Thomas Mann House | By invitation only

Join us for a small gathering with 2024 Thomas Mann Fellow & Political Scientist Andrea Römmele on January 25, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. in the living room of the Thomas Mann House!

Fall 2023 marks the midterm of the German "traffic light“ coalition: A coalition government of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and Alliance 90/The Greens. After presenting a progressive reform agenda in December of 2021, the Russian attack on the Ukraine has challenged - ont only - the German government, resulting in a so called Zeitenwende, a historic turning point, that is supposed to unify the country. However, transformation is not progressing. Internal fights and agony characterize the administration of chancellor Olaf Scholz. The support of the far right-party (AfD) is rising to record highs. The state elections in the fall of 2024 in the federal states of the former East will serve as a critical bench mark for future developments in Germay’s political landscape. In a presentation, Andrea Römmele will evaluate the government’s performance and discuss potential future scenarios for Germany and beyond. After the presentation, a selected group of journalists, researchers & Thomas Mann Fellows will engage in a conversation about the topic with guests from the United States.

During her time at the Thomas Mann House, Andrea Römmele explores the impact that major societal megatrends – such as technology and AI, urbanization, demographic and social change, climate change and resource scarcity, or global growth markets – have on democracies. How do different systemic and societal structures in Germany and the U.S. affect these developments?

The event will take place at the Thomas Mann House (1550 N San Remo Drive, Pacific Palisades) on Thursday, January 25 at 6:30 pm.

Attendance information

Attendance to this event is by invitation only.

Participants

Andrea Römmele is Professor of Political Communication and Dean and Vice President at the Hertie School in Berlin. She holds a master’s degree from San Francisco State University, a doctorate from the University of Heidelberg, and a habilitation from Freie Universität Berlin. Römmele’s research interests include digital democracy, elections, and electoral campaigns and parties. For Römmele, a central issue is mediating between science and practice. One of her current projects is the “Democracy Report,” developed jointly with ARD, which she moderates herself.