Humanities & Social Sciences

Stalin’s political takeover of the cultural theoretical pattern of Bolshevik novyy byt ‘new public life’ created a powerful myth of the total repression of ‘bourgeois’ philosophy in the early 1930s. However, since the 1920s novyy byt had also produced directives governing the formation of new theories of ideologically correct ‘spiritual kul’turnost’ (culturality, being civilized) on the basis of ‘the best achievements of bourgeois traditions.’ Classical music represented one of these achievements. The chapter sheds light on the idealist philosophical sides of the Soviet conception of kul’turnost. Looking at the musicologist Boris Asafiev (1884-1949) as an intellectual whose theoretical strategies shaped Soviet culture during the Stalin era, the author shows that the Soviet conception of classical music as a symbol of kul’turnost developed from the late ‘Silver Age’ philosophy of ‘internal’ spiritual life. Shaped by the NEP-era Bolshevik discourse of novyy byt and Pan-European cultural and musical theories, the conception emerged during the Stalinist kul’turnost campaigns. Asafiev renewed his theoretical setting (theory of Intonation) of the 1920s to suit Stalinist ideological outlines of what a ‘socialist approach’ to the arts ought to be. However, his theory was one of the evolving ideas that managed to accomplish this in a way that produced interesting scholarly results. His apology of classical music constitute an interesting intellectual history of Russian appreciation of classical music as a proper type of Russian kul’turnost and explains the Soviet understanding of popular music.

At the end of the 5th millennium BCE, some of the vastest settlements of the time emerged on the forest steppe north of the Black Sea. The largest of these sites were found between the Southern Bug and Dnieper river. There they occur only tens of kilometres apart and are assumed to be partly coeval. The Trypillia ‘mega-sites’ reached sizes of up to 320 hectares with up to 3000 buildings in one place. During their peak times as many as 11,000 people could have lived in one of those settlements. But how did people come together in these Trypillia ‘mega-sites’ with several thousand dwellings? How long were such sites inhabited, and how many people lived there? Were these settlements the first towns, preceding the Mesopotamian development? To address these questions, this book presents the results of the investigations at the Maidanets'ke ‘mega-site’. To date, Maidanets'ke represents the most complex of these enormous sites and is also among the best investigated ones. Based on new excavations by international teams, the settlement’s history, its structure and regional context are addressed. The excavation results, with features like a pottery production site, a causewayed enclosure and several dwellings, are presented in detail. An extensive radiocarbon dating program conducted on various parts of the site, in combination with pottery studies, revealed several phases of continuous occupation between 3990-3640 cal BCE. According to the number of contemporary structures, the demography of a ‘mega-site’ is reconstructed in detail for the first time. Targeted geophysical surveys in the core area of the ‘mega-site’ phenomenon show that exceptional non-inhabited buildings and so-called mega-structures occur regularly in both larger and smaller settlements. Overall, the Trypillia settlement system appears scalable, with small sites being structurally similar to larger ones. With no clear differences in the settlement pattern except size, the urban character of ‘mega-sites’ is called into question.

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This book describes the history, structure and institutions of open and distance education in six countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, the UK and the US. It discusses how open and distance education is evolving in a digital age to reflect the needs and circumstances of national higher education systems in these countries, and explores the similarities and differences between the ways in which they are organized and structured. It is the first book to make such comparisons and draw conclusions about the nature of open and distance education in the context of various national higher education systems. In a digital era with growing use of online education as well as open and distance education, this book is particularly useful for policy-makers and senior administrators who want to learn about organizing and expanding open and distance education provision. It is also a valuable reference for researchers, academics and students interested in understanding the different approaches to open and distance education.

Die aktuelle Schuldenkrise hat abermals gezeigt, daß Abweichungen von vereinbarten Schuldendienstzahlungen und somit Schuldendienstprobleme inhärente Begleiterscheinungen internationaler Kreditbeziehungen sind. Aufbauend auf der Hypothese, daß die Existenz potentieller Schuldendienstprobleme die Kreditwürdigkeit eines Landes und damit die Bedingungen der Auslandskreditaufnahme negativ beeinflußt, liefert die vorliegende Arbeit eine wirtschaftstheoretische Analyse optimaler Wachstums- und Auslandsverschuldungsprozesse. Unter Verwendung ausgewählter Indikatoren potentieller Schuldendienstprobleme als Determinanten des vom Schuldnerland zu zahlenden Kreditzinses wird die Problematik einer optimalen Auslandsverschuldung im Rahmen dynamischer Optimierungsmodelle erörtert. Hierbei zeigt sich insbesondere, dass auch in dezentral organisierten Volkswirtschaften korrigierende Interventionen in den marktwirtschaftlichen Lenkungsmechanismus notwendig werden können, um das volkswirtschaftlich optimale Verhalten individueller Entscheidungsträger herbeizuführen.

Die Studie untersucht, wie Crowdworker:innen in Plattformarbeit individuelle Beruflichkeit entwickeln und wie Arbeitserfahrungen Subjektivierung prägen. Im Mittelpunkt steht die Frage, welche Gestaltungsprinzipien Lern- und Entwicklungspotenziale in Crowdwork unterstützen. Aus berufs- und wirtschaftspädagogischer sowie arbeitssoziologischer Perspektive verbindet die Publikation theoretische Ansätze zu Arbeit, Beruf und Subjektivierung mit empirischen Ergebnissen aus Untersuchungen von Crowdwork-Plattformen in Deutschland. Die Ergebnisse werden im Kontext des Forschungsprojekts CKoBeLeP (2021-2024) eingeordnet und auf Implikationen für lernförderliche Plattformgestaltung bezogen. Geeignet für Studierende und Forschende der Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik, Arbeitssoziologie und Digitalisierungsforschung sowie für Akteur:innen in Arbeitsgestaltung, Weiterbildung und Plattformregulierung.

This unique volume brings together academics of Russian journalism and media with journalists and editors who reported or continue to report on the country, to explore and reflect on the changing landscape for journalists in Russia or covering Russia, and the increasing control exerted by the government on independent journalists. Combining rigorous academic research with reflective practitioner essays, the volume investigates the future of reporting in Russia and the implications for the future of the country. It offers an understanding of the experience of independent journalists and media outlets in Russia, as well as other individuals who experience censorship (academics, activists), and examines how the current situation in Russia and people’s experiences of censorship can inform both our theoretical understandings of censorship and information control, in the context of the twenty‑first‑century digital technologies and the policymaking both inside and outside of Russia. Offering important insight into what is happening within Russia’s borders, this volume will appeal to researchers and students of journalism, political science, international relations, propaganda and censorship, mass media, as well as journalists and policymakers. Chapter 4 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Questo secondo volume del Dizionario di sociologia per la persona continua l’opera collettiva dedicata alla comprensione di categorie e concetti sociologici e fenomeni sociali secondo la prospettiva specifica di chi intende mettere la persona al centro dell’analisi scientifica e dei mutamenti che attraversano la società. Oltre sessanta studiose e studiosi hanno contribuito alla realizzazione dei lemmi qui raccolti, condividendo lo spirito del primo volume: rappresentare uno strumento di riflessione, discussione e confronto utile, sia a chi è già esperto, sia a chi si avvicina alla sociologia e vuole cogliere l’opportunità di approfondire contenuti che animano il dibattito pubblico. Il testo, infatti, vuole essere una occasione di dialogo tra autrici e autori, che assumono le prospettive disciplinari eterogenee e condividono la tensione alla ricerca di stimoli e fruttuosi scambi sull’attualità. In questi scenari è centrale la relazione fra la persona e il mondo sociale, trasformato da crisi e opportunità, processi di innovazione, tentativi di resistenza, nelle dinamiche locali e internazionali.

Ports are critical infrastructure assets with a pivotal role in functional and spatial activities associated with maritime transportation. In an era of intense pressures on the digitalization of every part of the economy, building Digital Twins (DTs) of port systems has become increasingly important aiming at solving problems before they occur. Although port DTs are mostly used for logistics and operational purposes, DT technologies can also support lifetime performance management of port infrastructure by investigating the in-service structures’ behavior against potential degradation threats. To this end, the present work conceptualizes a guide for building DTs of port infrastructure based on Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) applications. The guide includes sensors mounted on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Geographic Information Systems tools, automation techniques, and structural condition assessments combined to assist in computer-aided twinning. To examine the effectiveness of the guide, a pilot DT was applied for the waterfront facilities of a Greek port, namely Lavrio port. The real-time replicas proved promising in searching for smart maintenance actions.

Cultural practices have the potential to cause human suffering. The Tensions between Culture and Human Rights critically interrogates the relationship between culture and human rights across Africa and offers strategies for pedagogy and practice that social workers and educators may use. Drawing on Afrocentricity and emancipatory social work as antidotes to colonial power and dehumanization, this collection challenges cultural practices that violate human rights, and the dichotomous and taken-for-granted assumptions in the cultural representations between the West and the Rest of the world. Engaging critically with cultural traditions while affirming Indigenous knowledge and practices, it is unafraid to deal frankly with uncomfortable truths. Each chapter explores a specific aspect of African cultural norms and practices and their impacts on human rights and human dignity, paying special attention to the intersections of politics, economics, race, class, gender, and cultural expression. Going beyond analysis, this collection offers a range of practical approaches to understanding and intervention rooted in emancipatory social work. It offers a pathway to develop critical reflexivity and to reframe epistemologies for education and practice. This is essential reading not only for students and practitioners of social work, but for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of African cultures and practices.

This is the first edition of the Proceedings of the Conference for Planning Students and Young Graduates (CPSYG). The CPSYG 2022 brought together young planning researchers, seasoned academics from various universities, built environment practitioners and relevant stakeholders from South Africa and other countries to share and debate latest research findings, foster interdisciplinary collaboration and explore innovative / cutting edge solutions to both current and emerging challenges in the built environment. Areas of focus as shared in this proceeding and volume includes: the emergence and evolution of Alexandra Township in Johannesburg ; the assessment of the relationship between urbanization and economic development around the world, how policies and legislation responds to water infrastructure in Rustenburg, South Africa; Wetland ecosystems in Limpopo Province, the influence of Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) systems around the world, Planning for sustainable Tourism in Zimbabwe, the use and application of 4IR in the revitalization of declining mining town in South Africa, Urban Informality Presence in Botswana, Demolition and Forced eviction in Accra, Ghana, Challenges of state-subsidised housing provisions in Maseru, Lesotho; Urban Renewal and sustainable development nexus in Mbombela, Competitive Cities in South Africa and Poor basic services provisions in Stjwetla, Alexandra, Johannesburg.

How can small cities make an impact in a globalizing world dominated by ‘world cities’ and urban development strategies aimed at increasing agglomeration? This book addresses the challenges of smaller cities trying to put themselves on the map, attract resources and initiate development. Placemaking has become an important tool for driving urban development that is sensitive to the needs of communities. This volume examines the development of creative placemaking practices that can help to link small cities to external networks, stimulate collaboration and help them make the most of the opportunities presented by the knowledge economy. The authors argue that the adoption of more strategic, holistic placemaking strategies that engage all stakeholders can be a successful alternative to copying bigger places. Drawing on a range of examples from around the world, they analyse small city development strategies and identify key success factors. This book focuses on the case of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, a small Dutch city that used cultural programming to link itself to global networks and stimulate economic, cultural, social and creative development. It advocates the use of cultural programming strategies as a more flexible alternative to traditional top-down planning approaches and as a means of avoiding copying the big city. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

A theoretical and practical reappraisal of the limitations that the textual tradition of Quevedo's Memorandum "Católica, sacra, real Majestad" (ca 1638-1639) imposes on the genealogical method. Forty-six manuscripts and one early printed edition survive of a text that circulated initially in a clandestine, anonymous fashion. There appears to be at least three early versions of the text circulating during Quevedo's life (prior to 1645). The extant witnesses exhibit traces of contamination to a degree that makes filiation nearly impossible.

This study outlines small-scale fishing Sardinia through specificities related to the state of the fishing fleet at the major and minor port systems of the island, the main techniques, and tools (fixed longlines, bottom trawls, purse seines, casting nets, driftnets). Mapping fishing areas in the Marine Protected Area of Asinara Island was important to define efficient fisheries management measures shared by stakeholders. Therefore, the work focused on the mapping of fishing areas in MPA, its techniques and tools.This work is a premise for future and more applicative lines of research

This book discusses key aspects of MEMS technology areas, organized in twenty-seven chapters that present the latest research developments in micro electronic and mechanical systems. The book addresses a wide range of fundamental and practical issues related to MEMS, advanced metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) and complementary MOS (CMOS) devices, SoC technology, integrated circuit testing and verification, and other important topics in the field. ?Several chapters cover state-of-the-art microfabrication techniques and materials as enabling technologies for the microsystems. Reliability issues concerning both electronic and mechanical aspects of these devices and systems are also addressed in various chapters.

Der Band umfasst Beiträge zum Themenbereich der sprachlichen Variation aus deskriptiver, normativer, historischer und didaktischer Sicht am Beispiel (mehrerer) romanischer Sprachen. Im Zentrum der Beiträge steht die Frage, mit welchem Ziel und auf welche Weise Kriterien zur Bewertung von Sprache und ihren Teilsystemen angewandt, didaktisch dargestellt und als Sprachnormen legitimiert werden und wie diese in einem konkreten historischen und sozialen Kontext zustande kommen. Die detaillierten empirischen Analysen von institutioneller Sprachbewertung und Sprecherurteilen ergeben, dass ‚fehlerhafte‘ sprachliche Erscheinungen unter günstigen historischen Umständen selbst normenbildend wirken können.