Common Ground Berlin
Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson brings together prominent voices from all walks of life to tackle questions on vital and fascinating topics to increase public awareness and understanding.
- Update frequency
- every 9 days
- Average duration
- 31 minutes
- Episodes
- 148
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2024
Celebrating 100 years of radio in Germany – Part I: Steve Inskeep, Keri Jones and John Masuku.
The first of three episodes by Common Ground Berlin and Goethe Institute commemorating a century of German radio by bringing you stories from influential and interesting broadcasters worldwide who ha…
Germany’s Beer Wars: Is it time to bid “Auf Wiedersehen” to the purity law?
#Beer is a staple of German culture and in partnership with the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation, host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and senior producer Dina Elsayed explore the debate over the restrictive “#R…
Will AI end democracy? Part Two – Germany and Europe
The government of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently announced plans to protect the public from AI misuse in the foreseeable future, but critics complain the time for action is now, especially wh…
Will AI end democracy? Part One – The United States.
Artificial Intelligence is proving to be a useful tool to Republican frontrunner and former president Donald Trump. But the Biden administration and Congress are struggling to regulate AI technology,…
Comeback or coincidence? What a resurgent Alternative for Germany means for the country.
German polls suggest that if elections were held today, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) would garner more votes than most of the country’s mainstream parties, including those in the gover…
Germany’s new national security strategy – Groundbreaking or status quo?
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his cabinet recently unveiled their country’s long-awaited national security strategy, the first since World War II. Co-hosts Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and Rachel Tause…
An iconic speech that changed the world – Does John F. Kennedy’s “ich bin ein Berliner” still matter?
Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson hosts a special “town hall” in collaboration with the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation to commemorate the 60th anniversary of a speech that lasted less than 10 minutes and sh…
A German duel over dual citizenship – Are decades-old barriers to “Einbuergerung” coming to an end?
Millions of immigrants living in Germany should find it easier to become German citizens as the Bundestag prepares to vote on the long-awaited measure overhauling “Einbuergerung.” But as it turns out…
Comeback kid or has been? The future of startups in Berlin.
The German capital has long been a startup capital in Europe. But the global financial shakeup and supply chain disruptions hit Berlin’s startup scene hard.
This year, with the market more or less exp…
Zan, Zendegi, Azadi – Will the Iranian uprising that’s electrified the world succeed?
A conversation with Farnaz Fassihi of the New York Times and Azadeh Moshiri of the BBC News about the consequences of the “women, life, freedom” protests that exploded after Jina Masha Amini’s death …
Germany, the Scapegoat – The GOP’s latest tact in the race for US president.
In this episode of “Transatlantic Takeaway,” hosts Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and Rachel Tausendfreund delve into how Germany is fodder for the GOP’s campaign strategy for the 2024 elections with guests …
Shooting the breeze with Anna Winger, creator of “Unorthodox” and “Transatlantic” on Netflix
What do host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and the Emmy-winning Anna Winger have in common? Find out the answer to that and many more questions in this episode about the Berlin-based creator of the Netflix …
Berlin cycling 2.0 – What happens after a car-friendly, city-state government is sworn in?
Excerpts from our recent live show at the Selina Hotel Mitte in central Berlin. Joining host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson on stage was Heinrich Stroessenreuther, who helped draft dozens of bicycle referend…
Meet Berlin’s New Government, Same As The Old Government?
Berlin’s new mayor is widely expected to be conservative Kai Wegner. He would be the first Christian Democrat to hold the post in two decades and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), who would be …
Germany’s “turning point” or not?
Last month before the Bundestag, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hammered home the need for a defense-capable Europe. His speech marked the anniversary of his groundbreaking pledge to deliver a “Zeiten…
Germany’s colonial past – A historical blind spot?
Germany’s colonial history isn’t something many Germans like to talk about – Some argue they weren’t as “bad” as other European colonialists or that focusing on German colonialism draws attention awa…
Without a voice – Should non-Germans be allowed to vote in German elections?
Some 10 million non-citizens living in Germany are unable to vote. In Berlin, the number is even higher – 1 of every 5 residents. The voting exclusion in Germany extends to local issues, even though …
The royal “Putsch” that wasn’t – Is Germany in danger?
Led by a prince, a judge and a retired paratrooper, the plot was as bizarre as it was chilling – Kill Chancellor Olaf Scholz and overthrow Germany’s government.
So was the plot foiled during a counte…
For better or for worse? A transatlantic forecast for 2023.
In this first Transatlantic Takeaway with co-hosts Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and Rachel Tausendfreund, German Marshall Fund senior fellow Daniel Hegedus and GMF Paris office director Martin Quencez delv…