Humanities & Social Sciences

In her novel “Leben ohne Geheimnis” (Engl.: “Falling Star”), published by Ullstein in 1932, Vicki Baum takes up current topics and discourses in the transition phase from silent movies to so-called “talkies”: film as a new mass product, the beginnings of 'celebrity culture', the self-marketing of stars with the exploitation of their private lives for PR purposes, the culture industry with its fan culture. She presents Hollywood – which she got to know when she was involved in the production of the film adaption of her novel “Menschen im Hotel” (Engl.: “Grand Hotel”) – as “Sehnsuchtstopos” (“topos of longing”) in which her characters act in various stages of disillusionment, and confronts them with the film production companies‘ capitalist greed for profit; she shows that sexual exploitation was already omnipresent in the film industry around 1930. Using cinematic narrative techniques, she demonstrates how the characters behave in the game of appearance and reality, how they lose old identities and form new ones as emigrants.

Les profondes mutations qui affectent les peuples dans le temps constituent un défi permanent pour l’Eglise et l’annonce de l’Evangile du salut. Cette annonce est appelée à se renouveler, pour s’ajuster aux problématiques du temps. Si en Afrique, et au Bénin des signes d’une foi authentique sont visibles, tant dans sa transmission, dans sa célébration, dans son enracinement que dans son vécu, il n’en demeure pas moins que cette foi, toujours à ces différents niveaux reste confrontée à des pratiques en profonde contradiction avec les exigences de l’Evangile. La question fondamentale qui se dégage de ce contexte est la suivante : De quelle façon la nouvelle évangélisation peut-elle affronter les défis de l’Église au Bénin, pour que l’Évangile soit reçu et vécu comme un lieu de vie et d’accomplissement en Dieu ? Ce qui en jeu ici c’est la fécondité de la mission de l’Église et la cohérence de la foi dans le vécu des croyants. D’où un besoin de conversion radicale au triple plan spirituel, pastoral et institutionnel. C’est dans la mesure où cette conversion se déploie à ces niveaux qu’elle peut être opérante et fécondante et se révéler comme un véritable processus d’une ecclésiologie d’engendrement à l’ère de la nouvelle évangélisation.

Das »Jahrbuch der Deutschen Schillergesellschaft« ist ein literaturwissenschaftliches Periodikum, das vorwiegend Beiträge zur deutschsprachigen Literatur von der Aufklärung bis zur Gegenwart veröffentlicht. Diese Zeitspanne entspricht den Sammelgebieten des Deutschen Literaturarchivs Marbach, das von der Deutschen Schillergesellschaft getragen wird.

The focus of this study is the “Syria Mission”, directed by the Protestant missionary society American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) from 1819 to 1870 in the Ottoman province of Syria, operating mainly within the territory of present-day Lebanon. The analysis of the cultural transfer between the Ottoman Empire and the United States of America undertaken in this study focuses on four relevant protagonists, whose contributions have not yet been sufficiently explored in missiological studies: The missionaries Eli Smith and Cornelius Van Dyck as well as the Syrian Protestants Butrus al-Bustani and John Wortabet. As a result, the Syria Mission of the ABCFM demonstrates how two different cultures met in a so called contact zone in the mission field and how these dialogue partners, despite many conflicts and disagreements, succeeded in contributing towards a fruitful dialogue.

The essay analyzes the evolution of the doctoral program in Italy over the last forty years, emphasizing its role in Higher Education and the Third Mission of the University, that is, its social and cultural impact beyond teaching and research. Officially introduced in 1980, the doctoral program has undergone multiple reforms aimed at enhancing the quality of education and preparing not only academic researchers but also professionals for the public and private sectors. Culminating in Ministerial Decree 226/2021, the reforms have focused on internationalization and collaboration with the productive sector, highlighting the importance of quality and technology transfer as key pillars of the university’s mission.

Research and development in modern optical and photonic technologies have witnessed quite fast growing advancements in various fundamental and application areas due to availability of novel fabrication and measurement techniques, advanced numerical simulation tools and methods, as well as due to the increasing practical demands. The recent advancements have also been accompanied by the appearance of various interdisciplinary topics. The book attempts to put together state-of-the-art research and development in optical and photonic technologies. It consists of 21 chapters that focus on interesting four topics of photonic crystals (first 5 chapters), THz techniques and applications (next 7 chapters), nanoscale optical techniques and applications (next 5 chapters), and optical trapping and manipulation (last 4 chapters), in which a fundamental theory, numerical simulation techniques, measurement techniques and methods, and various application examples are considered. This book deals with recent and advanced research results and comprehensive reviews on optical and photonic technologies covering the aforementioned topics. I believe that the advanced techniques and research described here may also be applicable to other contemporary research areas in optical and photonic technologies. Thus, I hope the readers will be inspired to start or to improve further their own research and technologies and to expand potential applications. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the authors for their outstanding contributions to this book.

Im Arbeitsprogramm der AlphaDekade ist die Professionalisierung von Lehrkräften zur Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung Erwachsener ein zentraler Baustein, um Erwachsene mit Lese- und Schreibschwierigkeiten erfolgreich zu fördern. In diesem Sammelband wird diskutiert, wie der mehrdimensionale Professionalisierungsprozess zielorientiert umgesetzt werden kann. Die Autorinnen und Autoren plädieren für eine fundierte Berufsausbildung im Grundbildungsbereich, die individuelle Qualifizierungsbedarfe, Handlungskompetenzen, berufsfeldspezifische Strukturen und eine angemessene Vergütung verbindet. Die Beiträge sind vier Teilen zugeordnet: Grundlegende Impulse, Beratung und Qualifizierung, Vernetzung und kollegialer Austausch sowie Professionalisierung und Profession. Akteur:innen der Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung in Wissenschaft und Praxis sind die Adressat:innen dieser Publikation.

The objective of this book is to highlight the need and value of imbuing the dynamic intersections between education, human rights and diversity with perspectives from the Global South. The chapters approach key intellectual conundrums of the day from a Global South perspective to reflect a credible scholarly footprint in Africa and in the SADC region. This is deemed timely considering that the field is deeply embedded in western, Eurocentric and overall Global North dominance. This book will provide a Southern perspective on education and human rights in diversity by unpacking each of the following key areas in the intersection between education, human rights and diversity from a Southern perspective: comparative international perspectives, citizenship education, human rights literacies, human rights education pedagogy, learner discipline in schools, aggression and bullying in schools, addressing human trafficking by means of human rights education, social justice, and the decolonisation of human rights and human rights education.

This book aims to complement the traditional focus of translation studies, which has primarily centered on translating English into other languages. It presents a comprehensive analysis of the reverse translation trajectory, exploring the movement of Chinese literature into the core English literary domain. The book aims to explore the ideological and sociological dynamics that underlie the translation of contemporary Chinese novels. This is achieved through an examination of the translation selection process, translation paratexts, and the roles of translation agents. Case studies are employed to illustrate specific linguistic, literary, and cultural challenges within translation. It dissects the cultural and literary implications of translating genres such as women's writing, science fiction, and Internet literature. The argument presented is that the translation of peripheral literature is indispensable in shaping global literature. Beyond its literary implications, the book identifies the political significance inherent in such reverse translation endeavors. It suggests that the translation of Chinese literature holds notable political interest for the Chinese government, which aims to reshape China's image and bolster the nation's soft power through literary translation. This work will be an essential read to students and scholars of translation studies, comparative literature, and Chinese studies.

This book uses decolonisation as a lens to interrogate political communication styles, performance, and practice in Africa and the diaspora. The book interrogates the theory and practice of political communication, using decolonial research methods to begin a process of self-reflexivity and the creation of a new approach to knowledge production about African political communication. In doing so, it explores political communication approaches that might until recently have been considered subversive or dissident: forms of political communication that served to challenge imposed western norms and to empower African citizens and their histories. Centring African scholarship, the book draws on case studies from across the continent, including Zimbabwe, South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of politics, media and communication in Africa.

In this chapter we will address, with quick notes, some research projects that the University of Florence has undertaken and which have seen the Arno basin as a subject of study, in order to define lines of governance and development of the territory, also on the basis of an international network which has made it possible to introduce innovative elements of approach and scientific investigation. These are aspects that concern agricultural production, hydraulic and environmental engineering, the protection of water resources, the control of hydrogeological instability, soil protection, urban and territorial planning. We have therefore tried to represent in a rational form some research topics that have been addressed, trying to grasp, over time, the purposes and main impacts

Pandemic Power offers a bold and thought-provoking exploration of how the global response to the Covid pandemic has reshaped our understanding of science, freedom, and democracy. This meticulously researched book examines the political, social, and intellectual shifts that have accompanied lockdowns, censorship, and the instrumentalization of fear, delivering a searing critique of the policies and narratives that defined the Covid era. From past public health scandals to the rise of “digital authoritarianism,” Blaive investigates the dangers of unchecked authority, the troubling role of the media, and the ethical failures of policymakers and public health leaders. Through her in-depth analysis, the author explores critical issues such as surveillance and censorship, the disproportionate impact of lockdowns on the poor and disadvantaged, the capture of public health by the pharmaceutical industry, and the erosion of the rule of law under the guise of public safety. Lastly, this book questions the liberal left’s troubling support for authoritarian practices and its apparent indifference to the aggravation of socio-economic inequalities resulting from the pandemic response it championed. Provocative, insightful, and deeply relevant, Pandemic Power is essential reading for anyone seeking to gain insight into not only how the Covid response has eroded democracy but also how it has contributed to the rise of the extreme right in many countries.

Digital video use is becoming prevalent in teacher education as a tool to help improve teaching and learning and for assessing effective teaching. Timely and comprehensive, this volume brings together top scholars from multiple disciplines to provide sound theoretical frameworks, research-based support, and clear practical advice on a variety of unique approaches to using digital video in teacher education programs. Part I deals with the use of video for teacher learning. Part II focuses on the role played by those other than teachers in the effective use of digital video in teacher education programs. Part III addresses how to administer video for teacher education. Exploring the complexities of effectively and appropriately integrating digital video into teacher development at various stages, this book is a must-have resource for scholars and professionals in the field.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the history and current status of policy, research and practices of curriculum, classroom instruction and assessment in Japan. It outlines the mechanism of curriculum organization and the history of the National Courses of Study, and assesses the theories of academic ability model. It also discusses in detail the history of "Lesson Study" – a characteristic teaching practice in Japan which utilizes groups, and reviews the history of educational assessment in Japan. Case studies on the practice of portfolio assessment in the Period for Integrated Study, as well as the practice of performance tasks in subject-based education are illustrated to show various examples of teaching practices. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment in Japan explores: • Child-centered Curriculum and Discipline-Centered Curriculum • Theories based on Models of Academic Achievement and Competency • Various Methods for Organizing Creative Whole-Class Teaching • Performance Assessment in Subject Teaching A good guideline for those who would like to use the idea of "Lesson Study" in order to improve their own teaching and management practices and a reference to all working in educational improvement, this book will be of interest to educators and policymakers concerned with curriculum practices or those with an interest in the Japanese education system.

In this book, we discuss the changing medical and public profile of fungal infections in the period 1850–2000. We consider four sets of diseases: ringworm and athlete’s foot (dermatophytosis); thrush or candidiasis (infection with Candida albicans); endemic, geographically specific infections in North America (coccidioidomycosis, blastomycosis and histoplasmosis) and mycotoxins; and aspergillosis (infection with Aspergillus fumigatus). We discuss each disease in relation to developing medical knowledge and practices, and to social changes associated with ‘modernity’. Thus, mass schooling provided ideal conditions for the spread of ringworm of the scalp in children, and the rise of college sports and improvement of personal hygiene led to the spread of athlete’s foot. Antibiotics seemed to open the body to more serious Candida infections, as did new methods to treat cancers and the development of transplantation. Regional fungal infections in North America came to the fore due to the economic development of certain regions, where population movement brought in non-immune groups who were vulnerable to endemic mycoses. Fungal toxins or mycotoxins were discovered as by-products of modern food storage and distribution technologies. Lastly, the rapid development and deployment of new medical technologies, such as intensive care and immunosuppression in the last quarter of the twentieth century, increased the incidence of aspergillosis and other systemic mycoses.