Atlantic Expedition
  • About
  • Articles
  • Expeditions
    • Expedition to Hamburg/Dresden/Berlin
    • Expedition to Chicago/Houston
    • Atlantic Basecamp and Atlantic Action Plan
    • Timeline
    • Testimonials
  • Fellows
    • 1st Expedition Fellows
    • 2nd Expediton Fellows
  • Supporters
  • Contact
  • Log In
March 20, 2017  |  By Redaktion In Big Picture, US-Germany

Introduction: A New Narrative for the Transatlantic Relationship

While many older Americans and Germans retain fond memories of the Marshall Plan, which helped turn the former foes into allies and partners, the value of transatlantic relations is no longer as obvious to younger generations in both countries.  Given the value of the partnership to address transnational challenges and maintain the rule-based international order and in light of shifts on the world stage, a new narrative for the transatlantic relationship is needed. The time to establish such a new foundation is now, as Germany seems to recognize the need to take on responsibility to uphold the liberal order, while the US is torn between engagement and isolationism.

Establishing a new narrative and reinvigorating the transatlantic partnership requires new avenues and modes of cooperation, which are outlined in the policy recommendations included in this memo. Specific areas of cooperation include the digital economy and technology; trade; energy and climate; defense and military; and education policy. For cooperation to endure, current and future trends must be taken into account and addressed in this new narrative. The areas of cooperation and specific recommendations outlined in this memo are informed by the following trends, which are used either as an input or part of the framework for future cooperation.

Transatlantic Trends

Proliferation of stakeholders and Diffusion of Power: As compared to the era in which the German-American relationship was founded, there are now far more stakeholders at the table. The proliferation of stakeholders pertains to the public and private sectors, and to both the domestic sphere in each country as well as the range of international actors. This makes the conversation about the transatlantic relationship much broader, and power more disperse and diffuse.

Bottom Up Action: Related to the proliferation of stakeholders, the increasing agency of local and sub-national political, economic, and social actors enables new avenues for policy cooperation and innovation. Cities, towns, counties, and states are working together through sub-national organizations and clubs, while grassroots initiatives have shown the power and potential of distributed action and activity.

Digitalization: From technology and economic development to communication and socialization, digitalization has implications both for how economies are structured, how citizens interact amongst themselves and with their governments, and how modern society is constructed. Moreover, while technology firms and start-ups are a potent economic force in both societies, digitalization also has major implications for traditional industries, for example energy and manufacturing.

Anti-Globalism and Populism: While technology has the potential to knit the globe closer together, the downsides of globalization and free trade have created a backlash in many western democratic societies. This has resulted in free trade sentiments which could change the free liberal market principles and trade the transatlantic relationship was founded on, while rising populism on both the left and the right sides of the political spectrum are a symptom of larger dissatisfaction in many western societies with the representativeness of political institutions and changing economic realities due to globalization and digitalization.

Read the Memos:

Digital Economy and Technology

Trade

Energy and Climate

Defense

Development and Migration

Education

Atlantic Expedition aims to empower a younger and more diverse generation of leaders in transatlantic relations. It's a project of the non-profit NGO Atlantische Initiative e.V. based in Berlin, Germany.

Previous StoryTTIP: The Name May Be Dead, But Transatlantic Trade Is Not
Next StoryThe Atlantic Expedition to Hamburg, Dresden, Berlin

2 replies added

  1. Manuel Schöb March 26, 2017 Reply

    Clear structure, very compact – well done. Maybe you can think about a short conclusion, an outlook or some predictions.

  2. Lutz-Peter Hennies March 27, 2017 Reply

    Thanks for this concise introduction! Just some minor points: In the opening paragraph, maybe we could make clearer what we mean by “shifts on the world stage” (for instance, the rise of emerging economies? authoritarian challenges to democracies?) Regarding the proliferation of stakeholders: I think we could be more specific and briefly name/describe the new protagonists that complement states as the classic players on the world stage (NGOs, tech giants, supranational organizations, etc.). Regarding anti-globalism: I guess we mean that the backlash has resulted in ANTI-free trade sentiments, right? Finally, I recommend splitting the last sentence in order to keep it succinct.

Cancel Reply

(will not be shared)

If you have an account, log in here

Please keep your comment under 2500 characters.

About

Atlantic Expedition is a fellowship program aiming to empower a younger and more diverse generation of leaders in transatlantic relations.

The Atlantic Expedition is currently in its second round. After fellows of the first Expedition developed policy recommendations and created the Atlantic Memo “Transatlantic Relations in a New Era: The Next Generation Approach”, participants of the second Expedition joined forces to develop new strategies for communicating transatlantic relations to a diverse audience and consequently making the transatlantic relationship a more inclusive endeavor.

From 9-14 October, fellows of the second Atlantic Expedition traveled to Chicago and Houston to present and discuss their ideas and proposals with representatives from politics, media, business and civil society. They published their recommendations in a second Atlantic Memo titeled “Atlantic Expedition II: Towards a More Inclusive Transatlantic Partnership” .

To stay up-to date, virtually join the expedition and to add your voice to the discussion, please find us on facebook and twitter.

Search

Subscribe to our Newsletter

ABOUT US

Atlantic Expedition is a project aimed at empowering a younger and more diverse generation of leaders in transatlantic relations. The project is run by Atlantische Initiative, a Berlin based, non-profit, non-partisan NGO.

ATLANTIC EXPEDITIONS

  • Expedition to Chicago/Houston
  • Expedition to Hamburg/Dresden/Berlin
  • Atlantic Basecamp and Atlantic Action Plan
  • Timeline
  • FAQ

LEGAL

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Imprint

Social Media

Atlantic Expedition
A project by Atlantische Initiative
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. OkRead more