Type Ashton
Hi, I’m Dr. Ashton Schottler.
A former teacher and architectural historian with a PhD in Human Geography…. You can say, I like studying communities and I do that by examining how humans across the globe have shaped them.
And as someone who has lived, studied and worked in both the United States and in Germany, I especially love the juxtaposition of life that manifests itself from one country to another.
From macro-economics down to micro-urbanism, I explore and explain the political economics, society, and culture that shapes the world around you…. And I share all of this through my personal lens of an immigrant navigating that world with you.
Uncovering the storytelling behind the data, I hope to keep these topics accessible, easy to understand, and interesting… I hope you will be entertained, and maybe learn something along the way.
Do you have a question worth diving into? Well, Type Ashton and let’s find out together.
Type Ashton
Surprise video coming tomorrow!
Many of you asked for a deep dive into the Trump tariffs, and what this means for trade and international relations within the EU specifically. While I had planned on saving this video for next Sunday to keep with my every-two-weeks posting schedule, the fast pace and rapid change of this legal and market landscape make it really difficult to create content that is critical and research oriented, while still remaining relevant and accurate. Thus, I made the decision to burn the midnight oil and will release the video tomorrow, Sunday April 13th at 9:00 CEST.
What is the endgame for the Trump tariff policy with the European Union? And with trillions on the line, how will future trade partners potentially impact the USA and EU relationship? Tune in to find out.
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 376
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Type Ashton
Happy Sunday!
Apologies in advance - I won’t be as active in my replies in the comments of today’s video. However I will be out and about running the Freiburg marathon!
If you are in Freiburg today and happen to see a runner in an obnoxious amount of pink, wave hello! 👋
I hope you enjoy the video and hopefully some sunshine this Sunday! See you soon!
1 month ago | [YT] | 802
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Type Ashton
Happy Sunday!
The freedom of speech has found renewed discussion in recent weeks (thanks in part to the Munich Security Conference and the oval office meeting between the UK Prime Minister and US administration). However, despite recent condemnation from American leadership on how other countries choose to limit it, the United States also struggles within itself to find consensus on when the freedom of expression goes too far. Should the freedom of speech be absolute? Or strategically censored?
And what kind of "sticky" problems does this create in practice - whether you live in the USA or not?
Watch the video in full here: https://youtu.be/AzORB1cW25U?si=8pneE...
2 months ago | [YT] | 86
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Type Ashton
If you enjoyed Sunday's video from @ActiveTowns, where John and I took a bicycle tour of Freiburg - great news: Part Two debut's today!
I personally had so much fun discussing urban mobility, cycling, and family culture with John and was honored to have him visit my little "neck of the woods" in the Black Forest.
I'll be hopping on the premier tonight at 20:00 CET - so if you want to chat in real time, be sure to hit the "notify me" button and watch together.
https://youtu.be/d8vraIX_xcI?si=zrlgE...
2 months ago | [YT] | 57
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Type Ashton
Happy Sunny Sunday from the Black Forest ☀️
While it might not quite feel like summer time temperatures yet, you can tune in with me tonight to reminisce on sunshine and shorts weather in Freiburg!
Last summer John from Active Towns came for a visit to Freiburg and I had the delight to tour the city together via bicycle. We had a great chat about everything from family centric cycling to community infrastructure.
I’ll be joining the premiere tonight at 20:00 CET at the link below.
Hope to see you there!
2 months ago | [YT] | 95
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Type Ashton
Happy Election Day in Germany!
Sadly my own citizenship application is still processing, so I am sitting this one out and watching from the sidelines. However, I am watching with intense interest as the German people decide on the future of the federal government. For all of you who are able and willing to vote, I wish you the best today as you head to the polls to cast your decision.
Although this quote is not attributed to a German citizen, but rather the Norwegian Finance Minister, I find it nonetheless timely:
“By voting, we add our voice to the chorus that forms opinions and the basis for actions.” - Jens Stoltenberg
Today's video feels somewhat timely given the media coverage of the election (hint, hint: watch this week's video if you haven't already! 😉). Over the past few weeks, it has been fascinating to read, watch and listen to the debate, polling and reporting on the election cycle. So my question to you is: how do you feel the media "informs and influences" the opinions and the basis for actions amongst the German people in this election? Is it for the positive or the negative?
I look forward to reading your thoughts on the role of the media and community decision making in this thread as well as in the comments section of this week's video!
You can view the video at this link here: https://youtu.be/DI7b9UcgQjw
2 months ago | [YT] | 420
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Type Ashton
Welcome Back in the New Year!
This week, I'm continuing with Part 2 in my series: "Americans, Explained", where I'm diving into the religion of American athletics to ask the question: Why do Americans Worship Sports?
According to a recent study - 50% of Americans believe that "God" or a "divine being" plays a significant role in the outcome of the Super Bowl.
But explaining America’s devout obsession with athletics in comparison to Europe, isn’t just about drawing parallels between the sacred and sport, but understanding just how fundamentally "God-Like" most Americans view their athletes and the ripple effect it has on the individual, the family, and society as a whole.
I hope you enjoy this week's video and am looking forward to your thoughts on this phenomenon as well!
2 months ago | [YT] | 39
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Type Ashton
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
2024 has been a whirlwind of a year and I am so grateful and thankful for your support and the community we have created here on YouTube. Behind the scenes, my family and I have been soaking up the holiday Christmas markets in the Southern Black Forest from Triberg to Haslach, Gengenbach to Freiburg. And we were especially excited to (finally) share our love of Glühwein with our families who have visited from the USA.
To cherish this time together and enjoy the family festivities, I’m taking a bit of a social media break. There will be no video this week and my usual posting schedule will resume on Sunday, January 12th.
As I look forward to 2025, I’m excited for the opportunities and subjects to “deep dive” into together. See you in January!
Ashton
4 months ago | [YT] | 987
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Type Ashton
Obviously, Europe faces some unique challenges when designing for those with disabilities.
We are working with buildings, streets, and infrastructure that are hundreds of years old - cobblestoned sidewalks are sometimes very narrow and don’t have curb cuts.
Entrances that are above or below grade and doors that are definitely not wide enough for a wheelchair.
But even more modern establishments and infrastructure systems that have been adopted, can still be frustrating to use if you are one of the 101 million people living with some form of a disability in the European Union.
But why? Does it have to be this way? Why doesn't Europe have strong accessibility regulations like the USA?
That’s what I set out to understand… speaking with those living with, designing for, and advocating for disabilities, across the continent in what is my most comprehensive and biggest video to date.
So make a note in your calendar and join me this Sunday and watch LIVE together at 9:00 CEST. Inside the Youtube Video you'll find a live chat a the video premiers and we can watch together as I head to Paris, Vienna, Glasgow, Amsterdam and beyond to get a first hand look at these issues.
10 months ago | [YT] | 195
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Type Ashton
The loneliness epidemic that many are experiencing is exacerbated by the way communities are built, experts say. But design fixes could be close at hand.
Check out this awesome video by Mike at @strongtowns and you might just see a familiar face 😉
https://youtu.be/pmf_JIGQecE?si=LeYGD...
11 months ago | [YT] | 184
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