Camilla Toulmin
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780197265536
- eISBN:
- 9780191760327
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265536.003.0022
- Subject:
- Political Science, Environmental Politics
Ideally there is a world of physical processes and socio-economic analyses and actions which are progressive and predictable in the face of possible tipping points. In practice, the science and ...
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Ideally there is a world of physical processes and socio-economic analyses and actions which are progressive and predictable in the face of possible tipping points. In practice, the science and evidence base are incomplete, and the necessary long-sighted leadership woefully lacking. Mental constructs guide our interpretations of possible futures and ways of getting there. Such maps are culturally determined and connect to the values of the groups through which we relate. As creatures of habit, changing our ways takes time and persistent leverage. This process is made more difficult if the outcomes of actions are geographically and politically separated. Community-based adaptation can make inroads so long as there is appropriate capacity and trust building and targeted and reliable donor aid.Less
Ideally there is a world of physical processes and socio-economic analyses and actions which are progressive and predictable in the face of possible tipping points. In practice, the science and evidence base are incomplete, and the necessary long-sighted leadership woefully lacking. Mental constructs guide our interpretations of possible futures and ways of getting there. Such maps are culturally determined and connect to the values of the groups through which we relate. As creatures of habit, changing our ways takes time and persistent leverage. This process is made more difficult if the outcomes of actions are geographically and politically separated. Community-based adaptation can make inroads so long as there is appropriate capacity and trust building and targeted and reliable donor aid.
Jaap Goudsmit
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195130348
- eISBN:
- 9780199790166
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195130348.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Microbiology
Rarely have humans been as threatened by viruses as they are today. It almost seems as if a virus invasion is taking place. Viruses have lately been coming out of nowhere and appearing in the ...
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Rarely have humans been as threatened by viruses as they are today. It almost seems as if a virus invasion is taking place. Viruses have lately been coming out of nowhere and appearing in the strangest places — exotic viruses about which no one had ever heard before. Many human viruses have started out in the animal world. Are these viruses maybe escaping from their natural hosts? Are human beings simply available as easy prey? Why is all this happening now, and what does it mean for our future? What can we do to defend ourselves? This book addresses viral adaptation as a general phenomenon and examines the implications for public health of human behavior altering viral ecosystems. This book discusses the phenomenon of viral emergence.Less
Rarely have humans been as threatened by viruses as they are today. It almost seems as if a virus invasion is taking place. Viruses have lately been coming out of nowhere and appearing in the strangest places — exotic viruses about which no one had ever heard before. Many human viruses have started out in the animal world. Are these viruses maybe escaping from their natural hosts? Are human beings simply available as easy prey? Why is all this happening now, and what does it mean for our future? What can we do to defend ourselves? This book addresses viral adaptation as a general phenomenon and examines the implications for public health of human behavior altering viral ecosystems. This book discusses the phenomenon of viral emergence.
Theodore Ziolkowski
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195336917
- eISBN:
- 9780199868353
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195336917.001.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Literary Studies: Classical, Early, and Medieval
This book considers three mythological complexes that enjoyed a unique surge of interest in 20th-century European literature, art, and music. While many works deal with the literary use of myth—a ...
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This book considers three mythological complexes that enjoyed a unique surge of interest in 20th-century European literature, art, and music. While many works deal with the literary use of myth—a subject of growing interest in recent decades—it is conspicuous that most of them ignore the three myths that are identified with the island of Crete and linked by the figure of the legendary King Minos: Europa and the bull (his parents), the minotaur (his stepson) and the labyrinth, and Daedalus and Icarus (his subjects). The book adduces the ideas of such precursors of modernism as Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud to explain the revitalization of myth in the early twentieth century. It posits an essential distinction between “primary” and “secondary” myth: that is, myth that has been ironized beyond its original religious meaning and liberated for literary and artistic adaptation. To this end the work analyzes examples drawn from every realm of art—from fiction and poetry and drama to painting, sculpture, opera, and ballet—to explore the particular appeal of the three Cretan myths to the modern consciousness.Less
This book considers three mythological complexes that enjoyed a unique surge of interest in 20th-century European literature, art, and music. While many works deal with the literary use of myth—a subject of growing interest in recent decades—it is conspicuous that most of them ignore the three myths that are identified with the island of Crete and linked by the figure of the legendary King Minos: Europa and the bull (his parents), the minotaur (his stepson) and the labyrinth, and Daedalus and Icarus (his subjects). The book adduces the ideas of such precursors of modernism as Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud to explain the revitalization of myth in the early twentieth century. It posits an essential distinction between “primary” and “secondary” myth: that is, myth that has been ironized beyond its original religious meaning and liberated for literary and artistic adaptation. To this end the work analyzes examples drawn from every realm of art—from fiction and poetry and drama to painting, sculpture, opera, and ballet—to explore the particular appeal of the three Cretan myths to the modern consciousness.
Matt Rossano
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195385816
- eISBN:
- 9780199870080
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195385816.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Drawing together evidence from a wide range of scientific disciplines, this book presents an evolutionary history of religion. That history begins with the social lives and rituals of our primate ...
More
Drawing together evidence from a wide range of scientific disciplines, this book presents an evolutionary history of religion. That history begins with the social lives and rituals of our primate ancestors. As our ancestors’ social world grew increasingly complex, their mental powers grew in concert. Among these mental powers was an increasingly sophisticated imagination. A supernatural world filled with gods, spirits, and ancestors was an outgrowth of that imagination—especially children’s imagination. Belief in the supernatural provided important adaptive benefits. Religion’s initial adaptive benefit was its power to heal. Quickly, though, this benefit was augmented by religion’s power to create highly cooperative and cohesive groups. So significant were these benefits that eventually human groups bonded together by religion out-competed all other groups and literally conquered the world. The book argues that at its core, religion is relational—it represents a supernatural extension of the human social world. Far from just a frivolous adornment, this expanded social world holds the key to what made us human.Less
Drawing together evidence from a wide range of scientific disciplines, this book presents an evolutionary history of religion. That history begins with the social lives and rituals of our primate ancestors. As our ancestors’ social world grew increasingly complex, their mental powers grew in concert. Among these mental powers was an increasingly sophisticated imagination. A supernatural world filled with gods, spirits, and ancestors was an outgrowth of that imagination—especially children’s imagination. Belief in the supernatural provided important adaptive benefits. Religion’s initial adaptive benefit was its power to heal. Quickly, though, this benefit was augmented by religion’s power to create highly cooperative and cohesive groups. So significant were these benefits that eventually human groups bonded together by religion out-competed all other groups and literally conquered the world. The book argues that at its core, religion is relational—it represents a supernatural extension of the human social world. Far from just a frivolous adornment, this expanded social world holds the key to what made us human.
Thanh V. Tran
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195325089
- eISBN:
- 9780199864515
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195325089.003.0002
- Subject:
- Social Work, Research and Evaluation
A research instrument is defined as a systematic and standardized tool for data collection. It includes all types of research questionnaires and standardized scales. There are three ways in ...
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A research instrument is defined as a systematic and standardized tool for data collection. It includes all types of research questionnaires and standardized scales. There are three ways in cross-cultural research instrument development: adopting an existing instrument, adapting or modifying an existing instrument, and developing a new instrument. To develop a cross-culturally valid questionnaire or instrument, the concepts or constructs selected for the investigation must be clearly defined and bear the same meanings across the selected cultural groups. No good questionnaire can be developed without clear definitions. This is a matter of utmost importance for all levels of cultural comparative research and evaluation, whether it is a gender or racial/ethnic comparison within one society or across nations. Chapter 2 describes the process of cross-cultural instrument development, from formulating the research aims to the assessments of cross-cultural measurement properties.Less
A research instrument is defined as a systematic and standardized tool for data collection. It includes all types of research questionnaires and standardized scales. There are three ways in cross-cultural research instrument development: adopting an existing instrument, adapting or modifying an existing instrument, and developing a new instrument. To develop a cross-culturally valid questionnaire or instrument, the concepts or constructs selected for the investigation must be clearly defined and bear the same meanings across the selected cultural groups. No good questionnaire can be developed without clear definitions. This is a matter of utmost importance for all levels of cultural comparative research and evaluation, whether it is a gender or racial/ethnic comparison within one society or across nations. Chapter 2 describes the process of cross-cultural instrument development, from formulating the research aims to the assessments of cross-cultural measurement properties.
Mohd Asaduddin and Anuradha Ghosh (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198075936
- eISBN:
- 9780199081851
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198075936.001.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, Film, Media, and Cultural Studies
Similar to other fine arts' genres, novels and films evolved the way they did due to certain conditions of production, and the way they developed in different cultures was shaped by the governing ...
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Similar to other fine arts' genres, novels and films evolved the way they did due to certain conditions of production, and the way they developed in different cultures was shaped by the governing conventions surrounding them. When discussing films, one cannot overlook the aspect of entertainment. The experience of reading a novel definitely differs from the experience of watching a film. This process is what defies easy translation into film. The film and the novel are intimately connected, as seen in the sheer number of films based on novels. In the case of India, the history of the relationship between cinema and literature has been an integral one. This book explores the mutual relationship between film and fiction in India, focusing on legendary writers Rabindranath Tagore and Premchand and noted filmmaker Satyajit Ray. Drawing upon the insights of leading academics and emerging scholars in the field, it investigates the complex process of film adaptation of the novel. The book looks at three Ray adaptations of Tagore: Teen Kanya (1961), Charulata (1964), and Ghare Baire (1984), as well as two films based on short stories by Premchand—‘Shatranj Ke Khiladi’ (1977) and ‘Sadgati’ (1981). In addition, it examines Ray's adaptation of Tagore's ‘Noshto Neerh’, his rendering of history, and Premchand's ‘Sadgati’ in terms of Ray's handling of the Dalit question.Less
Similar to other fine arts' genres, novels and films evolved the way they did due to certain conditions of production, and the way they developed in different cultures was shaped by the governing conventions surrounding them. When discussing films, one cannot overlook the aspect of entertainment. The experience of reading a novel definitely differs from the experience of watching a film. This process is what defies easy translation into film. The film and the novel are intimately connected, as seen in the sheer number of films based on novels. In the case of India, the history of the relationship between cinema and literature has been an integral one. This book explores the mutual relationship between film and fiction in India, focusing on legendary writers Rabindranath Tagore and Premchand and noted filmmaker Satyajit Ray. Drawing upon the insights of leading academics and emerging scholars in the field, it investigates the complex process of film adaptation of the novel. The book looks at three Ray adaptations of Tagore: Teen Kanya (1961), Charulata (1964), and Ghare Baire (1984), as well as two films based on short stories by Premchand—‘Shatranj Ke Khiladi’ (1977) and ‘Sadgati’ (1981). In addition, it examines Ray's adaptation of Tagore's ‘Noshto Neerh’, his rendering of history, and Premchand's ‘Sadgati’ in terms of Ray's handling of the Dalit question.
Markus Haverland
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199252091
- eISBN:
- 9780191599224
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199252092.003.0009
- Subject:
- Political Science, European Union
Focusing on environmental policies, this chapter aims to contribute to the debate on the politics of Europeanization by presenting the conceptual and theoretical state of the art of research into ...
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Focusing on environmental policies, this chapter aims to contribute to the debate on the politics of Europeanization by presenting the conceptual and theoretical state of the art of research into this specific sector of potential European Union (EU) impact on domestic political systems. The chapter first provides some background information on the essential properties of environmental policy and on the development of EU environmental policy; this is done to explicate the defining characteristics of this sector vis-é-vis other sectors. Next, three recent comparative case studies on the determinants of national adaptation to EU environmental policy requirements are reviewed; these are theoretically informed by either sociological institutionalism or rational choice institutionalism, and arrive at different and partially competing explanations for the variation in national adaptation to European environmental policies. Despite disagreement about the relative importance of the factors and mechanisms of Europeanization, the results of the comparative case studies offer elements for a theory about the conditions of policy adaptation and, by implication, about convergence. Building upon these findings, elements are suggested for a future research agenda based on theoretically informed comparative case studies that gradually include new policy sectors and countries; in addition, the use of counterfactual arguments is proposed to isolate the causal impact of the European Union.Less
Focusing on environmental policies, this chapter aims to contribute to the debate on the politics of Europeanization by presenting the conceptual and theoretical state of the art of research into this specific sector of potential European Union (EU) impact on domestic political systems. The chapter first provides some background information on the essential properties of environmental policy and on the development of EU environmental policy; this is done to explicate the defining characteristics of this sector vis-é-vis other sectors. Next, three recent comparative case studies on the determinants of national adaptation to EU environmental policy requirements are reviewed; these are theoretically informed by either sociological institutionalism or rational choice institutionalism, and arrive at different and partially competing explanations for the variation in national adaptation to European environmental policies. Despite disagreement about the relative importance of the factors and mechanisms of Europeanization, the results of the comparative case studies offer elements for a theory about the conditions of policy adaptation and, by implication, about convergence. Building upon these findings, elements are suggested for a future research agenda based on theoretically informed comparative case studies that gradually include new policy sectors and countries; in addition, the use of counterfactual arguments is proposed to isolate the causal impact of the European Union.
Giuliano Bonoli
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198297567
- eISBN:
- 9780191600104
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198297564.003.0009
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This is the second of three chapters on the implications of electoral politics and the design of political institutions for welfare state adjustment. Bonoli explores the relationship between ...
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This is the second of three chapters on the implications of electoral politics and the design of political institutions for welfare state adjustment. Bonoli explores the relationship between political institutions and patterns of welfare retrenchment, both on a theoretical level and on the basis of the observation of welfare reforms adopted in countries characterized by different levels of institutional power concentration. The main empirical focus is on Britain, an exemplar of strong power concentration, Switzerland, which has a political system characterized by high levels of power fragmentation, and France, an intermediate case. For each of the three countries, narrative accounts are provided of how selected welfare reforms (pension reform in all three countries and unemployment insurance reform in Switzerland) have been adopted. The comparison suggests that the relationship between constitutional structures and welfare adaptation is not a linear one, whereby power concentration is directly linked to a higher or lower rate of success in achieving restructuring, or to the amount of restructuring that can be obtained. Power concentration does, however, appear to be related to the form that welfare state adaptation takes: in contexts of strong power concentration, reform tends to be unilateral and geared towards retrenchment; in contrast, in institutional contexts characterized by veto points, reform tends to combine measures of retrenchment with expansion and improvements of existing programmes.Less
This is the second of three chapters on the implications of electoral politics and the design of political institutions for welfare state adjustment. Bonoli explores the relationship between political institutions and patterns of welfare retrenchment, both on a theoretical level and on the basis of the observation of welfare reforms adopted in countries characterized by different levels of institutional power concentration. The main empirical focus is on Britain, an exemplar of strong power concentration, Switzerland, which has a political system characterized by high levels of power fragmentation, and France, an intermediate case. For each of the three countries, narrative accounts are provided of how selected welfare reforms (pension reform in all three countries and unemployment insurance reform in Switzerland) have been adopted. The comparison suggests that the relationship between constitutional structures and welfare adaptation is not a linear one, whereby power concentration is directly linked to a higher or lower rate of success in achieving restructuring, or to the amount of restructuring that can be obtained. Power concentration does, however, appear to be related to the form that welfare state adaptation takes: in contexts of strong power concentration, reform tends to be unilateral and geared towards retrenchment; in contrast, in institutional contexts characterized by veto points, reform tends to combine measures of retrenchment with expansion and improvements of existing programmes.
Dov-Ber Kerler
- Published in print:
- 1993
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198151661
- eISBN:
- 9780191672798
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198151661.003.0033
- Subject:
- Literature, European Literature
The late eighteenth century was a period of transition, a time of evolution, with the Yiddish literature transforming into its modern phase. The following chapters lend an analysis into the texts ...
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The late eighteenth century was a period of transition, a time of evolution, with the Yiddish literature transforming into its modern phase. The following chapters lend an analysis into the texts that cover this time. Although each has a similar core component, it is still noteworthy to examine each work in its distinct form. This is from the view of Eastern Yiddish language, and a detailed description on the continuing reformation is presented in this chapter. It also shows the influence of other regions, particularly those in the Northeast and Southeast. The chapter explores a vast field in the constant change and renovation of the Eastern Yiddish literature, and its struggle to receive a new adaptation in order to conform to the changing times.Less
The late eighteenth century was a period of transition, a time of evolution, with the Yiddish literature transforming into its modern phase. The following chapters lend an analysis into the texts that cover this time. Although each has a similar core component, it is still noteworthy to examine each work in its distinct form. This is from the view of Eastern Yiddish language, and a detailed description on the continuing reformation is presented in this chapter. It also shows the influence of other regions, particularly those in the Northeast and Southeast. The chapter explores a vast field in the constant change and renovation of the Eastern Yiddish literature, and its struggle to receive a new adaptation in order to conform to the changing times.
J. Stan Metcalfe and Ronnie Ramlogan
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- May 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199290475
- eISBN:
- 9780191603495
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199290474.003.0006
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Economic Systems
This chapter focuses on the connection between economic adaptation and economic development and growth. It argues that economic adaptation is inseparable from the growth of knowledge, and that market ...
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This chapter focuses on the connection between economic adaptation and economic development and growth. It argues that economic adaptation is inseparable from the growth of knowledge, and that market based dynamics give adaptation a form that is central to change in modern capitalism. Reallocation of resources is the consequence of different beliefs; the imagination that the economic world can be organized differently. This is the primary reason why economies evolve and adapt, in that they are instituted variation, selection, and developmental processes.Less
This chapter focuses on the connection between economic adaptation and economic development and growth. It argues that economic adaptation is inseparable from the growth of knowledge, and that market based dynamics give adaptation a form that is central to change in modern capitalism. Reallocation of resources is the consequence of different beliefs; the imagination that the economic world can be organized differently. This is the primary reason why economies evolve and adapt, in that they are instituted variation, selection, and developmental processes.
Raimo Tuomela
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195313390
- eISBN:
- 9780199870929
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195313390.003.0010
- Subject:
- Philosophy, General
The evolutionary aspects of acting as a group member and cooperation are discussed in this chapter. It is argued that the disposition to act as a group member (and, accordingly, to cooperate) is a ...
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The evolutionary aspects of acting as a group member and cooperation are discussed in this chapter. It is argued that the disposition to act as a group member (and, accordingly, to cooperate) is a coevolutionary adaptation, a stable feature typically involving both biological and cultural elements. This chapter sketches an account of the dynamics and change of social practices. Three types of group change are focused on. The main change mechanism is taken to be social learning (e.g., imitation) based on conformism, thus we-attitudes. This theoretical account squares well with other, empirically supported work in the field.Less
The evolutionary aspects of acting as a group member and cooperation are discussed in this chapter. It is argued that the disposition to act as a group member (and, accordingly, to cooperate) is a coevolutionary adaptation, a stable feature typically involving both biological and cultural elements. This chapter sketches an account of the dynamics and change of social practices. Three types of group change are focused on. The main change mechanism is taken to be social learning (e.g., imitation) based on conformism, thus we-attitudes. This theoretical account squares well with other, empirically supported work in the field.
Milada Anna Vachudova
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780199241194
- eISBN:
- 9780191602382
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199241198.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, European Union
The EU had a negligible impact on the course of political change in the new democracies from 1989 to 1994. This chapter traces empirically the relationship between the EU and the liberal and ...
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The EU had a negligible impact on the course of political change in the new democracies from 1989 to 1994. This chapter traces empirically the relationship between the EU and the liberal and illiberal pattern states during this period. The EU’s passive leverage merely reinforced the (relatively) comprehensive reforms adopted by governing elites in the liberal states, while failing to avert or modify the rent-seeking behaviour of elites in the illiberal states. This chapter also reveals how the liberal states came to appreciate fully the benefits of EU membership through exposure to the protectionism of the EU during the negotiation and the implementation of the Europe Agreements. Meanwhile, the EU itself slowly came to terms with the prospect of a future eastern enlargement.Less
The EU had a negligible impact on the course of political change in the new democracies from 1989 to 1994. This chapter traces empirically the relationship between the EU and the liberal and illiberal pattern states during this period. The EU’s passive leverage merely reinforced the (relatively) comprehensive reforms adopted by governing elites in the liberal states, while failing to avert or modify the rent-seeking behaviour of elites in the illiberal states. This chapter also reveals how the liberal states came to appreciate fully the benefits of EU membership through exposure to the protectionism of the EU during the negotiation and the implementation of the Europe Agreements. Meanwhile, the EU itself slowly came to terms with the prospect of a future eastern enlargement.
Timothy O'Riordan and Timothy Lenton (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780197265536
- eISBN:
- 9780191760327
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265536.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Environmental Politics
This book places tipping points in their scientific, economic,
governmental, creative, and spiritual contexts. It seeks to offer a comprehensive set of
...
More
This book places tipping points in their scientific, economic,
governmental, creative, and spiritual contexts. It seeks to offer a comprehensive set of
interpretations on the meaning and application of tipping points. Its contribution focuses on the
various characterisations and metaphors of tipping points, on the scope for anticipating their
onset, the capacity for societal resilience in the face of their impending arrival, and for better
ways of communicating and preparing societies, economies, and governments for accommodating them,
and hence to turn them into responses which buffer and better human well-being. Above all, the
possibility of preparing society for creative and benign ‘tips’ is a unifying theme. The conclusion
is sombre but not without hope. Thresholds of profound change can combine earth system-based
relatively abrupt shifts with human-caused alterations of these disturbed patterns which, coupled
together, produce more rapid onsets and greater tensions and stresses for governments and economies,
as well as socially unequal societies. There is still time to predict and address these thresholds
but too much delay will make the task of accommodation very difficult to achieve with relevant-scale
community support. There are many examples of adaptive resilience throughout the world. These should
be identified, supported, and emulated according to cultural acceptance and emerging economic
realities. But there is no guarantee that the necessary adjustments can be made in time, as emerging
patterns of outlook and governance do not appear to be conducive to manage the very awkward
transitions of appropriate response.Less
This book places tipping points in their scientific, economic,
governmental, creative, and spiritual contexts. It seeks to offer a comprehensive set of
interpretations on the meaning and application of tipping points. Its contribution focuses on the
various characterisations and metaphors of tipping points, on the scope for anticipating their
onset, the capacity for societal resilience in the face of their impending arrival, and for better
ways of communicating and preparing societies, economies, and governments for accommodating them,
and hence to turn them into responses which buffer and better human well-being. Above all, the
possibility of preparing society for creative and benign ‘tips’ is a unifying theme. The conclusion
is sombre but not without hope. Thresholds of profound change can combine earth system-based
relatively abrupt shifts with human-caused alterations of these disturbed patterns which, coupled
together, produce more rapid onsets and greater tensions and stresses for governments and economies,
as well as socially unequal societies. There is still time to predict and address these thresholds
but too much delay will make the task of accommodation very difficult to achieve with relevant-scale
community support. There are many examples of adaptive resilience throughout the world. These should
be identified, supported, and emulated according to cultural acceptance and emerging economic
realities. But there is no guarantee that the necessary adjustments can be made in time, as emerging
patterns of outlook and governance do not appear to be conducive to manage the very awkward
transitions of appropriate response.
Robert Grosse and Douglas Thomas
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199233755
- eISBN:
- 9780191715549
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199233755.003.0011
- Subject:
- Business and Management, International Business
This chapter examines the processes of organizational adaptation and competitiveness of firms in an emerging economy. The study is set in the Argentine context of the 1990s when a combination of ...
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This chapter examines the processes of organizational adaptation and competitiveness of firms in an emerging economy. The study is set in the Argentine context of the 1990s when a combination of economic and political change triggered a massive change in the competitive context of indigenous firms. Two highly flexible firms from the pharmaceutical and edible oil industries are studied, and longitudinal data are supplied to explore the determinants of organizational flexibility in those organizations.Less
This chapter examines the processes of organizational adaptation and competitiveness of firms in an emerging economy. The study is set in the Argentine context of the 1990s when a combination of economic and political change triggered a massive change in the competitive context of indigenous firms. Two highly flexible firms from the pharmaceutical and edible oil industries are studied, and longitudinal data are supplied to explore the determinants of organizational flexibility in those organizations.
Jonathan Bendor, Daniel Diermeier, David A. Siegel, and Michael M. Ting
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691135076
- eISBN:
- 9781400836802
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691135076.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
Most theories of elections assume that voters and political actors are fully rational. While these formulations produce many insights, they also generate anomalies—most famously, about turnout. The ...
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Most theories of elections assume that voters and political actors are fully rational. While these formulations produce many insights, they also generate anomalies—most famously, about turnout. The rise of behavioral economics has posed new challenges to the premise of rationality. This book provides a behavioral theory of elections based on the notion that all actors—politicians as well as voters—are only boundedly rational. The theory posits learning via trial and error: actions that surpass an actor’s aspiration level are more likely to be used in the future, while those that fall short are less likely to be tried later. Based on this idea of adaptation, the book constructs formal models of party competition, turnout, and voters’ choices of candidates. These models predict substantial turnout levels, voters sorting into parties, and winning parties adopting centrist platforms. In multiparty elections, voters are able to coordinate vote choices on majority-preferred candidates, while all candidates garner significant vote shares. Overall, the behavioral theory and its models produce macroimplications consistent with the data on elections, and they use plausible microassumptions about the cognitive capacities of politicians and voters. A computational model accompanies the book and can be used as a tool for further research.Less
Most theories of elections assume that voters and political actors are fully rational. While these formulations produce many insights, they also generate anomalies—most famously, about turnout. The rise of behavioral economics has posed new challenges to the premise of rationality. This book provides a behavioral theory of elections based on the notion that all actors—politicians as well as voters—are only boundedly rational. The theory posits learning via trial and error: actions that surpass an actor’s aspiration level are more likely to be used in the future, while those that fall short are less likely to be tried later. Based on this idea of adaptation, the book constructs formal models of party competition, turnout, and voters’ choices of candidates. These models predict substantial turnout levels, voters sorting into parties, and winning parties adopting centrist platforms. In multiparty elections, voters are able to coordinate vote choices on majority-preferred candidates, while all candidates garner significant vote shares. Overall, the behavioral theory and its models produce macroimplications consistent with the data on elections, and they use plausible microassumptions about the cognitive capacities of politicians and voters. A computational model accompanies the book and can be used as a tool for further research.
Jay Schulkin
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691157443
- eISBN:
- 9781400849031
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691157443.003.0008
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience
This chapter explores the relationship between music and dance. The human condition is linked to music and dance, and the range of human emotional expression is fundamental in this regard. Susanne ...
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This chapter explores the relationship between music and dance. The human condition is linked to music and dance, and the range of human emotional expression is fundamental in this regard. Susanne Langer, a professor of philosophy at Connecticut College, understood that movement and dance are at the heart of music, and that music is at the heart of movement. The chapter first considers the internal clock and cognitive physiology that regulate our sense of movement before discussing the theme of art embedded in experience, with music and dance as fundamental components of that experience. It then examines how music is expanded and tied to meaning, stories, and living experience. It also describes the concept of musement and concludes by suggesting that music and dance co-evolved in contexts of adaptation, human meaning, and social contact; within this is a mixture of what Leonard Meyer called “an aesthetics of stability.”Less
This chapter explores the relationship between music and dance. The human condition is linked to music and dance, and the range of human emotional expression is fundamental in this regard. Susanne Langer, a professor of philosophy at Connecticut College, understood that movement and dance are at the heart of music, and that music is at the heart of movement. The chapter first considers the internal clock and cognitive physiology that regulate our sense of movement before discussing the theme of art embedded in experience, with music and dance as fundamental components of that experience. It then examines how music is expanded and tied to meaning, stories, and living experience. It also describes the concept of musement and concludes by suggesting that music and dance co-evolved in contexts of adaptation, human meaning, and social contact; within this is a mixture of what Leonard Meyer called “an aesthetics of stability.”
Emily Boyd
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780197265536
- eISBN:
- 9780191760327
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265536.003.0020
- Subject:
- Political Science, Environmental Politics
Adaptive governance explains processes of reaction and social learning through leadership, experience, and experimentation. Much of this is set in frameworks of culture, power, social relations, ...
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Adaptive governance explains processes of reaction and social learning through leadership, experience, and experimentation. Much of this is set in frameworks of culture, power, social relations, social justice, and vulnerability. Adaptive governance stipulates cooperative management, collective action to help prepare society, business, markets, and civil organizations for the characteristics of tipping points: convulsive and unpredictable change and outcomes, and huge uncertainty over the effectiveness of initial responses. Resilience comes about when resources are released by sudden events, or by social value shifts, leading to overall transformation. Examples are offered from drought in Amazonia and the Sahel and urban flooding in Mumbai. Adaptivity is neither easy nor assured and always unpredictable. Local to global institutional fits are required but often wanting. Yet resilience can be found even in the most adverse circumstances, so we need to discover more about its character and adaptiveness.Less
Adaptive governance explains processes of reaction and social learning through leadership, experience, and experimentation. Much of this is set in frameworks of culture, power, social relations, social justice, and vulnerability. Adaptive governance stipulates cooperative management, collective action to help prepare society, business, markets, and civil organizations for the characteristics of tipping points: convulsive and unpredictable change and outcomes, and huge uncertainty over the effectiveness of initial responses. Resilience comes about when resources are released by sudden events, or by social value shifts, leading to overall transformation. Examples are offered from drought in Amazonia and the Sahel and urban flooding in Mumbai. Adaptivity is neither easy nor assured and always unpredictable. Local to global institutional fits are required but often wanting. Yet resilience can be found even in the most adverse circumstances, so we need to discover more about its character and adaptiveness.
Adele Reinhartz
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195146967
- eISBN:
- 9780199785469
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195146967.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
The Jesus movies are to be viewed as “biopics”, that is, biographical films. As such, they follow the narrative template common to this genre and make a claim to authenticity or historical accuracy ...
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The Jesus movies are to be viewed as “biopics”, that is, biographical films. As such, they follow the narrative template common to this genre and make a claim to authenticity or historical accuracy at least to some degree. What they do best, however, is provide a vehicle through which filmmakers can address contemporary concerns. This chapter explains the biopic genre and provides a historical introduction to the major Jesus films that will be considered in the study.Less
The Jesus movies are to be viewed as “biopics”, that is, biographical films. As such, they follow the narrative template common to this genre and make a claim to authenticity or historical accuracy at least to some degree. What they do best, however, is provide a vehicle through which filmmakers can address contemporary concerns. This chapter explains the biopic genre and provides a historical introduction to the major Jesus films that will be considered in the study.
Peter Mair
- Published in print:
- 1998
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198295495
- eISBN:
- 9780191599804
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198295499.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This book looks at how the evidence of change and stability in modern political parties and party systems is interpreted. The emphasis is on western European political parties. The primary focus of ...
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This book looks at how the evidence of change and stability in modern political parties and party systems is interpreted. The emphasis is on western European political parties. The primary focus of the book is on processes of political adaptation and control, but it also concerns how parties and party systems generate their own momentum and ‘freeze’ themselves into place. Amidst the widespread contemporary discussion of the challenge to modern democracy and the crisis for traditional forms of political representation, it offers an emphasis on how party systems survive, and on how change, when it does occur, may be analysed and understood. The book has four parts, and the constituent chapters are from various essays reflecting work that has been carried out since the late 1980s. Part I contains an introductory chapter on the freezing of party systems. Part II has three chapters that deal with questions of persistence and change, and with the vulnerability and endurance of traditional parties. Part III has two chapters in which attention shifts to the question of party organization, and to the ways in which the established parties are increasingly coming to invade the state, finding there a new source of privilege and a new means of ensuring their own survival. Part IV has three chapters that focus on structures of competition in western party systems, as well as on the problems associated with the consolidation of the new party systems in post-communist Europe.Less
This book looks at how the evidence of change and stability in modern political parties and party systems is interpreted. The emphasis is on western European political parties. The primary focus of the book is on processes of political adaptation and control, but it also concerns how parties and party systems generate their own momentum and ‘freeze’ themselves into place. Amidst the widespread contemporary discussion of the challenge to modern democracy and the crisis for traditional forms of political representation, it offers an emphasis on how party systems survive, and on how change, when it does occur, may be analysed and understood. The book has four parts, and the constituent chapters are from various essays reflecting work that has been carried out since the late 1980s. Part I contains an introductory chapter on the freezing of party systems. Part II has three chapters that deal with questions of persistence and change, and with the vulnerability and endurance of traditional parties. Part III has two chapters in which attention shifts to the question of party organization, and to the ways in which the established parties are increasingly coming to invade the state, finding there a new source of privilege and a new means of ensuring their own survival. Part IV has three chapters that focus on structures of competition in western party systems, as well as on the problems associated with the consolidation of the new party systems in post-communist Europe.
Beate Kohler-Koch (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- April 2004
- ISBN:
- 9780199252268
- eISBN:
- 9780191601040
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199252262.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, European Union
European governance ranks high on the present research agenda on the EU and Europeanization and has attracted considerable attention in public and academic debate over the past decade. This book – a ...
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European governance ranks high on the present research agenda on the EU and Europeanization and has attracted considerable attention in public and academic debate over the past decade. This book – a well-chosen selection from recent studies of leading scholars in the field – takes a special approach to the subject as it highlights the multi-faceted interconnectedness of EU and national governance. It reveals the extent to which the EU has been transformed from a multi-level polity to a system of penetrated governance embracing a ‘communicative universe’ and a European public space. The individual chapters are colourful representations of the different facets of European governance, which come to light when policy formulation and implementation in the EU is understood as network governance linking both different levels of policy-making and a wide variety of state and society actors. On the one hand, the EU and, especially, the Commission refer to an extensive repertoire of ’hard‘ and ’soft‘ procedures and instruments to link a multitude of actors and arenas and, thereby, trigger off substantial change in the member states. On the other hand, national, subnational and societal actors show differentiated modes of response and adaptation to manage the new challenges within the expanding EU system, to cope with common problems and to shape problem-solving strategies according to their own ideas. As the contributions focus on the diverse mechanisms which link EU and national governance they demonstrate the many constraints state and society actors are facing within the Union but also the readiness and capacity of these actors to deal with demands for adjustment and institutional reforms. They also reveal that compliance is a reaction to hierarchical coercion as well as to horizontal enforcement. Eventually, apart from this more functional view, the penetrated system of European goverance is looked at from a normative perspective, thus, investigating both the prospect of improving multi-level representative democracy and the formation of a European public sphere.Less
European governance ranks high on the present research agenda on the EU and Europeanization and has attracted considerable attention in public and academic debate over the past decade. This book – a well-chosen selection from recent studies of leading scholars in the field – takes a special approach to the subject as it highlights the multi-faceted interconnectedness of EU and national governance. It reveals the extent to which the EU has been transformed from a multi-level polity to a system of penetrated governance embracing a ‘communicative universe’ and a European public space. The individual chapters are colourful representations of the different facets of European governance, which come to light when policy formulation and implementation in the EU is understood as network governance linking both different levels of policy-making and a wide variety of state and society actors. On the one hand, the EU and, especially, the Commission refer to an extensive repertoire of ’hard‘ and ’soft‘ procedures and instruments to link a multitude of actors and arenas and, thereby, trigger off substantial change in the member states. On the other hand, national, subnational and societal actors show differentiated modes of response and adaptation to manage the new challenges within the expanding EU system, to cope with common problems and to shape problem-solving strategies according to their own ideas. As the contributions focus on the diverse mechanisms which link EU and national governance they demonstrate the many constraints state and society actors are facing within the Union but also the readiness and capacity of these actors to deal with demands for adjustment and institutional reforms. They also reveal that compliance is a reaction to hierarchical coercion as well as to horizontal enforcement. Eventually, apart from this more functional view, the penetrated system of European goverance is looked at from a normative perspective, thus, investigating both the prospect of improving multi-level representative democracy and the formation of a European public sphere.
