Doctoral dissertation by Christian E. Rieck published in the Federal Archives series

At the end of November 2024, "Wissenschaft und Zivilmacht" was published as volume 81 of the Federal Archives series by Gebr. Mann publishing house. In this 656-page handbook, Christian E. Rieck traces the history of the Federal Republic's foreign science policy since 1950. The core thesis here is that science diplomacy is to be understood as a separate pillar of the Federal Republic of Germany's foreign policy. The author traces this from the end of the war to reunification by means of numerous research areas and the most important scientific partnerships around the world. The goals, actors and instruments of German foreign science policy are examined. Science diplomacy served the larger diplomatic goals of reparations, ties to the West and geopolitics, and was intended to be a policy of détente, development and European integration. The tension between economic export interests and scientific excellence requirements was always palpable, and the expectations of this policy field have always been high - perhaps too high.