Academic Debate, Society, Policy, and Interdisciplinary Problem-Solving

der Diskurs

academic or public discourse / structured debate

die Kontroverse

controversy / dispute

das Dilemma

dilemma / difficult ethical choice

die Güterabwägung

weighing of competing interests or ethical goods

der Konsens

consensus / general agreement

der Dissens

dissent / disagreement

der Zielkonflikt

conflict of objectives / trade-off

die Kernfrage

core question / central issue

die Prämisse

premise / underlying assumption

der Denkanstoss

food for thought / impulse for reflection

die Tragweite

scope / magnitude / far-reaching consequence

das Fallbeispiel

case study / concrete example

der Sachverhalt

facts of the case / state of affairs

das Paradigma

paradigm / foundational framework

die Erkenntnis

insight / scientific finding

hinterfragen

to question critically / scrutinize

differenzieren

to differentiate / distinguish nuances

abwägen

to weigh up / assess opposing factors

einwenden

to object / raise an objection

konzedieren

to concede / acknowledge a counterpoint

widerlegen

to refute / disprove

plädieren für

to plead for / advocate strongly for

relativieren

to put into perspective / qualify a statement

postulieren

to postulate / claim as a premise

zuspitzen

to sharpen (an argument) / bring to a head

entkräften

to invalidate / dismantle (an argument)

herleiten

to deduce / derive logically

kontrovers

controversial / disputed

schlüssig

coherent / conclusive / logically sound

stichhaltig

valid / cogent / sound (of an argument)

differenziert

nuanced / sophisticated

fundiert

well-founded / grounded in evidence

plausibel

plausible / believable

ambivalent

ambivalent / contradictory in value

zeitgemäss

contemporary / in keeping with the times

unabdingbar

indispensable / imperative

wegweisend

groundbreaking / pioneering

brisant

explosive / highly contentious / sensitive

die Zivilcourage

moral courage / standing up for principles

das Gemeinwohl

common good / public welfare

die Chancengerechtigkeit

equity of opportunity / fair chances

die soziale Durchlässigkeit

social mobility (permeability of social classes)

der gesellschaftliche Zusammenhalt

social cohesion / societal solidarity

die Polarisierung

polarization (political or ideological)

die Spaltung

division / societal fracture

die Bürgerbeteiligung

civic participation / citizen involvement

der Generationenvertrag

intergenerational contract / generational compact

die Innovationskraft

innovative capacity / power to innovate

die Nachhaltigkeit

sustainability

der Wissenstransfer

knowledge transfer (from research to society)

die Denkfabrik

think tank

der Wertewandel

shift in societal values

die Gratwanderung

balancing act / walking a tightrope

die Grauzone

grey area / ambiguous zone

die Kehrseite

flip side / downside of an issue

der Standpunkt

standpoint / point of view

der Vorbehalt

reservation / caveat

die Wechselwirkung

reciprocal effect / interaction / interdependence

die Schnittmenge

overlap / common ground / intersection

auf den Punkt bringen

to get to the point / summarize concisely

einen Konsens erzielen

to reach a consensus

zur Debatte stehen

to be up for debate / under consideration

in Betracht ziehen

to take into consideration / factor in

ausser Acht lassen

to disregard / leave out of consideration

Schlüsse ziehen aus

to draw conclusions from

im Widerspruch stehen zu

to contradict / be at odds with

einen Mittelweg finden

to find a middle ground / strike a balance

eine Lanze brechen für

to champion / stand up for (an idea or principle)

Aufwind bekommen

to gain momentum / gain traction

die Weichen stellen

to set the course / make pivotal choices

zu kurz greifen

to fall short / be an oversimplification

Schiffbruch erleiden

to fail utterly / suffer a shipwreck

einen Nerv treffen

to hit a nerve / resonate with a core issue

das Für und Wider

the pros and cons

im Wesentlichen

essentially / in essence

nichtsdestotrotz

nevertheless / nonetheless

bezeichnenderweise

characteristically / tellingly

gewissermassen

in a certain sense / so to speak

folgerichtig

consequently / logical as a result