Thomas Mann House Events Archive
April 2025
Defending Democracy: The German Approach
UCLA Law School, Faculty Library
Info
Join us for a free webinar to discuss Germany's recent elections, which saw the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party become the second-most popular political force as well as the growing American retreat from Europe. This political shift has raised concerns about Germany's future direction and its impact on NATO, especially as the U.S. under President Trump signals a retreat from European engagements. Chancellor-elect Friedrich Merz has advocated for increased European defense capabilities, including discussions on sharing nuclear weapons among Germany, France, and Britain, to bolster deterrence.
Participants
Ronen Steinke, born in Erlangen, grew up in the small Jewish community of Nuremberg. As a political editor at Süddeutsche Zeitung, he focuses on civil and human rights in his commentaries, essays, and columns. His legal dissertation on war crimes tribunals (2011) was praised as a “masterpiece” by FAZ. His publications, including the 2022 bestseller Vor dem Gesetz sind nicht alle gleich, have sparked significant political discourse. His biography of Fritz Bauer, prosecutor of the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials (2013), was adapted into an award-winning film and translated into multiple languages. Since 2023, he has been a lecturer at the Institute for Criminal Science and Philosophy of Law at Goethe University Frankfurt and is currently an Honorary Fellow at the Thomas Mann House.
Alexandra Lieben is the deputy director of the Ronald W. Burkle Center for International Relations and lecturer at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. She also served as faculty advisor for the UCLA Anderson School’s Applied Management Research Program and is an affiliated faculty member of the Promise Institute for Human Rights at the UCLA School of Law. A certified mediator, she teaches a. o. constructive communication and alternative dispute resolution to undergraduate and graduate students at UCLA. For more than a decade, she has held seminars in a. o. crisis prevention, crisis de-escalation, and constructive communication for leaders and rank-and-file of public safety and public sector agencies.
Partner
This event is organized by UCLA Burkle Center.
Towards a Just Future: Transatlantic Perspectives on Justice Reform
Goethe-Institut San Francisco (657 Howard St, San Francisco, CA 94105, United States)
Info
Join Ronen Steinke, legal scholar, award-winning author, and Thomas Mann House Fellow, who focuses on civil rights and the intersection of law and politics, and Yoana Tchoukleva, attorney, policy analyst, and project creator dedicated to advancing a community-led vision for justice, healing, and transformation, for a compelling conversation on justice reform. Their discussion will explore key issues in legal systems and reform, fostering a transatlantic dialogue between the US and Germany. This conversation offers a unique opportunity to engage with two leading thinkers on pressing legal and social challenges, providing valuable insights into the evolving landscape of justice across borders.
Participants
Ronen Steinke, born in Erlangen, grew up in the small Jewish community of Nuremberg. As a political editor at Süddeutsche Zeitung, he focuses on civil and human rights in his commentaries, essays, and columns. His legal dissertation on war crimes tribunals (2011) was praised as a “masterpiece” by FAZ. His publications, including the 2022 bestseller Vor dem Gesetz sind nicht alle gleich, have sparked significant political discourse. His biography of Fritz Bauer, prosecutor of the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials (2013), was adapted into an award-winning film and translated into multiple languages. Since 2023, he has been a lecturer at the Institute for Criminal Science and Philosophy of Law at Goethe University Frankfurt and is currently an Honorary Fellow at the Thomas Mann House.
Partner
This event is organized by the Goethe-Institut San Francisco.
