Common Ground Berlin

Immigrants and their descendants account for a quarter of Germany’s population, but still have a hard time breaking into the political arena. Will any of that change this election year? Is the first-…

What accounts for the slow digitalization of Europe’s economic powerhouse? 

Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson explores Germany’s digital reality with Social Democratic MP Daniela Kolbe, who serves on the Ar…

Affordable housing in German cities is increasingly hard to find. What went wrong and can it be fixed? 

Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson talks with Berlin housing activist Thomas McGath of Expropriate Deut…

Where are we in the fight to curb climate change? And will having Joe Biden as the U.S. president help?  Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson talks to Douglas Hengel, senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund…

Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson talks to Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck, founder of the news literacy project Lie Detectors in Brussels; Lisa Dittmer, Reporters without Borders’ advocacy officer in Berlin …

The coronavirus vaccination efforts in Germany and the EU are a mess. Why are some countries so much better at getting people inoculated? Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson is joined by Die Welt Middle East…

E-learning isn’t working the way many students, teachers and parents would like. Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson explores the ramifications with psychologist Dr. Ilka Wolter, diversity consultant and par…

The California company's new facility in Brandenburg is set to open this summer, leaving Germany’s auto giants scrambling to retain their dominance in the global luxury car market.

Common Ground host …

 Unprecedented bans by the U.S.-based tech giants are sparking debate in Germany over who should control social media.

Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson is joined by German MP (Greens) Renate Künast, Bloomb…

On the last episode of Common Ground in 2020, host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson talks to a man who has profoundly influenced Berlin and transatlantic relations for many decades: Former U.S. Ambassador to G…

During KCRW Berlin’s last week on air, we're sharing the story behind the story. Listen to the second of a special, two-part episode in collaboration with Studio Berlin, where we reflect on our favor…

Tune into the first part of a special, two-part episode with Studio Berlin. 

This show was produced by Monika Müller-Kroll. 

Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson is joined by Christian Gräff, CDU member of the Berlin House of Representatives; Christian Stender, culture manager at Ketering GmbH that organizes the Lucia Christmas Mar…

Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson talks to Helen Arvanitakis, director of London's new Design District; James Andrade, senior vice President and Head of Learning and Innovation at CapitaLand in Singapore a…

Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson is joined by Bundestag member Daniela De Ridder (SPD), who is vice-chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee; Bloomberg Opinion columnist Andreas Kluth;  Stormy-Annika M…

Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson is joined by Said Ahmad Arif, Imam at the Khadija mosque in Berlin; David Wengenroth, editor at the Lutheran news outlet, Idea; Sadiqu Al-Mousllie, Central Council of Musl…

Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson is joined by John Emerson, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany; Kathryn Watts, Pendleton Miller Chair in Law at the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle; Peter …

Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson talks to Wenke Christoph, state secretary in the Berlin Senate Department for Urban Development and Housing, Christian Eckart, an attorney and partner at Redeker Sellner D…