Professor Chih-yu Shih from Tongji University in Shanghai visited the AIA and discussed new perspectives on international relations with the Fellows over coffee and cake. For some time now, scholars from the Global South have been providing an impetus for a critical reflection on the canon of classical theories developed primarily by Western researchers. Implicit …
What role do cities play in regulating migration, and how can migrants counter-act discrimination? Researcher Philipp Lottholz from Marburg University presented case studies from Duisburg and Plovdiv (Bulgaria), where groups of disenfranchised migrants self-organise by demonstrating, establishing small-scale charity projects and drawing attention to unequal conditions. The talk addressed how precarious living and working conditions …
On July 3 and 4, Manuel Becker, Head of the Scientific Program at the AIA, took part in the “Trilateral Seminar Transatlantic Security Architecture: Developments and Perspectives” in Paris.
A group of Master’s and PhD students from the Bonn International Model United Nations (BIMUN) recently visited the North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of International Affairs. The visit provided a valuable opportunity for interdisciplinary exchange between future practitioners and current researchers engaged in international affairs. Following an introduction to the Academy’s mission and fellowship programme, the main …
AIA Fellow Karolina Kluczweskas research deals with the geopolitical reorientations taking place in post-Soviet Eurasia, particularly concerning the impact of massive shifts in Russia on Central Asia. It investigates actors and rationalities of the ongoing geopolitical reorientation, as well as formal and informal practices characterising this process. In her presentation at the AIA colloquium she …
At the panel discussion held in Dortmund, experts explored the parallels between two of the world’s most emblematic post-industrial regions: Germany’s Ruhr region and the U.S. Rust Belt. Despite geographic distance, both have faced similar challenges—declining industry, community disruption, and a widespread loss of future prospects. John Austin (AIA NRW Fellow), Emily Adams (Chancellor Fellow …
Chiung-Chiu Huang presented a research paper she is currently writing at the AIA Fellow Colloquium. She focused primarily on the theoretical framework of the paper and also gave insights into her case studies. At the center of her considerations is the “International United Front” strategy, which she believes is crucial to understanding China’s foreign policy …
Addressing Economic Inequalities to Strengthen Democracies As part of the AIA Fellow Colloquium, John Austin gave insights into the work of his Heartlands Transformation Network. At its core, John and his colleagues are grappling with two questions: What is behind the rise of polarizing anti-system and ethno-nationalist movements that threaten our democracies? What can be …
Together with AIA Fellow John Austin, Senior Fellow at the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College, the Academy was a guest of the NRW-USA Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Düsseldorf State Parliament. After a brief introduction by our Director Mayssoun Zein Al Din, the members of parliament, moderated by Chair Angela Freimuth, discussed with John Austin …
Tâmara Andrade, German Chancellor Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and Guest researcher at IDOS visited the Academy to engage with the Fellows on the cross-cutting theme of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). In a very interactive session, she first addressed theoretical and conceptual foundations, and shared some insights from her current project …
Together with a delegation of Fellows and AIA employees, we visited IDOS with our Fellow Mariia Levchenko. Mariia gave valuable insights into her research on structured dialogue processes during a brown bag lunch. She gave an overview of the theoretical foundations and empirical effectiveness of dialogue-based interventions. She critically examined the question of how social …
Transformations of gender roles and practices in a transnational migration context Over coffee and cake, sociologist and anthropologist Rustam Samadov gave a talk on “Masculinities of Tajik labor migrants: Transformations of gender roles and practices in a transnational migration context”. He presented the extensive field research he conducted in Russia and Tajikistan as part of …
AIA Fellows Mariia Levchenko and Bernhard Stahl organized a workshop on silence and dialogue in international relations. After Elisabeth Schweiger (University of Sterling, UK) first reflected on the analytical implications of silence in foreign policy from a theoretical and conceptual perspective, Bernhard Stahl, Sebatian Glassner and Julius Bonaventura (University of Passau) elaborated on this in …
AIA Early Career Researcher Bohyun Kim presented her PhD project at the colloquium. She compares the hydrogen strategies of the EU and South Korea. Both share the view that the hydrogen economy is an important element on the way to achieving climate neutrality goals. But the approach differs significantly. In contrast to various studies, which …
There is no doubt that Russia and China are already shaping global politics to a large extent and will continue to do so throughout the 21st century. It is obvious that relations between the two powers are often described in abbreviated form as a friendship between autocracies that are directed against the Western community of …
After many politicians long assumed that economic globalization would bring peace and prosperity, we are now seeing increasing tensions in international trade policy. Measures sold by governments as protection for domestic industry mean that many companies are faced with higher costs for imported materials and goods. Increasing protectionism and the tendency to seal off entire …
Bernhard Stahl, Professor of International Politics at the University of Passau, presented his research project on the silencing of mass crimes in foreign policy, which he has been researching since 2018, at the AIA Colloquium. He is examining this topic from a fundamental perspective, with a particular focus on German and British foreign policy. He …
Fasting holds deep significance across many religions, promoting empathy, mutual respect, and understanding of different beliefs. These reflections by our director, Mayssoun Zein Al Din, followed a dinner hosted by Federal Minister Cem Özdemir at the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Berlin. In a world marked by geopolitical tensions and societal insecurity, fostering …
Science does not only take place in the famous ivory tower, but scientific findings and technologies often have a direct impact on everyday life. Therefore, good communication is essential for modern science. Only clear and unambiguous communication enables the general public to better understand complex topics so that people can make informed decisions. This applies …
International politics in many ways will be affected by the second Trump administration and its policies, whether in geopolitical terms or with regard to the rise of authoritarian tendencies. To discuss different scenarios, on Friday, March 7, 2025, the Academy invited its current, future and associate fellows to a meeting on The World After Trump …