CASSIS Publications

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Election campaign in focus: Disinformation and the Bundestag election 2025³

The upcoming Bundestag election is threatened by foreign disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining trust in the democratic process. Russia, in particular, is relying on manipulated content and targeted influence on public opinion. Security authorities are responding with various measures to counter this threat.

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Enhancing European Space Access: Fostering Innovation Ecosystems to Strengthen EU Space Capabilities⁴

The relevance of the space sector will continue to increase in the future. Against the backdrop of the current geopolitical power shifts, the EU faces the challenge of developing a sustainable and robust strategy for the development of its own space capabilities. In the new CASSIS Policy Paper, Ulrich Schlie, Gregory Tutton and Philip Schäfer analyze the EU's strategic position in space and provide suggestions and impulses for improving Europe's space capabilities.

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Follow-Up: Global Health in Crisis⁵

Maximilian Schranner highlights the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) under Donald Trump, which represents less an unexpected break and more a continuation of the ongoing weakening of international health structures. In light of this development, the new federal government must acknowledge these new realities and work with international partners to establish a minimal global health protection framework.

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U.S.-China Digital Fragmentation Is Putting the World in a Bind⁶

Laura Mahrenbach and Maximilian Mayer write about the increasing digital fragmentation driven by regulation and national interests in major tech powers such as the U.S., China and the EU. To address the challenges and risks, they argue that countries should adopt a strategy of pragmatic resilience combined with cooperative approaches.

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Transatlantic Cooperation in the Chip War⁷

Philip Nock critically examines the U.S. and EU Chips Acts, which aim for a strategic realignment of semiconductor production, highlighting differences in funding, regulation and implementation approaches. The article concludes by emphasizing the urgency of strengthened transatlantic cooperation to reduce economic dependencies and ensure supply chain security in a world increasingly shaped by geopolitical challenges.

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Digital platforms in the agricultural sector: Dynamics of oligopolistic platformisation⁸

In their article, Monja Sauvagerd, Maximilian Mayer and Monika Hartmann introduce the concept of "oligopolistic platformisation" to explore the dynamics of collaboration and competition between multinational agribusinesses and Big Tech in the agricultural sector. They analyze this phenomenon through platform mechanisms such as datafication, selection, and commodification.

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The Contemporary German Navy as an Instrument of Foreign Policy⁹

In "The Contemporary German Navy as an Instrument of Foreign Policy," Moritz Brake demonstrates how the German Navy has established itself as an increasingly important instrument of foreign policy since the Cold War and the "Zeitenwende" (turning point). Brake outlines the development of the Navy and its growing role in maritime security and ocean governance, highlighting the rising significance of the Navy in the context of Germany's shifting geopolitical role in the 21st century. Over the past decades, the Navy has not only seen personnel growth but also received relatively higher investments compared to the Army and Air Force, reflecting its increased importance to German foreign policy.

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The Baltic Sea in Focus: A Geopolitical Hotspot of the Futur¹⁰

Joachim Weber and Wolfram Hiltz take a closer look at the growing geopolitical significance of the Baltic Sea. They analyze how the region is increasingly becoming the focus of global attention due to rising international tensions.

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Tianxia Under the Sea: China's Quest for Maritime History¹¹

Frederik Schmitz examines how China's political and academic discourses shape the image of a peaceful maritime state, with underwater archaeology playing a crucial role. At the heart of this narrative is the ancient concept of tianxia ("everything under the sky"), which supports the rise of China as a peaceful maritime power through historical documents and archaeological discoveries.

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Digital fragmentations, technological sovereignty and new perspectives on the global digital political economy¹²

In their article, Maximilian Mayer & Philip Nock discuss the interactions between digital sovereignty and the fragmentation of digital ecosystems and internet governance. They address "cyber-balkanisation" and related challenges to the global digital political economy, including implications for governance, economic autonomy and technological dependencies.

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Prof. Dr Heinemann-Grüder in an article for the Centre for Democratic Integrity¹³

In his article ‘Memory, Myth, and Militarisation: Russia's War Propaganda and the Construction of Legitimised Violence in Ukraine’, Prof. Dr. Heinemann-Grüder examines the narrative strategies of Russian war propaganda in the context of the war against Ukraine.

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From Automation to Autonomy: Human Machine Relations in the Age of Artificial Intelligence¹⁴

In this article, Caja Thimm, Gabriele Gramelsberger, Maximilian Mayer & Frank Piller shed light on the complex and interdisciplinary perspectives on autonomy in the digital era.

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Supporting structural biologists in Africa requires resources and capacity building¹⁵

The scientific analysis by Emmanuel Nji, Aurélien F. A. Moumbock, Katharina C. Cramer, Nicolas V. Rüffin, Jamaine Davis, Oluwatoyin A. Asojo, Julia J. Griese, Amma A. Larbi & Michel N. Fodje highlights the complex and transformative role of structural biology as a driver of sustainable development and global scientific cooperation. Asojo, Julia J. Griese, Amma A. Larbi & Michel N. Fodje highlights the complex and transformative role of structural biology as a driving force for sustainable development and global scientific co-operation.

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Dr Hüseyin I. Çiçek examines Turkey's religious diplomacy in Africa in his article¹⁶

Through religious diplomacy and the use of institutions such as the Diyanet and TİKA, Turkey is trying to expand its influence on the African continent and consolidate its leading role in the Muslim world.

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Dr Ali Fathollah-Nejad's paper examines Europe's reaction to Masoud Pezeshkian's election victory in Iran.¹⁷

In his latest publication, Dr Ali Fathollah-Nejad examines Europe's reaction to Masoud Pezeshkian's victory in the 2024 Iranian presidential election and challenges his portrayal as a reformist. In reality, Pezeshkian is loyal to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and promotes the interests of the regime rather than those of reform. In his paper, Fathollah-Nejad criticises Europe's overly optimistic attitude and warns against repeating past mistakes. He also highlights the growing security threats posed by Iran, including destabilisation in the Middle East, military support for Russia in Ukraine and - widely ignored - threats to European security in the Mediterranean. A shift in EU policy towards Iran is also proposed to better address these growing challenges.

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Klarheit im Denken - Theorie und Praxis strategischer Vorausschau und strukturierter Analysetechniken¹⁸

The authors of the book „Clarity in Thinking – Theory and Practice of Strategic Foresight and Structured Analytical Techniques” are Ole Donner, Oliver Gnad, and Randolph H. Pherson. The book integrates cognitive psychology with structured analytical techniques and provides clear and precise guidance for improving decision-making. It demonstrates how to effectively apply structured techniques in practice to simplify complex decision-making processes and make informed predictions.

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Routledge Handbook on Global China¹⁹

A scientific analysis by Maximilian Mayer, Emilian Kavalski, Marina Rudyak and Xin Zhang on the complex and transformative nature of Global China.

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Faith and confession in the German resistance against Hitler²⁰

In the commemorative publication for Andreas Sohn, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie describes the role of the Christian faith in the German resistance against Hitler.

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The Challenges of Protecting Critical Undersea Infrastructure²¹

In his publication, Dr. Frank Umbach analyses the security policy challenges for NATO in defending critical undersea infrastructure against Russia.

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The memory of July 20, 1944: more relevant than ever today²²

On the 80th anniversary of the failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler on July 20, 1944, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie discusses the significance of the memorial day today.

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Ludwig Erhard - Experiences for the future. My time as Chancellor (1963-1966)²³

More than 45 years after his death, the memoirs of the German Chancellor and father of the economic miracle Ludwig Erhard are now being published. The work is edited by Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie in cooperation with the Ludwig Erhard Foundation.

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Reichsgraf Paul Wolff Metternich zur Gracht²⁴

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlies' article in the “New German Biography” provides an overview of the life and work of the diplomat Paul Metternich as German ambassador in London from 1901 to 1912, who was a great advocate of German-British rapprochement throughout his life.

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Neo-Ottoman Soft Power: AKP’s Strategic Use of Turkish-Islamic Organizations in the German-Speaking Diaspora²⁵

In his new specialist publication, PD Dr. Hüseyin Çiçek sheds light on how the AKP is increasingly relying on soft power as a power mechanism alongside established political alliances in order to promote its interests internationally. Particular attention is paid to addressing and integrating the Turkish diaspora through emotional and cultural ties. The analysis also touches on the impact of the AKP's minority policy on its foreign policy ambitions.

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Strategic competition in space: politics, law, security and economics in space²⁶

For the first time since the end of the Cold War, this anthology takes stock of the current activities, legal framework, political and military lines of conflict and areas of cooperation as well as further trends and challenges in space. On the one hand, the legal, military, economic and technological challenges of the growing importance of this strategically important area are analyzed. On the other hand, the ability and need for action of selected space powers, their cooperation possibilities and conflict potentials as well as the need for international political regulation are worked out and, based on this, political recommendations for action are presented.

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The ministerial dismissals of Rudolf Scharping (SPD) and Norbert Röttgen (CDU) in comparative perspective²⁷

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlies' contribution provides a comparative historical analysis of the ministerial dismissals of Rudolf Scharping as Defense Minister by Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in July 2002 and of Norbert Röttgen as Environment Minister by Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel in May 2012.

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