The American Council on Germany (https://acgusa.org/) and the Goethe-Institut (https://www.goethe.de/ins/us/en/index.html) are hosting a series of discussions across the United States highlighting how German and American journalists based in the United States currently see political and social developments in Germany, the United States, and internationally.
In a series of events speakers will address a range of topics that affect citizens in both countries. What strikes them most about current trends in Germany and the United States and the political discourse? What surprises them the most? In which direction(s) is the United States developing? What impact does this have on Germany – and the future of the transatlantic partnership?
In-person events will be hosted at Goethe-Instituts across the U.S. and then released as podcasts. They are available on your favorite audio platform.
Foreign Correspondent Unplugged: Media, Politics, and Public Opinion on both Sides of the Atlantic
Political debates in both Germany and the United States are increasingly shaped not only by elections and policy decisions, but also by the narratives and interpretations that emerge in the media. As polarization deepens and political movements evolve, journalists and opinion writers play a crucial role in helping the public make sense of fast-moving political developments.
On April 24, the latest installment of Foreign Correspondent was hosted at the Goethe Institut in Boston and featured Nadine Lindner, award-winning correspondent for Deutschlandradio known for her reporting on the rise of the Alternative for Germany and political developments in eastern Germany and Renée Loth, opinion columnist at The Boston Globe and former editorial page editor of the newspaper. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Steven E. Sokol, President and CEO, The American Council on Germany. Drawing on decades of reporting and commentary, they explored how political journalism and opinion writing shape public understanding of major political trends – from the evolution of party politics in Germany to the forces transforming American democracy – and what audiences on each side of the Atlantic often misunderstand about the other.
22 Apr 2026
Foreign Correspondent Unplugged: Campaign Season on Both Sides of the Atlantic
The year 2026 is shaping up to be an important electoral moment on both sides of the Atlantic. In the United States, voters will head to the polls for the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress and shape the final years of the current administration in Washington, DC. In Germany, several key state elections will test the strength of the governing coalition and the continued rise of parties such as the Alternative for Germany (AfD), offering an early indication of the political dynamics that could influence the next federal contest. Together, these campaigns will provide a revealing snapshot of how domestic political pressures in both countries may shape the future of the transatlantic relationship.
On April 20, the American Council on Germany and the Goethe-Institut USA hosted a Live Podcast Recording and Discussion at the Goethe Institut Washington D.C. on “Campaign Season on Both Sides of the Atlantic” with Liz Goodwin, National Political Reporter, The Washington Post and Nadine Lindner, Journalist, Deutschlandradio. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Steven E. Sokol, President and CEO, The American Council on Germany.
Drawing on our guests’ extensive on-the-ground reporting – from Germany’s evolving party landscape to the shifting dynamics of U.S. national politics – this discussion explored how political narratives, voter behavior, and media coverage are influencing democratic debate and the broader transatlantic relationship.This event was part of a week-long speaking tour by Nadine Lindner to five U.S. cities titled State(s) of Democracy: A German Journalist’s Journey to the U.S. in 2026.
23 Oct 2025
Foreign Correspondent Unplugged: Perspective of a Foreign Correspondent: Political Discourse and Social Cohesion in Germany and the United
In a time of rapid change and complex challenges, journalists play an essential role in informing the public and helping audiences make sense of events at home and abroad. How are current debates in Germany and the United States being covered, and what parallels or contrasts can be drawn between the two countries?
In the latest installment of Foreign Correspondent Unplugged, Clay Risen, Reporter and Editor at The New York Times (2004 ACG Young Leader), and Dr. Anna Sauerbrey, Foreign Editor at Die Zeit (2018 ACG Kellen Fellow), shared their insights and experiences reporting on both sides of the Atlantic. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Steven E. Sokol, President of the American Council on Germany.
22 Oct 2025
Foreign Correspondent Unplugged: Democracy Under Pressure
Democracy in both Germany and the United States faces mounting challenges, from rising political polarization to declining trust in institutions and practices.
The latest installment in the Foreign Correspondent Uplugged series explored how these pressures are-reshaping politics and public life on both sides of the Atlantic. The timely discussion featured award-winning journalists Vladimir Balzer (Deutschlandradio) and Dr. Melanie Amann (Der Spiegel) who examined political trends in Germany and challenges to democracy 35 years after German unity.
The event was moderated by the President of the American Council on Germany, Dr. Steven E. Sokol.
13 Oct 2025
Foreign Correspondent Unplugged: Social Cohesion in Times of Uncertainty
Timed to coincide with the 35th anniversary of German unification, this event explored what binds societies together in an era of division. Germany’s journey from East and West to a unified nation offers lessons for communities grappling with social, political, and economic polarization today. On October 3, journalists Vladimir Balzer and Celeste Diaz Schurman compared these experiences with efforts to foster social cohesion in Texas, where demographic change and political tensions present unique challenges.
The latest installment in the Foreign Correspondent Unpluged series was held at the Goethe Institut in Houston and monitored by Steve E. Sokol, President and CEO of the American Council on Germany.
29 Jan 2025
Foreign Correspondent Unplugged - Where Do We Go from Here? The Transatlantic Relationship in 2025
On January 27, Journalists McKay Coppins and Rieke Havertz discussed what European leaders and policymakers are monitoring and explored the potential shifts in transatlantic relations and how President Donald Trump's foreign policies may impact Europe’s economies, security, and diplomacy as well as broader international alliances.
The latest installment in the Foreign Correspondent Unpluged series was held at the Goethe Institut in Washington D.C. and monitored by Steve E. Sokol, President and CEO of the American Council on Germany.
20 Sept 2024
Foreign Correspondent Unplugged - The Biggest Story of Our Time - Climate Activism and the Election
From sea-level rise, melting glaciers and extreme heat waves to the transition to renewables- climate change affects everyone, it’s the biggest story of our time. How are a climate activists in both the US and Germany addressing the topic? What is at stake and how could the US election impact the future of fossil fuels? Is there more awareness for climate change in Germany than in the US?
On September 16, the seventh discussion in the Foreign Correspondent Unplugged series was held in collaboration with the American Council on Germany at at the Goethe Institut in Boston. The conversation included Luisa Neubauer, climate activist from Germany and the most prominent representative of the German climate movement and Bill McKibben, environmental activist, educator, founder of Third Act and author of many books. Sabrina Shankman, who is reporting on climate change for the Boston Globe, moderated the event.
29 Aug 2024
Foreign Correspondent Unplugged - Pop and Protest
On August 22, the sixth discussion in the Foreign Correspondent Unplugged series was held in collaboration with the Thomas Mann House and the American Council on Germany at the Goethe Institut in Los Angeles. The conversation featured music Journalists Aida Baghernejad (2024 Thomas Mann Fellow) and August Brown (LA Times) as they discussed the powerful interplay between pop culture and the politics of protest in a conversation moderated by Annett Scheffel. The panelists explored how pop culture has become an indispensable arena for political expression and activism, examining the paradigm shifts in music journalism and the dynamic relationship between entertainment and social change. In this discussion the journalists negotiated how pop culture can act as an agent of hope and its role as a tool for supporting democracies in peril.
2 Aug 2024
Foreign Correspondent Unplugged - The War Report: Israel / Palestine in German and American Media Coverage
Since the October 7th Hamas terrorist attack on southern Israel, the Israel-Hamas War and humanitarian crisis in Gaza have dominated headlines around the world. But how has news coverage itself shaped global attitudes towards the conflict, and how can journalism provide the basis for holding shared conversations about a polarizing issue?
On July 31, the fifth event in Foreign Correspondent Unplugged series was held with the Goethe Institut-Chicago with a discussion featuring journalists Hanno Hauenstein, Ben Mauk, and Alena Jabarine. The conversation was moderated by Leah Gallant, Program Curator at the Goethe-Institut Chicago.
5 Jun 2024
Foreign Correspondent Unplugged - From Anti-War Activism to Climate Justice: What’s Driving the Left in Germany and the United States?
A growing number of Americans and Germans have been engaging in civil action in recent years. They have come out to demand radical social and economic changes. What do their strategies look like? What is the role of civil society? And how do the two countries differ when it comes to the left at large?
On May 29, the fourth event in Foreign Correspondent Unplugged series was held at the Goethe Institut in New York City with a discussion featuring American political scientist Sheri Berman and German journalist Lukas Hermsmeier. The conversation was moderated by Dr. Steven E. Sokol, the President and CEO of the American Council on Germany.
10 May 2024
Foreign Correspondent Unplugged - Searching for a New Political Middle: Fragmentation and Polarization in Europe and the United States
With elections for the European parliament early next month and the U.S. Presidential election on the horizon, campaigning in 2024 is heating up on both sides of the Atlantic. We are seeing increasing polarization and fragmentation of the political landscape – and even a calcification of positions. Yet, on both sides of the Atlantic, many candidates from the left and from the right are trying to appeal to voters in the political middle in the hope that they can pull votes from across party lines.
On May 9, the third event in Foreign Correspondent Unplugged series was held at the Goethe Institut in Washington D.C. with a discussion featuring German journalists Annett Meiritz and Juliane Schäuble. The conversation was moderated by Dr. Steven E. Sokol, the President and CEO of the American Council on Germany.
29 Apr 2024
Foreign Correspondent Unplugged - Tolerance, Wokeness, and the Trouble With it All
On March 25, the second event in Foreign Correspondent Unplugged series was held at the Goethe Institut in Washington D.C. with a discussion featuring René Pfister, Der Spiegel’s Washington D.C. Bureau Chief and Charles Lane, Deputy Opinion Editor of The Washington Post and Columnist for the paper’s Op-Ed page. The event was moderated by Jacqueline Pfeffer Merrill, Director of the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Campus Free Expression Project.
The discussion delved into current political debates on both sides of the Atlantic and explored issues around political correctness and threats to freedom of speech, as well as how current ideological norms are increasingly influencing freedom of expression in the Western world, particularly in Europe and the USA. As we approach the European parliamentary elections in June and the U.S. presidential election in November, understanding the nuances and impacts of the ideological shifts on freedom of speech is increasingly critical.
11 Apr 2024
Foreign Correspondent Unplugged - Dream or Nightmare? The Concept of Freedom in the United States and Germany
No other concept is more closely associated with the American self-image than that of freedom – be it liberation from former colonial masters, individual or economic freedom, freedom of speech, or religious freedom. However, the strong emphasis on the idea of freedom and the diversity of its forms of expression has led to internal tensions.
On March 4, the Foreign Correspondent Unplugged series kicked off at the Goethe Institut in Washington D.C. with a discussion featuring Susan Glasser, Staff Writer at The New Yorker and Julian Heissler, U.S. Correspondent for the Wirtschaftswoche. The event was moderated by Dr. Steven E. Sokol, the President of the American Council on Germany, and focused on freedom, questions around American identity, the political climate, and more.
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