Open Access Books

A comprehensive neurocognitive theory of dreaming based on the theories, methodologies, and findings of cognitive neuroscience and the psychological sciences. G. William Domhoff's neurocognitive theory of dreaming is the only theory of dreaming that makes full use of the new neuroimaging findings on all forms of spontaneous thought and shows how well they explain the results of rigorous quantitative studies of dream content. Domhoff identifies five separate issues—neural substrates, cognitive processes, the psychological meaning of dream content, evolutionarily adaptive functions, and historically invented cultural uses—and then explores how they are intertwined. He also discusses the degree to which there is symbolism in dreams, the development of dreaming in children, and the relative frequency of emotions in the dreams of children and adults. During dreaming, the neural substrates that support waking sensory input, task-oriented thinking, and movement are relatively deactivated. Domhoff presents the conditions that have to be fulfilled before dreaming can occur spontaneously. He describes the specific cognitive processes supported by the neural substrate of dreaming and then looks at dream reports of research participants. The “why” of dreaming, he says, may be the most counterintuitive outcome of empirical dream research. Though the question is usually framed in terms of adaptation, there is no positive evidence for an adaptive theory of dreaming. Research by anthropologists, historians, and comparative religion scholars, however, suggests that dreaming has psychological and cultural uses, with the most important of these found in religious ceremonies and healing practices. Finally, he offers suggestions for how future dream studies might take advantage of new technologies, including smart phones.

Urban Resilience is seen by many as a tool to mitigate harm in times of extreme social, political, financial, and environmental stress. Despite its widespread usage, however, resilience is used in different ways by policy makers, activists, academics, and practitioners. Some see it as a key to unlocking a more stable and secure urban future in times of extreme global insecurity; for others, it is a neoliberal technology that marginalizes the voices of already marginal peoples. This volume moves beyond praise and critique by focusing on the actors, narratives and temporalities that define urban resilience in a global context. By exploring the past, present, and future of urban resilience, this volume unlocks the potential of this concept to build more sustainable, inclusive, and secure cities in the 21st century.

One phenomenon of modernity on which media ethics comments is the challenge to reason by the boom in non-rational world views. Since we are exposed to a constant stream of apocalyptic news every day, there is reason to examine news for its effect as a precursor of non-rational mental models of reality in the consciousness of its recipients. A model of cerebral information and knowledge processing by the sociologist Walter L. Bühl can be used to explain why many media users tend to align their actions with mythical, conspiracy-affiliated, anti-scientific and fundamentalist world views, thus calling into question fundamental achievements of the Enlightenment.

Collaboration-oriented knowledge and process management must support the integration of all systems involved, address specific questions of the division of labor within the control system, but also enable the planning and engineering of new variants and contribute to a continuous increase in quality through the persistence and analysis of process data.

Quels rapports se tissent entre l’identité de la chercheuse et son objet d’étude ? Pourquoi le fait de s’intéresser à l’histoire coloniale ou à l’Afrique lorsqu’on est une femme blanche pose-t-il question ? Et que peut l’histoire de l’art par rapport à l’histoire coloniale ou celle de la décolonisation ? À partir d’une expérience singulière dans le monde des musées et de l’université, au cœur des débats académiques soulevés par les théories « postcoloniales », « décoloniales » ou « globales », cet ouvrage offre des clés de compréhension et des propositions pour décloisonner les champs disciplinaires et contribuer à l’écriture d’une histoire de l’art mondialisée et connectée.

This book describes recent advances in geomechanics for energy and the sustainable environment. Four research articles, related to high-level radioactive nuclear waste disposal stability, geological effect and wellbore stability considerations for methane gas hydrate production, and artificial soil freezing, are presented in this book. In addition, a comprehensive state-of-the-art review verifies the strong correlation between global climate change and the occurrence of geotechnical engineering hazards. The review also summarizes recent attempts to reduce CO2 emissions from civil and geotechnical engineering practices. Readers will gain ideas as to how we can deal with conventional and renewable energy sources and environment-related geotechnical engineering issues.

This book explores the crafts and performing arts of South Asia through a focus on labour and livelihood. It brings to light little-researched angles of social and political economies of culture and the ways in which they have shifted and changed in different historical eras and different political, economic, and social formations up to the present. In particular, through this focus on labour and livelihood, the contributors analyse the extensive parallels and similarities of arts and crafts on the one hand and music and performing arts on the other, ranging from questions of lineage, transmission, class/caste/community, professional versus amateur performers and artisans, to the impact of globalisation, neoliberal reforms, and mediatisation. Given the role of gender inequalities and differences within caste/community-based cultural production in South Asia across visual, material, and performing arts and crafts, this interdisciplinary perspective is particularly salient and links together broader sociological and historical trends in South Asian cultural or creative economies. Creative economies of culture explores labour and livelihood through a gamut of crafts and performing arts ranging from courtly and classical to commissioned to mass-produced, and in epochs ranging from colonial or feudal to globalised and neoliberal. In the process, it revisits, refines, or revises notions of social and cultural capital; socio-economic mobility; the value, role, and agency of crafts and performing arts; and the status of their artisans and performers. Original chapters written by contributors with an interdisciplinary background look at the survival and adaption of traditional artisanal communities; traditional forms of practice; historical shifts such as colonialism, industrialisation, and nationalism; as well as modern industries and institutions, including technologies of mass production and creative entrepreneurship. This book contextualises current debates within art, craft, music, and dance in South Asia. It develops new theoretical understandings of creative culture through a focus on labour and contributes to a range of social sciences, arts, and humanities disciplines, including South Asian studies, Ethnomusicology, Crafts and Design, Economic Anthropology, (Historical) Sociology and (Historical) Economics, Cultural History, Human Geography, and Creative Industries and Economies.

Descubrimiento, pacificación y población de la provincia de Santa Marta y Nuevo Reino es una obra clave para entender los procesos culturales y sociales que se dieron en el Nuevo Reino de Granada durante el periodo colonial. Fray Antonio de Medrano, de la orden franciscana, inició esta obra alrededor de 1550, aprovechando su experiencia en las expediciones de conquista. Más tarde fray Pedro Aguado encontró estas notas y continuó el trabajo hasta terminarlo, con el objetivo de publicarlo (aunque nunca se llegó a hacer). La creencia en el Demonio y la necesidad de combatirlo (temas propios del pensamiento de san Agustín), la construcción del mito del hombre excepcional, el héroe fundador y su contraste con el tirano traidor son algunos de los ejes principales en torno a los cuales gira la obra. Este libro contiene un análisis del pensamiento de Aguado y Medrano, que trata de situar al lector en el horizonte actual del debate sobre las crónicas de la Conquista. La reflexión se ha contextualizado en el marco de las discusiones jurídicas y teológicas sobre la justificación de la conquista de América heredadas de la Edad Media, pero alimentadas por las nuevas condiciones y realidades que resultaron del encuentro del mundo europeo y el mundo americano. Acercarnos a estos temas y tratar de ubicarlos en el presente son tareas que resultan cada vez más necesarias.

For the first time the current volume brings together a fully annotated edition of Hannah Lynch’s articles on Spain – many of which are devoted to travel – together with a critical study of her connections with the country. Lynch, a cosmopolitan New Woman, viewed Spain with ambivalence, impatient of its resistance to change yet seduced by its landscapes and peoples. Her writing, revealing of her commitment to women’s emancipation, warrants attention from those wishing to further explore women’s contributions to the cultural and literary relations between Ireland and the Iberian Peninsula.

In the cultural and social formations of the past, practices exist for the generation and integration of moments having and giving sense with the objective of strengthening the cultural and social cohesion. Such practices and processes have a constructive character, even if this is not always the intention of the actors themselves. As the production of sense is one of the central fields of action of cultural and political practice, the articles examine with an interdisciplinary perspective how, in different contexts, the construction of sense was organized and implemented as a cultural practice.

Il volume raccoglie saggi di studiosi di diversa estrazione dedicati alle narrazioni che visitatori, mercanti, missionari e viaggiatori di varie epoche e provenienze hanno dedicato all’Armenia, alla sua storia, alla sua cultura. Attraverso l’analisi di fonti primarie e documenti inediti, il tema del viaggio in Armenia è affrontato in prospettiva storica, storico-artistica, religiosa, filologica e letteraria, coprendo un periodo di quasi mille anni.

In a world of constant change, strategic management continues to evolve, shaping how organizations compete, innovate, and sustain their success. This book explores the latest developments, offering fresh perspectives and practical applications that redefine the field. Bridging theory and practice, Recent Advances, New Perspectives, and Applications in Strategic Management, presents cutting-edge research and real-world case studies from various industries. It examines emerging trends such as digital transformation, sustainability, and dynamic capabilities, providing readers with the tools to navigate complexity and drive strategic success. With contributions from leading scholars and practitioners, this volume introduces novel frameworks and methodologies that challenge traditional approaches. It explains how firms can leverage data analytics, artificial intelligence, and stakeholder engagement to enhance decision-making and long-term performance. Designed for academics, business leaders, and students, this book is an essential resource for those looking to stay ahead in the evolving landscape of strategic management. Whether exploring new business models, responding to global disruptions, or refining competitive strategies, readers will find valuable insights to shape the future of their organizations.

La gestion du territoire est complexe, pluridisciplinaire… et conflictuelle. Chaque acteur public en a sa propre représentation qui, ­combinée à sa conception de l’intérêt général, génère des concurrences institutionnelles, des divergences sur le fond même des politiques à conduire, des antagonismes. Cet ouvrage trouve son origine dans un séminaire entre géographes, politistes, juristes, économistes et décideurs territoriaux qui ont ­cherché à mettre en lumière les interactions des différents niveaux de l’action publique. Les sujets abordés sont divers : le concept de cohésion territoriale au sein de l’Union européenne et son évolution, les rapports entre ­Washington et les États fédérés, la décentralisation italienne, l’importance des régions métropolitaines aux États-Unis, le Grand Paris, la réforme du fédéralisme allemand, la Catalogne et son expérience de réhabilitation urbaine. À partir de ces exemples, les auteurs démontrent que la gouvernance des territoires est une question éminemment géopolitique. Les affrontements qui en résultent compromettent souvent la réussite des politiques publiques et la compétitivité des territoires. Parfois, au contraire, ils font surgir innovation et dynamisme.

L'historien de l'Ancien Régime est comparable aux pionniers de la photographie : il peine à saisir le mouvement. Les sources dont il dispose sous forme de séries les plus complètes (aveux et dénombrements, minutes notariales) privilégient les tenanciers, les propriétaires, les sédentaires. Si les flux et reflux des migrations saisonnières – les « remues d'hommes » – ont pu progressivement être reconstituées, il reste aujourd'hui très difficile de percevoir les circulations volatiles, diffuses...

Le vêtement civil ou ecclésiastique, peut être considère comme un « fait social total ». Il exprime état, honneur, et distingue celui qui le porte du reste du commun. Les questions de préséances sont primordiales, qu’elles se manifestent par le choix des couleurs, la qualité des tissus, la place occupée dans les assemblées consulaires ou les cérémonies religieuses. Ainsi revêtu, l’individu n’est plus anonyme, il est le corps visible du pouvoir qu’il représente. Les atteintes portées à ces symboles révèlent également l’importance du statut politique du costume. Le soin porté aux vêtements liturgiques et civils, le souci du détail vestimentaire, le sort réservé aux tissus usagés, permettent de cerner, de la théorie à la pratique, l’importance de la vêture comme représentation, mais aussi comme instrument et enjeu de pouvoir. L’intérêt de la longue durée (XIIIe-XXe siècle) réside dans l’analyse des permanences et des évolutions, à partir de l’étude des textes normatifs et des pratiques observées sur le terrain, grâce à l’abondance des sources. Toutes ces questions ont été l’objet de la réflexion des chercheurs lors du colloque organisé à Albi, les 19 et 20 octobre 2001. Loin de représenter une étude exhaustive d’un sujet trop vaste pour être circonscrit en quelques pages, les actes qui paraissent aujourd’hui sont autant d’imitations à pousser les portes entrouvertes et poursuivre le questionnement dans une recherche pluridisciplinaire particulièrement enrichissante.