Thomas Kohler via Flickr
Book Talk: Through the Roof
Housing, Capitalism, and the State in America and Germany
Speaker: Alexander Reisenbichler, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, and Research Director, Joint Initiative in German and European Studies (JIGES), Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto
Moderator: Eric Langenbacher, Senior Fellow and Director of the Society, Culture & Politics Program, AGI
Germany’s housing crisis has become a defining challenge for Europe’s largest economy. In Through the Roof: Housing, Capitalism, and the State in America and Germany (Cambridge University Press, 2025), Dr. Alexander Reisenbichler argues that Germany’s shortage of affordable housing is not merely a social problem—it is an economic one threatening the very foundations of Modell Deutschland. High rents and home prices are undermining competitiveness, fueling wage pressures, and weakening the Mittelstand. Drawing lessons from Germany’s postwar “housing miracle,” Dr. Reisenbichler shows how housing once served as a cornerstone of national economic policy—and how it could do so again.
This webinar will explore key insights from Through the Roof on the German case, with brief comparisons to the United States. Dr. Reisenbichler will examine how reframing housing as an issue of national economic interest could unlock the political will for bold, large-scale policy initiatives. Dr. Reisenbichler will discuss the historical roots of Germany’s housing model, the policy successes and failures of recent decades, and the path toward a new era of public-private social housing that supports both social cohesion and economic growth. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of why solving the housing crisis is essential not just for affordability—but for Germany’s future prosperity.
Dr. Alexander Reisenbichler is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Research Director of the Joint Initiative in German and European Studies (JIGES) at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. His work explores the politics of housing, financial, and labor markets in Germany and the United States. His articles have appeared in leading academic journals, such as Comparative Political Studies, and policy outlets, such as Foreign Affairs.
Dr. Reisenbichler is a former John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellow at Harvard University’s Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies and a former DAAD/AGI Research Fellow. Dr. Reisenbichler holds a PhD and Master of Arts from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Leipzig.
This session will convene via Zoom. Please contact AGI Program Associate Mr. Jack Fornasiero at jfornasiero@aicgs.org with any questions.
This event is supported with funds from the Harry and Helen Gray Humanities Program.
