© Katja Velmans
Publications
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Strategic Coherence and Distributed Influence
This paper contributes to the European Commission’s review of its 2016 Joint Communication on international cultural relations. Drawing on a comparative study of soft power governance across twenty-five jurisdictions (British Council, 2026), which applies an Assets-Infrastructure-Outcomes framework, and on a practitioner-academic workshop convened in Brussels in March 2026, it argues that the review requires a…
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Reconfiguring European Security
The European security environment has undergone significant transformation following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, particularly amid rising uncertainty over the credibility of US security commitments. This paper examines the drivers of Europe’s current security dilemma—marked by Russian coercion and doubts about US commitment—and explores possible pathways to strengthen European security. As an answer, we propose…
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Beyond Culture – Rethinking the EU’s Approach to Soft Power in a Turbulent World
The European Union is beginning a review of its 2016 Joint Communication on international cultural relations. This policy brief argues that the review presents an opportunity to reconceive the scope and purpose of EU-level coordination of international engagement. Drawing on a 25-jurisdiction comparative study published by the British Council in March 2026 (the ‘Trends study’)…
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The EU Green Deal and Renewable Energy Transitions in Europe–Africa Relations: A Synthesis of Complexities and Geopolitics
The EU Green Deal (EGD) is transforming Europe–Africa relations by moving away from historical patterns of exploitation toward equitable collaboration in renewable energy. By fostering co-ownership and co-creation of clean energy technologies, the EGD aligns with Africa’s development goals, offering stable, low-carbon energy initiatives less vulnerable to market shocks. However, the rise of far-right political…
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Order and Ideology
Why the Trump Administration is Redefining American Power and Purpose This paper analyses the foreign policy orientation of the second Trump administration. It argues that this does not represent an attempt at reform, but rather a fundamental departure from the liberal international order that has existed since the Second World War. Contrary to initial assumptions,…
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Sub-National Diplomacy: Alternative Pathways to Stability and Conflict Transformation in Nigeria and Pakistan
The traditional rulers in Nigeria and customary forums such as Jirgas in Pakistan function as hybrid governance institutions that mediate between state authority, local communities, and constitutional norms, asking how they sustain legitimacy and accountability in fragile democracies while delivering justice and managing conflict. The research uses a comparative qualitative approach that analyses policy documents,…
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City Clusters in China-Germany Subnational Diplomacy
This paper offers a new framework for understanding China-Germany sister-city diplomacy through the lens of city cluster logic, enabling subnational actors to navigate complex institutional structures and networked partnerships more strategically. Drawing upon a comprehensive policy analysis and a series of 68 interviews conducted in Germany and China between 2022 and 2025, this study illuminates…
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Masculine hierarchies in migrant homosocial workspaces: dominating and subordinating masculinities of Tajik labour migrants in Russia
This article analyzes how masculinity practices transform in homosocial workspaces of labour migrants. Drawing on extensive fieldwork in Russia and Tajikistan, the article scrutinises the experiences of Tajik migrant men who work in the largely informal construction sector in Russia. Their interactions are thus embedded in this country’s capitalist system, as well as ist migration…
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Tradition, State, and Justice: Rethinking Statehood through Hybrid Governance in Nigeria and Pakistan
Hybrid governance in Nigeria and Pakistan has not only persisted as a legacy of colonial state formation but has also evolved into a complex system of shared authority between state institutions and traditional, religious, and community actors. This evolution reflects a qualitative shift toward negotiated governance, where Emirs, Obas, vigilante groups and jirgas play central…
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Understanding Cultural Diplomacy and International Cultural Relations
The book analyzes the role of culture as an instrument of international politics and transnational understanding. It focuses on the theoretical foundations and practical forms of cultural diplomacy as distinct from international cultural relations. It examines the use of cultural means in the context of soft power and the significance of state and non-state actors.…
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How the United States’ and Germany’s Politics Got Upended
The most recent national elections in two of the world’s leading economic powers and democratic stalwarts—Germany and the US—saw ethnonationalist parties closing in on taking power. The recent rapid rise in support for Germany’s radical right AfD party; and the success of Donald Trump’s MAGA movement now threaten to bring the institutional pillars and norms…
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The Postmortem of the Nord Stream Projects
This paper presents a postmortem analysis of the Nord Stream 2 (NS2) pipeline project, examining its political, economic, and security implications within the Baltic Sea Re-gion (BSR) and the broader European Union (EU). Initially framed as an essential part of Ger-many’s energy transition, NS2 evolved into a symbol of geopolitical miscalculation and intra-EU discord. The…