Steuerung jenseits von Hierarchie

The paper sheds new light on recent debates about governance and approaches contemporary problems of governing from the perspective of contemporary theories of power. The concept of “soft governing” is developed in order to capture horizontal mechanisms of power intentionally used to govern beyond formalised hierarchies characteristic of processes of governance. The paper describes in particular the horizontal forms of governing through discursive practices, argumentation and symbols and the ways in which they interact. The example of campaigns against female genital mutilation is introduced in order to illustrate possible forms of governing beyond hierarchy.     

Institutions or Contingencies? A Cross‐Country Analysis of Management Tool Use by Public Sector Executives

Management tools are often argued to ameliorate public service performance. Indeed, evidence has emerged to support positive outcomes related to the use of management tools in a variety of public sector settings. Despite these positive outcomes, there is wide variation in the extent to which public organizations use management tools. Drawing on normative isomorphism and contingency theory, this article investigates the determinants of both organization‐oriented and client‐oriented management tool use by top public sector executives. The hypotheses are tested using data from a large‐N survey of 4,533 central government executives in 18 European countries. Country and sector fixed‐effects ordinary least squares regression models indicate that contingency theory matters more than normative isomorphism. Public executives working in organizations that are bigger and have goal clarity and executive status are more likely to use management tools. The only normative pressure that has a positive impact on management tool use is whether public sector executives have a top hierarchical position.     

Reform des Schadensersatzrechts

Der im Jahre 2005 vorgelegte Entwurf zur Reform des Schadensersatzrechts (Griss, JBl 2005, 273) hat eine hoch kontroverse Diskussion ausgel?st. Dies ist an sich zu begrü?en, denn die kritische überprüfung konkurrierender Standpunkte und L?sungen im Rahmen offener Auseinandersetzung ist der N?hrboden für rechtswissenschaftliche Erkenntnis und rechtspolitischen Fortschritt. Im konkreten Fall beschleicht den neutralen Beobachter jedoch mitunter der Eindruck, die Konfrontation erfolge aus purer Lust am Konflikt und verschütte damit die weiterführende Debatte zur Sache. Die folgenden überlegungen dienen dem Ziel, die inhaltlichen Weichenstellungen des Entwurfs vor dem Hintergrund des geltenden Rechts und der europ?ischen Entwicklungen unvoreingenommen zu würdigen.     

Besprechungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Die Anlage-Umwelt-Debatte: Alte Konzepte und neue Einsichten

In this article the question is considered whether and to what extent human behavior and personality are innate or learnt. For that reason the biologically orientated research on behavior and American Behaviorism are compared and criticized. The dualism between those two theoretical approaches is resolved in the modern developmental and personality-psychological disposition-environment debate. Human behavior is neither solely biologically determined nor fully learnt. The narrow interconnection of genetic disposition, early formative influences before and immediately after birth and societal influences is illustrated in detail using aggressive and violent behavior as an example. It becomes clear that the human brain is a social organ which awaits social influences in a particular way and personality is accordingly formed.     

Application of likelihood ratios for firearm and toolmark analysis

Historically firearm and toolmark examiners have rendered categorical or inconclusive opinions and eschewed probabilistic ones, especially in the United States. We suggest this practice may no longer be necessary or desirable, and outline an alternative approach that is within a comprehensive logical/Bayesian paradigm. Hypothetical forensic and non-forensic examples are provided for readers who are practicing firearm and toolmark examiners, and the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches are considered.     

Roger Broad: Labour’s European Dilemmas. From Bevin to Blair

Politische Vierteljahresschrift -     

Macroeconomic Development and Civil Litigation

This paper contributes to the explanation of the tremendous rise in civil litigation activity in Austria over the last four decades by analysing the influence of macroeconomic conditions on civil litigation. We find that the number of transactions per individual—proxied by the level of real per capita GDP—positively influences the amount of litigation per capita. Inertia in litigious behavior reinforces effects. In the short run, however, we observe a countercyclical pattern of litigious activity. Cointegration analysis confirms the short run negative association, and a long run cointegrating relationship between GDP and civil litigation. Several robustness tests corroborate our results. Rent-seeking interpretations, and possible detrimental effects on the long run growth prospects cannot be excluded.     

Der maximal Fremde. Überlegungen zu einer transhumanen Handlungstheorie

The article broadens the previous scope of social and cultural science theories of otherness by postulating the theoretic-analytic border category of the “strangest stranger”. This category shall serve various scientific disciplines to identify, reconstruct and understand interactions of humans and non-human actors, such as domesticated and wild animals, robots and aliens, or ghosts, angels and demons. Following a brief overview of contemporary social science theories of otherness the new border category of otherness will be theoretically specified. Subsequently, three practical examples (dolphins in a therapeutic context, aliens in SETI-research, and demons in catholic exorcism) will demonstrate scientific, religious but also secular contexts in which this new category is of analytical importance.