Suchergebnisse

"Based on 30 years of fieldwork in the Niger Delta, this book debunks the determinism of the resource curse theory in Nigeria, Africa's leading oil producer and the most populous country on the continent. It rather shows that oil and gas production is only one element of a social problem with much deeper roots. It also investigates the role played by the youth, a key issue in a society where half of the population is under 18 years old. To understand the multiple causes of the crisis, it thus delves into the complexity of a rich history"--

"Contemporary China: A new superpower? is a unique textbook introducing the complexity and diversity of China's society, politics, economics, and international affairs, and the multiple ways in which their dynamics corroborate to simultaneously construct and challenge perceptions of China. Structured thematically in three sections - History, Society and Culture; Politics and Economy; International Relations - this textbook provides answers to one of the most frequently asked general questions in relation to China. Will it become a new superpower and equal the international power and influence of the United States? Chapters written by some of the most recognized commentators and researchers of China cover broad range of topics and offer an in-depth analysis of issues in contemporary China, such as the impact of the Tiananmen 1989 events, the economic development of the country, the environmental and demographic crises, social control and propaganda, and the role of China in the region and the world. Introducing students comprehensively to the domestic context and international affairs of China, the book will be particularly useful for undergraduate level courses in Asian Studies and courses on the history, politics, and international affairs of China and Chinese Studies"--

"This volume takes a comparative approach to Japanese politics, covering topics such as political parties and elections, civil society, bureaucracy, and foreign relations. Grounded in a discussion of democracy's historical development since the Meiji period, each chapter encourages readers to think critically and comparatively about political processes and their outcomes, situating Japan regionally and as a wealthy, democratic nation. The goal is to offer students of government insight into how democracy works-and doesn't, for that matter-and can illustrate the fact that strengthening democratic institutions is an ongoing struggle throughout much of the world, including Japan"--

New Space technologies, such as Earth observation and satellite navigation systems, offer several development possibilities, but they also have the potential to adversely affect individuals' rights. The protection of these rights is at the core of this book.

Obwohl es mittlerweile eine Vielzahl an Forschung zum Phänomen Islamismus gibt, wurden in nur wenigen Studien Interviews mit jungen Menschen mit islamistischen Orientierungen geführt und systematisch ausgewertet. In diesem Buch gehen die Autorinnen anhand autobiografischer Erzählungen den folgenden Fragen nach: Wie eignen sich junge Menschen islamistische Orientierungen an, wie hängen sie mit biografischen Erfahrungen zusammen und welche Funktion erfüllen sie in den Biografien? Die Autorinnen zeigen, dass die Orientierungen in jugendphasenspezifische Probleme von Grenzziehung, Handlungskontrolle, sozialer Positionierung und Vergemeinschaftung eingebunden sind und diese Probleme auf verschiedene Weise gelöst werden: Islamismus übernimmt dabei die Funktion der starken Grenze, die Funktion der starken Ordnung oder die Funktion der starken Gemeinschaft.

"This book explores the question of how the EU understands the 'rule of law' in its external relations, with a particular focus on development cooperation and enlargement. Although the EU's commitment to the rule of law is strong, the relevant concept remains nebulous. On the basis of a detailed analysis of two key EU external policy areas, the main argument advanced is that the Union has adopted a mostly 'institutional' approach to the concept by focussing largely on judicial reform. By testing the relevant practice against the background of the constitutional traditions of the Member States and legal theory, the book attests to the significance of developing a comprehensive approach to the rule of law in EU external relations"--

This research provides a comparative study of the Japanese and German nursing home sectors. Faced with aging populations, both countries share similar long-term care policies based on social insurance. However, descriptive statistics indicate significant differences in the outcomes and costs in their respective nursing home sectors. This research aims to identify the reasons for this state of affairs by examining demographic and policy differences between the two countries. To shed light on the subject from multiple angles, we conduct three types of empirical analysis - regression, the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition, and data envelopment analysis - on regional data from the past decade. Our findings indicate that the different outcomes are driven by both demographic and policy differences where policy relates to long-term care as well as to additional welfare aid. In terms of policy, a key difference is found in the designs of the welfare programs for low-income elders. In Germany, our results are consistent with moral hazard due to the generous design of the welfare program, while in Japan, our results do not indicate moral hazard, which may be due to strict nursing home admission rules for welfare recipients.