Science and Diplomacy

Today, the Max Planck Society sees itself as an actor in German science diplomacy. This was not always the case. During the Cold War, the MPG was unable to escape realpolitik, despite attempts to keep its extensive international scientific relations separate from the political sphere. This book explores how the MPG positioned itself in this field, both when it cooperated with the foreign policy of the Federal Republic, when it distanced itself from these policies, and how the MPG combined its roles as a national, European and global science policy actor. The Max Planck Society positioned itself in the field of international politics during the Cold War.