As part of the virtual 2020 German-American Conference, Atlantik-Brücke and the American Council on Germany held a joint video discussion titled »Changing Demographics: Diversity in the United States and Germany«. The speakers were Prof. Dr. Petra Bendel, Professor of Political Science, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, The Honorable Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, United States House of Representatives, Janet Murguia, President and CEO, UNIDOS, and Cem Oezdemir, MdB (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Deutscher Bundestag.
The discussion was moderated by Michael Werz, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress, and Member of Atlantik-Brücke’s Board of Directors
The panel discussed the demographic shifts taking place in both Germany and the United States and the likely effects of such changes. The United States is likely to become a “majority-minority” country by the early 2040s, and German society is becoming increasingly diverse – with nearly a quarter of the population with a migration background – and also aging quickly. The panelists also debated how transatlantic relations can become more inclusive and how changing demographics demographic might help – or hinder – transatlantic cooperation.