When I decided to join The Governance Post, I did so knowing that there is so much more to a school than what happens in the classroom, and having a place to discuss the intersection of policy with current events is incredibly valuable. Whatever the class of the day, the experiences of our programs are shaped by the conversations we have, the insights coming from other students, and the collections of ideas and viewpoints we encounter through events, clubs or stammtische.
This is especially true now, when the global order and evidence-based policies are constantly under attack. Classes alone cannot keep pace with it. There is so much happening every day, with no shortage of apocalyptic quotes floating around. From the statement that ‘our democracy is under attack’, by Ursula von der Leyen last September, to the question posed by the author David Marsh in his new book: Can Europe Survive?
In the U.S., ‘hard-right ideas, often openly anti-liberal, and anti-democratic ones are gaining momentum’, according to the latest essay by Nobel Prize-winning economist Daron Acemoglu in the Financial Times last weekend. In Brazil, the former president Jair Bolsonaro was arrested after his conviction for attempting a coup. Economic and digital sovereignty concerns caused by the artificial intelligence race between the U.S. and China, the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza and an ongoing famine in Sudan complete the grim picture.
One of the most important parts of being at the Hertie School is to step outside of the curriculum by putting classes and experiences in perspective, processing these events together with a diverse group of colleagues and tapping into each other’s knowledge. As a former journalist myself, I know that writing is one of the best ways to investigate a subject, reflect on our own perspectives and form judgments based on facts.
The Governance Post is a forum for Hertie students to showcase this exercise. A place where the different backgrounds of our cohort can be explored without being constrained by requirements of the curriculum, policy paths or specializations. A platform for us to explore our own interests, and–through the editing process–develop a strong, objective assessment that later helps guide our academic and career paths.
We invite all students to contribute to the ongoing discussions in the Hertie community! Whether it be through short opinionated columns, interviews, podcasts or articles, TGP provides a space for everyone to take part in the conversation.