Search results for ""Author Barbara"

What contribution can a humanistic pedagogy make in the context of a migration society? The author uses three examples to illustrate the deficit-oriented pressure to assimilate that foreigners are often subjected to: the Chicago School of immigration studies, the "2008 Integration Plan" of the Austrian federal state of Salzburg, and Hartmut Esser's phases of integration. The illustrative critique of these models is primarily based on Edward W. Said's theory of "othering", Zygmunt Bauman's diagnoses of modernity, and the socially critical reflections of Max Horkheimer and Theodor W. Adorno. In this way, the author develops components for a humanistic education within a migration society, presenting it as a universalistic alternative to the prevailing particularistic approaches in contemporary educational theory.

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How do NGOs influence the promotion of gender equality in education in Bangladesh? What do they achieve and which challenges are they confronted with in local contexts? The author provides insights regarding three non-formal primary education programmes.

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Rainer Eisfeld’s book highlights the merits of socio-historical research into topics infrequently covered by mainstream political science. Directing attention to the need for carefully scrutinizing the convenient “truths” of established - post-Nazi, post-Communist - political narratives, its chapters encourage reflection of the discipline’s history and state of the art. A companion volume to the 2012 book entitled Radical Approaches to Political Science: Roads Less Traveled (also published by Barbara Budrich), this collection is likewise based on an approach to political science informed by a theory of participatory pluralism and grounded in history. The chapters focus on the discipline’s fragmentation and its retreat from public debate; on the varying roles of political science and international relations as champions of more or less democracy; on normative and analytical concepts developed by Hannah Arendt, Klaus von Beyme, and Robert A. Dahl; on the deconstruction of the “Peenemünde Legend” about the unspoiled rule of science at the Third Reich’s missile development center; on reasons for the Peenemünde engineers’ actual complicity in the exploitation of concentration camp labor to mass-produce their V-2 missile. “Rainer Eisfeld’s leadership in the fields of pluralism and analysis of the discipline in the International Political Science Association means that he has quite a background to share with us in this, his most recent, collection of essays.” John Trent

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In view of the fast-changing world order, emerging countries are increasingly influencing the dynamics of regional securities. This timely and in-depth book examines India's reorienting strategic posture and describes how New Delhi's security policy in the Indo-Pacific region has evolved and expanded over the past two decades. The author argues that India's quest to leverage its geostrategic location to emerge as an Indo-Pacific actor faces multiple challenges, which create a clear divide between the country's political rhetoric and action on the ground. The author critically examines these contradictions to better situate India's security role in an increasingly fluid Indo-Pacific region.

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Why is there a regional participation of Saxony-Anhalt within the European Multi-Level Governance system? The author provides an account of the characteristics of European Multi-Level Governance (EMLG) and regional participation therein, by describing the EMLG and identifying its topics and categories of meaning for regional participation. She establishes the mechanisms responsible for regional participation, highlighting the patterns that emerge.

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The formation of governments without a majority in parliament is a counterintuitive, albeit empirically relevant, phenomenon: minority governments make up about one-third of all governments in Europe. The author offers an analysis of the conditions leading to the formation of minority governments in Central and Eastern Europe and provides the reader with a detailed overview of the processes underlying the formation of governments from the early 1990s up to 2010.

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The authors take a detailed look at the economic competence and financial literacy of young adults, especially of those who start an apprenticeship or who take up their studies at a university. Economic competence and financial literacy are of special interest within this group, because these young people are – mostly for the fi rst time in their lives – responsible for autonomously managing their own fi nancial affairs and deal with economic challenges.

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The book describes goals and success criteria of early computer science education at pre-primary and primary school age. Two expert reports specify pedagogical content dimensions of computer science education and give recommendations for the further development of the “Haus der kleinen Forscher” Foundation’s offerings. The implementation of these professional recommendations in the programmes of the “Haus der kleinen Forscher” Foundation is also described. In their expert report, Nadine Bergner, Hilde Köster, Johannes Magenheim, Kathrin Müller, Ralf Romeike, Ulrik Schroeder and Carsten Schulte specify the pedagogical and content-related target dimensions of computer science education at early childhood education and care centres, after-school centres, and primary schools. In addition to a theoretical basis for various target dimensions, the authors discuss the success criteria for effective and efficient early computer science education in practise. They also give recommendations for the further development of the „Haus der kleinen Forscher“ Foundation’s offerings and scientific monitoring of the work of the Foundation in the field of computer science. In their expert recommendation, Nadine Bergner and Kathrin Müller describe a selection of informatics systems for children at early childhood education and care centres and primary schools and give suggestions for particularly suitable systems and their use in pre-primary and primary education on the basis of expert criteria. The English version is a partially revised edition of "Stiftung Haus der kleinen Forscher (Hrsg.) (2018). Frühe informatische Bildung – Ziele und Gelingensbedingungen für den Elementar- und Primarbereich. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zur Arbeit der Stiftung „Haus der kleinen Forscher“ (Band 9). Opladen, Berlin, Toronto: Verlag Barbara Budrich. The information has been updated to new developments and offerings of the “Haus der kleinen Forscher” Foundation.

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This timely collection reviews the field of gender and politics and its relationship to the discipline of political science at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The authors recognize and document the Eurocentric focus that has characterized both fields and suggest viable alternatives for the future.

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Who decides to initiate change processes in organizations? Who sets the goals? What does it mean for employees to participate in change processes? The book examines organizational change processes based on collaboration between employers, employees and action researchers in Europe and the U.S. in the later part of the 20th century. The authors offer important insights into participation and change in organizations for researchers and practitioners by identifying dilemmas and paradoxes, conflicting interests and exercising of power.

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This book examines under which conditions information technology can stimulate high-quality learning, in particular at the undergraduate level and in social science courses. It also reports on possible effects the use of technology might have on student learning. Ex-amples provided by the authors show that emerging technologies can be particularly help-ful while teaching large student groups or while teaching courses with rapidly changing content.

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Women‘s movements in Islamic countries have had a long and arduous journey in their quest for the realization of human rights and genuine equality. The author examines whether discriminatory laws against women do in fact originate from Islam and, ultimately, if there is any interpretation of Islam compatible with gender equality. She investigates women’s rights in Iran since the 1979 Revolution from the perspectives of the main currents of Islamic thought, fundamentalists, reformists, and seculars, using a sociological explanation.

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The confluence of entrepreneurship, gender, sustainability and especially the social dimension is intricate and underestimated. This book analyses social entrepreneurship through a gender lens by portraying German female social entrepreneurs and their political, social and economic contexts. Within a descriptive qualitative research design, a secondary analysis of different dimensions of the social entrepreneurship system and twenty-five in-depth interviews with social entrepreneurs and experts were conducted. The author shows that this sector entails potential to re-do gender and reframe the economy, challenging norms and borders towards systemic change.

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In order to make justice work, participation and reconciliation is needed within and between societies, peoples, and nations. In this compilation, authors—senior academics as well as students-- from Bethlehem University, Israel, and the Catholic University of Applied Sciences, Cologne, Germany, contribute to this important field. Thus, to some extent, the book in itself is an example of the subjects it deals with.

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During the last 30 years, the governments of many Western countries have repeatedly called for an end to welfare. While the virtue of this goal and the means of achieving it continue to be debated in politics, much of contemporary social science research assumes that, in fact, the end of the welfare state has already occurred. The authors of this volume hope to contribute to a clearer understanding of how, where and to what extent welfare state settings really have changed since the 1980s. Their work examines questions of change and continuity while exploring various welfare practices in the Western world.

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Scientific contributions authored by distinguished experts from the field of early education are published periodically within the framework of the series Scientific Studies on the Work of the “Haus der kleinen Forscher” Foundation. This publication series serves to foster informed dialogue between the Foundation, scientists, and practitioners with the aim of giving all early childhood education and care centres, after-school centres, and primary schools in Germany scientifically sound support in fulfilling their early education mandate. This fifth volume in the series focuses on goals of science education at the level of the children, the early childhood professionals, and the pedagogical staff at after-school centres and primary schools, and on process-related quality criteria for science teaching at pre-primary and primary level. In their expert reports, Yvonne Anders, Ilonca Hardy, Sabina Pauen, Beate Sodian, and Mirjam Steffensky specify pedagogical content dimensions of the goals of early science education at pre-primary and primary school age. In addition to theoretically underpinning these goals, the authors present instruments for their assessment. In his expert report, Jörg Ramseger formulates ten quality criteria for science teaching. Early childhood professionals and pedagogical staff at after-school centres and primary schools can draw on these process-related criteria when planning lessons and conducting self-evaluations of science learning opportunities at pre-primary and primary level. The concluding chapter of the volume describes the implementation of these expert recommendations in the substantive offerings of, and the accompanying research on, the “Haus der kleinen Forscher“ Foundation.

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Kurdish memories of the Armenian Genocide challenge the systematic denialism established by the Turkish state structures and foster new possibilities of coming to terms with the past. This book examines Kurdish biographies, especially from Van, Turkey, and explores the dynamics of intertwined remembrance regimes concerning the political violence on Armenians and Syriac Christians of Ottoman imperial subjects and on Kurdish citizens of Turkey. These life stories shed light on the complexity of remembering, including collective and individual memory notions on violence, perpetratorship and victimhood from past and present. The author focuses on the Kurdish collective and individual memories through reconstructing biographical narrative interviews and ethnographic data. Based on such empirical inquiry, Yetkin argues that the genocide memory helps the Kurdish society articulate, describe, and discuss its own experiences with the state and political violence. Thus, denialism as a systematic notion by the Turkish state apparatus appears to be read accurately when the ongoing state violence on Kurds is problematised parallelly. Alternative younger voices questioning the forefathers’ involvement in the persecution have repeatedly confronted Kurdish positions in politics and civil society fostering critical discussions on the past – underscoring reconciliation with Armenians yet employing anachronistic patterns of storytelling. They have opened up new trajectories based on their experiences. Hence, the author understands the situation as a multi-faceted and multi-layered memory complexity that contains interwoven narratives starting the Kurdish social time with the genocidal violence on Armenians and Syriac Christians of the region and pointing out continuous oppression. In short, a sphere of contested and multidirectional memories challenging foundations of denialism and settled stories emerges within this context and makes the Kurdish experiences discussable.

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Transnational civil society networks have become increasingly important democratizing actors in global politics. Still, the exploration of democracy in such networks remains conceptually and methodologically challenging. Practice theory provides a framework to study democracy as routinized performances even in contexts of fluid boundaries, temporal relations and a diffuse constituency. The author attempts to understand how new forms of democratic practice emerge in the interaction between political actors and their structural environments.

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The labour markets and European societies as a whole are subject to constant change. One way to face these challenges is the application of “entrepreneurial skills” such as self-motivation, time management etc. The authors give examples of entrepreneurship in the fields of digitalization, social innovation, and eco-innovation and present special groups of entrepreneurs (e.g. migrants) and their entrepreneurial spirit. Thus, the readers get insight in how an innovative and competitive Europe can look like

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The landscape of European migration has changed considerably over the past decades, in particular after the fall of the iron curtain and again after the EU enlargement to the east. The author researches the phenomenon of highly qualified migration using the example of migration between the Czech Republic and Germany. The book reveals diverse strategies migrants use to respond to the possible de-valuation of their qualification, e.g. by making use of their language skills, starting new studies or using transnational knowledge.

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Which is the role of the European Union in dealing with crises that go beyond the nation states borders – terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, regional conflicts, state failure, organised crime, natural and man-made disasters? The authors assess the main challenge for the EU: the need to operate in a multidimensional setting where with a wide range of actors, such as member states, national and international NGOs, international organisations (NATO and the UN in primis), as well as a wide range of activities, rules and norms are generated for these diversified crises.

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This book offers a wealth of original empirical data on how online media shape EU contestation. Taking a public sphere perspective, the authors highlight the myths and truths about the nature of audience-driven online media content and show how public demands for legitimacy are at the heart of the much-analyzed politicization of European integration. What EU citizens most intensely debate online are the fundamental questions of what the European institutions stand for and how they can be held accountable. Drawing on innovative and rigorous analysis of online media ownership, journalistic content and online readers’ inputs, the authors piece together the components of the dynamic nature of EU contestation and the degree of convergence towards Euroscepticism across EU member states in the first years of the Eurocrisis. There is no doubt that EU citizens have strong opinions about the EU and interactive online media allow these opinions to come to the fore, to be challenged and amplified both within and beyond national public spheres. Yet, for all its potential to unite European publics, online EU contestation remains firmly anchored in offline news media frames, while citizens and journalists alike struggle to put forward a clear vision of the future EU polity.

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The authors of this volume look into the origins of gender based violence as well as ways to tackle this issue. They link systematic reflections unfold-ing a socio-cultural viewpoint and depictions of concrete action with psychological tools regarding the effect of interventions. The book is a result of the European project “Empower”, which is part of the Daphne III Programme (2007-2013) and whose goal is to realize the objectives defined by European policy aimed at preventing and fighting all forms of gender based violence.

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The (European) welfare state as well as the political space of “the social” is currently being reorganised in a fundamental way. This has major implications for any attempt to contribute to a more just or even emancipatory way of shaping “the social”. The authors discuss what the Capabilities Approach may contribute to this attempt. Rather than assessing the philosophical foundation of this approach, “Shaping the Social” critically discusses the potentials and pitfalls of analysing social and labour-market policy and in particular social services from a capabilities perspective.

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Learning by erring Is it possible to learn from your mistakes? While there is evidence to the positive, there is also evidence suggesting that whether mistakes may teach you anything depends on genetic disposition as well as supervisors handling those mistakes. Apparently, it is of utter importance to see how things cannot work, what things are not like, and what you do not know. Through this negative knowledge, learning through errors may be achieved. In this book, the authors look at errors and their potentials for the learning process, as well as the sort of environment that does make a positive difference concerning these concepts.

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Since its early beginnings peace and conflict research has focused on causes of phenomena such as civil war, terrorism, and state failure. The author merges this approach with a peace causes perspective and asks why civil war happened in Peru (1980-1995) though not in Bolivia, which is striking given the structural similarities with Peru as well as a number of escalation episodes leading the country to the brink of civil war (2000-2008). He explores the political measures such as reforms and political dialogue, which prevented the country from rather hazardous consequences.

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Gender Equality in Academia Schulleiterinnen in Europe? What are the career options for women in various Europ ean countries? What has changed? Does the glass ceiling still exist? The contributors give answers from different countries and in a comparative perspec - tive. The contributions of this volume take a closer look at career achievements, perspectives and trajectories primarily at European universities, putting straightforwardly into question the widely held opinion that women are strategically excluded from gaining access to top positions in academia. There is no simple evil or male-dominated mechanism for hindering the advancement of women in academia. However, there are many pitfalls and difficulties that still stand in the way of female academics and render their lives and professional advancement in academia more difficult compared to their male colleagues. The articles aim at investigating the interrelationship bet ween strategy and structure, thus focusing on the interconnectedness between the institutional environment of the systems of higher education and the strategic behavior, the aspirations, hopes and desires of female academics in particular who either were looking back upon their career path, had just started to think about a career in academia, or were on their way to applying for a leading position at a university. The book is published as a joint venture by Barbara Budrich and Scholar, Poland.

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Social work as a democratically constituted profession committed to human rights is currently facing cross-border encroachments and attacks by right-wing populist movements and governments. With the Bundestag elections in September 2017, the question of the extent to which right-wing populist forces succeed in influencing the discourse with xenophobic and nationalist arguments arises in Germany, too. The authors examine how social work can respond effectively to nationalism, exclusion, de-solidarization and a basic skepticism about science and position itself against this background. The book explores different conditions in Germany, France, Poland, Russia and the US.

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Todas las historias tienen un comienzo, un desarrollo y un final. Y qué hay de aquellas historias que conocemos tan bien, esos cuentos con antiguos rencores que damos por supuesto aunque nunca se explican? Qué pasa con aquellas rivalidades que comenzaron mucho antes de que nos acercásemos a esas escenas proverbiales del mundo de las hadas?Cómo pasó Hazel de ser una maestra pastelera a una bruja devoradora de niños?, de dónde le viene al trol su afición por el ragú de cabrito?, y por qué había un lobo solitario tan preocupado por tres cerdos con intereses arquitectónicos?Empezando con El silbido del lobo, de Bjørn Rune Lie, BARBARA FIORE EDITORA se dispone a responder a estas preguntas y, si es posible, arrojar algo de luz sobre los motivos de los chivos expiatorios injustamente tratados de nuestros cuentos. Nos disponemos a levantar el velo, descorrer las cortinas y atrevernos a mirar más allá de los cuentos.

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In this book the author takes the concept of the New as a starting point to open the way to a broader reflection on ar t production within neoliberal capitalism. Piazza explores the notions of innovation and New respectively in the Social Sciences and in the Humanities, tracing the differences from the conceptual and temporal perspective in relation to the most recent debates on creativity and postmodernism. The book investigates the field of theatre and dance, focusing on the essential aspects that link the New with the contemporary condition and its discourse. Combining theory and practice, this book calls for an art production able to slip out of the framework of innovation and builds the ground to rethink the New and its political value in the arts.

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The Covid-19 crisis has intensified already existing social inequalities in different spheres. The authors examine how fundamental and sustainable the social changes over the course of the corona pandemic are at the social levels of labour, care work and state regulation in their gender dimensions. The contradictory organisation of labour and life under capitalist conditions and their gender relations is particularly visible in the service sector as well as in the sectors of health, care and childcare. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the social recognition of these previously devalued activities has risen to new heights. However, gestures of symbolic acknowledgements do not meet with comprehensive material recognition. So how (strongly) do processes of recognition and appropriation in system-relevant professions actually change in times of social crisis and what role do gender relations play?

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State Building Post-conflict related efforts by the international community towards state (re)building and reconstruction of society and economy have become a more or less regular feature of international affairs since the early 1990s. It seems that the demand for such international efforts is rather rising than diminishing. All have in common that the establishment of sound state structures and liveable economies in a given state are considered by a sizeable and powerful group of states as something that is furthering international peace and stability. The purpose of this book is to address the strategic and policy dimensions of these international state building and reconstruction efforts. The chapters take up issues relating to the economic, security-related and institutional aspects. The authors strike a balance and attempt to formulate recommendations.

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The author deals with comparative aspects of contemporary authoritarianism. Authoritarian tendencies have appeared in several “old democracies” but their main successes take place in several states which departed from dictatorial regimes recently. The book contains case-studies of contemporary Hungarian, Kenyan, Polish, Russian and Turkish regimes. The third wave of democratization unlike the first and the second, has not been followed by the reverse wave. However, in several countries democratically elected leaders interpret democracy narrowly, as the rule of majority only. Other conditions for democratic government (such as the rule of law, protecting human rights) are ignored. Such system of government differs from the authoritarian model as defined by Juan J. Linz and can best be called “new authoritarianism”. The future of new authoritarianism remains uncertain.

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This monograph is a major survey of East Central European (ECE) political elites and concentrates on Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland. It is grounded within classic elite theory slightly adapted to ECE necessities. More practically, the book examines political elite composition and identifies political elite fragmentation in ECE. The author questions that East Central European political elites have incorporated democratic values and conduct. The main argument is that there is a significant gap between the formal democratic ECE institutions and political elite behaviour. This gap has different dimensions which are relevant at the domestic level and also cause problems at the EU level. Ultimately, the political elite-institution gap questions democratic political achievements after 1989. In providing a major analysis of ECE political elite structure and conduct the book points to the most urgent challenges of ECE political systems – the reform of the political elite. From the content: The Importance of Analysing ECE Elites Forms of Political Elite Formation and Activity Political Elite Fragmentation in ECE Elite Formation and Reproduction in East Central Europe Patterns of Political Elite Behaviour Influencing Political Elite Behaviour Institutional Change after 1989 The Relationship between Europeanisation and Euroscepticism Elite Systems in East Central Europe Case Studies: Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary Implications of Elite Attitudes for Europeanisation Political Elites: Incapable Europeanisers?

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The book constitutes a sociological analysis of the origins of the Polish-German antagonism in the nineteenth and twentieth century and of the process of overcoming it. The author discusses the role played by the religious and political leaders as well as intellectuals of both nations and presents survey research data showing the marked improvement in mutual relations. After a long history of alternating relations, things between Poland and Germany were as bad as never before after World War II. The Nazi attack on Poland in 1939 and the atrocities committed during the occupation resulted in intense Polish hostility towards Germany. On the German side, the loss of territories created a feeling of harm and contributed to deepen anti-Polish stereotypes. The process of reconciliation emanated from initiatives taken by the Christian churches and courageous individuals on both sides, but the crucial step was taken by Chancellor Willy Brandt and the Polish communist leader Wladyslaw Gomulka, who in 1970 worked out a comprehensive agreement for normalizing relations between Poland and the Federal Republic. Following the collapse of communist regimes and unification of Germany mutual relations took the form of co-operation and partnership within the structures of democratic Europe. Today, both sides are about to overcome former stereotypes. While some differences of interests still remain, the overall picture of the current relations between Germany and Poland is one proof that even deepest wounds of the past do not prevent nations from overcoming antagonism and from building friendly relations.

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In European societies social differentiation, value pluralism and international integration have brought about a condition of previously unknown complexity. Citizens’ expectations regarding political participation and the legitimization of government policy are rising, yet the capacities for social integration and political consensus formation may be in decline. This volume investigates how political actors and institutions in established European democracies are seeing to manage the condition of complexity and how this condition reconfigures the foundations of democratic politics. From the Contents: Legitimacy Crises, Efficiency Gaps, Democratic Deficits Efficiency versus Democracy: Conceptual Reconciliation of a Troubled Relationship? Citizens’ Expectations: Is what matters only what works? Re-engaging Citizens: Institutional Responses to Political Disengagement Informal Government Delegated Authority: Legitimizing Independent Regulatory Agencies Delegation to the EU The Open Method of Co-ordination (OMC) and The European Employment Strategy Committee Governance in EU Agricultural Policy Efficiency versus Legitimacy: The Governance of Technology Does citizen involvement improve the quality, legitimacy and implementability of environmental policy? The Allocation of Health Care The Post-democratic Turn: Complexity and the Reconfiguration of Democratic Politics

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The contributions in this book shed critical light on the shaping, negotiation, and creation of inclusive conditions of local authorities and localities. The authors analyse policy programs and reflect on their inclusive or exclusive effects in European and non-European contexts. Despite a number of global effects, which come about through supra-locally made decisions and influence the scope of action on the ground, many contributions emphasize the crucial role of the municipal level for a successful realisation of inclusion.

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This book examines the educational systems into which students with refugee backgrounds are placed when relocated into their new homelands. It discusses the current climate of neo liberalism which pervades schooling in many western countries and the subsequent impact on curriculum focus and teaching strategies. The authors propose ways in which these students can be educated with policies and perspectives which respect diversity and uniqueness, using among others a primary school in regional Australia dedicated to holistic education as an example. Informed by postmodern perspectives on education and its purposes and drawing on the interdisciplinary wisdoms of critical scholars, this book presents a theoretical introduction to the educational landscape as found in many of the countries in which students with asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds are placed as the result of forced resettlement in new homelands. It discusses the impact of reductionist pedagogical and epistemological policies which are the foundations of neo liberalism. It challenges educators and policy makers to see beyond superficial differences and competition and to focus instead on the very significant impact of trauma and loss that these students have experienced as children and young people. The book dares educators at all levels of policy and practice to become truly human again and to consider the role of educational love and care that formed the cornerstones of educational endeavours for authentic pedagogues for decades. The book concludes with a research-based study of a school in a regional Australian town which not only educates with an ethic of pedagogical love and care, promoting a sense of belonging and emotional wellbeing for all students, 30% of which are of asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds, but celebrates high academic standards needed for student success, as well.

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The authors discuss individual and societal factors which influence the gender biased image of science, engineering and technology (SET) prevalent in young people. From different angles the authors investigate the consequences of this often unattractive but also partly obsolete image for gendered study and occupational choices of girls and boys. Besides peers, school and media as main influencing socialisation instances the contributions focus on young people’s selfconcept regarding the development of gendered attitudes towards SET. Further this book includes approaches and concepts of inclusion measures aiming on changing the image of SET and attracting young people, and especially girls, for these study and job fields.

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Why is there so much reservation and scepticism among the Czech public as well as politicians towards the European Union? Has the experience of the Czech Republic as a member of the EU changed Czech Euroscepticism since 2004? The authors provide a detailed analysis of the dynamics of Euroscepticism using the concept of Europeanisation. The unique connection of the concepts of Euroscepticism and Europeanisation creates an innovative research framework.

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Is civil society’s influence favorable to the evolvement of democratic structures and democratic gender relations? While traditional approaches would answer in the affirmative, the authors highlight the ambivalences. Focusing on women’s organizations in authoritarian and hybrid regimes, they cover the full spectrum of civil society’s possible performance: from its important role in the overcoming of power relations to its reinforcement as backers of government structures or the distribution of antifeminist ideas.

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The author analyzes the relationship between the availability of public childcare for children under age three and the decision to have a first child. One would expect that providing women with the option of returning to work soon after childbirth would reduce the anticipated negative effects of having a child on a woman’s career. However, existing research results on this relationship are inconsistent.

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This research considers the mixed results of international agencies in democracy promotion despite their attempt to shape a common policy emphasized in various international agreements. On the background of backlashes and the search for new answers it analyses how the UNDP and the EC promoted democracy in Rwanda from 2003 until 2013. As a result, the author outlines how democracy strategies differ; she defines variance factors in impact, and develops a new concept of variances.

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Since its professional beginnings, social work has been a major actor and instrument of social policy. This study is a reconstruction of the development of social work in enterprises implemented as part of enterprise social policy in the territory of Bohemia and Moravia between the years 1876-1989. Using a hermeneutical approach based on historical research, the author explores the transformation of societal institutions, communities and structures.

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The authors deal with the place of parliamentary politics in democracy. Apparently a truism, parliamentarism is in fact a missing research object in democratic theory, and a devalued institutional reference in democratic politics. Yet the parliamentary culture of politics historically explains the rise and fall of modern democracies.In the early twentieth century political thought the relationships between democracy and parliamentarism were at the focus of the agenda. In the postwar era the study of politics has taken the parliament for granted, meaning its analysis has been on the whole limited to concomitant factors, such as elections, party systems or the government-opposition divide. Even rhetorical studies have largely dealt with historical and linguistic aspects of argumentative reasoning, and parliaments have been merely considered institutions producing speeches and texts to be studied.By exploring democracy from the vantage point of parliamentary politics, the book advances a novel research perspective. Aimed at revising current debates on parliamentary politics, democratization and democratic theory, the authors argue the role of the parliamentary culture of politics in democracy, highlighting the argumentative, debating experience of politics to recast both some of democratic theory’s normative assumptions and real democracies’ reform potential.

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