From the Editor

Hallo allerseits,

Herzlich willkommen to the 7th edition of Politik:Perspektive. To any long-time readers out there: it’s a pleasure to have you back! We’re excited to bring you a fresh set of articles from an amazing group of writers. To any first-time readers of the journal: a hearty welcome! Regardless of how you found us, we hope you enjoy flicking through our latest edition and are able to learn something new. You might even feel inspired to write for our next issue…

As the new editor of PP, it’s an honour being able to continue the work of my predecessors and to contribute to an incredible student-led journal that certainly does justice to the diversity and depth of German Studies. The entire process has been a joy to follow, from discussing article ideas and potential improvements with the writers to planning the look and feel of the journal with Maia Barrett, the graphic designer of the issue.

I’d first like to congratulate all of our writers for their fascinating, analytical and insightful work. They have covered so many aspects of politics, society and culture in the German-speaking world without any overlap – gut gemacht! Secondly, I’d like to thank Maia Barrett, our graphic designer and a fellow student at the University of Leeds, for designing such a stylistically exciting issue. Writing and editing the articles is only half the work; Maia turned the incredible contributions of our writers into a fully-fleshed journal. Vielen Dank!

In this edition, you’ll read about the ongoing and arduous process of legalising cannabis in Germany, the life story of Austrian political writer Jura Soyfer, and the state of German current affairs one year after the federal election – to name just a few topics. After reading the issue, you’ll be able to say a thing or two about Austrian neutrality, comment on Germany’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and you’ll even be able to explain the term Vergangenheitsbewältigung within the context of German colonialism. There is one thing we can definitely promise you – every single page of this journal is worth a read!

Viel Spaß beim Lesen!

Liebe Grüße, Katie