Everyday Life Behind the Berlin Wall

International Horizons

In this episode of International Horizons, RBI director John Torpey interviews historian and journalist Katja Hoyer about her book Beyond the Wall: A History of East Germany (Basic Books, 2023). The conversation begins with a discussion of the personal reasons that the author, herself born in the GDR, wanted to cover the untold stories of her native country – which can no longer be found on a map. Hoyer also discusses the rationale behind the relative gender parity that existed in the GDR as compared with West Germany and how the legacy of that gender policy is reflected in today's unified Germany. Hoyer also comments on the controversial reception of the book in Germany and concludes by discussing the ways in which those originally born in East Germany continue to suffer discrimination in social and organizational life in contemporary Germany.

International Horizons is a podcast of the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies that brings scholarly expertise to bear on our understanding of international issues. John Torpey, the host of the podcast and director of the Ralph Bunche Institute, holds conversations with prominent scholars and figures in state-of-the-art international issues in our weekly episodes.

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