Dr. Josef Braml

Dr Josef Braml is a highly renowned expert on the USA. He holds a doctorate in political science and is a trained banker. He has written award-winning books and articles in leading German newspapers and international trade journals.

In his exciting lectures, he explains in a practical way the decisive players in the power struggle of American business and politics. He also explains economic issues in broader geo-economic and geo-political contexts. Based on his practical experience in Washington's political establishment, the World Bank and as a staff member of world-leading think tanks, Dr. Braml understands how to analyse transformative trends in the global economy and politics and how to identify options for action.

Until the end of 2020, he worked for the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) - one of the world's most renowned think tanks, first as Managing Editor and Editor of the International Politics Yearbook and from June 2019 as Head of the Americas Program - for a total of 14 years.

He now brings his more than 20 years of research and experience in academic policy advice - at DGAP, the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), the Aspen Institute, the Brookings Institution, the World Bank and as a legislative advisor in the US House of Representatives - to teaching and research at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn. A transatlantic research and advisory focus is being established at the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS).

Furthermore, as Secretary General of the German Group of the Trilateral Commission, he works in cooperation with leading political and economic decision-makers worldwide to classify and defuse the increasingly problematic effects of great power rivalry between the USA and China for Germany and Europe.

In order to be able to assess the future foreign policy of Germany's most important ally and trading partner, the USA, it is necessary, according to Dr. Braml, to analyse in particular the economic and domestic political framework conditions of the world power.

According to Dr. Braml, the once undisputed supremacy of the American economy and politics is increasingly being called into question, especially by America's previous main financier, China.

While the USA is more concerned with itself and inward-looking in terms of trade policy, the power centre in Beijing wants to rise to old economic dominance with its comprehensive Silk Road initiative and expand its sphere of influence in the Pacific region, in Africa, in Central Asia and to Europe.

The intensifying rivalry between the ailing world power USA and the emerging Middle Kingdom is endangering Germany's and Europe's vital interests and forcing political and economic decision-makers in the Old World to think geostrategically.