Foreign Policy Research Institute A Nation Must Think Before it Acts Democracy: A German Affair

Democracy: A German Affair

August 16, 2022 | 10:00 am to 11:00 am

About the Event

After a 20th century marked by militarism, dictatorship, and genocide, Germany has developed into one of the leading democratic states of Europe. Yet historians continue to debate the question of whether German democratic development after 1945 is primarily the result of outside pressure or internal democratic traditions. That question has become even more acute in recent years as economic and political crises have fed suspicion of existing political structures in Germany and in other democracies, while increasingly assertive authoritarian leaders claim that democracy is itself a failed political model.
 
One of the newest and most creative scholars studying the history of democracy in Germany and its lessons for the rest of the world is Professor Hedwig Richter, who will join us to discuss her newest book, Demokratie: Eine Deutsche Affäre (Democracy: A German Affair). Richter and FPRI's Ronald J. Granieri will discuss German history and the larger issues surrounding the origins, accomplishments, and potentially murky future of democratic governance.

People, Politics, and Prose with Ron Granieri features in-depth conversations with authors of recent books on international affairs and national security. Moderated by FPRI’s Ronald J. Granieri, each session will build on the book’s contents to discuss the author’s influences and motivations, relating everything to current events to elicit a broader understanding of the geographical, political, and historical context of our contemporary world.  


FPRI is happy to provide this series free of charge thanks to the generous support of our members, partners, and event attendees. If you are not currently a member, the suggested donation is $25.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our events coordinator, Kayla Wendt at kwendt@fpri.org.



Speakers

Hedwig Richter - Dr. Hedwig Richter is a Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at the University of the Bundeswehr in Munich. Her wide-ranging research interests include the history of democracy and dictatorshi...

Ronald J. Granieri

Ronald J. Granieri - Dr. Ronald J. Granieri is the Executive Director of FPRI’s Center for the Study of America and the West, and host of People, Politics, and Prose, a monthly series of events.