On March 10th, 2025 the BMW Center welcomed Professors Tanja Boerzel and Thomas Risse of the Free University of Berlin and Professor Jean Garrison of the University of Wyoming to discuss the changing dynamics of the liberal international order, with particular attention to the United States and its relationship with Europe. The discussions centered on the role of the U.S. in shaping global politics and the rise of contestations against liberal democracy, especially in the context of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Professor Tanja Boerzel – Freie Universität Berlin
Professor Boerzel opened the discussion by examining the increasing polarization and radicalization of criticisms against the liberal script, particularly in the U.S. She argued that the U.S. serves as an ideal case study for how liberal democracies generate internal contestations, leading to challenges against their very foundations. Some say this signals the “end of the liberal order,” with others referencing a “post-liberal age.” However, she emphasized that it is too early to make definitive conclusions, given the unpredictable nature of current events. She noted that social trust in the U.S. is at a low point, which hinders large-scale social action. Officials are now campaigning on dismantling liberal democratic structures, which marks a significant shift from focusing on previous external threats like ISIS, China, and Russia.
Professor Thomas Risse – Freie Universität Berlin
Professor Risse provided a broader context of the international liberal order, highlighting its origins in the UN Charter, global human rights regimes, open trade agreements, and multilateral collaborations. He noted that the liberal order is under contestation, primarily due to the rise of autocratic powers. However, he argued that contestations, such as those experienced during the Cold War, do not necessarily mean the end of the order. Thomas explored the notion that if the U.S. is seen as the anchor state of the liberal international order, the crisis deepens, especially with uncertainties surrounding NATO and the situation in Ukraine. He mentioned the resilience of liberal democracies but pointed to the significant changes in U.S. foreign policy under Trump, which have reshaped international relations.
Professor Jean Garrison – University of Wyoming
Jean focused on the concept of negative partisanship and its impact on U.S. politics, especially in the context of Trump’s presidency. She argued that Trump’s actions were rational and planned, with Congress too polarized to enact substantial change. She suggested that the U.S. has shifted toward a more federalist approach, with states taking on more control at smaller scales. Jean also discussed how the U.S., as part of the global order, empowered the executive branch to make bold decisions, referencing the Patriot Act as an example of this executive power.
Q&A Discussion
The Q&A session delved into the interplay between domestic and international politics, with CGES Director Abe Newman raising the question of how the global order affects individuals and what alternatives might exist. Boerzel suggested that the narrative around the liberal order is polarized, with some viewing it as a threat to identity, jobs, and customs, while others see it as a step toward a more cosmopolitan and multicultural world. She highlighted that the failure of the liberal script to deliver on its promises is often blamed for many societal challenges, even though no plausible alternative has emerged.
Risse noted that the world might be moving toward an undesirable “dog-eat-dog” scenario. He also pointed out that consumers would suffer in such a world, and people in the Global South, feeling excluded from the current order, are also interested in reform.
A student inquired whether Europe could fill the gaps left by a retreating U.S. Prof. Risse responded that Europe is undergoing reforms but has not reacted quickly enough to the changes happening in the U.S.
The conversation also touched on how European and U.S. security interests differ, especially in relation to Ukraine. They discussed how Trump’s transactional approach to international relations and his rhetoric, such as his handling of Ukraine and Russia, have strained European sentiment. Trump’s actions have eroded his credibility with European allies, making collaboration more difficult.
All of the panelists were hesitant to make any predictions, repeating a few times that the situation is too volatile to know where the debris could fall. With a new German government not yet formed, lack of cohesion within Europe concerning Ukraine, and the active dismantling of institutions in the United States, only time will tell what lies ahead for the transatlantic relationship and the shifting global order.
