Mapping continuity and change in German strategic culture, 1999–2022

This article investigates German foreign and security policy from 1999 to 2022 through the prism of strategic culture. In contrast with previous studies on German strategic culture, this article employs a mixed research design to examine areas showing major changes and areas of relative continuity. By using NVivo’s two analytical tools (word frequency analysis and matrix coding analysis), the article conducts a computer-based content analysis of German official strategic discourses in the foreign and security realm. The findings reveal that although some of the foundational elements have been preserved and further strengthened, German strategic culture appears to have exhibited more changes since 2014, particularly in terms of the geographical scope of security concerns, perceptions of key threats and Russia. The article argues that Germany’s understanding of security has shifted towards a normative dimension that places greater emphasis on values and rules, and that Germany’s security concerns are no longer confined to European regional security but rather extend further afield.