Humanities & Social Sciences

Endocrinology

This publication describes in detail the preparation and realization of the forcibly sterilization of numerous women and men Vienna from 1940 to 1945. These forced sterilizations of individuals, being categorized as 'hereditary ill', were based on the 'Law for the Prevention of Genetically Diseased Offspring' (GzVeN). In Nazi Germany it took effect in January 1934, and until the outbreak of the war, when most of the court-proceedings had already ended, 300.000 women and men, had been forcibly sterilized. In January 1940 the law was implemented in the 'Ostmark', and at least 6.000 women and men had been forcibly sterilized during the war. In Vienna, the then second-largest city of the 'German Reich' 1.203 court-decisions in favour of a forcibly sterilization could be traced-back. These court-files of the 'Viennese Hereditary Health Court' (Erbgesundheitsgericht) became accessible for research only recently. The quantitative and qualitative analysis indicates three parameters for the implementation of the GzVeN in Vienna: First of all, the reduction of lawsuits to 'urgent' cases, i.e. persons of a 'particularly great danger of procreation'; secondly, the personal and structural restrictions resulting from war; and thirdly, the Nazi Euthanasia: Different from Nazi Germany the forced sterilizations had not been preceding the murder of disabled persons, but were rather implemented in the same period of time. Several doctors in Vienna were responsible for both, forced sterilizations and murder. Both judges and doctors of the 'Viennese Hereditary Health Court' were keen to contribute to the radical efforts to create the visional 'healthy national body' by fulfilling the GzVeN independent of the above mentioned parameters: they implemented a National Socialist tort-law, which included a surgical intervention with severe and lifelong psychical and physical consequences - against the will of the people who were affected. After the end of the war, the judges and doctors did not have to take any kind of responsibility for their decisions to sterilize people forcibly. This was not surprising, taking into account that the categorization of persons due to their 'value of hereditage' ('Erbwert') continued: Firstly, the then-chancellor Renner announced to pass a similar law when the GzVeN was repealed in Mai 1945; secondly, the forcibly sterilized women and men were partly acknowledged only in 1995 as victims of Nazi-persecution and fully acknowledged only 2005; and thirdly, until to the present, women, being categorized as 'disabled', are still sterilized without their knowledge and therefore without their consent. However, this bodily injury does not carry a penalty, since there is no contradiction to the so called 'good manners' ('gute Sitten'), incorporated in the criminal law.

This book aims to illustrate the value of design in a systematic and scientific manner to reap the full benefits of design. The authors aim to address the challenges in the quantification and evaluation of the value of design. It will also help readers understand how impactful design can support the future of innovation and a sustainable future life when coupled with the power of artificial intelligence (AI). The sharing of knowledge from subject matter experts from institutes of higher learning and industry brings content rigor and real-life scenarios which enhance the readers’ learning. A key topic of discussion is design and AI, which showcases current technological advances that inspire readers to think creatively and explore new frontiers in cutting-edge design. Design can play a significant role in urbanism, food resiliency, urban robotics, consumer durables, productivity and efficiency enhancement, human-centric design for technology, ethics, physical and digital spaces, etc. In the area of consumer durables, design that prioritizes durability and longevity is integral to fostering a sustainable lifestyle. Human-centric design technology ensures that solutions are designed to meet the needs, behaviors, and preferences of individuals, thereby driving user engagement, adoption, and sustained use of sustainable technologies. Both physical and digital spaces are integral to shaping a sustainable future. Thoughtful urban planning, sustainable architecture, and the responsible use of digital technologies ensure that environments are designed to enhance quality of life, reduce environmental impact, and promote a more equitable and resilient society. This book will be of interest to industry professionals in the fields of urbanism, sustainability, design, and AI. It also serves as a good reference for students in architecture, engineering, and AI programs that study the intersection of technology and design.

»Ich stand an der Küste und redete mit der Brandung BLABLA, im Rücken die Ruinen von Europa.« Bei Heiner Müller spielen Küste und Landschaft, Flucht und Grenzen, Gewalt und Tod eine zentrale Rolle. Migration und Klimawandel verändern die Landschaften, an den Küsten — den Räumen der Selektion — treten ihre Auswirkungen besonders deutlich in Erscheinung. Die Menschen und die Landschaften führen Krieg gegeneinander. Heiner Müllers Texte stören mit ihrem Geschichtsbewusstsein und ihrer Ästhetik, sie unterbrechen das gesellschaftliche und politische Kontinuum. Die Beiträger*innen des Bandes untersuchen die KüstenLANDSCHAFTEN als performative und diskursive Räume. Es entsteht ein Mosaik aus den Sektionen ›Theater-Landschaft‹, ›Grenzen — Küsten — Landschaften‹, ›Landschaften jenseits des Todes‹ und ›Landschaften der Störung‹, ergänzt um Gespräche und Praxisdokumentationen zum »Landvermesser« Heiner Müller.

Diskussionen zur Wissensgesellschaft gibt es viele, konkrete Bilanzen nur wenige. Dabei ist klar: Zu Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts ändert sich der Umgang mit Wissen radikal. Wie wir Wissen heute entwickeln, verändern und verbreiten, unterscheidet sich in vielfältiger Weise von früheren Formen. Der umfangreiche Band liefert eine aktuelle Bestandsaufnahme der verschiedenen Dimensionen der internetbasierten Wissensgesellschaft. In mehr als 50 Beiträgen ziehen Praktiker, Journalisten und Wissenschaftler Bilanz für Politik und Ökonomie, für Bildung, Medien und Kunst und gleichen dabei Diskussion und Wirklichkeit miteinander ab.

‘The Ayes Have It’ is a fascinating account of the Queensland Parliament during three decades of high-drama politics. It examines in detail the Queensland Parliament from the days of the ‘Labor split’ in the 1950s, through the conservative governments of Frank Nicklin, John Bjelke- Petersen and Mike Ahern, to the fall of the Nationals government led briefly by Russell Cooper in December 1989. The volume traces the rough and tumble of parliamentary politics in the frontier state. The authors focus on parliament as a political forum, on the representatives and personalities that made up the institution over this period, on the priorities and political agendas that were pursued, and the increasingly contentious practices used to control parliamentary proceedings. Throughout the entire history are woven other controversies that repeatedly recur – controversies over state economic development, the provision of government services, industrial disputation and government reactions, electoral zoning and disputes over malapportionment, the impost of taxation in the ‘low tax state’, encroachments on civil liberties and political protests, the perennial topic of censorship, as well as the emerging issues of integrity, concerns about conflicts of interest and the slide towards corruption. There are fights with the federal government – especially with the Whitlam government – and internal fights within the governing coalition which eventually leads to its collapse in 1983, after which the Nationals manage to govern alone for two very tumultuous terms. On the non-government side, the bitterness of the 1950s split was reflected in the early parliaments of this period, and while the Australian Labor Party eventually saw off its rivalrous off-shoot (the QLP-DLP) it then began to implode through waves of internal factional discord.

"Trust in political parties has never been lower, but we have more and more of them, to the point where voters need magnifying sheets to read ballot papers. What is the relationship between party regulation and the nature of our democracy? How is it that parties have been able to gather so many public resources yet with so little scrutiny of their affairs? This is the first book on party regulation in Australia. It covers a wide range of issues, from party donations to candidate selection, from expectations of parties in a representative democracy to the reluctance to regulate and the role of the courts where legislators fear to tread. ‘The regulation of political parties is one of the most important, but unexplored areas of Australian electoral policy. This important book fills that gap in providing a stimulating and insightful analysis of the pitfalls and potential solutions in this area.’ — Professor George Williams AO"

Safety-critical systems with more digitalization, automation, and AI require integration of human factors to ensure safety, efficiency, and meaningful human control. Across sectors such as aviation, maritime, energy, transportation, and remote operations, accident investigations repeatedly show that failures often stem not from technology alone but from inadequate scoping, poor human-centered design, alarm overload, fragmented automation, and organizational conditions that leave operators unprepared during critical situations. Disasters such as the Boeing 737 MAX accidents demonstrate how safety can be compromised when humans and systems are misaligned, while successful recoveries (such as the US Airways Flight 1549 landing on the Hudson River) show the vital role of design-supported human performance in demanding conditions. Safety by Design: Human-Centered Approaches to AI, Automation, and Remote Operations explores the relationship between human capabilities, organizational readiness, and complex technical systems. It offers best practices for designing safety-critical systems that integrate human factors from concept to operation. The book introduces Meaningful Human Control, a framework ensuring humans retain authority, awareness, and intervention ability, aligning with emerging EU AI regulations. Readers will learn practical methods to design systems with usability, transparency, and oversight, alongside insights into automation, accident analysis, and supporting operators under stress. These principles help create safer, more resilient, and trustworthy systems. This book has been written for human factors students and specialists, system designers, engineers, safety professionals, regulators, and project managers working on safety-critical applications involving automation, AI, or remote operations. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a creative commons (CC BY) 4.0 license.

Ökonomische Argumente werden auch für Juristen immer wichtiger. Dieses Lehrbuch soll Juristen mit ökonomischen Methoden vertraut machen, um ihnen ein besseres Verständnis dieser Argumente zu geben. Es richtet sich dabei sowohl an Studierende als auch an Wissenschaftler und Praktiker. Für die Neuauflage wurden alle Kapitel überarbeitet und ergänzt, zwei Kapitel sind von neuen Autoren vollständig neu verfasst worden. Außerdem wurden Randziffern eingefügt, die die Arbeit mit dem Werk erleichtern sollen. "Im Ergebnis bietet das Buch den perfekten Einstieg in die Rechtsökonomie und darüber hinaus in die Eckpfeiler der Wirtschaftswissenschaften als solche. Das Lehrbuch bietet jedoch weit mehr. Durch die ausführlichen Literaturhinweise zu Beginn eines jeden Kapitels sowie den übersichtlichen Glossar am Ende des Werkes, wird es zu einem ständigen Begleiter. Mithin eine brillante Darstellung, die in jedes Buchregal eines Rechtsstudierenden gehört." David Eckner www.studjur-online.de (01/2011) "Sowohl dem auf schnellem Zugriff angewiesenen Leser als auch dem nach Vertiefung suchenden Rechtsökonomen bietet das Werk eine dem Blickwinkel des Juristen entgegenkommende Darstellung. […] Studenten, die nach Blicköffnung und Hilfestellungen für interdisziplinär abgesicherte und nachhaltig belastbare Argumentation suchen, sei es mit Nachdruck empfohlen." Patrick C. Leyens Juristische Schulung — 2011, Heft 1, XVII

After a period of relative calm in congressional elections prior to 2006, America has experienced a series of highly competitive, volatile national elections. Since then, at least one of the US House, US Senate, and presidency has flipped party control—often with a large House or Senate seat swing—with the exception of the 2012 election. In Waves of Discontent, Jacob F. H. Smith argues that a pervasive feeling of displeasure in the American public has caused this increase in electoral volatility. Conducting statistical analyses of a wide array of surveys, Smith found that these feelings of displeasure translate to lower turnout among voters from the president’s party and a higher percentage of independents voting for the other party. Subsequently, he conducted a content analysis of New York Times articles to look at the connection between unrest in American society and seat swings in congressional elections, even before the existence of polling. Examining the consequences of volatility in congressional elections reveals that political amateurs are more likely to win in wave years than in normal years. Based on this data, Smith presents a new theory about the policy process—the policy doom loop—in which frustration among voters at both the inability of Congress to pass policy and anger at policies that actually do pass results in even more churn in congressional elections. Waves of Discontent offers some suggestions to promote constructive policymaking efforts in Washington to reduce frustration in the electorate.

Based in central Chad, the nomadic Walad Djifir are part of extensive socio-economic networks, ranging from very local cattle markets, to Western Unions in Libya, and selling merchandise in the Central African Republic. This ethnography embraces the intricate relationships between sedentary and mobility, the mundane and the extreme, flexibility and expectations to explore how Walad Djifir weave the globalising world into their own.

Die 1972 von den Frankfurter Slavisten Olexa Horbatsch und Gerd Freidhof begründete Reihe Specimina philologiae Slavicae wird heute von Holger Kuße (Dresden), Peter Kosta (Potsdam), Beatrix Kreß (Hildesheim), Franz Schindler (Gießen), Barbara Sonnenhauser (Zürich) und Nadine Thielemann (Wien) herausgeben. In der Reihe erscheinen Monographien, Sammelbände und Lehrbücher zu allen Gebieten der Slavistik, der Sprach-, der Literatur- und der Kulturwissenschaft. In der Sprachwissenschaft erscheinen sowohl sprachhistorische als auch innovative Arbeiten zur Pragmatik und Semantik, zu slavischen Kleinsprachen und zur Diskurslinguistik. In der Literatur- und Kulturwissenschaft gehört zu den besonderen Interessensgebieten die Russische Philosophie.

Lev Tolstoy has held the attention of mankind for well over a century. A supremely talented artist, whose novels and short stories continue to entrance readers all over the world, he was at the same time a fearless moral philosopher who explored and challenged the fundamental bases of human society—political, economic, legal, and cultural. Hugh McLean, Professor Emeritus of Russian literature at the University of California, Berkeley, has been studying and writing about Tolstoy for many years. In these essays he investigates some of the numerous puzzles and paradoxes in the Tolstoyan heritage, engaging both with Tolstoy the artist, author of those incomparable novels, and Tolstoy the thinker, who, from his impregnable outpost at Yasnaya Polyana, questioned the received ideas and beliefs of the whole civilized world. In two concluding essays, "Tolstoy beyond Tolstoy," McLean deals with the impact of Tolstoy on such diverse figures as Ernest Hemingway and Isaiah Berlin.

Courts with the right to constitutional review exert considerable power in a political system. However, especially for Kelsenian constitutional courts there are hardly any large-N studies. This is mainly due to a lack of data. For the German Federal Constitutional Court, this gap has been closed by building a novel database, the development of which is depicted in this book. Employing data from this database, the occurrence of separate opinions in general and their different types in particular are analyzed. The book introduces a new, universal theory that reconciles and expands existing explanations. In a second step, the theory is applied to the German Federal Constitutional Court. It can be proven that one factor that has been neglected so far plays a decisive role: The judges' behavior depends on the profession they pursue after their time in office. Moreover, the study shows that -- contrary to the common literature -- it is not mainly the topic that determines a case's conflict potential but rather the number of issues a decision has to address.

A strict ban on egg donation is unjustified in a liberal society. Yet, egg donation is nevertheless fraught with problems that should not be ignored. This work examines those problems from a moral philosophical perspective and identifies frameworks for dealing with egg donation appropriately. In addition, numerous interfaces with other reproductive procedures are highlighted.