All Publications

The quality of democracy in the OECD and EU has declined in recent years. At the same time, growing political polarization has made the day-to-day work of governance and thus member states’ capacity to reform more difficult. As a cross-national survey of governance, the...

Good relations with neighbouring countries are a central concern of German and European foreign policy. The EU's Neighbourhood Policy aims to achieve security, prosperity and stability for its neighbours to the east and south. But Russia, Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia also...

During the cross-border German-Polish EU Citizens’ Dialogue, 200 citizens from Poland and Germany discussed the topic “Democracy lives from participation”, first in small groups and then with EU politicians. The short report includes participants’ evaluation of the...

This year's Reinhard Mohn Prize "Living Diversity – Shaping Society" went to Joachim Gauck, our former Federal President. The Bertelsmann Stiftung recognizes him as a bridge builder in a culturally diverse society.

As a result of immigration, people with different cultures and traditions and greater religious diversity are now living together. How can coexistence in cultural diversity be achieved? The special analysis of our 2017 Religion Monitor explores this question and examines the...

Religious, cultural and linguistic diversity has always been a reality in Germany. Yet determining what constitutes success in terms of dealing with diversity on a day-to-day basis is a matter often subject to debate. Demonstrating respect for each other while living...

Religious, cultural and linguistic diversity has always been a reality in Germany. Yet determining what constitutes success in terms of dealing with diversity on a day-to-day basis is a matter often subject to debate. Demonstrating respect for each other while living...

Religious, cultural and linguistic diversity has always been a reality in Germany. Yet determining what constitutes success in terms of dealing with diversity on a day-to-day basis is a matter often subject to debate. Demonstrating respect for each other while living...

Managing the peaceful transition of authoritarian states to democracy and a market-economic system represents a tremendous challenge. Whether it comes to reconstituting the coherency of the state following armed conflict, expanding participation rights and the rule of law in...

The European citizens’ initiative is being reformed – and that’s a good thing. To date, the media have hardly reported on this young participation instrument. But if the citizens’ initiative is to have any impact in Brussels, it needs more public awareness.