HAInews 2023/01 From Heidelberg Sinology to Diplomatic Service

Christine Althauser studied Political Science, Sinology and Slavic Studies in Heidelberg in the 1970s. After study and research stays in Taiwan and the Soviet Union, she spent most of her professional career in the diplomatic service, China being both her first and last station: After her preparatory service, she first worked at the German Embassy in the People's Republic of China from 1987 to 1990; after further professional stations, including in Russia, in the Netherlands and at the Permanent Representation of the European Union in Brussels, she was German Consul General in Shanghai from 2017 to 2021, before retiring. Her professional career also included a doctorate with the Heidelberg political scientist Klaus von Beyme and a lectureship at the Seminar for Scientific Politics at the University of Freiburg.

At the SHAN event, Christine Althauser reported on her path to the diplomatic service, her experience in the profession and her stays in China, but also on her assessment of the current foreign policy situation. The exchange with the students, who asked questions about the relevance of language and cultural competence, about living conditions, about women in diplomacy and much more, was very stimulating, Christine Althauser emphasized: “Through questions and scrutiny, many things become clearer to the lecturer, and in retrospect they move into the right place. In this respect: A big thank you to the organizers – continue the series, I enjoyed it very much!”