Constitutions used to be a symbol of national identity. In democracies, they state the principles and ideals that citizens can rally around. But does this still work today?

We want to take a closer look at the role constitutions play in the United States and Germany. In trying times for Western societies, can constitutions still serve as a guideline and common ground for all? Or are these texts locked in the past and cannot help us as we argue about free speech, gun violence, minority rights, abortion, and the environment? Worse even, will they actually keep us from finding a way forward? 

Together, we debated these questions with German journalist and podcast host Hanna Israel and U.S. public historian Shelby Dains.  

Biographies

Hanna Israel is a freelance journalist, moderator and speaker. She is the former Head of the My Country Talks podcast at German weekly Die Zeit and has worked as “Responsible Editor” at German talk show Anne Will.

Shelby Dains is a public historian specializing in social and political history. She holds a Master’s degree in public history from UNC Charlotte. 

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This event is part of a series of online talks with young voters from both sides of the Atlantic:

Across the Pond – Politics, Power, Participation
Young Voters Talk

Politicians are being attacked, elections are deemed “rigged”, democratic institutions are called into question, checks and balances seem to cause constant gridlock, and extremists are gaining ground… 2024 looks like an election year that seemingly doesn’t offer much hope for the future - neither in Europe, nor the United States. In this series, we will hear from young voters from both sides of the Atlantic who share their ideas about how to move forward. More…