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Voices of Foster Youth: Experts on Their Own Lives
by Karen J. Saywitz Sue D. Hobbs Jennifer M. Krebsbach Rakel P. Larson Christine R. WellsThis important book offers unique insight into the experience of foster youth from 27 countries around the world. It provides a systematic review of literature reporting the experiences of youth in care, addressing a wide range of key topics in this multidisciplinary field, and presenting the views and perceptions of these young people.Including a meta-analysis on contact with birth parents, it examines youth’s experiences of the foster care system; contact and relationships; caregiving and relationships with caregivers; placements; and emotional well-being. These five core themes embrace a wide range of crucial topics including foster youth’s involvement in decisions about themselves; interactions with social workers, birth families, foster families, peers, and friends; the benefits and challenges of foster care; the stigma attached to being in care; mental health, well-being, and belonging; and developing a sense of self.This essential volume is for students and scholars of child and adolescent development, social work, education, sociology, and public health. Illustrated with quotes from former and current foster youth, and with research-based recommendations for best practices in foster care, it is also for professional social workers, psychologists, child advocates, children’s therapists, children’s attorneys, youth workers, and foster parents.
Voices of Victorian London: In Sickness and in Health
by Henry MayhewHistory is written by historians, and the voices of ordinary people rarely feature. But this unique collection of interviews from the middle of the nineteenth century allows their voices to be heard. The journalist Henry Mayhew tramped the streets of London interviewing working people; this Hesperus selection from his work 'London Labour and the London Poor' shows how they coped with the ups and downs of health and illness while continuing with the daily trial of scratching a living and feeding their families. The people Mayhew met showed remarkable resilience and a surprising sense of humour about their lot in life. Jonathan Miller, theatre director, writer and doctor, writes an introduction giving the social background to what Mayhew called the 'undiscovered country of the poor'.
Voicework in Music Therapy: Research and Practice
by Inge Nygaard Pedersen Hanne Mette Ridder Jeanette Tamplin Cheryl Dileo Esther Marie Thane Hyun Ju Chong Joanne V. Loewy Joost Hurkmans Nicola Oddy Satomi Kondo Susan Gail Summers Tea Zielman Dr Helen Shoemark Madeleen de de BruijnCompiling a wealth of international evidence-based practice, this book offers detailed descriptions of clinical methods that are grounded in research. Chapters are grouped into structured and unstructured approaches for use with clients of all ages. This book will be invaluable for any student, practitioner or researcher exploring voicework.
Vokabelbuch Fachenglisch für Gesundheitsberufe: Englisch - Deutsch
by Sandra SchillerIn diesem Vokabelbuch finden Physiotherapeut*innen, Ergotherapeut*innen und Logopäd*innen im therapeutischen Alltag den relevanten Grund- und Aufbauwortschatz von Englisch auf Deutsch - in Anlehnung an das Lehrbuch "Fachenglisch für die Gesundheitsberufe". Von A wie „A & E department“ bis Z wie „zimmer frame“: Mit diesem praktischen Taschenbuch sind Sie für die englischsprachige Kommunikation mit Klient*innen bzw. Patient*innen und für Auslandsaufenthalte bestens gerüstet.
Von einem, der auszog, das Staunen zu lernen: Große Figuren und großartige Meilensteine in der Geschichte der Wissenschaften
by Ernst Peter Fischer„Wer sich nicht mehr wundern und nicht mehr staunen kann, der ist sozusagen tot und sein Auge erloschen“, hat Albert Einstein einmal geschrieben, und diese Worte haben einen Knaben ermutigt, sich in die Welt der Wissenschaft zu begeben, um hier das Staunen zu lernen. Er wollte und will mit den Wundern der Wissenschaft leben, die den Menschen das Dasein erleichtert und ihr Weltbild ausschmückt. Aus seinem Leben wird hier erzählt und wie er sich in diese faszinierende Sphäre des Geistes hineinträumt. Dabei entsteht ein Roman der Naturwissenschaften, der von den Überraschungen im Innersten der Dinge handelt, die dort zu erleben sind und sich auf die Bedingungen der menschlichen Existenz auswirken. Der Roman stellt in persönlichen Begegnungen und Gesprächen Akteure auf dem Feld der Forschung vor, die nicht nur den Atomen, sondern zum Beispiel auch dem Geheimnis des Lebens und dem Erwachen der Intelligenz auf die Spur gekommen sind und heute versuchen, Maschinen damit auszustatten. Man versteht die Gegenwart besser, wenn man die historischen Erfolge der Wissenschaften kennt, die den modernen Alltag mit digitalen Medien dominieren und auf Fragen zum Klimawandel und zur Energieversorgung antworten können. In diesem Buch kann man beginnen, das zum Verstehen führende Staunen zu lernen, mit dem die Menschheit ihren eingangs von Einstein befürchteten Tod vermeiden und die Welt erleben kann.Ernst Peter Fischer beleuchtet spannend und unterhaltsam die Geschichte der Naturwissenschaft und ihrer Akteure.
Vulnerability, Territory, Population: From Critique to Public Policy
by Samuel Rufat Pascale MetzgerDuring the Covid-19 pandemic, the term "vulnerable" was applied to "individuals" and to "populations", "groups" and "countries" in discussions, laws and regulations; now it applies to all objects in relation to all kinds of threats. However, rather than a label for governing people and places, the notion of "vulnerability" was expected to become an instrument to tackle the root causes of disasters, poverty and maldevelopment, as well as the inequalities and injustices they bring, whether social, political, economic or environmental. Despite this radical dimension, vulnerability has gradually been incorporated into public policies and international recommendations for global risk and disaster management. This book is intended for researchers, students, managers and decision makers concerned with the management of not only risks and crises but also climate and environmental change. The first part examines the multiple theoretical and conceptual approaches; the second explores vulnerability assessments, using examples from the Global North and Global South; and the third discusses tools, public policies and actions taken to reduce vulnerability.
Vulnerable Children and the Law: International Evidence for Improving Child Welfare, Child Protection and Children's Rights
by Suzanne Oliver Patrick O'Leary Lisa Young James Reid Cathy Humphreys Nicky Stanley Helen Richardon Foster Linda Moore Chaitali Das Christine Beddoe Deena Haydon Gill Thomson Gladis Molina Goos Cardol Greg Kelly Jackie Turton Jason Squire Meredith Kiraly Pam Miller Rawiri Taonui Robert H. George Shelly Whitman Terri Libesman Una ConveryThis book takes an international perspective on child welfare, examining how frameworks can be adapted to address the rights and best interests of children. Synthesising the latest research, experts redefine the concept of a 'child in need' in a world where global movement is common and children are frequently involved in the law.
The Vulnerable Consumer: Beyond the Poor and the Elderly (Review of Marketing Research #21)
by Naresh K. MalhotraReview of Marketing Research pushes the boundaries of marketing - broadening the marketing concept to make the world a better place. This special issue provides a roadmap for future research on different aspects of consumer vulnerabilities, which include not only the scarcity of financial and materialistic resources, but also scarcity mindsets, a lack of mental resources and self-knowledge, and the non-fulfilment of motivational needs. New insights, approaches and directions are set out for research on consumer vulnerabilities. The Review of Marketing Research continues its mission of systematically analyzing and presenting accumulated knowledge in the field of marketing as well as influencing future research by identifying areas that merit the attention of researchers.
The Vulnerable Consumer: Beyond the Poor and the Elderly (Review of Marketing Research #21)
by Naresh K. MalhotraReview of Marketing Research pushes the boundaries of marketing - broadening the marketing concept to make the world a better place. This special issue provides a roadmap for future research on different aspects of consumer vulnerabilities, which include not only the scarcity of financial and materialistic resources, but also scarcity mindsets, a lack of mental resources and self-knowledge, and the non-fulfilment of motivational needs. New insights, approaches and directions are set out for research on consumer vulnerabilities. The Review of Marketing Research continues its mission of systematically analyzing and presenting accumulated knowledge in the field of marketing as well as influencing future research by identifying areas that merit the attention of researchers.
Wahlen und Wähler: Analysen zur Bundestagswahl 2021
by Harald Schoen Bernhard WeßelsDer Band bündelt Analysen führender Wahlforscherinnen und Wahlforscher sowie Politikwissenschaftlerinnen und Politikwissenschaftler aus Deutschland zur Bundestagswahl 2021. Der Band ist die Fortsetzung der sogenannten „Blauen Bände“, die seit ihrem Beginn 1980 umfassend und systematisch Analysen zu allen Bundestagswahlen und zu international relevanten Ergebnissen der Wahlforschung zusammenfasst.
Wake Me Most Wickedly (Once Upon the East End)
by Felicia GrossmanA New York Times Best Romance (So Far!) of 2024 &“No one writes love stories with more heart, more swoons, and more sizzle&” (Joanna Shupe, USA Today bestselling author) in this clever reimaging of Snow White, where a handsome businessman will do anything to win the heart of the only woman he cannot have. Solomon Weiss has little interest in power, but to repay the half-brother who raised him, he pursues money, influence, and now—a respectable wife. That is, until outcast Hannah Moses saves his life, and Sol finds himself helplessly drawn to the beautiful pawnshop owner. Forever tainted by her parents' crimes, Hannah sees only a villain when she looks in the mirror—no one a prince would choose. To survive, she must care for herself, even if that means illegally hunting down whatever her clients wish. So, no matter how fair or charming she finds Sol, he belongs to a world far too distant from her own. Only neither can resist their desires, and each meeting weakens Hannah&’s resolve to stay away. But when Hannah discovers a shocking betrayal in Sol&’s inner circle, can she convince him to trust her? Or will fear and doubt poison their love for good?
The Waking of Willie Ryan
by John Broderick1950s Ireland. Willie Ryan returns to his home town from the asylum where he had spent twenty-five years committed under false pretences by his Catholic family. They really disapproved of his affair with another young man.
Walker Finds a Way: Running into the Adult World with Autism
by Robert HughesWhat do you do when your usually happy son with low-functioning autism is deemed difficult and unruly? From the author of Running with Walker, this gripping memoir reveals the highs and lows of adult life with low-functioning autism, and portrays a very special relationship between one son and his parents in the midst of a toxic situation.
Walking the Bones of Britain: A 3 Billion Year Journey from the Outer Hebrides to the Thames Estuary
by Christopher Somerville‘Somerville’s infectious enthusiasm and wry humour infuse his journey from the Isle of Lewis to southern England, revealing our rich geological history with vibrant local and natural history’ Observer‘A meticulous exploration of the ground beneath our feet. Glorious’ Katharine Norbury‘A remarkable achievement’ Tom Chesshyre‘His writing is utterly enticing’ Country Walking...............................................................................................................................................The influence Britain’s geology has had on our daily lives is profound. While we may be unaware of it, every aspect of our history has been affected by events that happened ten thousand, a million, or a thousand million years ago.In Walking the Bones of Britain, Christopher Somerville takes a journey of a thousand miles, beginning in the far north, at the three-billion-year-old rocks of the Isle of Lewis, formed when the world was still molten, and travelling south-eastwards to the furthest corner of Essex, where new land is being formed. Crossing bogs, scaling peaks and skirting quarry pits, he unearths the stories bound up in the layers of rock beneath our feet, and examines how they have influenced everything from how we farm to how we build our houses, from the Industrial Revolution to the current climate crisis.Told with characteristic humour and insight, this gripping exploration of the British landscape and its remarkable history cannot fail to change the way you see the world beyond your door.‘Somerville is a walker’s writer’ Nicholas Crane
Walking through Fire: The Later Years of Nawal El Saadawi, In Her Own Words
by Nawal El SaadawiIn Walking through Fire, Nawal El Saadawi, author of Woman at Point Zero and one of the Arab world's greatest writers, tells the story of the later years of a life which shaped an iconic voice in global feminism. Covering her life in Nasser's then Sadat's and Mubarak's Egypt, we learn about Saadawi's experience of marriage and motherhood, and we travel with her into exile after her life was threatened by religious extremists. Filled with warmth as well as critical reflection, this book reveals the later years of a remarkable life dedicated to the fight for justice and equality.
Walking through Fire: The Later Years of Nawal El Saadawi, In Her Own Words
by Nawal El SaadawiIn Walking through Fire, Nawal El Saadawi, author of Woman at Point Zero and one of the Arab world's greatest writers, tells the story of the later years of a life which shaped an iconic voice in global feminism. Covering her life in Nasser's then Sadat's and Mubarak's Egypt, we learn about Saadawi's experience of marriage and motherhood, and we travel with her into exile after her life was threatened by religious extremists. Filled with warmth as well as critical reflection, this book reveals the later years of a remarkable life dedicated to the fight for justice and equality.
Walter Benjamin and Political Theology (Walter Benjamin Studies)
by Brendan Moran and Paula SchwebelTracing Walter Benjamin's convergences with, and divergences from, influential German legal theorist Carl Schmitt, this edited collection contextualizes Benjamin's thinking in the intellectual currents of his time, while also placing him in dialogue with traditions and thinkers from antiquity to the present. At stake is whether Benjamin presents the possibility of a distinctive political theology-a question which the collection addresses without collapsing the tensions internal to Benjamin's thought. Benjamin's thought has been a touchstone, explicitly or implicitly, in numerous efforts to conceive of a 'new' political theology that is not anchored in legitimizing and preserving power, but in justice and liberation. Benjamin interrogates the political-theological complex from what may be construed as a vantage point opposed to Schmitt. Whereas Schmitt excavates the theological elements in modernity in order to shore up liberalism's illiberal inheritance, Benjamin roots out these latent structures in order to dissolve them and liberate us from their oppressive legacy. This volume's multifaceted contributions explore why Benjamin has been such a fertile source for thinking about political theology beyond – and often against – Schmitt. Benjamin indicates how existing political theologies can be challenged or expanded. This book accordingly makes a wide range of relevant work available for study whilst also opening new perspectives on Benjamin's œuvre.
Walter Benjamin and Political Theology (Walter Benjamin Studies)
Tracing Walter Benjamin's convergences with, and divergences from, influential German legal theorist Carl Schmitt, this edited collection contextualizes Benjamin's thinking in the intellectual currents of his time, while also placing him in dialogue with traditions and thinkers from antiquity to the present. At stake is whether Benjamin presents the possibility of a distinctive political theology-a question which the collection addresses without collapsing the tensions internal to Benjamin's thought. Benjamin's thought has been a touchstone, explicitly or implicitly, in numerous efforts to conceive of a 'new' political theology that is not anchored in legitimizing and preserving power, but in justice and liberation. Benjamin interrogates the political-theological complex from what may be construed as a vantage point opposed to Schmitt. Whereas Schmitt excavates the theological elements in modernity in order to shore up liberalism's illiberal inheritance, Benjamin roots out these latent structures in order to dissolve them and liberate us from their oppressive legacy. This volume's multifaceted contributions explore why Benjamin has been such a fertile source for thinking about political theology beyond – and often against – Schmitt. Benjamin indicates how existing political theologies can be challenged or expanded. This book accordingly makes a wide range of relevant work available for study whilst also opening new perspectives on Benjamin's œuvre.
War and Peace in Somalia: National Grievances, Local Conflict and Al-Shabaab
by Michael Keating and Matt WaldmanFor the last thirty years Somalia has experienced violence and upheaval. Today, the international effort to help Somalis build a federal state and achieve stability is challenged by deep-rooted grievances, local conflicts and a powerful insurgency led by Al-Shabaab. Consisting of forty-four chapters by conflict resolution specialists and the world's leading experts on Somalia, this volume constitutes a unique compendium of insights into the insurgency and its impact. War and Peace in Somalia explores the legacies of past violence, especially impunity, illegitimacy and exclusion, and the need for national reconciliation. Drawing on decades of experience and months of field research, the contributors throw light on diverse forms of local conflict, its interrelated causes, and what can be done about it. They share original research on the role of women, men and youth in the conflict, and present new insight into Al-Shabaab--particularly the group's multi-dimensional strategy, the motivations of its fighters, their foreign links, and the prospects for engagement. This ground-breaking volume illuminates the war in Somalia, and sets out what can and should be done to bring it to an end. For policymakers and researchers covering Somalia, East Africa, extremism or conflict resolution, this is a must-read.
War in the Gulf, 1990-91: The Iraq-Kuwait Conflict and Its Implications
by Majid Khadduri Edmund GhareebFor most Americans, the war against Iraq lingers in memory as a vast morality play, a drama offering ready made heroes and villains: a glowering dictator in military uniform, hapless Kuwaiti refugees with tales of persecution, plucky pilots with high-tech wizardry, and a defiant American president, ringing Churchillian as he drew a line in the sand. But this characterization of the war is greatly oversimplified, a one-dimensional portrait, lacking in context and nuance. In War in the Gulf, 1990 91, eminent scholars Majid Khadduri and Edmund Ghareeb paint a very different picture, one that brings historical depth to the portrait, and displays the actions of many of the participants in a new and revealing light. Khadduri and Ghareeb offer a far more accurate and complex portrait of the Iraq-Kuwait conflict, providing a wealth of background information not readily available before. They made a distinction between the differences between Iraq and Kuwait over frontiers, territory, and sovereignty and the method pursued by Iraqi leaders to resolve those differences. They explore, for instance, the history of relations between Iraq and Kuwait, revealing that Kuwait had once been a part of Basra (in southern Iraq) during the Ottoman rule, and only became a separate country while under British control (it was the British in fact who drew the much-disputed boundary line between Iraq and Kuwait). Khadduri and Ghareeb describe the many decades of struggle to resolve the boundary issue, examining the repeated attempts by other Arab states to mediate according to Islamic traditions of consultation and peaceful resolution within the faith. The authors also show how Saddam Husayn's war with Iran exacerbated the boundary tensions. Because of the decade-long war, Iraq badly needed oil revenue to repay wartime loans and to rebuild, but Kuwait persisted in pumping far beyond its OPEC quota, driving down prices, and costing Iraq billions of dollars of revenue. The book reveals how Kuwait spurned Arab attempts to mediate this clash over oil prices as well as the longstanding boundary dispute, frustrating efforts to resolve this crisis by peaceful means. In one particularly interesting section, the book examines the diplomatic talks during the early summer of 1990, both among various Arab nations (most notably, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Kuwait), and with Saddam Husayn and the United States (they show how messages from Washington and a visit by a congressional delegation lead by Senator Dole convinced the Iraqi leaders that they would be allowed to settle their problems with Kuwait without outside interference). Khadduri and Ghareeb carry us through to the present, exploring the war and its aftermath, from the uprisings against Baghdad, to the continuing U.N. sanctions, to the recent defections from Saddam's inner circle. War in the Gulf is a balanced, eye-opening account of one of the central events of recent years. It corrects the Western views of most reporting, explaining the frame of mind of the participants as no one has done before and causing us to examine anew such questions as who was responsible for the conflict, and what might have happened if the United States had not intervened so rapidly.
The War in Ukraine and International Law
by Dai Tamada Masahiko AsadaThe war in Ukraine is fast approaching its second anniversary since its commencement on 24 February 2022 as a blatant aggression by Russia. As we discuss in detail in this book, there are multiple international legal issues that arise and require addressing. What is more, the very international legal order is under threat, insofar as the fundamental international law obligations are not being complied with and the basic international rules are utterly ignored. This book discusses a number of international law issues arising from the war in Ukraine. It covers not only the traditional subjects of war, such as jus ad bellum, international criminal law, and the law of neutrality, but also the relatively new issues arising from the economic sanctions against Russia, including aspects of the WTO law and international investment law. This book provides the readers with opportunities to reconsider the various legal aspects of the war in Ukraine.
Was Revolution Inevitable?: Turning Points of the Russian Revolution
by Tony BrentonCommunism's rise and eventual fall in Eastern Europe is one of the great stories of the 20th century. Within this context, the Russian Revolution's role and legacy overshadows all else. In Was Revolution Inevitable?, former British Ambassador to Russia Sir Tony Brenton has gathered essays by leading historians to trace the events that led to the overthrow of the Tsarist regime and to pinpoint moments when those events could have unfolded in a drastically different way. What would the world be like had Fanny Kaplan succeeded in assassinating Vladimir Lenin in 1918? What if the Bolsheviks had never imposed the brutal "War Communism" initiatives that devastated the Russian peasants? What if Rasputin had talked Nicholas II out of involvement in World War One, which effectively led to the Revolution and sealed the demise of the Romanov dynasty? Preeminent scholars, including Orlando Figes, Richard Pipes, Douglas Smith, and Martin Sixsmith, ruminate on these questions and many others, assembling a series of pivotal moments that reveal what might have gone differently, and, if so, what the repercussions would have been. The contributors take a variety of approaches, from imagining an alternate history, to carefully studying a precarious moment of contingency, to disproving popular imagined alternatives. All of the chapters, however, shed light on Lenin's rise to power and the proliferation of his agenda, while assessing the influence of the revolution's pivotal moments on Russian-and global-politics. Provocative and illuminating, Was Revolution Inevitable? provides an in-depth exploration of the conflict that for nearly a century has shaped world history. The Russian Revolution put totalitarian communism into power, fueled Nazism and the Second World War, and forged one of the West's greatest antagonists. Here is a book that scrutinizes how the past, present, and future of global history could have been remarkably different had the events of 1917 unfolded differently and in the process deepens our understanding of what did happen and why.
Was the Cat in the Hat Black?: The Hidden Racism of Children's Literature, and the Need for Diverse Books
by Philip NelRacism is resilient, duplicitous, and endlessly adaptable, so it is no surprise that America is again in a period of civil rights activism. A significant reason racism endures is because it is structural: it's embedded in culture and in institutions. One of the places that racism hides-and thus perhaps the best place to oppose it-is books for young people. Was the Cat in the Hat Black? presents five serious critiques of the history and current state of children's literature tempestuous relationship with both implicit and explicit forms of racism. The book fearlessly examines topics both vivid-such as The Cat in the Hat's roots in blackface minstrelsy-and more opaque, like how the children's book industry can perpetuate structural racism via whitewashed covers even while making efforts to increase diversity. Rooted in research yet written with a lively, crackling touch, Nel delves into years of literary criticism and recent sociological data in order to show a better way forward. Though much of what is proposed here could be endlessly argued, the knowledge that what we learn in childhood imparts both subtle and explicit lessons about whose lives matter is not debatable. The text concludes with a short and stark proposal of actions everyone-reader, author, publisher, scholar, citizen- can take to fight the biases and prejudices that infect children's literature. While Was the Cat in the Hat Black? does not assume it has all the answers to such a deeply systemic problem, its audacity should stimulate discussion and activism.
Was wir von der Welt wissen sollten
by Jens BottDas Buch zum Mitreden in aktuellen Debatten in Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft Der Wunsch, die Welt verstehen zu wollen, ist so alt wie die Menschheit; wir suchen nach Erklärungen, benötigen Halt und Orientierung. Aus Annahmen und Überzeugungen, die uns plausibel erscheinen, formen wir unsere Weltbilder, Vorstellungen über die Beschaffenheit des Universums. Die jeweils herrschenden Vorstellungen haben sich mit der Zeit allerdings verändert. Bis zum Ende des Mittelalters lagen die Dinge noch einfach: Für die Menschen in Europa etwa war die Bibel die Quelle aller Wahrheit, ein universelles Sachbuch, das die Entstehung des Universums, die Artenvielfalt und den Ursprung des Sprachengewirrs erklärte, aber auch moralische Richtlinien vorgab. Mit der Zeit hat sich eine Reihe zentraler Theorien und Ideen herausgeschält, die den heutigen Wissenschafts-und Politikbetrieb prägen. Gleich, ob wir sie nun persönlich für richtig halten oder nicht, haben diese herrschenden Meinungen Einfluss auf unser tägliches Leben – und das mehr, als uns oftmals bewusst ist. Im ersten Teil des Buches (Die Natur) werden nach Darstellung der Grundlagendisziplin Mathematik zunächst die physikalischen Naturgesetze dargelegt, um dann zu zeigen, wie sich aus ihnen die Chemie und aus der Chemie die Biologie ergibt. Im Mittelpunkt stehen Newtons Mechanik, die Relativitätstheorie, die Quantenphysik und Darwins Evolutionstheorie. Das abschließende Kapitel erzählt die Naturgeschichte vom Urknall bis zum Erscheinen des Homo sapiens und fasst dabei die wesentlichen Aussagen noch einmal zusammen. Das erste Kapitel des zweiten Teils (Der Mensch) beschäftigt sich mit dem menschlichen Bewusstsein und leitet aus einer naturwissenschaftlichen Perspektive zu den geisteswissenschaftlichen Kapiteln Sprache (Ausdrucksform des Bewusstseins), Philosophie (Geschichte des Denkens), Gesellschaft (Theorie des Zusammenlebens) und Ökonomie (Umgang mit knappen Ressourcen) über. Das abschließende Kapitel erzählt die Menschheitsgeschichte bis heute, wobei wiederum die zentralen Aussagen noch einmal zusammengefasst werden.
Was wir von der Welt wissen sollten
by Jens BottDas Buch zum Mitreden in aktuellen Debatten in Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft Der Wunsch, die Welt verstehen zu wollen, ist so alt wie die Menschheit; wir suchen nach Erklärungen, benötigen Halt und Orientierung. Aus Annahmen und Überzeugungen, die uns plausibel erscheinen, formen wir unsere Weltbilder, Vorstellungen über die Beschaffenheit des Universums. Die jeweils herrschenden Vorstellungen haben sich mit der Zeit allerdings verändert. Bis zum Ende des Mittelalters lagen die Dinge noch einfach: Für die Menschen in Europa etwa war die Bibel die Quelle aller Wahrheit, ein universelles Sachbuch, das die Entstehung des Universums, die Artenvielfalt und den Ursprung des Sprachengewirrs erklärte, aber auch moralische Richtlinien vorgab. Mit der Zeit hat sich eine Reihe zentraler Theorien und Ideen herausgeschält, die den heutigen Wissenschafts-und Politikbetrieb prägen. Gleich, ob wir sie nun persönlich für richtig halten oder nicht, haben diese herrschenden Meinungen Einfluss auf unser tägliches Leben – und das mehr, als uns oftmals bewusst ist. Im ersten Teil des Buches (Die Natur) werden nach Darstellung der Grundlagendisziplin Mathematik zunächst die physikalischen Naturgesetze dargelegt, um dann zu zeigen, wie sich aus ihnen die Chemie und aus der Chemie die Biologie ergibt. Im Mittelpunkt stehen Newtons Mechanik, die Relativitätstheorie, die Quantenphysik und Darwins Evolutionstheorie. Das abschließende Kapitel erzählt die Naturgeschichte vom Urknall bis zum Erscheinen des Homo sapiens und fasst dabei die wesentlichen Aussagen noch einmal zusammen. Das erste Kapitel des zweiten Teils (Der Mensch) beschäftigt sich mit dem menschlichen Bewusstsein und leitet aus einer naturwissenschaftlichen Perspektive zu den geisteswissenschaftlichen Kapiteln Sprache (Ausdrucksform des Bewusstseins), Philosophie (Geschichte des Denkens), Gesellschaft (Theorie des Zusammenlebens) und Ökonomie (Umgang mit knappen Ressourcen) über. Das abschließende Kapitel erzählt die Menschheitsgeschichte bis heute, wobei wiederum die zentralen Aussagen noch einmal zusammengefasst werden.