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The author accepts the basic argument that recent advances in qualitative methods have had an uneven impact on the three major empirical fields in political science. He emphasizes that scholars in all three fields have made significant contributions to qualitative methodology, but these contributions have a more profound impact on the practice of qualitative work in comparative and international politics than in American politics. The author argues that the differences between qualitative and quantitative or formal research are less pronounced than some would believe. In particular, the author argues that scholars have overstated the argument that qualitative researchers are significantly more skeptical of universal generalizations, more inclined to incorporate scope conditions into their theories, and more complex in their views of social reality than are quantitative and formal researchers.

В статье отражена часть положений кандидатской диссертации автора по теме «Авторефлексия в творчестве Н. В. Гоголя 1840-х годов», исследуется авторефлексия в «Развязке Ревизора» Н. В. Гоголя, представляющая собой рассмотрение неоднозначности воплощенного в его знаменитой комедии смеха и попытку объяснить роль комического в замысле «Ревизора», принявшие форму дополнения, толкования и комментирования комедии. ; The article reflects some clauses of the author"s Ph. D. thesis «Self-reflection in N. V. Gogol"s works of the 1840s». In this article the author analyses basic varieties of self-reflection in «The Denouement of "The Government Inspector"» by N. V. Gogol and his self-reflective considering of comedy and laugh nature. In this play self-reflection becomes apparent through the author"s art analysis of various contemporaries" interpretations of «The Government Inspector» including Gogol"s rendering.

To develop the discussion on "intercultural competence in schools" further the author proposes to understand culture as a social grammar of behaviour. On this basis he introduces different models for the analysis of intercultural communication and learning processes. The author sees these processes as coilformed and lifelong learning processes, which repeat themselves again and again. The author closes his article by encouraging the responsible persons in schools, to develop a concept for the intercultural competence acquisition of their pupils. This concept should include proposals for exchange programs between schools. Also it should include a chapter on school being a welcoming and integrating place for individual foreign pupils, who come from other exchange programs, and about school being a place that encourages and initiates individual exchanges for their own pupils to foreign countries.

The article attempts to offer a framework for understanding the interdependence between modern civil society and the democratic state in its complexity. The author seeks inspiration mainly from two very significant sources—in Toqueville's social theory and in Giddens' theory of reflexive modernity. In the first stage the author summarises basic arguments in empirical discussions on the civil society concept. In the second stage he offers the overview of a robust normative perspective of the concept and, in the third stage, he tries to outline the complex interpretative framework for an empirical analysis of state–civil society relations. The author follows the ambition of overcoming to a certain extent the crucial sociological paradox between the macro- and micro-sociological approaches and considering both the functional-structural perspective and the empirical point of view of the civil society concept.

This article responds to contributions to the special issue of Lesbian & Gay Psychology Review, volume 7(1), on lesbian, gay, polyamorous and queer parenting and families. The author draws upon Foucault's work to suggest that new relational possibilities might be imagined via the practices of lesbian and gay parenting. After briefly reviewing his own involvement in research on gay and lesbian foster care and adoption, the author goes on to discuss questions about gender role models, methodological debates on the nature of research knowledge, and the emergence of narrative/discourse analysis within lesbian and gay parenting studies. The author discusses and responds to a number of problems raised by the contributors, and emphasises an approach to gay and lesbian parenting studies based upon a discursive concern with power/knowledge.

The German residential real estate market has experienced stagnating -- and even falling -- prices for the past 10 years. The reasons for this include sluggish growth in personal income & a slow increase in number of households, the author of this article contends. In Germany house prices are seldom associated with the economic cycle. However, data shows that real estate prices in the U.S. have doubled within the last 10 years while American consumers have been able to translate the increasing real estate prices into more consumption through flexible mortgage payments. The author believes that the decade-long phase of stagnated real estate market is coming to an end. However, due to the German government's decision to raise value-added tax, the author believes that no significant price increases in the housing market will take place in 2007. A. Kallioinen

This article describes the ways in which Times Square in New York City has changed over the last two decades. While Times Square was a dangerous place where crime took place openly, it is now peopled with security guards & police. The author also praises the recent building in Times Square, drawing particular attention to the Conde Nast building & to the Westin Hotel. However, the electronic zipper that used to transmit breaking news for The New York Times is now sponsored by Dow Jones & disappointingly consists mainly of stock quotations & sports scenes. In conclusion, the author describes an incident in 2004 where he was standing outside the Reuters building sketching & taking notes. A security guard from Reuters insisted that he move along. The author questions the idea that corporations in the Square believe they can control activity on the streets. R. Prince

This article describes antique & European myths from the middle ages & analyzes their relation to today's image of the continent among Europeans. The myth about the establishment of Rome by Aeneas, the son of Venus, promises eternal afterlife, peace, & justice. With a biblical archetype of religious wars, the Song of Roland depicts Emperor Charlemagne & his nephew Roland as crusaders against the Muslims. Since Charlemagne was considered the rightful successor to the Roman throne, the epic about King Arthur seems to lack legitimacy, the author states. Therefore, special legitimacy was created for King Arthur through a myth about Aeneas's son who invaded Britain. According to the author, the empires of Charlemagne & King Arthur stand in opposition to one another. This division to continental & to Atlantic legitimacy remains a key problem in Europe even today, the author concludes. A. Kallioinen

This article compares the cases of ozone layer protection and climate change. In both cases, scientific expertise has played a comparatively important role in the policy process. The author argues that against conventional assumptions, scientific consensus is not necessary to achieve ambitious political goals. However, the architects of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change operated under such assumptions. The author argues that this is problematic both from a theoretical viewpoint and from empirical evidence. Contrary to conventional assumptions, ambitious political regulations in the ozone case were agreed under scientific uncertainty, whereas the negotiations on climate change were much more modest albeit based on a large scientific consensus. On the basis of a media analysis, the author shows that the creation of a climate of expectation plus pressure from leader countries is crucial for success.

The commodification of football has been the subject of substantial sociological debate but has received relatively limited scrutiny in terms of sustained comparative empirical research. This article draws heavily on interviews with supporter groups, journalists, and officials in Scottish football to examine a range of issues relating to fan experiences and understandings of football's commodification. The author examines how fans respond to their labeling as customers and considers whether they are alienated or marginalized from football in economic and cultural terms. The author explores how the game's commodification can be at the expense of themost deserving supporters and undermines the future reproduction of fan communities. The author concludes by arguing for a nuanced sociological reading of supporters in regard to commodification, which appreciates both the fans' market pragmatism and their normative critiques of distributive justice in the game.

The author argues that moral values in U.S. politics predate the 2004 presidential election, animate contemporary public policy discussions among people with varying viewpoints within and across political and religious persuasions, and permeate broader issues of social justice and cultural correctness. Liberal institutions, based on moral principles shown to be consistent with J. Dewey's pragmatic philosophy, afford persons of faith protections and opportunities to engage in public debate and thereby shape legitimate policies thought to be in the public interest. On the whole, the author contends that governmental institutions in the United States are highly resilient, enabling coexistence of proponents of competing accounts of excellence (i.e., virtue and character) on terms of mutual respect. Finally, the author addresses how the present political climate might affect policy and clinical practice and what social workers should do about it.