Common Ground Berlin

In our last episode of 2022, we tackle a topic that is timely, namely rail travel! Except these days, traveling by train in Europe is anything but timely. Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson explores what’s behind the chaos with Hidden Europe Magazine co-founder Nicky Gardner, author of Europe by Rail: the Definitive Guide, and communications professor and blogger Jon Worth. His grassroots “Cross Border Rail Project” featured in The New York Times lays bare the shortfalls of European rail travel.Produced by Sylvia Cunningham

In this first anniversary episode of Transatlantic Takeaway, a Common Ground Berlin and German Marshall Fund of the United States collaboration, hosts Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and Rachel Tausendfreund talk about the sweeping 10-month-long war Russia is waging in Ukraine and its impact on Europe and the United States with GMF Guido Goldman Distinguished Scholar for Geostrategy Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff and Michal Baranowski, senior fellow of the GMF office in Warsaw. Is there an end in sight for the war that has killed an estimated 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers, a similar number of Russian soldiers and 40,000 Ukrainian civilians?Produced by Sylvia Cunningham

Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and her guests debate a much anticipated change to an outdated German law that would allow Americans and other non-EU nationals who live in Germany to keep their original citizenship if they choose to become Germans. But will the updated law lessen the hurdles to German citizenship?This week’s guests are:Immigration lawyer Julie Schaefer, whose practice is in Dusseldorf;20 Percent Berlin co-founder Andrew BulkeleyBusiness and international relations journalist Ekrem Ekici Also featuring Peter Wägemann, Claudia Tessier and Elyzabeth Simpson.Produced by Dina Elsayed

Scores of nations are attending the 27th annual COP in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm-el Sheikh. Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson explores what the international gathering will deliver and whether climate diplomacy is enough to keep the planet from the point of no return, especially when leaders of some of the biggest polluters skip such summits. Her guests:Andrzej Ancygier, Senior Energy and Climate Policy Analyst with Climate Analytics;Lutz Weischer, Head of Policy, Berlin of Germanwatch e.V.;Luis von Randow, spokesman for Fridays for Future. Produced by Dina Elsayed.

Although a record turnout is expected on Nov. 8th, opinion surveys show many Americans no longer trust U.S. elections nor their government. Many Republican voters still embrace the “Big Lie” that President Trump had the 2020 election stolen from him. So what does the growing mistrust, President Joe Biden’s low ratings and the worst inflation in four decades mean for the midterm elections and American democracy in general? In this episode of Transatlantic Takeaway by Common Ground Berlin and the German Marshall Fund of the United States, host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson explores the controversial elections with:Sudha David-Wilp, GMF’s Senior Transatlantic Fellow and deputy director of the Berlin office.Jeremy Shapiro, research director at the European Council on Foreign Relations and a former advisor to the State Department during the Obama administration.Anna Sauerbrey, foreign editor of the weekly Die Zeit and a contributor to the New York Times op-ed section.Produced by Dina Elsayed. 

In Common Ground Berlin’s international debut at Podcastfestival 2022, host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and Mick ter Reehorst of Are We Europe broke delve into why the far right is thriving and what role the media and internet play in their propaganda with guests: Nina Horaczek, Viennese journalist whose work on far right movements was shortlisted for the 2019 European Press Prize;Bharath Ganesh, University of Groningen professor specializing in new media and political communication. This show was recorded live on Friday, Sept. 30 in Amsterdam in partnership with Are We Europe and Podcastfestival 2022 and was produced by Dina Elsayed and Stefano Montali. 

An insightful talk on Twitter Spaces about the current state of inflation in Europe and what the future holds for people and businesses, especially in Berlin.  Featuring Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and guests James Kantero of EU Scream podcast, Bloomberg tech reporter Aggi Cantril and Ted Knudsen, who co-hosts the podcast Spassbremse.This show was produced by Dina Elsayed. 

In this special episode of Common Ground Berlin, host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson interviews her favorite comedian ahead of his debut in Germany in September.They talk about performing in Europe and what his mom thinks of his comedy; his deep love of politics, and growing up Iranian in the United States. If there’s something you don’t know about Maz Jobrani, the answer might be in this episode!To catch one of his shows in Germany, look for tickets here.  This show was produced by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson and Dina Elsayed.  

In this episode of Transatlantic Takeaway, host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson examines whether plans announced six months ago by Chancellor Olaf Scholz to revolutionize Germany’s defense strategy are actually happening and if Ukraine can still count on Germany to stand against Russia. Her guests are Sudha David-Wilp, GMF Senior Transatlantic Fellow and deputy director of the Berlin office and Anna Sauerbrey, foreign editor of the weekly Die Zeit and a contributor to the New York Times op-ed section.This show was produced by Dina Elsayed

“Poor, but sexy” Berlin was famous for its cheap rents, but these days, the capital city is the second most expensive in Germany and among the 50 priciest in the world. Host Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson explores Berlin’s residential crisis brought on by a shortage of housing and inflation and what cities in Europe may offer a solution with guests:Barbara Steenbergen, head of the EU liaison office of the International Union of Tenants; Wibke Werner, deputy manager of the Berlin Tenants’ Union; Kalle Kunkel; housing rights activist with the campaign Expropriate Deutsche Wohnen and Co.;TV and newspaper journalist Erik Kirschbaum. This show was produced by Dina Elsayed.