About the Seminar

International economic relations and trade in particular have been thriving since World War II. Whilst the lowering of trade barriers and the dismantling of trade restrictions have long enjoyed support both among trade economists and policymakers, there has recently been a swing back to protectionist policies. In virtually all major economies, a surprising new interest in autarky can be observed. Today, both the USA and the member countries of the European Union prioritize domestic production of certain products, especially semiconductors. India, which has long favoured sourcing from domestic producers, has at least partially embraced self-sufficiency. These political choices will make the world a poorer place. In addition, they will weaken the position of the West in the geopolitical conflict: Without a convincing offer in trade, the USA and its supporters will struggle to muster support in Asian, African and Latin American countries.

About the Speaker

Heribert Dieter is a political economist and studied in Berlin, Canberra and Sydney. He holds a Ph.D. as well as a “Habilitation” from the Free University, Berlin. Since 2001, he is Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Berlin. From 2013 to 2019, he was Visiting Professor for International Political Economy at Zeppelin University, Lake Constance. Since 2017, he also is Associate Professor at Potsdam University. From summer 2019 to December 2020, he was Visiting Professor at the University of Hong Kong and served as Director of Policy Research at the Asia Global Institute. Since 2022, he works as an adjunct professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, India. In his current research, he analyses economic developments in China and India and examines geopolitical developments. He has published widely on China’s economic and foreign policies.