt zu deren Erforschung geleitet. Sein neustes Buch zum Thema, Die Alarmierten: Was Verschwörungstheorien anrichten, ist kürzlich erschienen und knüpft an seinen Bestseller von 2018 an, Nichts ist, wie es scheint: Über Verschwörungstheorien. Seine Forschung zu Verschwörungstheorien ist auch auf Englisch erschienen, und zwar bei de Gruyter unter dem Titel Plots, Designs, and Schemes: American Conspiracy Theories from the Puritans to the Present (Berlin/Boston: de Gruyter, 2014), bei Polity The Nature of Conspiracy Theories (London: Polity, 2020).




Copyright picture: Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen

]]>Die Amerikaner waren nie auf dem Mond.

Die CIA tötete John F. Kennedy.

Die Illuminati kontrollieren alles.

George Soros finanziert illegale Einwanderer, um Amerika zu destabilisieren.

Dank QAnon wissen wir alle, was im Keller einer Washingtoner Pizzeria passiert.

Und natürlich wurde Donald Trump 2020 um den Wahlsieg betrogen.

Dies ist nur eine kleine Auswahl der Verschwörungstheorien, die in Amerika kursieren – und von denen manche sogar vom Präsidenten selbst verbreitet werden. Allerdings, so lernen wir im Gespräch mit dem Tübinger Professor Michael Butter, kennt die amerikanische Geschichte auch «gute» Verschwörungstheorien, die beispielsweise zur Abschaffung der Sklaverei beigetragen haben. Er ist der Experte für Verschwörungstheorien und hat zuletzt ein mehrjähriges europäisches Forschungsprojekt zu deren Erforschung geleitet. Sein neustes Buch zum Thema, Die Alarmierten: Was Verschwörungstheorien anrichten, ist kürzlich erschienen und knüpft an seinen Bestseller von 2018 an, Nichts ist, wie es scheint: Über Verschwörungstheorien. Seine Forschung zu Verschwörungstheorien ist auch auf Englisch erschienen, und zwar bei de Gruyter unter dem Titel Plots, Designs, and Schemes: American Conspiracy Theories from the Puritans to the Present (Berlin/Boston: de Gruyter, 2014), bei Polity The Nature of Conspiracy Theories (London: Polity, 2020).




Copyright picture: Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen

]]>1dd8b48f-5b32-4952-8c05-3d6872dba1c9Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +010037:09falsefull135351Busting Free Market Myths With Jacob Soll – A Joint Episode of "Grüezi Amerika", "Ohne Senf" and "SQUARE Talks"Busting Free Market Myths With Jacob Soll – A Joint Episode of "Grüezi Amerika", "Ohne Senf" and "SQUARE Talks""The Free Market" has been a dominant concept in 20th century political and economic discourse – so dominant in fact that it has remained unquestioned. It has become both ambition and panacea as is reflected by the conditionalities of development banks. Let the "invisible Hand" reign supreme and all shall be well, seems to be the mantra. Yet in the 21st century, even the US right, once stalwart defenders of libertarianism, have fallen out of love with "the free market." We dissect the history of the "free market" with historian Jacob Soll whose recent book "The Free Market: History of an Idea" busts many a myth.

Jacob Soll is Professor of Philosophy, History, and Accounting at the University of Southern California. He received a BA from the University of Iowa, a D.E.A. from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris, France, and a Ph.D. from Magdalene College, Cambridge University. He has taught at Cambridge University, Princeton University, Rutgers University, and the European University Institute in Fiesole, Italy, and USC. Soll has been awarded numerous prestigious prizes including the Jacques Barzun Prize from the American Philosophical Society, two NEH Fellowships, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and, in 2011, the $500,000 MacArthur "Genius Prize" Fellowship. His book "The Reckoning: Financial Accountability and the Rise and Fall of Nations" (2014) has been a global best seller.

]]>"The Free Market" has been a dominant concept in 20th century political and economic discourse – so dominant in fact that it has remained unquestioned. It has become both ambition and panacea as is reflected by the conditionalities of development banks. Let the "invisible Hand" reign supreme and all shall be well, seems to be the mantra. Yet in the 21st century, even the US right, once stalwart defenders of libertarianism, have fallen out of love with "the free market." We dissect the history of the "free market" with historian Jacob Soll whose recent book "The Free Market: History of an Idea" busts many a myth.

Jacob Soll is Professor of Philosophy, History, and Accounting at the University of Southern California. He received a BA from the University of Iowa, a D.E.A. from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris, France, and a Ph.D. from Magdalene College, Cambridge University. He has taught at Cambridge University, Princeton University, Rutgers University, and the European University Institute in Fiesole, Italy, and USC. Soll has been awarded numerous prestigious prizes including the Jacques Barzun Prize from the American Philosophical Society, two NEH Fellowships, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and, in 2011, the $500,000 MacArthur "Genius Prize" Fellowship. His book "The Reckoning: Financial Accountability and the Rise and Fall of Nations" (2014) has been a global best seller.

]]>c5282f96-d0f8-4931-a358-873012c65e61Wed, 19 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +010050:48falsefull134341Episode 33 – As Ohio Goes, So Goes the Nation?Episode 33 – As Ohio Goes, So Goes the Nation?"As Ohio goes, so goes the nation," thus the old saying: Ohio is reputed to be a microcosm of the US. Since 1896, the majority of Ohioans voted for the presidential winner on all but three occasions. The last time the nation decided differently was in 2020 when Trump won Ohio by 8 points but lost overall. Political observers were quick to declare that Ohio was no longer a representative state, ignoring the reasons why the state currently appears solidly red. Generally, Ohio deserves our attention: America’s 7th largest economy, comparable in fact to Switzerland, holds many clues as to what is ailing the nation, as explains guest Chris Redfern.

Chris Redfern served as Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party from 2005 to 2014 and was a Member of the Ohio House of Representatives for twelve years. Nowadays, he runs an inn and winery on Lake Erie and dives into both national and state politics on his podcast "Pinot and Politics."

]]>"As Ohio goes, so goes the nation," thus the old saying: Ohio is reputed to be a microcosm of the US. Since 1896, the majority of Ohioans voted for the presidential winner on all but three occasions. The last time the nation decided differently was in 2020 when Trump won Ohio by 8 points but lost overall. Political observers were quick to declare that Ohio was no longer a representative state, ignoring the reasons why the state currently appears solidly red. Generally, Ohio deserves our attention: America’s 7th largest economy, comparable in fact to Switzerland, holds many clues as to what is ailing the nation, as explains guest Chris Redfern.

Chris Redfern served as Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party from 2005 to 2014 and was a Member of the Ohio House of Representatives for twelve years. Nowadays, he runs an inn and winery on Lake Erie and dives into both national and state politics on his podcast "Pinot and Politics."

]]>1e6903ac-d905-440f-9f0a-d24db1b077d2Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +010050:59falsefull133331Episode 32 – Making a Home in AmericaEpisode 32 – Making a Home in AmericaOwning a home, surrounded by a white picket fence – that’s what many consider part of the proverbial American dream. However, Americans are increasingly pessimistic that they will ever become homeowners - they are aware that significantly more people are looking for houses than the market has on offer: there is a shortage of over 4.7 million homes. In addition, nearly a third of American households are “cost burdenend,” meaning that they need to spend at least 30% of their incomes on housing. In Chicago, the third largest city in the US, the percentage is even higher, at 43%. Why has housing become such a thorny subject in a country with abundant land? And how can the housing shortage be addressed?

Joshua Bandoch, PhD, is working on this issue as Head of Policy at the Illinois Policy Institute (IPI). Prior to joining IPI, Josh was a Research Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and a speechwriter for numerous senior government officials. He started his professional career in academia, with postdoctoral fellowships at Brown University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He earned his Bachelor’s in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame. His first book The Politics of Place: Montesquieu, Particularism, and the Pursuit of Liberty (University of Rochester Press, 2017) has received numerous positive reviews. His second book, How to Get What You Want, will come out next year with Simon & Schuster.

Further reading:



]]>Owning a home, surrounded by a white picket fence – that’s what many consider part of the proverbial American dream. However, Americans are increasingly pessimistic that they will ever become homeowners - they are aware that significantly more people are looking for houses than the market has on offer: there is a shortage of over 4.7 million homes. In addition, nearly a third of American households are “cost burdenend,” meaning that they need to spend at least 30% of their incomes on housing. In Chicago, the third largest city in the US, the percentage is even higher, at 43%. Why has housing become such a thorny subject in a country with abundant land? And how can the housing shortage be addressed?

Joshua Bandoch, PhD, is working on this issue as Head of Policy at the Illinois Policy Institute (IPI). Prior to joining IPI, Josh was a Research Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and a speechwriter for numerous senior government officials. He started his professional career in academia, with postdoctoral fellowships at Brown University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He earned his Bachelor’s in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame. His first book The Politics of Place: Montesquieu, Particularism, and the Pursuit of Liberty (University of Rochester Press, 2017) has received numerous positive reviews. His second book, How to Get What You Want, will come out next year with Simon & Schuster.

Further reading:



]]>631ef281-0057-4052-9bf1-1e49cf453fb6Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:30:00 +010036:35falsefull132321Episode 31 – «The Business of Human Emotion». Ins Taylorverse mit Jörn GlasenappEpisode 31 – «The Business of Human Emotion». Ins Taylorverse mit Jörn Glasenapp«I’m in the business of human emotion,» erklärte sie letztens im Podcast ihres Verlobten – ein Business, das sie beherrscht wie niemand zuvor: Taylor Swift ist die erste Person, die mit ihrer Musik allein eine Milliarde Dollar verdient hat; kein Musiker hat mehr American Music Awards gewonnen; als einzige durfte sie viermal einen Grammy für das Album des Jahres entgegennehmen; kein Song auf Platz 1 der US-Charts war länger als das zehnminütige «All Too Well»; und selbst die Podcastepisode mit ihrem Verlobten brach Rekorde. Die Liste mit Swifts Rekorden und Erfolgen liesse sich noch lange fortsetzen und wird wohl mit dem Erscheinen ihres 12. Albums «The Life of a Showgirl» noch weiter fortgeschrieben. Höchste Zeit, sich des Phänomens Taylor Swift anzunehmen!

Kaum einer kann einen im deutschsprachigen Raum besser ins «Taylorverse» einführen als der Bamberger Professor Jörn Glasenapp: Der Medienwissenschaftler und bekennende Swiftie befasst sich nicht nur aus musikalischem, sondern gerade auch aus wissenschaftlichem Interesse mit Taylor Swift. Einer breiten Leserschaft vermittelt er in der Reclam-Reihe 100 Seiten, warum Swift mehr ist als Pop und Kommerz.

]]>«I’m in the business of human emotion,» erklärte sie letztens im Podcast ihres Verlobten – ein Business, das sie beherrscht wie niemand zuvor: Taylor Swift ist die erste Person, die mit ihrer Musik allein eine Milliarde Dollar verdient hat; kein Musiker hat mehr American Music Awards gewonnen; als einzige durfte sie viermal einen Grammy für das Album des Jahres entgegennehmen; kein Song auf Platz 1 der US-Charts war länger als das zehnminütige «All Too Well»; und selbst die Podcastepisode mit ihrem Verlobten brach Rekorde. Die Liste mit Swifts Rekorden und Erfolgen liesse sich noch lange fortsetzen und wird wohl mit dem Erscheinen ihres 12. Albums «The Life of a Showgirl» noch weiter fortgeschrieben. Höchste Zeit, sich des Phänomens Taylor Swift anzunehmen!

Kaum einer kann einen im deutschsprachigen Raum besser ins «Taylorverse» einführen als der Bamberger Professor Jörn Glasenapp: Der Medienwissenschaftler und bekennende Swiftie befasst sich nicht nur aus musikalischem, sondern gerade auch aus wissenschaftlichem Interesse mit Taylor Swift. Einer breiten Leserschaft vermittelt er in der Reclam-Reihe 100 Seiten, warum Swift mehr ist als Pop und Kommerz.

]]>24978ce3-3b21-4bd6-b634-698d78631610Thu, 09 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +010045:07falsefull131311Episode 30 – «This is not who we are». Gewalt in AmerikaEpisode 30 – «This is not who we are». Gewalt in Amerika«This is not who we are – we are good people», war nicht nur Präsident Joe Bidens Reaktion auf Auswüchse politischer Gewalt, sondern ist ein vielgehörter Satz, wann immer es in den USA zu Massenschiessereien oder politischen Attentaten kommt. Seit der Ermordung des Politaktivisten Charlie Kirk dominiert jedoch die Angst vor zunehmender Gewaltbereitschaft: Zwar lehnen in beiden politischen Lager eine überdeutliche Mehrheit der Amerikanerinnen und Amerikaner politisch motivierte Gewalt ab, doch gerade die jüngere Generation droht gegenüber deren Gefahr abzustumpfen. Insbesondere meint mehr als ein Drittel der GenZ, Gewalt sei ein probates Mittel im Kampf gegen politische Rede an Universitäten. Völlig überraschend sind diese Zahlen nicht: «Amerika hat eine Geschichte der Gewalt,» hat Professor em. Dr. Dr. hc. Elisabeth Bronfen jüngst im Bieler Tagblatt erklärt. Diese Geschichte loten wir in dieser Episode von «Grüezi Amerika!» weiter aus.

Elisabeth Bronfen war während dreissig Jahren Lehrstuhlinhaberin für amerikanische Literatur und Kultur an der Universität Zürich, und ist nach wie vor Gastdozentin an der New York University. Neben vielen weiteren Auszeichnungen ist sie Ehrendoktorin der Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Ihr Schaffen geht weit über die Wissenschaft hinaus und reicht von Büchern über die Diva, eine Kulturgeschichte der Nacht bis hin zu einem ersten Roman und mehreren Kochbüchern – ganz neu: «Kochen nach Laune. Meine Stimmungsküche.»

Lesetipps

  • Herman Melville, The Confidence-Man – auf Deutsch: Maskeraden
  • F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby – Der grosse Gatsby

Foto von: Jialu Zhu

]]>«This is not who we are – we are good people», war nicht nur Präsident Joe Bidens Reaktion auf Auswüchse politischer Gewalt, sondern ist ein vielgehörter Satz, wann immer es in den USA zu Massenschiessereien oder politischen Attentaten kommt. Seit der Ermordung des Politaktivisten Charlie Kirk dominiert jedoch die Angst vor zunehmender Gewaltbereitschaft: Zwar lehnen in beiden politischen Lager eine überdeutliche Mehrheit der Amerikanerinnen und Amerikaner politisch motivierte Gewalt ab, doch gerade die jüngere Generation droht gegenüber deren Gefahr abzustumpfen. Insbesondere meint mehr als ein Drittel der GenZ, Gewalt sei ein probates Mittel im Kampf gegen politische Rede an Universitäten. Völlig überraschend sind diese Zahlen nicht: «Amerika hat eine Geschichte der Gewalt,» hat Professor em. Dr. Dr. hc. Elisabeth Bronfen jüngst im Bieler Tagblatt erklärt. Diese Geschichte loten wir in dieser Episode von «Grüezi Amerika!» weiter aus.

Elisabeth Bronfen war während dreissig Jahren Lehrstuhlinhaberin für amerikanische Literatur und Kultur an der Universität Zürich, und ist nach wie vor Gastdozentin an der New York University. Neben vielen weiteren Auszeichnungen ist sie Ehrendoktorin der Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Ihr Schaffen geht weit über die Wissenschaft hinaus und reicht von Büchern über die Diva, eine Kulturgeschichte der Nacht bis hin zu einem ersten Roman und mehreren Kochbüchern – ganz neu: «Kochen nach Laune. Meine Stimmungsküche.»

Lesetipps

  • Herman Melville, The Confidence-Man – auf Deutsch: Maskeraden
  • F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby – Der grosse Gatsby

Foto von: Jialu Zhu

]]>011c7ea0-735d-4995-b334-e8791bd17d8aMon, 29 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +010044:09falsefull130301Episode 29 – Ordnung and Gemee. The Amish and Their Swiss RootsEpisode 29 – Ordnung and Gemee. The Amish and Their Swiss Roots2025 is a special year in the history Christianity. Not only is it a holy year for Roman Catholics, it also marks the 500th anniversary of a movement that has its roots in Switzerland. While many took note of the Reformationsjahr 2017, the 500 year-celebration of the reformation, few are aware of the 2.1 million people worldwide who are celebrating an event that took place in Zurich: on January 21st in 1525, people witnessed the first adult baptism, or re-baptism. This marked the beginnings of the anabaptist movement, der Täuferbewegung.

Nowadays, only 2000 anabaptists call Switzerland their home. By contrast, more than half a million Americans are anabaptists, with one group having a particular historic bond with Switzerland: the Amish. Founded by Jacob Ammann in the 17th century, the Amish even sound a bit Swiss as they still speak a particular form of German, called Pennsylvania Dutch or Amish Shwitzer. Though a relatively small group, the Amish continue to fascinate Americans as numerous reality TV shows and romantic novels set in Amish country underline.

We are exploring Amish history and present with Prof. Steven M. Nolt, the director of the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College. He received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Notre Dame and holds a graduate theology degree from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. He is the author or coauthor of sixteen books on Amish, Mennonite, and Pennsylvania German history and contemporary life. His titles include The Amish: A Concise Introduction (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2016) and People of Peace: A History of the Virginia Mennonite Conference (Masthof Press, 2025), with Elwood Yoder. With Donald Kraybill and Karen Johnson-Weiner, he wrote The Amish (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013), the definitive study of Amish society and cultural diversity.

Further links


]]>2025 is a special year in the history Christianity. Not only is it a holy year for Roman Catholics, it also marks the 500th anniversary of a movement that has its roots in Switzerland. While many took note of the Reformationsjahr 2017, the 500 year-celebration of the reformation, few are aware of the 2.1 million people worldwide who are celebrating an event that took place in Zurich: on January 21st in 1525, people witnessed the first adult baptism, or re-baptism. This marked the beginnings of the anabaptist movement, der Täuferbewegung.

Nowadays, only 2000 anabaptists call Switzerland their home. By contrast, more than half a million Americans are anabaptists, with one group having a particular historic bond with Switzerland: the Amish. Founded by Jacob Ammann in the 17th century, the Amish even sound a bit Swiss as they still speak a particular form of German, called Pennsylvania Dutch or Amish Shwitzer. Though a relatively small group, the Amish continue to fascinate Americans as numerous reality TV shows and romantic novels set in Amish country underline.

We are exploring Amish history and present with Prof. Steven M. Nolt, the director of the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College. He received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Notre Dame and holds a graduate theology degree from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. He is the author or coauthor of sixteen books on Amish, Mennonite, and Pennsylvania German history and contemporary life. His titles include The Amish: A Concise Introduction (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2016) and People of Peace: A History of the Virginia Mennonite Conference (Masthof Press, 2025), with Elwood Yoder. With Donald Kraybill and Karen Johnson-Weiner, he wrote The Amish (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013), the definitive study of Amish society and cultural diversity.

Further links


]]>d24315c6-bc8d-4d97-8f53-c51aba023885Mon, 15 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +010052:11falsefull129291Episode 28 – Mit Trumps Washington verhandeln. Ein Gespräch mit Alt-Botschafter Martin DahindenEpisode 28 – Mit Trumps Washington verhandeln. Ein Gespräch mit Alt-Botschafter Martin Dahinden39 Prozent. Ausgerechnet am Vorabend des Schweizer Nationalfeiertags verkündete die Regierung Donald J. Trumps, dass die Schweiz seinen «Zollhammer» zu spüren bekommt und nur vier andere Länder mit noch höheren Zöllen auf Exporte in die USA konfrontiert sind. Die Tageszeitung «Blick» färbte die Titelseite schwarz, es hagelte Anschuldigungen gegen Bundespräsidentin Karin Keller-Sutter und ihr Verhandlungsteam, man habe zu wenig keck und mutig verhandelt, privatwirtschaftliche Netzwerke ungenügend genutzt. «Schwesterrepublik» Amerika? Daran glauben im Moment wohl nur wenige Schweizer.

Einer, der auch nach seiner Zeit als Botschafter in Washington, D.C., gerne über die Idee der Schwesterrepubliken spricht und nachdenkt, ist Martin Dahinden: Der promovierte Betriebswirt wirkte von 2014 bis 2019 in der amerikanischen Hauptstadt und traf mehrfach mit Präsident Trump zusammen. Zuvor war er Chef der Direktion für Entwicklung und Zusammenarbeit (DEZA) und hatte Stationen in Frankreich, Nigeria sowie bei der UNO in New York hinter sich. Schon bei seinem Eintritt in den diplomatischen Dienst 1987 war er unter anderem Mitglied der Schweizer Delegation beim Allgemeinen Zoll- und Handelsabkommen GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) und in der Folge Direktor des Internationalen Zentrums für humanitäre Minenräumung in Genf (GICHD).

Wir sprechen mit ihm über die Zollverhandlungen, die Veränderungen zwischen Trump 1.0 und 2.0 – und die weiteren Perspektiven der Schweiz.

]]>39 Prozent. Ausgerechnet am Vorabend des Schweizer Nationalfeiertags verkündete die Regierung Donald J. Trumps, dass die Schweiz seinen «Zollhammer» zu spüren bekommt und nur vier andere Länder mit noch höheren Zöllen auf Exporte in die USA konfrontiert sind. Die Tageszeitung «Blick» färbte die Titelseite schwarz, es hagelte Anschuldigungen gegen Bundespräsidentin Karin Keller-Sutter und ihr Verhandlungsteam, man habe zu wenig keck und mutig verhandelt, privatwirtschaftliche Netzwerke ungenügend genutzt. «Schwesterrepublik» Amerika? Daran glauben im Moment wohl nur wenige Schweizer.

Einer, der auch nach seiner Zeit als Botschafter in Washington, D.C., gerne über die Idee der Schwesterrepubliken spricht und nachdenkt, ist Martin Dahinden: Der promovierte Betriebswirt wirkte von 2014 bis 2019 in der amerikanischen Hauptstadt und traf mehrfach mit Präsident Trump zusammen. Zuvor war er Chef der Direktion für Entwicklung und Zusammenarbeit (DEZA) und hatte Stationen in Frankreich, Nigeria sowie bei der UNO in New York hinter sich. Schon bei seinem Eintritt in den diplomatischen Dienst 1987 war er unter anderem Mitglied der Schweizer Delegation beim Allgemeinen Zoll- und Handelsabkommen GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) und in der Folge Direktor des Internationalen Zentrums für humanitäre Minenräumung in Genf (GICHD).

Wir sprechen mit ihm über die Zollverhandlungen, die Veränderungen zwischen Trump 1.0 und 2.0 – und die weiteren Perspektiven der Schweiz.

]]>a44c383f-6a17-4010-b070-3eed60761b33Wed, 03 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +010048:15falsefull128281Episode 27 – Gewisper in Washington. Amerika hinter den SchlagzeilenEpisode 27 – Gewisper in Washington. Amerika hinter den SchlagzeilenSchlagzeilen über Amerikas Politik und Gesellschaft sind meist laut und schrill, besonders seit Donald J. Trumps zweitem Amtsantritt. Und sie sind paradoxerweise lauter und schriller diesseits des Atlantiks, wie auch der freie Journalist und Autor Marc Neumann bemerkt. In seinen Beiträgen, u.a. für die Neue Zürcher Zeitung und seinen LinkedIn-Blog Neumanns Whisper, fokussiert er stattdessen auf die Realität hinter den vereinfachenden Erzählungen und horcht auf die Zwischentöne. Im Gespräch mit «Grüezi Amerika!» teilt Marc Neumann seine Eindrücke, nicht nur zur Lage der Nation, sondern auch zu deren Beurteilung durch das deutschsprachige Europa.

Marc Neumann hat ursprünglich an der Universität St.Gallen Philosophie, Deutsche Literatur und Linguistik studiert. Zudem hat er ein Master-Studium in Sozialanthropologie an der New York University (NYU) abgeschlossen. Nach langjähriger Tätigkeit in der Unternehmenskommunikation in der Schweiz und in den USA hat er sich als Journalist selbständig gemacht und schreibt für verschiedene deutschsprachige Medien. Zuletzt befasste er sich mit der medialen Verklärung von Luigi Mangione, der den CEO von United Health Care mitten in Manhattan erschoss.

Marc Neumanns Lesetipps:


Marc Neumann auf LinkedIn

]]>Schlagzeilen über Amerikas Politik und Gesellschaft sind meist laut und schrill, besonders seit Donald J. Trumps zweitem Amtsantritt. Und sie sind paradoxerweise lauter und schriller diesseits des Atlantiks, wie auch der freie Journalist und Autor Marc Neumann bemerkt. In seinen Beiträgen, u.a. für die Neue Zürcher Zeitung und seinen LinkedIn-Blog Neumanns Whisper, fokussiert er stattdessen auf die Realität hinter den vereinfachenden Erzählungen und horcht auf die Zwischentöne. Im Gespräch mit «Grüezi Amerika!» teilt Marc Neumann seine Eindrücke, nicht nur zur Lage der Nation, sondern auch zu deren Beurteilung durch das deutschsprachige Europa.

Marc Neumann hat ursprünglich an der Universität St.Gallen Philosophie, Deutsche Literatur und Linguistik studiert. Zudem hat er ein Master-Studium in Sozialanthropologie an der New York University (NYU) abgeschlossen. Nach langjähriger Tätigkeit in der Unternehmenskommunikation in der Schweiz und in den USA hat er sich als Journalist selbständig gemacht und schreibt für verschiedene deutschsprachige Medien. Zuletzt befasste er sich mit der medialen Verklärung von Luigi Mangione, der den CEO von United Health Care mitten in Manhattan erschoss.

Marc Neumanns Lesetipps:


Marc Neumann auf LinkedIn

]]>48ec4c74-736b-4c93-a8d5-83a579df056aMon, 18 Aug 2025 00:30:00 +010050:47falsefull127271Episode 26 – American Compass and the New ConservativesEpisode 26 – American Compass and the New ConservativesAmerican Compass is, at 5 years, a relatively young think tank, but it has already become well-known for mapping an alternative to right-wing economic orthodoxy. Its founder, Oren Cass, has tirelessly explained the reason why American Compass believes the US economy – and, above all, US workers, will benefit from an overall tariff of 10 percent and why the initial pains will be rewarded with substantial gains. Vice President JD Vance has embraced the course of American Compass, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has contributed to its publications and events, and Senator Josh Hawley (Missouri) is among its many supporters.

What do these New Conservatives, as the title of their new book goes, want? What is their vision beyond economic protectionism? We are tackling these questions with American Compass policy director, Chris Griswold. Before joining the think tank, he was a senior advisor in the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship and Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Representative Tom MacArthur (New Jersey). Before working on Capitol Hill, Griswold helped launch and run a nationwide youth development nonprofit in South Africa. He is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Wheaton College.

Links


]]>American Compass is, at 5 years, a relatively young think tank, but it has already become well-known for mapping an alternative to right-wing economic orthodoxy. Its founder, Oren Cass, has tirelessly explained the reason why American Compass believes the US economy – and, above all, US workers, will benefit from an overall tariff of 10 percent and why the initial pains will be rewarded with substantial gains. Vice President JD Vance has embraced the course of American Compass, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has contributed to its publications and events, and Senator Josh Hawley (Missouri) is among its many supporters.

What do these New Conservatives, as the title of their new book goes, want? What is their vision beyond economic protectionism? We are tackling these questions with American Compass policy director, Chris Griswold. Before joining the think tank, he was a senior advisor in the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship and Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Representative Tom MacArthur (New Jersey). Before working on Capitol Hill, Griswold helped launch and run a nationwide youth development nonprofit in South Africa. He is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Wheaton College.

Links


]]>cdb61264-34b0-4fd8-9eb3-157cf810f2f5Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:00:00 +010051:44falsefull126261Episode 25 – Migration beyond Myths & PolemicsEpisode 25 – Migration beyond Myths & PolemicsWe already seem to have forgotten it, but it has only been weeks that President Donald J. Trump federalized the National Guard to re-establish order in the city of Los Angeles amidst protests against deportations of undocumented immigrants. What L.A. mayor Karen Bass and California’s Governor Gavin Newsom condemned as a presidential abuse of power, Republican lawmakers in California considered a necessary step to prevent further escalation. Few issues are as divisive in US politics as immigration – and on few issues do voters see so little progress and true reform. What is the situation at the border really like? What steps could and should Congress take to reform the migration system? We discuss these questions with Kristie De Peña, Senior Vice President for Policy and Director of Immigration Policy at the Niskanen Center, a think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Before joining Niskanen Center, Kristie held various positions in the public and nonprofit sectors. She earned her LL.M. in national security and foreign policy from George Washington University School of Law and her law degree (J.D.) from the University of Iowa College of Law. De Peña has written for various media outlets, including The New York Times and Time magazine, and is frequently cited in, CNBC, The New York Times, USA Today, Bloomberg, Newsweek, and others. She was named one of the most influential people shaping policy in 2024 by the Washingtonian.

Reading recommendation: "In Our Interest: How Democracies Can Make Immigration Popular" by Alexander Kustov.

]]>We already seem to have forgotten it, but it has only been weeks that President Donald J. Trump federalized the National Guard to re-establish order in the city of Los Angeles amidst protests against deportations of undocumented immigrants. What L.A. mayor Karen Bass and California’s Governor Gavin Newsom condemned as a presidential abuse of power, Republican lawmakers in California considered a necessary step to prevent further escalation. Few issues are as divisive in US politics as immigration – and on few issues do voters see so little progress and true reform. What is the situation at the border really like? What steps could and should Congress take to reform the migration system? We discuss these questions with Kristie De Peña, Senior Vice President for Policy and Director of Immigration Policy at the Niskanen Center, a think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Before joining Niskanen Center, Kristie held various positions in the public and nonprofit sectors. She earned her LL.M. in national security and foreign policy from George Washington University School of Law and her law degree (J.D.) from the University of Iowa College of Law. De Peña has written for various media outlets, including The New York Times and Time magazine, and is frequently cited in, CNBC, The New York Times, USA Today, Bloomberg, Newsweek, and others. She was named one of the most influential people shaping policy in 2024 by the Washingtonian.

Reading recommendation: "In Our Interest: How Democracies Can Make Immigration Popular" by Alexander Kustov.

]]>b59775ac-34f1-41ea-ab04-45d8d951ad9eMon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +010041:40falsefull125251Episode 24 – Happy Fourth of July!Episode 24 – Happy Fourth of July!Today, Americans celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 - or do they? As you can suspect from such a rhetorical question, the answer is "not quite." In fact, the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, but it was only signed later, on August 2, 1776. In this very short episode, we take a look at the history of Independence Day.

Further reading: The Declaration of Independence

]]>Today, Americans celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 - or do they? As you can suspect from such a rhetorical question, the answer is "not quite." In fact, the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, but it was only signed later, on August 2, 1776. In this very short episode, we take a look at the history of Independence Day.

Further reading: The Declaration of Independence

]]>b710e4b1-0fe5-4e4a-b583-08ad137521f2Fri, 04 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +010009:45falsefull124241Episode 23 – An Insider’s Guide to the Senate by Jason ThielmanEpisode 23 – An Insider’s Guide to the Senate by Jason ThielmanIt’s one of America’s most popular political myths: the idea that George Washington considered the Senate necessary as a “legislative cooling saucer.” Just as tea or coffee had to be poured on the saucer to get its temperature down, the Senate was needed to reflect on legislation and be the wiser of the chambers. The idea seems more appealing today than ever, but one wonders how much the Senate still lives up to its wise reputation. With 53 seats, the Republicans are the majority, making a net gain of four seats in the 2024 election. We are in luck that one of the key architects of the victorious campaign is a guest at this year’s St.Gallen Symposium and can take us behind the scenes of the US Senate: Jason Thielman.

Jason Thielman is the Principal Founder of S2R Public Affairs. He previously served as Chief of Staff to Senator Steve Daines, a member of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. During the 2024 election cycle, he was Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), where he played a pivotal role in securing the Republican Senate majority.

]]>It’s one of America’s most popular political myths: the idea that George Washington considered the Senate necessary as a “legislative cooling saucer.” Just as tea or coffee had to be poured on the saucer to get its temperature down, the Senate was needed to reflect on legislation and be the wiser of the chambers. The idea seems more appealing today than ever, but one wonders how much the Senate still lives up to its wise reputation. With 53 seats, the Republicans are the majority, making a net gain of four seats in the 2024 election. We are in luck that one of the key architects of the victorious campaign is a guest at this year’s St.Gallen Symposium and can take us behind the scenes of the US Senate: Jason Thielman.

Jason Thielman is the Principal Founder of S2R Public Affairs. He previously served as Chief of Staff to Senator Steve Daines, a member of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. During the 2024 election cycle, he was Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), where he played a pivotal role in securing the Republican Senate majority.

]]>cf37a218-1414-4409-9717-2f21419a0593Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +010043:56falsefull123231Episode 22 – New Glarus: A Swiss Founding in WisconsinEpisode 22 – New Glarus: A Swiss Founding in WisconsinSince the early 18th Century, an estimated 300,000 Swiss emigrated across the Atlantic and settled in the United States. Thus, more than a million American citizens claim Swiss roots. There’s hardly a place that more proudly celebrates its Swiss ancestry than a small town in Wisconsin: New Glarus. Founded in 1845, the town was founded by emigrants from the Canton of Glarus with which it maintains a close bond. If you are craving for Rösti or the – so we are told – best beer of the region, New Glarus is the place that serves it all!

Bekah Stauffacher helps preserve the Swiss spirit of New Glarus: an archeologist by training and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she is the president and CEO of The Swiss Center of North America, a nonprofit organization located in New Glarus, Wisconsin, that shares the stories of the Swiss in America and Canada through its museum and archives.

]]>Since the early 18th Century, an estimated 300,000 Swiss emigrated across the Atlantic and settled in the United States. Thus, more than a million American citizens claim Swiss roots. There’s hardly a place that more proudly celebrates its Swiss ancestry than a small town in Wisconsin: New Glarus. Founded in 1845, the town was founded by emigrants from the Canton of Glarus with which it maintains a close bond. If you are craving for Rösti or the – so we are told – best beer of the region, New Glarus is the place that serves it all!

Bekah Stauffacher helps preserve the Swiss spirit of New Glarus: an archeologist by training and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she is the president and CEO of The Swiss Center of North America, a nonprofit organization located in New Glarus, Wisconsin, that shares the stories of the Swiss in America and Canada through its museum and archives.

]]>96b06809-e136-4868-844a-6e0b0c7e6546Mon, 26 May 2025 00:00:00 +010026:50falsefull122221Episode 21 – A Transatlantic Divorce? America’s Anti-European Foreign PolicyEpisode 21 – A Transatlantic Divorce? America’s Anti-European Foreign PolicyIt was a watershed moment: Vice President JD Vance’s speech at this year’s Munich Security Conference shook European observers. Instead of reaffirming transatlantic ties, the Vice President scolded European governments for what he perceived as the marginalization of dissident voices. The Oval Office confrontation between Presidents Zelenskyj and Trump further fanned fears that the United States might abandon its long-time commitment to European security. And, most recently, a Signal chat between Cabinet members further revealed a disconcerting level of disdain for Europe. While anti-American reflexes are nothing new in transatlantic relations, many observers consider anti-Europeanism as a new phenomenon. But is that true? What might be historical precursors of Trump’s foreign policy? And are we indeed witnessing a transatlantic divorce?

Jack Thompson is the perfect person to the current changes in foreign policy as his career not only crisscrosses the Atlantic but also practice and academia: prior to joining the University of Amsterdam as a Lecturer in American Studies, he worked as a Team Head and Senior Researcher at the Center for Security Studies, ETH Zurich, Senior Strategic Analyst at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, and Lecturer at The Clinton Institute, University College Dublin. His first monograph, Great Power Rising: Theodore Roosevelt and the Politics of U.S. Foreign Policy (Oxford University Press), won the 2020 Theodore Roosevelt Association Book Prize. He also co-edited three books, including Progressivism in America: Past, Present, and Future (Oxford University Press). He holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Cambridge and a M.A. in American Foreign Policy and International Economics from The Johns Hopkins University SAIS.

Links to recommended podcasts:


]]>It was a watershed moment: Vice President JD Vance’s speech at this year’s Munich Security Conference shook European observers. Instead of reaffirming transatlantic ties, the Vice President scolded European governments for what he perceived as the marginalization of dissident voices. The Oval Office confrontation between Presidents Zelenskyj and Trump further fanned fears that the United States might abandon its long-time commitment to European security. And, most recently, a Signal chat between Cabinet members further revealed a disconcerting level of disdain for Europe. While anti-American reflexes are nothing new in transatlantic relations, many observers consider anti-Europeanism as a new phenomenon. But is that true? What might be historical precursors of Trump’s foreign policy? And are we indeed witnessing a transatlantic divorce?

Jack Thompson is the perfect person to the current changes in foreign policy as his career not only crisscrosses the Atlantic but also practice and academia: prior to joining the University of Amsterdam as a Lecturer in American Studies, he worked as a Team Head and Senior Researcher at the Center for Security Studies, ETH Zurich, Senior Strategic Analyst at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, and Lecturer at The Clinton Institute, University College Dublin. His first monograph, Great Power Rising: Theodore Roosevelt and the Politics of U.S. Foreign Policy (Oxford University Press), won the 2020 Theodore Roosevelt Association Book Prize. He also co-edited three books, including Progressivism in America: Past, Present, and Future (Oxford University Press). He holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Cambridge and a M.A. in American Foreign Policy and International Economics from The Johns Hopkins University SAIS.

Links to recommended podcasts:


]]>5f78e310-b0bd-4326-84b0-a0cf5070402bMon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 +010056:26falsefull121211Episode 20 – Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me, It’s Katherine Maher!Episode 20 – Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me, It’s Katherine Maher!For Europeans, they are a staple of their media habits: public media. Whether it’s the grand old lady BBC in the United Kingdom, or the many different stations run by Switzerland’s SRG/SSR, many Europeans rely on public broadcasting for news and entertainment. According to the EU, 48% of its citizens select public TV and radio stations as a news source they trust most. While funding cuts are not unknown to European public broadcasters, few are subject to constant political battles as seen in the United States: since they went on air in the 1970s, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS; 1969) and National Public Radio (NPR; 1970) have always been under scrutiny by Republican presidents. Now, President Donald J. Trump has issued an executive order to withdraw federal funding entirely. What does this mean for public media in the United States? We discuss this with none other than NPR’s CEO, Katherine Maher.

Katherine Maher has served as President and CEO of National Public Radio since 2024. She also worked for seven years as CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, and before gained experience at Access Now, the World Bank, the National Democratic Institute, and UNICEF. Alongside numerous other engagements, Ms Maher is the Chair of the Board of Signal Foundation, and from 2022 to 2024 served as an advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State's Foreign Affairs Policy Board regarding issues of technology, governance, and human rights. In 2023, she was briefly the CEO of Web Summit and served on its Board of Directors. Katherine Maher holds a degree in Middle Eastern and Islamic studies from New York University.

We thank the St. Gallen Symposium for making this episode possible.

]]>For Europeans, they are a staple of their media habits: public media. Whether it’s the grand old lady BBC in the United Kingdom, or the many different stations run by Switzerland’s SRG/SSR, many Europeans rely on public broadcasting for news and entertainment. According to the EU, 48% of its citizens select public TV and radio stations as a news source they trust most. While funding cuts are not unknown to European public broadcasters, few are subject to constant political battles as seen in the United States: since they went on air in the 1970s, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS; 1969) and National Public Radio (NPR; 1970) have always been under scrutiny by Republican presidents. Now, President Donald J. Trump has issued an executive order to withdraw federal funding entirely. What does this mean for public media in the United States? We discuss this with none other than NPR’s CEO, Katherine Maher.

Katherine Maher has served as President and CEO of National Public Radio since 2024. She also worked for seven years as CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, and before gained experience at Access Now, the World Bank, the National Democratic Institute, and UNICEF. Alongside numerous other engagements, Ms Maher is the Chair of the Board of Signal Foundation, and from 2022 to 2024 served as an advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State's Foreign Affairs Policy Board regarding issues of technology, governance, and human rights. In 2023, she was briefly the CEO of Web Summit and served on its Board of Directors. Katherine Maher holds a degree in Middle Eastern and Islamic studies from New York University.

We thank the St. Gallen Symposium for making this episode possible.

]]>9e6b8a02-5007-4473-b4e5-f37ae6dd05ceMon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 +010037:00falsefull120201Episode 19 – Ryan Enos on the State of the Union – and of the DemocratsEpisode 19 – Ryan Enos on the State of the Union – and of the DemocratsFew Harvard professors have been as outspoken against the Trump Administration’s attack against their University as he has: Ryan Enos has spoken at rallies, given interviews, and written in defense of academic freedom. This isn’t a new quest for him, as he was critical of Harvard’s leadership in the wake of October 7. We take Professor Enos’s attendance of the St.Gallen Symposium as an opportunity to discuss the state of the union, and of the Democratic Party in particular.

Professor Enos’ research is situated at the intersection of psychology, geography, and politics in the United States and other countries. He is Professor of Government and Director of the Center for American Political Studies (CAPS), Working Group on Political Psychology and Behavior (WoGPop), and the Harvard Digital Lab for the Social Sciences (DLABSS). Before joining Harvard University, he graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and received his PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His first book, The Space Between Us: Social Geography and Politics (2017), won the American Political Science Association Experimental Research Section Best Book Award.

Recommendations:


]]>Few Harvard professors have been as outspoken against the Trump Administration’s attack against their University as he has: Ryan Enos has spoken at rallies, given interviews, and written in defense of academic freedom. This isn’t a new quest for him, as he was critical of Harvard’s leadership in the wake of October 7. We take Professor Enos’s attendance of the St.Gallen Symposium as an opportunity to discuss the state of the union, and of the Democratic Party in particular.

Professor Enos’ research is situated at the intersection of psychology, geography, and politics in the United States and other countries. He is Professor of Government and Director of the Center for American Political Studies (CAPS), Working Group on Political Psychology and Behavior (WoGPop), and the Harvard Digital Lab for the Social Sciences (DLABSS). Before joining Harvard University, he graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and received his PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His first book, The Space Between Us: Social Geography and Politics (2017), won the American Political Science Association Experimental Research Section Best Book Award.

Recommendations:


]]>2a6aefab-8565-43b4-9bb6-6f4e50d952f4Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 +010042:43falsefull119191Episode 18 – Hollywood in Times of Political DivisionEpisode 18 – Hollywood in Times of Political DivisionDisney turned its beloved Snow White into a live action movie – and no one seems happy: some criticize the casting with a Latina star whose skin is not “white as snow,” while others take issue that the color of skin is a topic of controversy at all. And then there’s the problem of the seven dwarves who are, this time around, not dwarves at all which, again, doesn’t please anyone either. The list goes on, and it is exemplary of the way some movies get caught up in the U.S. culture wars. But is this an entirely new phenomenon? How political is Hollywood these days? And might the studios be reigned in by the Trump Administration?

We dive into these questions with Suzanne Enzerink, HSG’s Assistant Professor of American Studies. A Dutch native, she did most of her American Studies coursework at the University of Groningen, with an exchange at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, before pursuing a PhD at Brown University. Before joining HSG, she served as an Assistant Professor at American University in Beirut. Her first book, Give Me Color, is scheduled to appear later this year.

Suggestions:


]]>Disney turned its beloved Snow White into a live action movie – and no one seems happy: some criticize the casting with a Latina star whose skin is not “white as snow,” while others take issue that the color of skin is a topic of controversy at all. And then there’s the problem of the seven dwarves who are, this time around, not dwarves at all which, again, doesn’t please anyone either. The list goes on, and it is exemplary of the way some movies get caught up in the U.S. culture wars. But is this an entirely new phenomenon? How political is Hollywood these days? And might the studios be reigned in by the Trump Administration?

We dive into these questions with Suzanne Enzerink, HSG’s Assistant Professor of American Studies. A Dutch native, she did most of her American Studies coursework at the University of Groningen, with an exchange at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, before pursuing a PhD at Brown University. Before joining HSG, she served as an Assistant Professor at American University in Beirut. Her first book, Give Me Color, is scheduled to appear later this year.

Suggestions:


]]>5001caeb-21ce-4756-9085-2ebe26d2a371Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +010037:03falsefull118181Episode 17 – Rollercoaster Economics 101 with Simon EvenettEpisode 17 – Rollercoaster Economics 101 with Simon EvenettMany tried to predict what Donald J. Trump’s first 100 days in office would amount to. The best advice stemmed from Karl Rove, long-time Republican strategist and political legend: “Buckle up, buttercup!” And yes, a wild ride it has been, particularly since “liberation day” which brought tariffs for America’s friends and foes alike, even uninhabited islands. While some have dismissed Trump’s economic agenda as sheer madness, others claim to detect method and believe it all part of a larger plan to plunge the US into recession. But is there any truth to these claims? What to make of the economic rollercoaster we have been dragged onto by Trump?

Generations of HSG students have been introduced to international economics by Professor Simon J Evenett who will kindly give us a survey in Rollercoaster Economics. After nearly two decades at the University of St.Gallen, Simon Evenett has joined IMD as Professor of Geopolitics and Strategy. He also serves as Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Trade and Investment and he founded the St Gallen Endowment for Prosperity Through Trade (SGEPT). SGEPT currently hosts three leading independent commercial policy monitoring initiatives: the Global Trade Alert, a key resource for trade monitoring and assessing trade tensions, the New Industrial Policy Observatory, and the Digital Policy Alert. Launched in 2023, Evenett created the Crux of Capitalism initiative which provides valuable insights into the performance of firms and sectors in 21 major economies. Additionally, he has served as a World Bank official twice, on the UK Competition Commission, was a Member of the Trade and the Economy Panel at the UK Department of International Trade, and has sat on several high-profile commissions relating to the future of world trade.

]]>Many tried to predict what Donald J. Trump’s first 100 days in office would amount to. The best advice stemmed from Karl Rove, long-time Republican strategist and political legend: “Buckle up, buttercup!” And yes, a wild ride it has been, particularly since “liberation day” which brought tariffs for America’s friends and foes alike, even uninhabited islands. While some have dismissed Trump’s economic agenda as sheer madness, others claim to detect method and believe it all part of a larger plan to plunge the US into recession. But is there any truth to these claims? What to make of the economic rollercoaster we have been dragged onto by Trump?

Generations of HSG students have been introduced to international economics by Professor Simon J Evenett who will kindly give us a survey in Rollercoaster Economics. After nearly two decades at the University of St.Gallen, Simon Evenett has joined IMD as Professor of Geopolitics and Strategy. He also serves as Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Trade and Investment and he founded the St Gallen Endowment for Prosperity Through Trade (SGEPT). SGEPT currently hosts three leading independent commercial policy monitoring initiatives: the Global Trade Alert, a key resource for trade monitoring and assessing trade tensions, the New Industrial Policy Observatory, and the Digital Policy Alert. Launched in 2023, Evenett created the Crux of Capitalism initiative which provides valuable insights into the performance of firms and sectors in 21 major economies. Additionally, he has served as a World Bank official twice, on the UK Competition Commission, was a Member of the Trade and the Economy Panel at the UK Department of International Trade, and has sat on several high-profile commissions relating to the future of world trade.

]]>97fa4de9-782c-4772-b43f-73a54717d08eTue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +010050:40falsefull117171Episode 16 – It Happened Here – or Did It?Episode 16 – It Happened Here – or Did It?“But – it can’t happen here!” many Americans asserted in light of the Nazi takeover in Germany. Novelist and muckraker Sinclair Lewis ran with this line and sentiment, outlining a scenario in It Can’t Happen Here (1935) in which it did happen: an authoritarian turn in the United States. Similarly, Philip Roth imagined The Plot against America (2004) in which Franklin Delano Roosevelt would lose the election to “America First Committee” candidate Charles Lindbergh. Scholars and journalists now claim that it has indeed happened here and the plot against America was successful. The “coup from within” succeeded in ringing in “technofascist” age. Is all hope lost?

We discuss these different diagnoses of the present political moment with the first “repeat offender” on the podcast, political theorist Lee Trepanier. Professor Trepanier joined Assumption University in July 2024 as the Dean of the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Previously, he was Chair and Professor of Political Science at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, which he joined after serving in the same roles at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan. With a PhD from Louisiana State University, he established himself as a specialist of Eric Voegelin and has published extensively on conservative thought in the USA and beyond, with books on Canadian Conservative Political Thought (co-edited with Richard Avramenko) and on political conversion in Walk Away: When the Political Left Turns Right (co-edited with Grant Havers).

]]>“But – it can’t happen here!” many Americans asserted in light of the Nazi takeover in Germany. Novelist and muckraker Sinclair Lewis ran with this line and sentiment, outlining a scenario in It Can’t Happen Here (1935) in which it did happen: an authoritarian turn in the United States. Similarly, Philip Roth imagined The Plot against America (2004) in which Franklin Delano Roosevelt would lose the election to “America First Committee” candidate Charles Lindbergh. Scholars and journalists now claim that it has indeed happened here and the plot against America was successful. The “coup from within” succeeded in ringing in “technofascist” age. Is all hope lost?

We discuss these different diagnoses of the present political moment with the first “repeat offender” on the podcast, political theorist Lee Trepanier. Professor Trepanier joined Assumption University in July 2024 as the Dean of the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Previously, he was Chair and Professor of Political Science at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, which he joined after serving in the same roles at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan. With a PhD from Louisiana State University, he established himself as a specialist of Eric Voegelin and has published extensively on conservative thought in the USA and beyond, with books on Canadian Conservative Political Thought (co-edited with Richard Avramenko) and on political conversion in Walk Away: When the Political Left Turns Right (co-edited with Grant Havers).

]]>f933873b-805d-49b8-a3b6-6304d8ef089dWed, 16 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +010039:12falsefull117171Episode 15 – Emil Frey: Vom US-Bürgerkrieg in den BundesratEpisode 15 – Emil Frey: Vom US-Bürgerkrieg in den BundesratEmil Frey (1838-1922) war bislang nicht nur der einzige Bundesrat aus dem Kanton Basel-Land, sondern auch – laut der NZZ – «der abenteuerlichste Bundesrat, den die Schweiz je hatte»: Ausgerechnet im amerikanischen Schicksalsjahr 1860 reiste er gemeinsam mit seinem Cousin in die USA, ursprünglich, um sich als Agronom weiterzubilden. Letztlich blieb er fünf Jahre, um im Bürgerkrieg für die Nordstaaten zu kämpfen. Bei Gettysburg geriet er als Major in Kriegsgefangenschaft. Ein Stoff, der in den USA verfilmt würde – in der Schweiz wurde er zum Roman: «Der Amerikaner im Bundesrat. Stationen im Leben des Emil Frey» von Markus Wüest, mit dem wir über diesen ungewöhnlichen Wanderer zwischen den Welten sprechen.

Markus Wüest ist Mitglied der Chefredaktion der Basler Zeitung, pendelte mehr als drei Jahrzehnte lang zwischen Basel und Maine, und arbeitet mittlerweile an seinem vierten Roman. Die ersten drei sind allesamt beim Verlag Zytglogge erschienen, darunter jener zu Emil Freys Leben.

Diese Episode wurde live am OPEN SQUARE der Universitität St.Gallen am 22. März 2025 aufgenommen.

]]>Emil Frey (1838-1922) war bislang nicht nur der einzige Bundesrat aus dem Kanton Basel-Land, sondern auch – laut der NZZ – «der abenteuerlichste Bundesrat, den die Schweiz je hatte»: Ausgerechnet im amerikanischen Schicksalsjahr 1860 reiste er gemeinsam mit seinem Cousin in die USA, ursprünglich, um sich als Agronom weiterzubilden. Letztlich blieb er fünf Jahre, um im Bürgerkrieg für die Nordstaaten zu kämpfen. Bei Gettysburg geriet er als Major in Kriegsgefangenschaft. Ein Stoff, der in den USA verfilmt würde – in der Schweiz wurde er zum Roman: «Der Amerikaner im Bundesrat. Stationen im Leben des Emil Frey» von Markus Wüest, mit dem wir über diesen ungewöhnlichen Wanderer zwischen den Welten sprechen.

Markus Wüest ist Mitglied der Chefredaktion der Basler Zeitung, pendelte mehr als drei Jahrzehnte lang zwischen Basel und Maine, und arbeitet mittlerweile an seinem vierten Roman. Die ersten drei sind allesamt beim Verlag Zytglogge erschienen, darunter jener zu Emil Freys Leben.

Diese Episode wurde live am OPEN SQUARE der Universitität St.Gallen am 22. März 2025 aufgenommen.

]]>c4775438-5898-4c34-8eb3-402d27e86ed7Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +010039:26falsefull115151Episode 14 – Poland Leading the European Way under Trump 2.0?Episode 14 – Poland Leading the European Way under Trump 2.0?"Si vis pacem, para bellum" – "If you want peace, prepare for war." This could become the new motto of Europe under the second Trump Administration: it had been well-known that President Trump asks European states to strengthen their armies and expand their defense budgets. But it has only been in the wake of Vice President JD Vance’s talk at the 61st Munich Security Conference and the disastrous press conference with President Zelenskyi that all European states are starting to take Trump seriously. Poland is decidedly ahead of the curve: in 2024, it spent 4.12% of its GDP on defense.

How quickly has Poland been able to outpace its European peers? And how does it perceive the second Trump Administration – and the EU’s response to it? We dive into these questions with Małgorzata Bonikowska, professor at Vistula University and a member of the St.Gallen Symposium community.

Prof. Małgorzata Bonikowska has been the Co-Founder and President of THINKTANK since 2009, a platform which serves to foster collaboration between business and public administration leaders, facilitate knowledge exchange, and conduct research on topics ranging from management to public policy. In addition to her role at THINKTANK, Prof. Bonikowska has served as the President of the Centre for International Relations Foundation (CIR) since 2013. CIR is a non-governmental think tank dedicated to addressing issues related to Polish foreign, European, and international policy. Alumna of two Ph.D. programs, one in Poland (Polish Academy of Sciences) and one abroad (SSSS, Italy), Prof. Bonikowska completed a specialization program at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at the Columbia University in New York (Fulbright Scholarship).

Some of Prof. Małgorzata Bonikowska recommendations:


]]>"Si vis pacem, para bellum" – "If you want peace, prepare for war." This could become the new motto of Europe under the second Trump Administration: it had been well-known that President Trump asks European states to strengthen their armies and expand their defense budgets. But it has only been in the wake of Vice President JD Vance’s talk at the 61st Munich Security Conference and the disastrous press conference with President Zelenskyi that all European states are starting to take Trump seriously. Poland is decidedly ahead of the curve: in 2024, it spent 4.12% of its GDP on defense.

How quickly has Poland been able to outpace its European peers? And how does it perceive the second Trump Administration – and the EU’s response to it? We dive into these questions with Małgorzata Bonikowska, professor at Vistula University and a member of the St.Gallen Symposium community.

Prof. Małgorzata Bonikowska has been the Co-Founder and President of THINKTANK since 2009, a platform which serves to foster collaboration between business and public administration leaders, facilitate knowledge exchange, and conduct research on topics ranging from management to public policy. In addition to her role at THINKTANK, Prof. Bonikowska has served as the President of the Centre for International Relations Foundation (CIR) since 2013. CIR is a non-governmental think tank dedicated to addressing issues related to Polish foreign, European, and international policy. Alumna of two Ph.D. programs, one in Poland (Polish Academy of Sciences) and one abroad (SSSS, Italy), Prof. Bonikowska completed a specialization program at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at the Columbia University in New York (Fulbright Scholarship).

Some of Prof. Małgorzata Bonikowska recommendations:


]]>9f1eb026-4144-40e1-89f8-4276c0e69d9eMon, 31 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +010034:43falsefull114141Episode 13 – Trump in the Ivory Tower: Academic Freedom under Assault?Episode 13 – Trump in the Ivory Tower: Academic Freedom under Assault?Scientific freedom under assault? The headlines and numbers are worrisome: amidst federal funding cuts, even the wealthiest research universities have been forced to cut PhD positions and research projects, putting careers and scientific progress in jeopardy. Researchers abroad are likewise affected if and when they collaborate with US colleagues in federally funded projects. What is the significance of these federal funds for public and private institutions of higher educations? Why have some colleges opted out of federal funding in the first place? And what is the aim of the Trump Administration’s attack against science? Is it simply backlash against what it considers a “woke” research agenda – or is it profoundly anti-science?

To better understand the US research landscape and the current upheavals, we are joined by Professors Michele Lemons and Lee Trepanier of Assumption University in Worcester, Massachusetts. They can shed light on the situation from both the perspective of a principal investigator (PI) in federally funded projects as well as a Dean with experience at different Universities across the US, public and private.

Michele Lemons holds a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Florida and serves as a Professor of Biology at Assumption University and as a Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, both in Worcester, Massachusetts. Earlier, her research career took her to the University of Utah and to Hamilton College (New York). She has won several grants as Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator from the National Science Foundation.

Lee Trepanier joined Assumption University in July 2024 as the Dean of the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Previously, he was Chair and Professor of Political Science at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, which he joined after serving in the same roles at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan. With an earlier career stop at Southern Utah University, graduate training (PhD and MA) at Louisiana State University, and undergraduate studies at Marquette University in Wisconsin, he has experienced America’s diversity first-hand. A prolific political theorist, he has dedicated several publications to teaching and higher education, including Why the Humanities Matter Today and The College Lecture Today.

]]>Scientific freedom under assault? The headlines and numbers are worrisome: amidst federal funding cuts, even the wealthiest research universities have been forced to cut PhD positions and research projects, putting careers and scientific progress in jeopardy. Researchers abroad are likewise affected if and when they collaborate with US colleagues in federally funded projects. What is the significance of these federal funds for public and private institutions of higher educations? Why have some colleges opted out of federal funding in the first place? And what is the aim of the Trump Administration’s attack against science? Is it simply backlash against what it considers a “woke” research agenda – or is it profoundly anti-science?

To better understand the US research landscape and the current upheavals, we are joined by Professors Michele Lemons and Lee Trepanier of Assumption University in Worcester, Massachusetts. They can shed light on the situation from both the perspective of a principal investigator (PI) in federally funded projects as well as a Dean with experience at different Universities across the US, public and private.

Michele Lemons holds a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Florida and serves as a Professor of Biology at Assumption University and as a Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, both in Worcester, Massachusetts. Earlier, her research career took her to the University of Utah and to Hamilton College (New York). She has won several grants as Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator from the National Science Foundation.

Lee Trepanier joined Assumption University in July 2024 as the Dean of the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Previously, he was Chair and Professor of Political Science at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, which he joined after serving in the same roles at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan. With an earlier career stop at Southern Utah University, graduate training (PhD and MA) at Louisiana State University, and undergraduate studies at Marquette University in Wisconsin, he has experienced America’s diversity first-hand. A prolific political theorist, he has dedicated several publications to teaching and higher education, including Why the Humanities Matter Today and The College Lecture Today.

]]>252e6c61-6f31-41e4-ae79-ffdb7fd6833fThu, 27 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +010046:12falsefull113131Episode 12 – Law & OrderEpisode 12 – Law & OrderVon amerikanischen Krimi- und Gerichtsserien bis zu True Crime-Podcasts und Dokumentationen: Viele von uns tauchen immer wieder einmal in die US-(Verbrechens)Welt ein. Obschon sie uns durch Film und Audio bekannt ist, bleibt vieles fremd: die Rolle von Staatsanwälten, die teils absurd anmutenden Strafmasse oder das Festhalten an der Todesstrafe. Im Gespräch mit Prof. Nora Markwalder gehen wir dem, was uns so befremdet, auf den Grund. 

Prof. Nora Markwalder ist Ordinaria für Strafrecht an der Universität St.Gallen, hat in Lausanne studiert und in Zürich promoviert. Zudem führten sie zwei längere Studien- respektive Forschungsaufenthalte an die Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. 

Diese Episode wurde live am OPEN SQUARE der Universitität St.Gallen am 22. März 2025 aufgenommen.

]]>Von amerikanischen Krimi- und Gerichtsserien bis zu True Crime-Podcasts und Dokumentationen: Viele von uns tauchen immer wieder einmal in die US-(Verbrechens)Welt ein. Obschon sie uns durch Film und Audio bekannt ist, bleibt vieles fremd: die Rolle von Staatsanwälten, die teils absurd anmutenden Strafmasse oder das Festhalten an der Todesstrafe. Im Gespräch mit Prof. Nora Markwalder gehen wir dem, was uns so befremdet, auf den Grund. 

Prof. Nora Markwalder ist Ordinaria für Strafrecht an der Universität St.Gallen, hat in Lausanne studiert und in Zürich promoviert. Zudem führten sie zwei längere Studien- respektive Forschungsaufenthalte an die Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. 

Diese Episode wurde live am OPEN SQUARE der Universitität St.Gallen am 22. März 2025 aufgenommen.

]]>8cdf6ecc-2409-4ba4-bb4f-9bd25e75ab18Mon, 17 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +010033:44falsefull112121Episode 11 – The 2nd Certainty in Life – Taxes!Episode 11 – The 2nd Certainty in Life – Taxes!53% of Americans are "very bothered" by the complexity of the US tax system – rightly so, explains Prof. Peter Hongler in this episode of "Views from the Sister Republic". While it bears some similarities to the Swiss one, it differs in many important aspects, such as the lack of a value-added tax (VAT). What are the reasons for these differences? What should we make of Donald J. Trump’s ideas? And what changes would an expert prioritize?

Prof. Peter Hongler dives into these questions and shows that taxes can be quite fun to discuss! Peter joined the University of St.Gallen in 2019 as chaired professor of tax law. He serves as the director of the Institute of Law and Economics (ILE-HSG).

Book recommendation: The Myth of Ownership: Taxes and Justice : Murphy, Liam B., Nagel, Thomas

]]>53% of Americans are "very bothered" by the complexity of the US tax system – rightly so, explains Prof. Peter Hongler in this episode of "Views from the Sister Republic". While it bears some similarities to the Swiss one, it differs in many important aspects, such as the lack of a value-added tax (VAT). What are the reasons for these differences? What should we make of Donald J. Trump’s ideas? And what changes would an expert prioritize?

Prof. Peter Hongler dives into these questions and shows that taxes can be quite fun to discuss! Peter joined the University of St.Gallen in 2019 as chaired professor of tax law. He serves as the director of the Institute of Law and Economics (ILE-HSG).

Book recommendation: The Myth of Ownership: Taxes and Justice : Murphy, Liam B., Nagel, Thomas

]]>526f9248-82ef-421e-aa8f-bdcfc5445364Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +010039:08falsefull111111Episode 10 – Mit Peter Hossli am Puls AmerikasEpisode 10 – Mit Peter Hossli am Puls AmerikasSeit Donald J. Trump wieder im Amt ist scheinen die USA und die Welt in fieberhafter Erregung. Nie wurde so minutiös über jede Amtshandlung eines Präsidenten berichtet, wie dies bei Trump der Fall ist. Dabei überbieten sich die Medien in dystopischen Zukunftsszenarien. Doch wie viel ist auf die Prognosen jener zu geben, die einen Wahlsieg Kamala Harris’ vorausgesagt haben? Auch deutschsprachige Medien tun sich schwer damit, Amerika den Puls zu nehmen und der Öffentlichkeit zu vermitteln, wie (unterschiedlich) das Land tickt. Warum das so ist, diskutieren wir in dieser Folge mit Peter Hossli. 

Mit 29 Jahren zog Peter Hossli nach New York, um als freischaffender Journalist Fuss zu fassen. Seither hat er aus 48 Staaten berichtet, 9/11 hautnah erlebt und immer wieder neue Zugänge zu diesem Land ergründet, das ihn nicht mehr loslässt. Seit seiner Rückkehr in die Schweiz hat er zwei Bücher geschrieben: Die erste Miete ging an die Mafia (2018) über sein Leben als Reporter und Revolverchuchi: Mordfall Stadelmann (2022) über eines der grausamsten Verbrechen der Schweizer Geschichte. Neben der eigenen journalistischen Tätigkeit lehrt er als Direktor der Ringier Journalistenschule sein Handwerk und produziert mit Nicoletta Cimmino den Podcast «1776» über die USA. 

Diese Episode wurde live am OPEN SQUARE der Universitität St.Gallen am 22. März 2025 aufgenommen. Fotograf Episode Image: Ingo Hoehn

]]>Seit Donald J. Trump wieder im Amt ist scheinen die USA und die Welt in fieberhafter Erregung. Nie wurde so minutiös über jede Amtshandlung eines Präsidenten berichtet, wie dies bei Trump der Fall ist. Dabei überbieten sich die Medien in dystopischen Zukunftsszenarien. Doch wie viel ist auf die Prognosen jener zu geben, die einen Wahlsieg Kamala Harris’ vorausgesagt haben? Auch deutschsprachige Medien tun sich schwer damit, Amerika den Puls zu nehmen und der Öffentlichkeit zu vermitteln, wie (unterschiedlich) das Land tickt. Warum das so ist, diskutieren wir in dieser Folge mit Peter Hossli. 

Mit 29 Jahren zog Peter Hossli nach New York, um als freischaffender Journalist Fuss zu fassen. Seither hat er aus 48 Staaten berichtet, 9/11 hautnah erlebt und immer wieder neue Zugänge zu diesem Land ergründet, das ihn nicht mehr loslässt. Seit seiner Rückkehr in die Schweiz hat er zwei Bücher geschrieben: Die erste Miete ging an die Mafia (2018) über sein Leben als Reporter und Revolverchuchi: Mordfall Stadelmann (2022) über eines der grausamsten Verbrechen der Schweizer Geschichte. Neben der eigenen journalistischen Tätigkeit lehrt er als Direktor der Ringier Journalistenschule sein Handwerk und produziert mit Nicoletta Cimmino den Podcast «1776» über die USA. 

Diese Episode wurde live am OPEN SQUARE der Universitität St.Gallen am 22. März 2025 aufgenommen. Fotograf Episode Image: Ingo Hoehn

]]>70d2e552-83f1-4251-a69c-b35c54f10573Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +010037:28falsefull110101Episode 9 – The Dismantling of the Administrative State?Episode 9 – The Dismantling of the Administrative State?Already in his first run for the presidency, Donald J. Trump promised voters to "drain the swamp" and reign in the administrative state. To this end, the new administration created the temporary Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which – under the controversial guidance of Elon Musk – intends to save the federal state one to two trillion US Dollars. For the past few weeks, various measures by DOGE have led some to claim that we are currently witnessing an "administrative coup" or a "coup from within". But is that indeed the case? And how revolutionary are the measures pursued by DOGE?

Professor Hiroshi Okayama joins us to discuss these questions and to explain what is actually meant by "the administrative state". He is a sought-after expert on US politics in Japan where he holds a professorship at Keio University’s Law School. He spent several years in the United States as a visiting researcher, twice at Cornell University and once at the University of Virginia. His most recent monograph is the result of his long-time interest in the history of the administrative state: Judicializing the Administrative State: The Rise of the Independent Regulatory Commissions in the United States, 1883-1937.

His book recommendation:

Ungoverning: The Attack on the Administrative State and the Politics of Chaos by Nancy L. Rosenblum and Russell Muirhead

]]>Already in his first run for the presidency, Donald J. Trump promised voters to "drain the swamp" and reign in the administrative state. To this end, the new administration created the temporary Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which – under the controversial guidance of Elon Musk – intends to save the federal state one to two trillion US Dollars. For the past few weeks, various measures by DOGE have led some to claim that we are currently witnessing an "administrative coup" or a "coup from within". But is that indeed the case? And how revolutionary are the measures pursued by DOGE?

Professor Hiroshi Okayama joins us to discuss these questions and to explain what is actually meant by "the administrative state". He is a sought-after expert on US politics in Japan where he holds a professorship at Keio University’s Law School. He spent several years in the United States as a visiting researcher, twice at Cornell University and once at the University of Virginia. His most recent monograph is the result of his long-time interest in the history of the administrative state: Judicializing the Administrative State: The Rise of the Independent Regulatory Commissions in the United States, 1883-1937.

His book recommendation:

Ungoverning: The Attack on the Administrative State and the Politics of Chaos by Nancy L. Rosenblum and Russell Muirhead

]]>033ee735-cc75-4dc8-97ae-acba38dee613Mon, 24 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +010052:29falsefull1991Episode 8 – Taiwan: the Most Dangerous Place on Earth in the age of Trump 2.0Episode 8 – Taiwan: the Most Dangerous Place on Earth in the age of Trump 2.0In May 2021, the British weekly The Economist declared Taiwan to be "The Most Dangerous Place on Earth." While the advent of war in the Middle East and Ukraine suggest that the 2021 cover story was hyperbolic, the small island in the South China Sea is indeed at the center of a conflict that is repeatedly called "the New Cold War": Taiwan’s future is contingent on US-Chinese relations. And these also affect the rest of the world, not least export-driven economies such as Switzerland. How much has the situation of Taiwan been affected by changing US Administrations? What does Taiwan expect – or fear – from Donald J. Trump’s return to the White House? And what aspects of Chinese-US relations should we pay most attention to in Europe?

Professor Simona Grano is the right person to ask all that: a Senior Lecturer at the University of Zurich, her studies of Sinology at Ca’Foscari University of Venice quickly led her develop a regional expertise beyond the People’s Republic of China. In her research, she likewise addresses the challenges of Hong Kong and Taiwan. She regularly comments on developments in the region in the media.

]]>In May 2021, the British weekly The Economist declared Taiwan to be "The Most Dangerous Place on Earth." While the advent of war in the Middle East and Ukraine suggest that the 2021 cover story was hyperbolic, the small island in the South China Sea is indeed at the center of a conflict that is repeatedly called "the New Cold War": Taiwan’s future is contingent on US-Chinese relations. And these also affect the rest of the world, not least export-driven economies such as Switzerland. How much has the situation of Taiwan been affected by changing US Administrations? What does Taiwan expect – or fear – from Donald J. Trump’s return to the White House? And what aspects of Chinese-US relations should we pay most attention to in Europe?

Professor Simona Grano is the right person to ask all that: a Senior Lecturer at the University of Zurich, her studies of Sinology at Ca’Foscari University of Venice quickly led her develop a regional expertise beyond the People’s Republic of China. In her research, she likewise addresses the challenges of Hong Kong and Taiwan. She regularly comments on developments in the region in the media.

]]>c774112f-fffa-4e33-ac36-41319e8866aeMon, 10 Feb 2025 00:15:00 +010036:55falsefull1881Episode 7 – Wie die «Swiss Miss» den USA das Referendum brachteEpisode 7 – Wie die «Swiss Miss» den USA das Referendum brachteDie Idee, dass die Schweiz und die USA «Schwesterrepubliken» respektive «Sister Republics» sind, reicht bis ins 18. Jahrhundert zurück. Kurz nach der amerikanischen Unabhängigkeitserklärung schrieb der Berner Gelehrte Jean-Rodolphe Vautravers keinem geringeren als Benjamin Franklin: «Lasst uns vereint sein als Schwester-Republiken.» Anlässlich der 700-Jahr-Feier der Eidgenossenschaft 1991 beschwor auch die Library of Congress in Washington D.C. diese schwesterliche Bande. In einem Begleitband dazu hiess es: «Von 1776 an verliefen die politischen Entwicklungen in beiden Ländern oft parallel, und an geschichtlichen Wendepunkten diente die Verfassung des einen Landes derjenigen des anderen als Modell.»

Die Modellhaftigkeit der amerikanischen Verfassung ist vielen bekannt und sie ist augenfällig, wenn wir unser Zweikammersystem mit jenem der USA vergleichen. Aber inwiefern auch die Schweiz für Amerika Modell stand? Das beleuchten wir in dieser Folge mit Professor Stefan G. Schmid, der – nach Stationen in Zürich, Bern und Berkeley – seit 2019 an der Universität St.Gallen einen Lehrstuhl für Öffentliches Recht innehat. In seiner Habilitationsschrift widmet er sich einem besonderen Schweizer Exportgut: dem Referendum.

Gerade grosse Gliedstaaten wie Kalifornien mit seinen inzwischen rund 39 Millionen Einwohnerinnen und Einwohnern widerlegen den häufig gehörten Einwand, dass direkte Demokratie nur in kleinen und überschaubaren Verhältnissen möglich sei. – Stefan G. Schmid


Buchnachweis:

Stefan G. Schmid. Das Referendum in den USA. Eine verfassungsgeschichtlich-staatsrechtliche Untersuchung unter besonderer Berücksichtigung historischer Bezüge zur Schweizer Referendumsdemokratie. DIKE/Nomos, 2022.


Zur Illustration:

Urheberrecht: public domain

Beschreibung in Stefans Buch, S.165: Die Schweiz bietet der Welt das Referendum an («Le Referendum en Suisse.») Unten von links: die Personifikationen der USA, des Deutschen Kaiserreichs, der Französischen Republik und des Vereinigten Königreichs Grossbritannien und Irland. Urheber: Daniel Carter Beard

Veröffentlicht im Magazin «Cosmpolitan» im Jahr 1893.

]]>Die Idee, dass die Schweiz und die USA «Schwesterrepubliken» respektive «Sister Republics» sind, reicht bis ins 18. Jahrhundert zurück. Kurz nach der amerikanischen Unabhängigkeitserklärung schrieb der Berner Gelehrte Jean-Rodolphe Vautravers keinem geringeren als Benjamin Franklin: «Lasst uns vereint sein als Schwester-Republiken.» Anlässlich der 700-Jahr-Feier der Eidgenossenschaft 1991 beschwor auch die Library of Congress in Washington D.C. diese schwesterliche Bande. In einem Begleitband dazu hiess es: «Von 1776 an verliefen die politischen Entwicklungen in beiden Ländern oft parallel, und an geschichtlichen Wendepunkten diente die Verfassung des einen Landes derjenigen des anderen als Modell.»

Die Modellhaftigkeit der amerikanischen Verfassung ist vielen bekannt und sie ist augenfällig, wenn wir unser Zweikammersystem mit jenem der USA vergleichen. Aber inwiefern auch die Schweiz für Amerika Modell stand? Das beleuchten wir in dieser Folge mit Professor Stefan G. Schmid, der – nach Stationen in Zürich, Bern und Berkeley – seit 2019 an der Universität St.Gallen einen Lehrstuhl für Öffentliches Recht innehat. In seiner Habilitationsschrift widmet er sich einem besonderen Schweizer Exportgut: dem Referendum.

Gerade grosse Gliedstaaten wie Kalifornien mit seinen inzwischen rund 39 Millionen Einwohnerinnen und Einwohnern widerlegen den häufig gehörten Einwand, dass direkte Demokratie nur in kleinen und überschaubaren Verhältnissen möglich sei. – Stefan G. Schmid


Buchnachweis:

Stefan G. Schmid. Das Referendum in den USA. Eine verfassungsgeschichtlich-staatsrechtliche Untersuchung unter besonderer Berücksichtigung historischer Bezüge zur Schweizer Referendumsdemokratie. DIKE/Nomos, 2022.


Zur Illustration:

Urheberrecht: public domain

Beschreibung in Stefans Buch, S.165: Die Schweiz bietet der Welt das Referendum an («Le Referendum en Suisse.») Unten von links: die Personifikationen der USA, des Deutschen Kaiserreichs, der Französischen Republik und des Vereinigten Königreichs Grossbritannien und Irland. Urheber: Daniel Carter Beard

Veröffentlicht im Magazin «Cosmpolitan» im Jahr 1893.

]]>420426c5-3345-4970-bc62-26c2081b946dMon, 27 Jan 2025 00:30:00 +010038:55falsefull1771Episode 6 – God and Growth: Donald J. Trump's 2nd Inaugural AddressEpisode 6 – God and Growth: Donald J. Trump's 2nd Inaugural AddressInaugural addresses serve several purposes: Presidents outline their agenda, they signal American citizens that they will serve all of them, irrespective of their background and beliefs, and they reassure America's allies of their ongoing support. While Donald J. Trump did indeed announce his agenda and his next steps, his second inaugural address was unusually partisan and combative.

Reading suggestion:

How to Hide an Empire: A Short History of the Greater United States by Daniel Immerwahr (DE: Das heimliche Imperium: Die USA als moderne Kolonialmacht)

]]>Inaugural addresses serve several purposes: Presidents outline their agenda, they signal American citizens that they will serve all of them, irrespective of their background and beliefs, and they reassure America's allies of their ongoing support. While Donald J. Trump did indeed announce his agenda and his next steps, his second inaugural address was unusually partisan and combative.

Reading suggestion:

How to Hide an Empire: A Short History of the Greater United States by Daniel Immerwahr (DE: Das heimliche Imperium: Die USA als moderne Kolonialmacht)

]]>64d3a57c-7b1f-42a0-8c89-8369ffc25a68Tue, 21 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +010016:40falsefull1661Episode 5 – US-Russian Relations and the War against UkraineEpisode 5 – US-Russian Relations and the War against UkraineDuring his election campaign, Donald J. Trump promised to end Russia’s war against Ukraine within 24 hours. Ever since, pundits and scholars have debated the success rate of such an endeavor and, more generally, the implications of Trump 2.0 for Ukraine’s future. Yet to assess such scenarios, it is necessary to look back at the path that led Russia to war and how its relations with both the US, Ukraine, and the EU evolved in the past decades. This episode looks at this complicated history with Professor Michael Kimmage whose book Collisions: The Origins of the War in Ukraine and the New Global Instability was published in 2024 to critical and scholarly acclaim.

The read that Putin has of the U.S. is less Trump focused in 2019, 2020, 2021, when he is making the decision about the invasion. I think it's more about polarization in the U.S., that the U.S. is just not working very well. It's not very cohesive. It doesn't stick by its decisions: it invades Afghanistan and then it withdraws, and it invades Iraq and doesn't achieve its mission. Contempt - that's the word I would use about Putin and the United States: contempt. It's not fear of the United States, it's contempt that he has. – Michael Kimmage

Michael Kimmage has a truly transatlantic perspective on US-Russian relations: with a doctorate from Harvard and Bachelor degrees from both Oberlin College and Oxford University, he has spent several years teaching and doing research in Europe, for instance at LMU and Vilnius University. He was a professor of history at the Catholic University of America from 2005 until the end of 2024, and he will now start as the director of Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute. From 2014 until 2017, he served in the US State Department. He has written several books and his analysis is frequently published in, among many, Foreign Affairs.

And here are Michael Kimmage’s reading recommendations:

  1. Margaret MacMillan: Paris 1919: Six Months that Changed the World
  2. Richard Pipes: The Russian Revolution (also available in German)
  3. Serhii Plokhy: The Russo-Ukrainian War and The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine

]]>During his election campaign, Donald J. Trump promised to end Russia’s war against Ukraine within 24 hours. Ever since, pundits and scholars have debated the success rate of such an endeavor and, more generally, the implications of Trump 2.0 for Ukraine’s future. Yet to assess such scenarios, it is necessary to look back at the path that led Russia to war and how its relations with both the US, Ukraine, and the EU evolved in the past decades. This episode looks at this complicated history with Professor Michael Kimmage whose book Collisions: The Origins of the War in Ukraine and the New Global Instability was published in 2024 to critical and scholarly acclaim.

The read that Putin has of the U.S. is less Trump focused in 2019, 2020, 2021, when he is making the decision about the invasion. I think it's more about polarization in the U.S., that the U.S. is just not working very well. It's not very cohesive. It doesn't stick by its decisions: it invades Afghanistan and then it withdraws, and it invades Iraq and doesn't achieve its mission. Contempt - that's the word I would use about Putin and the United States: contempt. It's not fear of the United States, it's contempt that he has. – Michael Kimmage

Michael Kimmage has a truly transatlantic perspective on US-Russian relations: with a doctorate from Harvard and Bachelor degrees from both Oberlin College and Oxford University, he has spent several years teaching and doing research in Europe, for instance at LMU and Vilnius University. He was a professor of history at the Catholic University of America from 2005 until the end of 2024, and he will now start as the director of Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute. From 2014 until 2017, he served in the US State Department. He has written several books and his analysis is frequently published in, among many, Foreign Affairs.

And here are Michael Kimmage’s reading recommendations:

  1. Margaret MacMillan: Paris 1919: Six Months that Changed the World
  2. Richard Pipes: The Russian Revolution (also available in German)
  3. Serhii Plokhy: The Russo-Ukrainian War and The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine

]]>1be1f6e2-61fe-42f5-926b-f0d48519a214Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:15:00 +010001:00:37falsefull1551Episode 4 – Bonus: Santa at the White HouseEpisode 4 – Bonus: Santa at the White House‘tis the season to be merry! Every year, the First Lady gets to preside over the Christmas decorations at the White House and the president gets to spread festive cheer. This might sound very unpolitical, but every so often the choice of tinsel causes a stir. Join the host Claudia Brühwiler for a short walk down a seasonal walk down presidential memory lane.

Links

America’s Favorite Christmas Movies Ranked by State

]]>‘tis the season to be merry! Every year, the First Lady gets to preside over the Christmas decorations at the White House and the president gets to spread festive cheer. This might sound very unpolitical, but every so often the choice of tinsel causes a stir. Join the host Claudia Brühwiler for a short walk down a seasonal walk down presidential memory lane.

Links

America’s Favorite Christmas Movies Ranked by State

]]>44c35b6d-2b8b-440c-a7e5-3d33ee4c042fMon, 23 Dec 2024 00:30:00 +010006:59falsefull1441Episode 3 – Is It the Economy, Stupid?Episode 3 – Is It the Economy, Stupid?President Bill Clinton’s electoral slogan "It’s the Economy, Stupid!" has hardly been more popular than now: according to exit polls, the economy was the number 1 reason for voters to support Donald J. Trump. But how can that be the case when the US economy is – according to "The Economist" – "the envy of the world"? Was Bidenomics as bad as its reputation? And how much can presidents actually influence the course of the economy?

Let’s ask an economist: Dr. Stefan Legge will help us separate facts from (electoral) fiction. He is an award-winning teacher and lecturer who is currently head of tax and trade policy at the Institute of Law and Economics (ILE-HSG).

]]>President Bill Clinton’s electoral slogan "It’s the Economy, Stupid!" has hardly been more popular than now: according to exit polls, the economy was the number 1 reason for voters to support Donald J. Trump. But how can that be the case when the US economy is – according to "The Economist" – "the envy of the world"? Was Bidenomics as bad as its reputation? And how much can presidents actually influence the course of the economy?

Let’s ask an economist: Dr. Stefan Legge will help us separate facts from (electoral) fiction. He is an award-winning teacher and lecturer who is currently head of tax and trade policy at the Institute of Law and Economics (ILE-HSG).

]]>c927933e-4377-4df1-8d3a-bf8822968364Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:30:00 +010040:55falsefull1331Episode 2 – Making Sense of the ElectionEpisode 2 – Making Sense of the ElectionWhat helps us understand – and, for some, to cope with – the outcome of the US elections? Of course, exit polls and analyses of seasoned observers, scholars, and political players are a necessary first step to grasp the situation. But there are other avenues that help us make sense of the current American moment, as host Claudia Brühwiler suggests: reading books that do not address the present specifically, but teach us more enduring lessons. 

The books mentioned are:

  • "Exit Ghost" by Philipp Roth
  • "The Politics of Rage" by Dan T. Carter
  • "They Called Us Enemy" by George Takei

]]>What helps us understand – and, for some, to cope with – the outcome of the US elections? Of course, exit polls and analyses of seasoned observers, scholars, and political players are a necessary first step to grasp the situation. But there are other avenues that help us make sense of the current American moment, as host Claudia Brühwiler suggests: reading books that do not address the present specifically, but teach us more enduring lessons. 

The books mentioned are:

  • "Exit Ghost" by Philipp Roth
  • "The Politics of Rage" by Dan T. Carter
  • "They Called Us Enemy" by George Takei

]]>b9963965-3013-465e-86a8-96c9e6b180b5Mon, 16 Dec 2024 00:30:00 +010011:11falsefull1221Episode 1 – Who's afraid of Donald Trump?Episode 1 – Who's afraid of Donald Trump?How dangerous is Trump 2.0 – and is the incoming president a danger at all? Prof. Christoph Frei joins the host, Claudia Brühwiler, to discuss the outcome of the US presidential elections and the possible impact of a second Trump presidency on US democratic institutions. Together, they assess the strengths of the famous “checks and balances,” the importance of the federalism, and other veto players who might limit Donald J. Trump’s ability to implement his agenda. 

Prof. Christoph Frei teaches history of political thought, international governance, and world politics at the University of St.Gallen. An award-winning researcher and lecturer, he spent formative research years in the United States and has maintained strong ties to the States throughout his career. 

]]>How dangerous is Trump 2.0 – and is the incoming president a danger at all? Prof. Christoph Frei joins the host, Claudia Brühwiler, to discuss the outcome of the US presidential elections and the possible impact of a second Trump presidency on US democratic institutions. Together, they assess the strengths of the famous “checks and balances,” the importance of the federalism, and other veto players who might limit Donald J. Trump’s ability to implement his agenda. 

Prof. Christoph Frei teaches history of political thought, international governance, and world politics at the University of St.Gallen. An award-winning researcher and lecturer, he spent formative research years in the United States and has maintained strong ties to the States throughout his career. 

]]>51e2ee74-140f-45b5-8f3b-bf6b81c3de6fThu, 12 Dec 2024 00:30:00 +010043:44falsefull1111Grüezi Amerika. Views from the Sister Republic – TrailerGrüezi Amerika. Views from the Sister Republic – TrailerWhat a roller-coaster of an election year this has been! The term "historic" tends to be over-used, but 2024 has definitely earned its place in the history books:  

  • The first election with a convicted felon running for president who gets nearly shot not once but twice!  
  • The first election in which a woman of color gets nominated by a major party – but only after the incumbent is forced to drop out of the race. 
  • And yes, this is also set to have been the most expensive election year in American history. 

But what now? What happens next – and how will it affect us here in Europe, particularly here in Switzerland? 

My name is Claudia Franziska Brühwiler, and I am a professor of American Political Thought and Culture at the University of St.Gallen. 

This podcast will take a closer look at current events through the lens of American history, politics, and culture. Sometimes, I will keep it short and share with you my analysis, thoughts, or some background story to what is happening. At other occasions, we will hear from guests from across the HSG community and beyond, who give us new insights into US politics, business, culture, and society.  

We will look at the US from the perspective of its sister republic Switzerland. We often get hung up on what separates the US from Switzerland, while in fact we share not only great economic relations. Did you know, for instance, that America’s longest serving finance minister was born in Geneva – and one of our past Federal Councillors had fought in the Civil War?

There’s a lot to discover – so I hope you’ll join us! 

]]>What a roller-coaster of an election year this has been! The term "historic" tends to be over-used, but 2024 has definitely earned its place in the history books:  

  • The first election with a convicted felon running for president who gets nearly shot not once but twice!  
  • The first election in which a woman of color gets nominated by a major party – but only after the incumbent is forced to drop out of the race. 
  • And yes, this is also set to have been the most expensive election year in American history. 

But what now? What happens next – and how will it affect us here in Europe, particularly here in Switzerland? 

My name is Claudia Franziska Brühwiler, and I am a professor of American Political Thought and Culture at the University of St.Gallen. 

This podcast will take a closer look at current events through the lens of American history, politics, and culture. Sometimes, I will keep it short and share with you my analysis, thoughts, or some background story to what is happening. At other occasions, we will hear from guests from across the HSG community and beyond, who give us new insights into US politics, business, culture, and society.  

We will look at the US from the perspective of its sister republic Switzerland. We often get hung up on what separates the US from Switzerland, while in fact we share not only great economic relations. Did you know, for instance, that America’s longest serving finance minister was born in Geneva – and one of our past Federal Councillors had fought in the Civil War?

There’s a lot to discover – so I hope you’ll join us! 

]]>c4c5f62c-b36f-41f6-9cb3-6e0c72cc9e3fFri, 06 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +010002:06falsetrailer