Call for Papers: Reevaluting the US-German Relationship

The transatlantic partnership, once considered an unshakeable pillar of the post-war international order, faces unprecedented challenges that demand a fundamental reassessment of its foundations and the complex interdependencies in trade, investment, and technology. The return of the Trump administration has accelerated the drift in the transatlantic relationship, creating a fractured landscape where traditional assumptions about transatlantic engagement no longer hold and strategic recalibration has become essential for Europe.

In the context of rising authoritarianism on both sides of the Atlantic, Germany must navigate a twofold challenge as it prepares for the future: de-risking and rebuilding. Germany and democratic leaders in Europe must shore up vulnerabilities in data, supply chains, and critical infrastructure while at the same time linking arms with like-minded, values-aligned people across borders to articulate a compelling vision for a peaceful, democratic, and sustainable future.

To assess the best strategic courses of action for Germany, we are commissioning the following two policy papers:

• Mapping Transatlantic Exchange Programs

People-to-people exchanges have been the bedrock of the transatlantic relationship for decades. Many of the long-standing US-German fellowships and programs have been affected or shut down by the Trump administration (e.g., Fulbright). At the same time, German foundations have moved away from some of their own signature transatlantic exchanges (e.g., Bosch Foundation, German Chancellor Fellowship Program). This mapping will investigate how transatlantic exchange and visitor programs between the United States and Germany have changed over the last five years and in the initial months of the Trump Administration and what concrete actions German and European policymakers should take moving forward to sustain and rebuild these people-to-people networks in the future.

Section 1 will map and categorize the most important German-American exchange programs in the past (e.g., interviews, case studies, network analysis, or other mixed-methods approaches).

Section 2 will analyze the changes to transatlantic exchanges programs and describe the current state of people-to-people exchange between the United States and Germany.

Section 3 will offer specific policy recommendations for German and European policymakers that could help to maintain transatlantic relationships between people and democratic civil societies on both sides of the Atlantic during a period of increasing political tensions in the transatlantic relationship.

Example research questions: What types of programs have been completely defunded? Who are the remaining funders in the United States? What resources would be needed to sustain transatlantic exchanges and not lose a whole generation despite the irreversible cuts? What are ways in which the German government could establish and fund more exchanges? (E.g. programs like the State Department’s “International Visitor Leadership Program”, including by working with private foundations with existing networks). How can civil society exchanges be strengthened in a time of political turmoil and disagreement between the United States and Germany? Are there new, innovative ways of thinking about exchange programs to approach or rebuild transatlantic exchanges in this new era?

At the beginning of the project, the author will provide a preliminary overview of the exchange programs and discuss the scope of the mapping with the Heinrich Böll Foundation.

• Dependencies in Defense Technology Acquisition

Europe is ramping up defense spending as a result of Russia’s aggression and ambiguous signals from the Trump administration about future military support for Ukraine, NATO commitments, and the viability of U.S. military bases in Europe. On the one hand, the United States is pushing Europe to take charge of its own security; on the other hand, the Administration still has a strong interest in ensuring that European military expenditures primarily go to American defense and weapons manufacturers. While Germany understands the need to quickly increase defense spending over the coming years, the rush to secure critical military acquisitions must be accompanied by prudent, long-term decision-making about how to avoid entering into new strategic vulnerabilities or reduce the risk of these vulnerabilities wherever possible.

This policy paper will take a closer look at German-American defense tech acquisition and produce a more precise mapping of the strategic dependencies.

Example Research Questions: In which areas is Germany becoming more reliant on U.S. defense technology (e.g., autonomous drones/weapons/surveillance software/AI applications) and in which areas is it becoming less reliant? Where are the emerging areas of strategic alignment and misalignment with NATO? How is Germany trying to build out its own defense tech ecosystem (Helsing and others)? Where are the major gaps in equipment and stockpiles, logistics and infrastructure, personnel, training, and readiness? How should Germany navigate contracts with U.S. defense tech companies that closely work with and for the Trump administration? Are such strategic dependencies unavoidable for Germany and, if so, what policy actions should Germany’s leaders pursue to strengthen European leverage in other priority areas - such as tech regulation, data privacy, and humanitarian/international law?

This analysis will scope the current landscape and examine how potential tech dependencies may constrain Germany's and the EU’s sovereignty and bargaining positions vis-a-vis the United States. The author will also offer policy recommendations on how Germany - in coordination with other EU member states - can become more agile, prudent and sovereign in the acquisition of defense technology.

WHAT WE OFFER

• A grant of $4,000 for each of the 15-20 page papers.


• Your research and analysis will be featured through our international network, including on our websites and at curated events or briefings with policymakers.
  

WHO SHOULD APPLY

We welcome submissions from:

• Academics, researchers, think tankers and journalists, with strong expertise in the topic area of the described papers.

WHAT WE EXPECT

• Research and write a 15-20 page paper until October 30, 2025. Submit a first draft by October 15, 2025.


• Present research findings in fall/winter 2025 at virtual roundtable with policymakers and experts.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Applications should include the following materials:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV). Please use a standard format, max. 2 pages in PDF. Do not include a photo, date of birth, religion, or marital status.


• Pitch document (1 page PDF). Outline the following:
  
  
  
  • The paper you wish to research
  
  
  • Your qualifications and relevant experience
  
  
  • Your research proposal: How do you plan to approach the research questions? How do you intend to scope and structure your research? What methods do you plan on using? Which questions and aspects are missing in our call for papers?
  
  
  
  


• Work samples. Submit two samples of previous academic work, either as PDFs or links.

Applications are due by Monday, September 1, 2025.

All applications must be submitted through BambooHR.

Please email Teresa.Eder[at]us.boell.org with any questions.