Refine
Has Fulltext
- yes (62)
Year of publication
Document Type
- Postprint (62) (remove)
Keywords
- Germany (62) (remove)
Institute
- WeltTrends e.V. Potsdam (42)
- Extern (7)
- Institut für Umweltwissenschaften und Geographie (4)
- Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät (4)
- Sozialwissenschaften (2)
- Fachgruppe Betriebswirtschaftslehre (1)
- Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät (1)
- Institut für Geowissenschaften (1)
- Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät (1)
German foreign policy is in the midst of a far-reaching transformation. Contrary to disciplinary expectations, this process is neither properly captured by descriptions in the liberal tradition („Europeanisation“, „Civilian Power“) nor by Realist expectations that Germany is doomed to „remilitarise“ and/or „renationalise“. However, the key term of foreign policy discourse, „normalisation“, is an unmistakable code, signalling a rediscovery of traditional Realpolitik practices which fit Germany’s current environment. The paper argues that rather than merely playing the role of an obedient disciple of Realpolitik socialisers, Germany ought to rehabilitate the foreign policy tradition of the Bonn Republic in support of an active Idealpolitik transformation of its environment. The article serves as a starting point for a debate on German foreign policy in the upcoming issues of WeltTrends.
In the spring 2004 issue of WeltTrends, Gunther Hellmann sparked a debate on Germany's foreign policy. He argued that Germany’s international behaviour is dominated by a "realpolitik" policy, generally referred to as "normalization". For Hellmann, this transformation indicates one of the "deepest crisis of Germany’s foreign policy" ever. The first three parts were published in the summer, fall and winter editions (no. 43, 44 and 45) of WeltTrends, which featured contributions of German International Relations scholars as well as experts from abroad. In this issue, foreign policy makers and a Polish expert join the debate.
"Der 8. Mai hat es in sich. Es ist aber nicht nur die Geschichte. Die Woche vom 8. Mai war in diesem Jahr die 'Woche der Wahrheit' im Bundestag, eine Kristallkugel, die einen düsteren Blick in die Zukunft erlaubt. Das wurde durch zwei Ereignisse klar, die etwas verband, ohne dass sie zusammen geplant waren. [...]"
Vom Sprechen und Schweigen
(2004)