Modification Methods of Blank Pistols in Turkey in 2006

Abstract:  This study describes the modification methods of blank cartridge firing pistols in Turkey. We have examined cases submitted to the Aydın Regional Criminal Laboratory of Turkey in 2006. In total, 95 modified pistols and 300 modified cartridges were examined. The blank cartridge firing pistols are guns which look similar to "real" pistols, however, there are blockages in their barrel in order to prevent the discharge of a bullet. However, as a result of simple modifications, these pistols can be easily converted into "real" firearms. Studied modification methods are removing the obstruction from the barrel, removing the partial obstruction from the barrel, sleeving a smaller diameter tube into the original barrel, using a replacement barrel, and rifling the original barrel. Special cartridges for these modified pistols are also produced. These modified pistols and cartridges were evaluated in respect of the converting methods.     

Diplomaten zwischen Sozialisation und Kalkulation: Bestimmungsfaktoren des Berufserfolgs im Auswärtigen Dienst

This article examines the determining factors of career success in the German Foreign Service. Based on the socialization and the rational choice approach, we design two models from which empirical relevance is evaluated through data from four career entry cohorts (attaché training courses 1970–1973). The statistical analysis of a systematic survey shows that facets of career calculation such as networking or conformity more strongly influence the professional achievements of a diplomat than that of group-specific features such as family background or party membership. Even though we cannot strictly separate the models from each other, it becomes evident that the rationalist explanation predicts career success better than the factors attributed from the socialization model.     

The ‘Ottoman-German Jihad’: Lessons for the Contemporary ‘Area Studies’ Controversy

The ‘Arab Spring’ added new fuel to the ongoing controversy over the validity of regional or area studies. None of the Middle East ‘area experts’ predicted the revolutionary events that led to the fall of a number of authoritarian rulers in the Arab world. As a result, scholars, the media and policy-makers have again questioned the public relevance and scientific nature of Middle East studies. Do they actually provide the basis for an understanding of the real world? To address this issue, this article considers a historical case study with a view to throwing light on this debate and putting it in perspective. It looks more closely at a debate between two founding fathers of Islamic studies. After the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet V declared jihad against the Entente powers in 1914, Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje and Carl-Heinrich Becker disputed the role allegedly played by German Orientalists in this affair. The article would argue that this historical dispute already reflected some of the core issues of the contemporary controversy of ‘area studies’ and contained some lessons for us to learn regarding the analysis of Middle Eastern economy, society and politics.     

日本民主党政权的同盟战略与中日关系

日本历届内阁上台均坚持以＂深化日美同盟＂为核心的同盟战略。民主党上台后发展＂同盟战略＂,更加突出＂中国因素＂,对中日关系的发展产生了消极影响。其＂日美基轴＂战略对内阁的约束作用日趋增大,限制区域合作框架下的中日关系的发展;突出＂日美安保＂战略,加大与美国联手应对传统安全的力度以防范中国;＂同盟拓展＂战略不仅不利于解决亚洲地区热点问题（特别是南海问题）,而且将加剧地区紧张局势。