Is free speech under threat in the world's leading democracies — including Germany and the United States?

In this episode of Over Here, Over There — the podcast across borders, host Claudia Koestler talks with Jacob Mchangama, Danish lawyer, professor at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), and author of Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media, recorded live at the Amerikahaus in Munich.

Mchangama is one of the foremost global experts on free speech, civil liberties, and democratic backsliding. In this wide-ranging conversation, he argues that we are living through a global free speech recession — and that both Europe and the United States are moving in a more speech-restrictive direction, each for very different reasons.
In this episode:

🇩🇪 Why free speech in Germany is fundamentally different from the US — and what history has to do with it
🇺🇸 How the Trump administration is challenging democratic norms — and why the First Amendment is the last line of defense
🌍 The "global free speech recession" — which countries are getting it right (Taiwan, Hungary, Denmark) and which are not
📱 Social media, algorithms, and disinformation — are platforms really radicalizing users?
⚖️ Hate speech laws vs. free expression: where should the line be drawn?
🏛️ What democracies must do to protect themselves — without becoming what they fear
🤖 AI, information access, and why you must never outsource your mind

Key quote from this episode:"Free speech is the first freedom of a democracy — without it, none of the other rights or democratic processes are really possible." — Jacob Mchangama

About Over Here, Over There: :Over Here, Over There is a transatlantic podcast hosted by Claudia Koestler and Dan Harris, sharing and comparing news, politics, culture, and current affairs across the Atlantic. Recorded often at iconic and esteemed venues.

🎙️ Subscribe for new episodes every other week.
📍 Recorded at Amerikahaus München, Munich, Germany.

What if the most important democratic document of the last 250 years wasn't written in Philadelphia — but in post-war Germany?

In this episode of Over Here, Over There, Claudia Koestler makes a case that might surprise you: Germany's Basic Law — the Grundgesetz — is one of the most sophisticated constitutional documents ever written.

Written in 1949, in the rubble of the darkest chapter in modern history, the Grundgesetz starts with three words that changed everything: "Die Würde des Menschen ist unantastbar." Human dignity is inviolable. Not a right. Not a freedom. Dignity — placed permanently beyond the reach of any government, any majority, any vote.

Claudia will walk you through what makes it genuinely brilliant - and why others should build upon it.

🎙️ Over Here, Over There is a podcast about what Europe and America can learn from each other — one conversation at a time.

👉 Subscribe for new episodes every other week.

America turns 250 this year. But do Americans plan to celebrate it, or are divisions in the country putting people off the joyous occasion?

In this episode of Over Here, Over There, Claudia (DE, Germany) and Dan (American, living in the UK) get personal about the United States' Semiquincentennial — and ask the questions most people are afraid to say out loud. They explore the significance of the anniversary, American patriotism, historical milestones, cultural celebrations, and the future of American ideals from a transatlantic perspective.

Key questions:

Will Dan and other Americans be celebrating the 250th?
When did Dan last truly celebrate July 4th?
What do Indigenous Americans think of this milestone?
How does the UK see its former colony at 250?
And what would it actually take to feel proud to be American right now?

Insider and outsider perspectives. One very complicated birthday.

🎧 Over Here, Over There is a podcast about transatlantic life, culture, and politics — hosted by a German journalist and an American commentator living in Britain.

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📩 Find us on Instagram, Spotify & Apple and all major podcast platforms — links in our channel page.

Takeaways:

The US Semiquincentennial is a moment to reflect on American ideals and history.
Patriotism in the US is often quiet and centered around family and community.
Current political divisions affect national celebrations and unity.
The Declaration of Independence and Constitution symbolize core American values.
Global perceptions of American patriotism are complex and sometimes conflicted.

Resources:

US Declaration of Independence (Franklin Printing Company) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Independence
John Adams Series on HBO - https://www.hbo.com/series/john-adams
US Constitution - https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution
Dirk Stefan's Episode on Staying Optimistic - https://overhereoverthere.org/episodes/stay-positive

Guest links:

Twitter - https://twitter.com/danharris
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danharris/