To compete and thrive in the 21st century, democracies, and the United States in particular, must develop new national security and economic strategies that address the geopolitics of information. In the 20th century, market capitalist democracies geared infrastructure, energy, trade, and even social policy to protect and advance that era’s key source of power—manufacturing. In this century, democracies must better account for information geopolitics across all dimensions of domestic policy and national strategy.
Tobias David, born in 1973, grew up in Leipzig (in the former GDR/East Germany) and spent most of his school years under the conditions of the GDR dictatorship. Even as a teenager he was involved in opposition groups under the protection of the Catholic Church and became politically active early on. The Peaceful Revolution of 1989, driven by the peace and civil rights movement, had a lasting impact on his life.
After studying political science and communications, he worked for many years as Managing Director of a communications agency. In 2004 he moved to the Saxon State Parliament as Advisor to the Vice-President. Since 2008, he has been the closest strategic advisor to the Mayor of the City of Leipzig. Mr. David was a participant in the American Council on Germany’s McCloy Leadership Mission on Urban Affairs and Sustainability in 2016. The Peaceful Revolution of 1989 — which ultimately led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany — began in Leipzig. Today Leipzig is not only one of the largest cities in Germany but also the fastest-growing German city.
Location: Harvard Kennedy School, Rubenstein Building, Fourth Floor, 429
Breakfast will be served.
Sponsored by the Project on Europe and the Transatlantic Relationship.