Grüezi Amerika. Views from the Sister Republic

Claudia Franziska Brühwiler
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Since January 20, 2025, we are officially in the era of Trump 2.0. But is it, will it be any different from Trump 1.0? And what do the events across the Atlantic mean for us in Europe?  My name is Claudia Franziska Brühwiler, and I am a professor of American Political Thought and Culture at the University of St.Gallen.  This podcast will take a closer look at current events through the lens of American history, politics, and culture. Sometimes, I will keep it short and share with you my analysis, thoughts, or some background story to what is happening. At other occasions, we will hear from guests from across the HSG community and beyond, who give us new insights into US politics, business, culture, and society.   We will look at the US from the perspective of its sister republic Switzerland. We often get hung up on what separates the US from Switzerland, while in fact we share not only great economic relations. Did you know, for instance, that America’s longest serving finance minister was born in Geneva – and one of our past Federal Councillors had fought in the Civil War? There’s a lot to discover – so I hope you’ll join us!  Cover Art: Anne Fritsch

  1. Episode 46 – Trumponomics 2.0

    3D AGO

    Episode 46 – Trumponomics 2.0

    Uncertainty on the tariff front, the war in Iran with the blockage of the strait of Hormuz, and a dissatisfied population: 61 percent of Americans feel that the economy is getting worse, and many wonder how the president wants to turn the situation around prior to the Midterm elections on November 3. Is there anything in the toolbox of Trumponomics 2.0 that can remedy the current situation? Or are things not as bleak as people feel? At the occasion of the 55th St.Gallen Symposium, "Grüezi Amerika" seized the opportunity to discuss these questions with Rüdiger Bachmann. Professor Rüdiger Bachmann is a renowned economist with a truly transatlantic career: after his studies at the University of Mainz, he went to Yale University and started his academic career in the Midwest, at the University of Michigan. Before returning to Ann Arbor as a full professor, he held positions at RWTH Aachen, the University of Frankfurt and at the University of Notre Dame, in addition to several guest appointments. He regularly provides commentary on US politics and economics in media outlets such as Deutschlandfunk, ARD, and Phoenix.

    51 min
  2. Episode 45 – Der amerikanische Traum «made in China»?

    APR 26

    Episode 45 – Der amerikanische Traum «made in China»?

    Als der Historiker und Autor James T. Adams 1931 den Begriff des «amerikanischen Traums» prägte, war dieser in materieller Hinsicht für die Mehrheit der Amerikaner tot: Das Land steckte inmitten der Grossen Depression, statt auf Aufstieg hoffte man in erster Linie auf Überleben. Gerade deshalb betonte Adams, dass es beim amerikanischen Traum um mehr gehe als ein schickes Auto oder andere Besitztümer. Und tatsächlich betonen auch heute noch die Amerikaner unterschiedliche Aspekte, wenn sie den amerikanischen Traum definieren. Ob es um Stabilität oder Aufstieg geht, noch glaubt knapp die Mehrheit an die Erfüllbarkeit ihres Traums – aber die Totsagungen werden immer lauter. Derweil ist andernorts ein grosser Traum erwacht: 2012 sprach Xi Jinping, Präsident der Volksrepublik China, erstmals vom chinesischen Traum und dessen Erfüllung in der Great Rejuvenation. Wie amerikanisch ist dieser chinesische Traum? Und kann er dieselbe Sogkraft entwickeln, wie es der amerikanische Traum getan hat? Antworten weiss Professor Ralph Weber von der Universität Basel: Einst studierte er an der Universität St.Gallen Staatswissenschaften und promovierte bei uns zur politischen Philosophie von Tu Weiming. Nach einer Oberassistenz an der Universität Zürich führte ihn sein Weg ans Europainstitut Basel, wo er mittlerweile als Associate Professor lehrt und forscht. In seiner Arbeit setzt sich Ralph unter anderem auch mit dem Verhältnis Schweiz-China auseinander, nachzulesen beispielsweise im Bericht zur «Situation der tibetischen und uigurischen Gemeinschaften in der Schweiz: Effektive und wahrgenommene Druckausübung» oder in «Unified message, rhizomatic delivery: A preliminary analysis of PRC/CCP influence and the united front in Switzerland». Gemeinsam mit PD Dr. Ariane Knüsel hat er eine Geschichte der schweizerisch-chinesischen Beziehungen verfasst, Die Schweiz und China: Von den Opiumkriegen bis zur Neuen Seidenstrasse (2024). Buchempfehlung von Ralph Weber: Ling Li, Governance of a Party-state: Corruption, Law, and the Modus Operandi of the Chinese Communist Party.

    48 min
  3. Episode 44 – A Pyrrhic Victory for the US and Israel?

    APR 10

    Episode 44 – A Pyrrhic Victory for the US and Israel?

    In late February, Israeli airstrikes—soon joined by the United States—targeted key sites across Iran, triggering a chain reaction that has reshaped the Middle East almost overnight. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks across the region and, in a move with massive global implications, closed the Strait of Hormuz, sending shockwaves through energy markets and international trade. At the same time, the internal balance of power in Tehran appears to be shifting, with the Revolutionary Guard stepping into an even more dominant role. Shortly after threatening Iran with “the destruction of their civilization,” President Trump announced a two-week long ceasefire. Does this signify, as historian Niall Ferguson suggested, a possible Pyrrhic victory for the US and Israel? Are we witnessing the beginning of a larger regional war, a forced reset of the nuclear question, or the early stages of a negotiated settlement? And how stable is Iran’s regime under the current level of pressure? We discuss these questions with Dr. Raz Zimmt, renowned expert on Iranian politics, society, and foreign policy. Dr. Raz Zimmt is the Director of the Iran and the Shiite Axis research program at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), an independent think tank affiliated with the University of Tel Aviv. He regularly provides expert commentary to Israeli and international media, including German-speaking outlets such as Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Spiegel, Frankfurter Rundschau, and Tagesspiegel. In addition to his work at INSS, he is a research fellow at the Alliance Center for Iranian Studies at Tel-Aviv University. His background is in Middle Eastern history, with a Master’s degree and a Ph.D. from Tel Aviv University, and he is the author of the book Iran From Within: State and Society in the Islamic Republic published (in Hebrew; 2022). Dr. Zimmt is a veteran Iran watcher in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) where he served for more than two decades. Recommendations: Dr. Zimmt recommends Iranian cinema to gain a better understanding of the country's society and culture. FilmInk lists a few must-seesTagesAnzeiger has curated a list of seven films

    44 min
  4. Episode 43 – Special Episode: The US Strikes against Iran

    MAR 4

    Episode 43 – Special Episode: The US Strikes against Iran

    The President who had promised an end of “forever wars” and of unnecessary entanglements has greenlit strikes against Iran. Since February 28, Iran is under US and Israeli attack; Ayatollah Khamenei was among the first of the Irani leadership to be killed. President Trump has called on the Iranian people to “take back their country” and has promised the operation to be concluded within five weeks. While few observers mourn the possible demise of the Islamic theocracy, many fear that the US and Israel might have unleashed a regional conflict with a more than doubtful ending. How do the strikes fit into the security strategy as it had been outlined by the Trump Administration? How does Trump’s war put “America First” and fit into “MAGA”? And can we make out a Trump doctrine after all? In this episode we are dissecting these questions with St.Gallen’s security policy expert and Professor of International Relations, James W. Davis. Professor James Davis has been a fixture for HSG students in International Affairs since 2005 when he left Munich to take on St.Gallen’s Chair in International Relations. Originally from Michigan, he first studied at Michigan State University and then went on to obtain both his Master’s and his PhD from Columbia. He has held positions at various leading research institutions, for instance at Harvard’s John M. Olin Institute for Strategic Studies, and he has received numerous awards and accolades for his work, including the 2011 Credit Suisse Award for Best Teaching, Awarded by the Student Union of the University of St.Gallen. Prof. Davis bridges research and practice, as he has most recently demonstrated by co-initiating the European Nuclear Study Group (ENSG) which he is co-chairing alongside Dr. Tobias Bunde (Munich Security Conference & Hertie School), and Dr. Claudia Major (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, Berlin).

    32 min
  5. Episode 42 – Special Episode: The Trouble with Chagos

    FEB 27

    Episode 42 – Special Episode: The Trouble with Chagos

    Disputes over territory seem to be the new norm in transatlantic relations: after fears over the world’s largest island Greenland rattled the entirety of Europe, the fate of a small archipelago in the Indian Ocean has worsened US-UK relations. In 2024, the United Kingdom reached an agreement with Mauritius, transferring sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago to the latter. Earlier, President Trump applauded the deal – but he has since backtracked and demands that the UK keep sovereignty over the group of islands. What’s the trouble with Chagos? And why has its status been disputed for decades? We are breaking down the background of this conflict with Professor Thomas Burri who has been following the story of Chagos for several years. Professor Thomas Burri is the co-editor of The International Court of Justice and Decolonisation: New Directions from the Chagos Advisory Opinion and has started a series of papers on “Phenomenal International Law,” focusing first on the case of Chagos. Since 2011, he has been teaching International and European Law at the University of St.Gallen where he received the Impact Award for launching «The First University of St.Gallen Grand Challenge – The EU A.I. Act 2023.» Professor Burri received his education at University of Zurich (Dr. iur.), in Bruges (College of Europe, LLM), Basel and Paris (Lic. iur., University of Basel). Recommendations: Philippe Sands, The Last ColonyDavid Vine, Island of Shame

    39 min
  6. Episode 41 – Trump, Tariffs, and the Court

    FEB 23

    Episode 41 – Trump, Tariffs, and the Court

    It's a landmark case: in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump (2026), the Supreme Court declared Donald J. Trump's tariff regime unconstitutional. Specifically, the Court holds that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorize the President to impose tariffs. Expectedly, the President denounced the decision and the three conservative Justices who went with the 6:3 majority, including Chief Justice Roberts. We are trying to make sense of it all with Prof. Christoph Frei. Prof. emeritus Christoph Frei teaches history of political thought, international governance, and world politics at the University of St.Gallen. An award-winning researcher and lecturer, he spent formative research years in the United States and has maintained strong ties to the States throughout his career. Further reading: Ilya Shapiro, Supreme DisorderClaudia F. Brühwiler, "Politiker in Roben? Der Supreme Court und der Vorwurf der Politisierung", Alexandria (full text) content / Richterzeitung (pay wall): Politiker in Roben?Oren Cass and the future of American conservatism | HSG Focus 25/01 (includes link to the podcast episode with Chris Griswold) und The Federalist Papers

    38 min
  7. Episode 40 –Henry Wirz, Swiss War Criminal of the Civil War

    FEB 15

    Episode 40 –Henry Wirz, Swiss War Criminal of the Civil War

    Nov. 10, 1865: Heinrich “Henry” Wirz is executed as only one of three men tried, convicted, and executed for war crimes during the Civil War – a Swiss who had fought for the Confederacy. As Captain, he had been in charge of Andersonville Prison, a prisoner-of-war camp in Georgia, and he would be held responsible for the dire conditions under which Union soldiers were held there: “45,000 Union soldiers were imprisoned there, and nearly 13,000 died from disease, poor sanitation, malnutrition, overcrowding, or exposure”. How did Wirz, born in Zurich, end up commanding Andersonville? And was he a mere scapegoat or the monster he was made out to be? Historian Dr. Ben Cloyd will help us shed light on Wirz’s story. Dr. Cloyd wrote one of the few books that give us insight into Heinrich “Henry” Wirz’s time at Andersonville Prison: Haunted by Atrocity: Civil War Prisons in American Memory focuses on the role of military prison camps in post-Civil War memory and myths. Dr. Cloyd graduated from Louisiana State University with a Master’s degree and a PhD; earlier, obtained a Bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Notre Dame. Nowadays, he is part of the leadership of Mississippi Delta Community College where he serves as Vice President of Enrollment Management. Recommended reading: The Destructive War: William Tecumseh Sherman, Stonewall Jackson, and the Americans

    39 min
  8. Episode 39 – Grönlandträume

    JAN 23

    Episode 39 – Grönlandträume

    «We need Greenland» – nicht zur Miete, sondern als Besitz, erklärte US-Präsident Donald J. Trump mehrfach, zuletzt auch am World Economic Forum in Davos. Doch dann löste sich die Anspannung: Ein Abkommen mit der NATO sei in Sicht, verkündete er nur Stunden nach einer Rede, in der er zwar einen Militärschlag zur Besitzergreifung ausgeschlossen, den Besitzanspruch aber nochmals unterstrichen hatte. Nie wurde intensiver über das Schicksal der grössten Insel der Welt gesprochen – und nie fühlte sich die dortige Bevölkerung mehr als Spielball anderer. Gemeinsam mit Prof. Dania Achermann erweitern wir den Blick auf Grönland, von der Trumpschen Begehrlichkeit auf ein Territorium mit wechselhafter Geschichte und grosser Bedeutung für die Wissenschaft. Prof. Dania Achermann ist Associate Professorin an der School of Humanities and Social Sciences der Universität St.Gallen und befasst sich mit Wissenschafts- und Technikgeschichte. Zuvor war sie Juniorprofessorin an der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal, wo sie unter anderem zur Entstehung der Eisbohrkernforschung gearbeitet hat. Vor ihrem Doktorat an der Aarhus University und der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München studierte sie in Zürich Allgemeine Geschichte, Geographie und englische Linguistik. Tipps Exploring Greenland: Cold War Science and Technology on IceNoch nie unabhängig: Wem gehört Grönland?Peter Hoeg, Fräulein Smillas Gespür für Schnee (1992)Grönland: Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte 38/2025

    39 min
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Since January 20, 2025, we are officially in the era of Trump 2.0. But is it, will it be any different from Trump 1.0? And what do the events across the Atlantic mean for us in Europe?  My name is Claudia Franziska Brühwiler, and I am a professor of American Political Thought and Culture at the University of St.Gallen.  This podcast will take a closer look at current events through the lens of American history, politics, and culture. Sometimes, I will keep it short and share with you my analysis, thoughts, or some background story to what is happening. At other occasions, we will hear from guests from across the HSG community and beyond, who give us new insights into US politics, business, culture, and society.   We will look at the US from the perspective of its sister republic Switzerland. We often get hung up on what separates the US from Switzerland, while in fact we share not only great economic relations. Did you know, for instance, that America’s longest serving finance minister was born in Geneva – and one of our past Federal Councillors had fought in the Civil War? There’s a lot to discover – so I hope you’ll join us!  Cover Art: Anne Fritsch

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