Home Is in the Heartland

As part of the Study Tour for Midwest Policy Makers to Industrial Core Regions of Germany, we are pleased to welcome two US delegates to Duisburg for their only public event in North Rhine-Westphalia. This conversation brings together voices from both sides of the Atlantic to explore the shared challenges facing post-industrial regions. Heartlands in both the US and Germany are not only navigating economic change, but political polarization, deep questions about identity and belonging, and uncertainty about the future. Despite different national contexts, communities in these regions are grappling with similar pressures and may have more in common than expected. How have recent political shifts, including the return of Donald Trump to the White House, impacted post-industrial areas? How can structurally disadvantaged regions provide real opportunities for young people to stay, thrive, and participate in democratic life where they are? And how can we expand regional cooperation and strengthen transatlantic ties to work together on the issues that unite us?