Synopsis:

In this book, feminisation – the marking of female sex on personal nouns – in Dutch and German is investigated contrastively, diachronically, and corpus-linguistically. The corpus-based approach entails a theoretical and methodological shift from a structuralist and essentialist approach to the interplay of language and sex to a poststructuralist, usage-based and holistic perspective, which has long been lacking from the scientific domain of Gender Linguistics.

Starting from the observation that feminising morphology seems less frequently used in Dutch than in German in the same contexts, the goal is to examine how intra- and extralinguistic factors influence the choice for or against the use of these morphological patterns. These (only partly consciously made) choices are called differentiation and neutralisation, respectively. On the intralinguistic level, the link between the use of feminising morphology and properties of the grammatical gender system is investigated contrastively and diachronically, as well as more generally various semantic and pragmatic factors (semantics of the personal noun, animacy, referentiality) that may contribute to a more or less stable feminisation system. On the extralinguistic level, the effect of diverging views on gender-fair language use in both language areas, and within the respective areas (North vs. South for Dutch, East vs. West for German), stands out.

Drawing on diachronic corpus data, the effects of these factors are investigated empirically in three case studies by focusing on the form (Case Study I) and function (Case Study II: feminisation in human reference and Case Study III: feminisation in nonhuman reference) of feminising morphology. Both formally and functionally, Dutch feminisation is a complex system, whereas the German one is more uniform and straightforward. The use of feminising morphology in Dutch has been restricted since at least the second half of the 20th century, but less so in Northern than in Southern (Belgian) Dutch. By contrast, the tendency in German goes toward the consolidation of the feminisation system in all semantically female contexts, with the exception of language use in former East-German newspapers. Furthermore, as opposed to the Dutch feminisation system, the German system has taken on inflectional properties known as inherent inflection, the marking of which is semantically motivated. Examples of the use of feminising morphology in nonhuman reference fit in this analysis as well (e.g., die Partei als Gewinnerin ‘the party as the winner.fem’).

Significant impacting factors in the reduction of a feminisation system are indeed the gender system (feminisation is connected with a preserved masculine/feminine gender distinction, present in German but not in Dutch), referentiality (feminisation is an important referent-tracking instrument and therefore more likely found in referential contexts), semantics (in the case of reduction of feminisation, remnants of the system are observed in semantic contexts which foreground social gender), the newness of a personal noun in a language (neutralisation of new nouns is more common than neutralisation of long-established nouns), and the influence of language policy: the Dutch feminisation system, as well as the use of feminising morphology in the former GDR, has been subject to a significant effect of conscious neutralisation strategies as a means of gender-fair language use.

The fragmented and disrupted electricity infrastructures of Benin restrict service provision in health centers and are insofar co-responsible for healthcare shortcomings. Off-grid PV systems are regarded as state-of-the-art technology to complement conventional structures of electricity provision and hence ‘develop’ the apparent insufficiencies. This thesis aims to go beyond these ostensible claims and explore the complexities and contradictions that arise from the integration of such technologies in public institutions. To achieve this distinct perception, the systems were conceptualized as fluid actors whose impacts in the dimensions of ‘nation building’, ‘community constitution’, and ‘provision of clean electricity’ were examined and compared to other fluid actors. Data was collected through qualitative interviews with members of (inter-) national organizations, technicians, and healthcare professionals. The analysis demonstrates that off-grid PV systems play a crucial role in the hybridization of electricity provision as they appear in differing quantities, sizes, and scopes in most of the visited health centers. Nevertheless, it was found that this integration does not inherently facilitate stable nation-building processes, nor does it equate to the satisfaction of health professionals. Consequently, the thesis concludes in defining interdependent identities of off-grid PV systems as envisioned, visible, and invisible actor that allow to portray the ambivalent characteristics of the technology.

In light of the climate crisis, the discovery of Europe’s largest deposit of rare earth elements, known as Per Geijer and located in Kiruna, Northern Sweden, has been celebrated as a key to the EU’s green transition. At the same time, however, the planned extraction risks making traditional reindeer herding in the area impossible, thereby jeopardizing Sami culture, which is deeply rooted in the land and reindeer herding. Drawing on literature and fieldwork, this study explores how the mining project would affect local Sami reindeer herders’ experiences of environmental justice, focusing on the three dimensions of distribution, recognition and participation. The analysis combines environmental justice theory with a capabilities approach to assess not only the social, economic and cultural impacts but also the effects on reindeer herders’ well being and autonomy. This study reveals that the state positions the erosion of Sami culture and livelihood as a necessary cost for the greater good. While Sami reindeer herders suffer environmental, economic, social and cultural consequences, they are largely excluded from profits and decision-making. In light of the green transition and rising mineral demands, this thesis adds to the discussion on the impacts of extraction on Indigenous groups and highlights the need for a just transition that does not reproduce colonial injustices.

What does justice imply – and for whom? This question is relevant with regard to various topics and needs to be considered, for example in the context of the environment. The concept of environmental justice (EJ) provides an approach to answering this question. In the context of this thesis, EJ is therefore applied to a specific case, the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal. The focus on the expansion of this fossil fuel infrastructure is a fairly new phenomenon in Germany, as is the protest against it. Similarly new is the qualitative, scientific examination of local struggles in the German research landscape with regard to LNG. In order to expand this state of research and analyze the new energy policy developments and their local implications, the following paper asks to what extent the three dimensions of EJ - distributive, recognition and procedural justice - are reflected in the motives and arguments of the opponents of the LNG terminal off Rügen. Through interviews with opponents of the LNG terminal, the qualitative research design enabled a detailed examination of the predominant motives of EJ in the context of the construction of fossil infrastructure. Local and external groups, as well as non-human entities, are mentioned in the motives for distributional injustices. In addition, complex procedural injustices in the context of the approval process or the dialogue formats between politics and the population were addressed. There was some recognition of certain local groups, but other non-local groups were given less consideration, similar to various local demands or scientific findings.

Die Arbeit entwickelt eine Architektur für einen EHDS-konformen Datenraum, der sektorübergreifende Forschungsdatenkooperationen im Gesundheitswesen unterstützt. Ausgangspunkt ist die Analyse rechtlicher, organisatorischer und technischer Anforderungen an Datennutzung und -austausch, die im Kontext fragmentierter IT-Landschaften, heterogener Prozesse und datenschutzrechtlicher Unsicherheiten besondere Bedeutung haben. Methodisch folgt die Arbeit dem Ansatz des Action Design Research und verbindet theoretische Meta- Anforderungen mit empirischen Erkenntnissen aus Interviews und Workshops im Projekt CaringS. Ergebnis ist ein Wegweiser, der Konsortien in fünf Phasen von der gemeinsamen Vision über die Identifikation relevanter Datenquellen und Fragen der Data-Governance bis zur technischen Architektur und langfristigen Nutzung begleitet. Wissenschaftlich leistet die Arbeit einen Beitrag zur Entwicklung von Gestaltungsprinzipien für Datenräume, die Zielkonflikte zwischen Generalisierbarkeit und Praxistauglichkeit sichtbar machen. Praktisch stellt sie ein anwendbares Instrument bereit, das EHDS-Vorgaben in konkrete Arbeitsschritte übersetzt und so Forschung und Versorgung verbindet.

La obra analiza los enlaces históricos que permitieron a la población arabófona de México exhibir vínculos transregionales con el llamado “Medio Oriente” entre el ocaso del Imperio Otomano y el inicio del sistema de mandato europeo en Máshrek. Se argumenta que su sentido de pertenencia debe ser interpretado como un vínculo material y espiritual con su lugar de origen capaz de posicionar su presencia transnacional entre un pasado nostálgico y un proyecto de cohesión social hacia el futuro.

This paper investigates how the ECB’s monetary policy affects consumers’ perceptions about the credibility of the inflation target. Monetary policy is assessed by the gap between the actual policy rate and a Taylor rate to approximate the interest rate expected by the public. Drawing on survey data for German consumers from 2019 to 2024, we find that the ECB’s interest rate policy contributes significantly to the credibility of the inflation target. In particular, the massive dent in inflation target credibility observed from 2021 to the end of 2023 could have been ameliorated by an earlier and more decisive tightening of monetary policy. This suggests that simple outcome-based Taylor rules may deserve more attention in the communication of the ECB’s monetary policy strategy.

En un mundo en el que convergen tensiones geopolíticas, diversidad cultural y transformación digital, la diplomacia adquiere una nueva dimensión: la diplomacia pública. Esta obra ilumina cómo Iberoamérica, con sus ricas tradiciones, múltiples voces y enfoques innovadores, desarrolla un lenguaje propio de entendimiento internacional. Muestra que no solo los gobiernos, sino también las sociedades, universidades, artistas y medios de comunicación son actores de esta nueva diplomacia. Las contribuciones ofrecen una profunda mirada a los mecanismos, oportunidades y desafíos de una política exterior que va más allá de los canales clásicos. Evidencian cómo se puede generar confianza, promover el diálogo y construir puentes culturales, no solo entre Estados, sino también entre personas. Iberoamérica se revela así no como un receptor pasivo de corrientes globales, sino como un actor activo que une tradición e innovación. El libro está dirigido a investigadores, estudiantes, responsables políticos y a todos aquellos que deseen comprender cómo las narrativas, la cultura y la comunicación configuran el orden internacional. Es, al mismo tiempo, instrumento de análisis y fuente de inspiración para una política exterior del siglo XXI. Quien quiera comprender el futuro diplomático de Iberoamérica encontrará aquí análisis sólidos, estudios de caso atractivos y un panorama de perspectivas que trasciende los límites regionales. Esta obra invita a entender la diplomacia pública no solo como herramienta política, sino como un encuentro humano y cultural, y por ello, como clave para una convivencia más pacífica.

La historia de América es mucho más que un relato nacional: forma parte de una red densa de relaciones globales, de flujos de ideas y de conflictos. Este libro abre nuevas perspectivas sobre el pasado del continente americano al situar en el centro las interacciones entre las Américas, así como sus múltiples conexiones con Europa, África y Asia. Los autores muestran de manera convincente cómo la migración, el comercio, la diplomacia, los contactos culturales y las guerras han marcado a las sociedades americanas durante siglos. No se trata solo de los grandes acontecimientos políticos, sino también de los vínculos cotidianos, a menudo invisibles, que influyeron en la vida de millones de personas. La historia de América aparece así no como una sucesión aislada de desarrollos nacionales, sino como parte de una dinámica historia mundial. Una atención especial recae en las interacciones entre las distintas regiones del continente. ¿Cómo repercutieron revoluciones, crisis económicas o movimientos culturales en los países vecinos, y qué resonancias tuvieron en el escenario global? Los autores entrelazan estas preguntas en un amplio panorama que revela la complejidad de la experiencia americana. La obra está dirigida a quienes se interesan por la historia, la política y la cultura de América, y ofrece un acceso riguroso y al mismo tiempo claro. Es un recurso valioso tanto para la enseñanza universitaria como para un público más amplio que desee redescubrir el pasado americano: no como un relato cerrado, sino como una historia viva, abierta e internacionalmente conectada. Un libro que amplía horizontes y demuestra que la historia de América solo puede comprenderse en diálogo con el mundo.

Synopsis:

This volume contains a selection of papers that were originally presented at a workshop "Cross-disciplinary approaches to Information Structure in African languages", held in Porto-Novo, Benin in 2022. Eight papers explore information structure in Niger-Congo languages from different linguistic angles: phonetics, phonology, syntax and semantics. The papers address a range of topics in different Niger- Congo languages from both junior and senior scholars in the field of linguistics, reflecting both the diversity of languages and scholarship in African linguistics.