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Rebranding the Nation: Germany’s Image Politics

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Abstract

National image is a vital political consideration for the Federal Republic of Germany. In the global era, negative perceptions of Germany have been surpassed by evidence supporting that it rates among a select group of most admired countries, a standing attributable to state and non-state influences. A positive image has been sustained despite resonances of history, contradictory demands of EU leadership, and other domestic and international pressures arising from the migration crisis, the policies of Putin, and the election of Trump.
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Rebranding the Nation: Germany’s Image Politics
Steve Wood
1
Published online: 22 February 2017
Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2017
Abstract National image is a vital political consideration for the Federal Republic
of Germany. In the global era, negative perceptions of Germany have been sur-
passed by evidence supporting that it rates among a select group of most admired
countries, a standing attributable to state and non-state influences. A positive image
has been sustained despite resonances of history, contradictory demands of EU
leadership, and other domestic and international pressures arising from the migra-
tion crisis, the policies of Putin, and the election of Trump.
Keywords Germany Image Nation branding
Introduction
What significance does national image have for the Federal Republic of Germany
(FRG), how has it responded, and what outcomes have resulted? This article
contends that external perceptions—how others do or might regard Germany—are a
powerful influence on policy, evidenced by the substantial resources expended over
decades to achieve and maintain a favourable standing. An underlying security logic
that predominated in the early post-war era was joined and gradually exceeded by a
commercial-economic logic. These motivations were paralleled by affective desires
for acceptance, moral renewal, and recognition (Solomon 2014; Adler-Nissen 2014;
Browning 2015). Both types of impetus are reflected in the enduring emphasis on
trust and being an exemplar of liberal-democratic norms that pervades the FRG’s
&Steve Wood
steve.wood@mq.edu.au
1
Department of Politics and International Relations, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109,
Australia
Int Polit (2017) 54:161–181
DOI 10.1057/s41311-017-0027-y
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
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