Literatur

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Qualitätskonventionen in ökonomischen Feldern

Pierre Bourdieu and co-workers have analyzed markets as social fields. In the article I argue that the analyses done by Bourdieu cannot grasp the production of ?quality“ and ?worth“ in markets. This form of analyses fails also in recognizing that markets are differentiated spheres, whereby quality conventions are one principle therefore. ?Quality“ is related to field structure in a reductionist way. The critic of the concepts of field and habitus in France is introduced. The workings of Luc Boltanski and Laurent Thévenot as well as the associated approach of ?Economics of convention“ (EC) are used to compensate the identified gaps in the Bourdieuian approach to market analysis. The articles aims to sketch out how a combination of both approaches can open a research perspective for the sociological analysis of markets. The concept of quality conventions plays a pivotal role. It is related to the concept of field and combined with it. An illustrating example is given.     

Analysis of mitochondrial SNPs in addition to conventional STR-typing in a case of aggravated theft

In the field of forensic DNA typing, the analysis of Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) can fail in cases of degraded DNA. The typing of coding region Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) of the mitochondrial genome provides an approach to acquire additional information. In the examined case of aggravated theft, both suspects could be excluded of having left the analyzed hair on the crime scene by SNP typing. This conclusion was not possible subsequent to STR typing. SNP typing of the trace on the torch light left on the crime scene increased the likelihood for suspect no. 2 to be the origin of this trace. This finding was already indicated by STR analysis. Suspect no. 1 was excluded for being the origin of this trace by SNP typing which was also indicated by STR analysis. A limiting factor for the analysis of SNPs is the maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA. Individualisation is not possible. In conclusion, it can be said that in the case of traces which cause problems with conventional STR typing the supplementary analysis of coding region SNPs from the mitochondrial genome is very reasonable and greatly contributes to the refinement of analysis methods in the field of forensic genetics.     

An estimate of the proportion of drug-facilitation of sexual assault in four U.S. localities

In recent years, drugs including flunitrazepam, gamma-hydroxybutyrate, ketamine, and ethanol, have become popularly associated with drug-facilitated sexual assault. Other drugs are also candidates as factors in "drug facilitated sexual assault" (DFSA). The true extent of DFSA is not known, and is difficult to estimate. We recruited sexual assault complainants at four clinics in different parts of the U.S. to anonymously provide urine and hair specimens, and to answer questions about suspected drugging, drug use, and the sexual assault incident. Urine and hair specimens were tested for 45 drugs, including ethanol, and those pharmacologically capable of inducing sedation, amnesia, or impairment of judgment. Analytical test results were used to estimate the proportion of subjects, and the proportion of all complainants to the clinic in the same time period, who were victims of DFSA. Overall, cases of 43% of 144 subjects, and 7% of 859 complainants, were characterized as DFSA. Subjects underreported their use of drugs. The role of toxicological results and history in characterizing DFSA cases is discussed.     

德国应对世界经济危机的措施

本文全面分析了德国政府迄今采取的应对当前经济危机的各项举措,包括金融市场稳定措施和两套经济振兴计划。与此同时,本文也简要介绍了欧盟层面的经济振兴计划。作者最后指出,德国所采取的应对危机的经济政策措施带有明显的凯恩斯主义的赤字开支政策的特征,并提出忠告,要避免重蹈六、七十年代凯恩斯主义经济政策的覆辙。     

The More,the Merrier? Interest Groups and Legislative Change in the Public Hearings of the German Parliamentary Committees

The article examines the impact of organised interests on the passage of legislation in the German Bundestag through an empirical analysis of the position papers presented in the public hearings of its standing committees in 2011. These committees are the most important forums to revise legislative proposals. Drawing on resource dependency theory, we employ GLM regression analyses to study if interest groups act as change agents that bring legislation closer to their own policy preferences. Controlling for institutional and bill characteristics, we discuss two major findings that shed light on the role of interest groups in legislation. First, business groups' opposition to government bills triggers legislative changes because their members control the means of production and make investment decisions. In contrast, fundamental opposition of non-business groups has no impact. Second, bills debated and opposed by a greater number of interest groups undergo more changes pointing to the importance of the density of interest groups and balance of opinions on a proposal.