Young DGAP Fellowship

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Fellowship – Bewerbung beendet

 

At a Glance

Duration of the current cycle: October 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024    
Number of fellows: 4
Location: Berlin and online                 

The Young DGAP Fellowship 2023/2024 has been completed. The call for applications for the next cycle (starting in October) will be published here this summer.

Young DGAP

Founded in 2008, Young DGAP offers programs and innovative event formats tailored to young foreign policy professionals. These are created as additional DGAP offerings for all members under the age of 35 that offer information and networking on topics such as training, getting started professionally, and careers. In particular, we also call on our young members to get involved, e.g., to initiate and carry out events themselves. Young DGAP aims to provide its members with a helpful, inspiring platform through which to become active in foreign affairs and to set YOUNG impulses in foreign policy!

Program Description

As part of a Young DGAP Fellowship, each fellow develops his or her own policy project in collaboration with experts from the DGAP Research Institute. Through this connection, fellows can help shape debates on foreign and security policy internally at (Young) DGAP and represent it externally, for example by organizing and participating in panel discussions or by giving keynote addresses. The fellowship can serve as a springboard for making one’s own expertise known to a wider professional audience and gaining experience in think tank work. A Young DGAP Fellowship offers a wide range of opportunities to deepen one’s knowledge in the field of foreign policy and to expand one’s network in politics, academia, and civil society. In all of this, fellows can draw on the experience, expertise, and networking of the DGAP Research Institute.

Professional guidance throughout the fellowship is provided by a mentor from the DGAP Research Institute. These mentors are contact persons for all content-related questions. They also support the fellows in the development and implementation of their innovative policy projects, provide assistance, and open doors to the policy world..

Main Topics for 2023/2024

In cooperation with the DGAP Research Institute, the projects in the 2023/2024 cycle focused on data science as applied to these four topics: 

Topic 1: Norms in Cyberspace

The DGAP project “Norms in Cyberspace” analyzed the emergence of norms within the United Nations’ Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) and its Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) as well as in state-led cyber operations. In particular, it focused on better understanding how emerging technologies such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things shape the character of cyber norms. 

Against this background, the project of the Young DGAP Fellow examined how states define critical infrastructure. We visualized the data collected on a world map with interactive elements and made the results publicly available. The project ties into the 2021–2025 OEWG for the Security and Use of Information and Communications Technology and helps to create greater transparency and strengthen trust across borders.

The website of the “Norms in Cyberspace” project

Fellow:

Mentors:

Topic 2: Civilian Stabilization

 

The societies in the states of the Sahel are confronted with armed groups, climate change impacts, strong population growth, insecure governance, and other challenges. Niger – with a democratically elected government that showed no interest in Russian influence and had pursued partnerships with many European states – had long been seen as an anchor of stability in this region. However, the coup of July 26, 2023, changed circumstances there. The fact that no one seems to have been prepared for it illustrates the lack of oversight in the numerous military and civilian collaborations with Niger. In view of the current developments, the DGAP project on “Civilian Stabilitzation” could adapt dynamically; the same held true for the activities of the accompanying Young DGAP Fellowship project.

The partnerships of the Nigerien government with international governments (e.g., Germany, France) and multilateral actors (e.g., United Nations, European Union, West African Economic Community) were of particular interest to it. Historical developments – such as how economic and military cooperation with China, Egypt, and Germany has changed over the years – were examined quantitatively. Here, for example, processing and presenting the previous deliveries of military material from various sources to the Nigerien government was useful. In addition, qualitative studies supplemented the evaluation to develop explanations for any changes. It was also possible to take a look at the current structure of actors and visualize the confusing situation.

The website of the “Civilian Stabilitzation” project

 

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Topic 3: Influencers, Disinformation, and Democracy in the Digital Age

Maintaining and restoring trust in democracy is an important goal of the German government and the EU. DGAP’s Center for Geopolitics, Geoeconomics, and Technology is investigating this highly topical and urgent issue as part of the German-American project “Influencers, Disinformation, and Democracy in the Digital Age” that examines disinformation and other online vulnerabilities in democracies through influencers.

Digital spaces worldwide are being manipulated by a growing number of paid professionals, state-sponsored agents, and ideologically motivated individuals. Access to increasingly powerful tools, especially in the field of AI, as well as the continued lack of protection for platforms and the dismantling of their election integrity and disinformation teams create poor conditions for 2024 –  a year in which up to 70 elections will take place worldwide, including the European Parliament elections, the US presidential election, and elections in Ukraine and Taiwan, among others.

This Young DGAP Fellowship project aimed to quantitatively examine how AI is increasingly being used in ongoing or future political campaigns as part of influence operations. It focused on its impact on politics, elections, and campaigns.

The website of the “Influencers, Disinformation, and Democracy in the Digital Age” project

 

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Topic 4: Climate Migration

Climate-related migration is not a fictitious future scenario, but is already a reality. In the past decade, more than 20 million people have been forced to flee as a result of climate and weather-related disasters. According to scientific findings, even if the 1.5 degree limit is adhered to, the situation will become significantly worse. In many places, global warming will lead to a deterioration in living conditions. At higher levels of warming, certain areas may even become uninhabitable. The ability to migrate will thus become an instrument for ensuring survival.


German foreign and development policy – as well as, to some extent domestic policy – must take this reality into account. Despite intensive scientific research on the subject, there is a lack of concrete political progress that would improve the situation of people who are forced to migrate in the context of climate change. In this context, this Young DGAP Fellowship project aimed to make a contribution through supporting the targeted policy advice and networking offered by our partnership with the Robert Bosch Foundation.

The website of the project “Klimamigration im Spiegel der deutschen Außen- und Entwicklungspolitik”

 

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An Accompanying Training Program

In addition to receiving professional support, the fellows benefit from a structured training program that is carried out in cooperation with the Impact & Innovation Lab. It accompanies the fellows in the process of implementing their policy projects. In interactive workshops, experts impart practical knowledge, instruments, and important framework conditions for innovative and effective think tank work. In addition, various networking activities take place, giving fellows the opportunity to get to know their mentors better and to exchange ideas with other staff members at DGAP and beyond.

Participation in the training modules is a mandatory part of the fellowship. The modules for the next cohort will be similar to those used in the previous cycle. DGAP reserves the right to make program changes at any time. 

Think Tank School 2024 - Curriculum

 

Past Cohorts

The 2022/2023 Cycle

Topic 1: Complex challenges to domestic and foreign policy: the nexus between internal and external security.

Mentor: Miriam Katharina Heß, Security and Defense Program

Fellow: Verena Wingerter

Topics such as migration, technology, terrorism, extremism and climate cannot (or no longer) be adequately addressed by the classical division into matters of domestic and foreign policy. Both policymakers and researchers in political science and international relations still find it difficult to link internal and external security policy in such a way that a usable framework can emerge. Conceptual challenges include the understanding of "internal security" as distinct from "external security," as well as questions about the meaning of "internal" as "domestic" or as "intra-European." Further then those aspects which are part of our external security as part of other, non-European regions and those which are also to be treated as aspects of our internal security. It is not sufficient to think boldly and broadly only within one discipline, an interdisciplinary view corresponding to the challenge is needed in order to be able to identify conceptual core questions as well as future trends, relevant stakeholders and topics.

Desired subject expertise: e.g. law, futurology, physics, IT, data science, geography, biology, engineering.

Topic 2: China and the geopolitics of digital infrastructure: What are the consequences of the current situation for innovation and Europe's technological competitiveness?

Mentor: Dr. Tim Rühlig, Technology and Global Affairs Program

Fellow: Felix Klein

Europe has largely banned Chinese technology giant Huawei from its market. But European providers are also visibly disappearing from the rollout of the 5G network in China. This raises questions for innovation and long-term technological competitiveness as more innovative technology is deployed in the Chinese market. As a critical digital infrastructure, the development of wireless networks is central to Europe's digital competitiveness and strategic autonomy. How do the policy frameworks and their technical implementation differ in wireless infrastructure in Europe and China? What are the implications for the development of future technology, in particular 6G? What are the implications of these developments for Europe's technological competitiveness?

These questions are at the core of this project and include political, regulatory, economic and technological dimensions. In addition to supervision by DGAP, fellows will also have access to a joint research project with other European China researchers and engineers.

Desired subject expertise: Technical understanding of wireless network infrastructure (e.g. through computer science or engineering studies).

Topic 3: The lost innocence of weather - climate attribution science and its practical applications

Mentors: Dana Schirwon and Dr. Kai Kornhuber, Center for Climate and Foreign Policy

Fellow: Lea Rahman

Attribution Science and the Loss and Damage Fund: Using Science Will Make the Fund More Fair and Effective

Despite international agreements to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees, current emissions trends fall far short of those needed to achieve these goals, and radical change is not in sight. The new discipline of climate attribution addresses the extent to which extreme weather and other climate signals and their impacts can be attributed to human-induced climate change. Courts around the world are now confronted with this question when states or large companies with high CO2 emissions are sued by affected parties. The scientific findings of attribution science are thus finding their way into courtrooms to hold polluters responsible and liable. Climate attribution science thus offers potential for the enforcement of effective climate protection. Extreme weather attribution combines natural science, humanities, and social science components and is central to climate and science communication.

Desired subject expertise: e.g., law, physics, natural sciences, social sciences, data science, fine arts, media and communication studies, design thinking.

Topic 4: Thinking outside the box - new perspectives for the implementation of a Feminist Foreign Policy in Germany

Mentor: Leonie Stamm

Fellow: Jannis Kappelmann

 

In its coalition agreement, the new German government pledges to "strengthen the rights, resources and representation of women and girls worldwide and promote social diversity in the spirit of a Feminist Foreign Policy." German foreign policy is thus henceforth to conform to the principles of a Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP). The underlying assumption of FFP has been specified by the German government as "inclusive, intersectional foreign policy that reflects the needs of society as a whole." Beyond that, implementation has so far remained unspecified.

Feminist foreign policy is a comprehensive approach with the principle of human security at its core. It affects numerous policy fields. But what does its implementation mean in concrete terms for German policy? A strategy paper on the implementation of FFP, to be published in early 2023, should provide clarity. It must ensure that FFP can be applied in a context-oriented manner to Germany's role in a global structure. FFP must provide both long-term and short-term answers, while also addressing current issues.

The need for solution-oriented recommendations for action and sound, context-oriented analyses is growing in this framework - especially as a complement to the primarily normative-activist treatment of the topic. Additional perspectives and disciplines can help define the implementation of an FFP and include other contexts for a comprehensive analysis.

Desired subject expertise: e.g., economics, business communication, statistics, administrative sciences, social psychology, military training.

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