The early history and development of the historiographical method and theory of “conceptual history” resp. “Historical Semantics”—the latter being the overarching term that includes the... Show moreThe early history and development of the historiographical method and theory of “conceptual history” resp. “Historical Semantics”—the latter being the overarching term that includes the specifically German version of conceptual history (= Begriffsgeschichte)—is still widely unknown. One of the first central protagonists of the beginnings of this now widely appraised historiographical approach was the German-Jewish historian Richard Koebner (1885-1958). As a transnational actor, Koebner was not only part of the specifically German beginnings of Begriffsgeschichte during the Weimar Republic, but he was also—after his forced emigration to Jerusalem and during his retirement-years in London—influential for the development of Historical Semantics in Israel and England. Show less
In the liminal area of southern Latium and northern Campania Rome founded three neighbouring colonies with different citizenship status in the 4th-3rd c. BC. The dissertation re-examines the... Show moreIn the liminal area of southern Latium and northern Campania Rome founded three neighbouring colonies with different citizenship status in the 4th-3rd c. BC. The dissertation re-examines the historical and archaeological sources within this micro-region and focuses on local-regional characteristics and pre-Roman structures that influenced the colonies. Thereby, this research argues for a local colonial material culture and discusses the impact of cultural and economic factors on the colonial foundations. These support their multi-layered integration into supra-regional trade and production networks as well as spatial and individual connectivity in late Republican times. In contrary to traditional conceptions limited to citizenship status and military purpose, this research emphasizes the heterogenous socio-political, economic, religious, and cultural developments of the colonies. Show less
Since as far back antiquity, philosophers have been inquiring into the nature of conflict. One of the most prominent ideas to have dominated this inquiry is that conflict represents an undesirable... Show moreSince as far back antiquity, philosophers have been inquiring into the nature of conflict. One of the most prominent ideas to have dominated this inquiry is that conflict represents an undesirable part of life, one that stands opposed to the ideals of harmony, co-operation and consensus. Nietzsche, however, rejects this position, proffering various arguments for why we ought to positively value conflict. Yet Nietzsche’s stance is by no means unambigious. Commentators sharply disagree regarding the specific form of conflict to which his endorsement refers. His “hard” readers present him as a warmonger, who predominantly advocates unmeasured, destructive types of struggle (e.g. war). Conversely, Nietzsche’s “soft” readers claim that he exclusively promotes a measured, agonal mode of struggle modelled on the non-violent contests (or agons) that pervaded ancient Greek culture. I contend that both of these readings are one-sided and require modification. Indeed, the thesis that this dissertation defends is that Nietzsche promotes both measured and unmeasured struggle in an entirely coherent manner. I further argue that commentators have neglected the most significant form of conflict in Nietzsche’s thought, which is characterised by a combination of measured and unmeasured conflict. This species of struggle is analogous to the biological process of digestion, which simultaneously involves 1) a measured struggle to incorporate that which is deemed serviceable to the organism, and 2) an unmeasured struggle to eliminate material deemed redundant or harmful. This dualistic struggle is what I term organisational conflict on account of the fact that both incorporation and exclusion form part of a single overarching impetus to establish healthy organisation. Show less
My research addresses the function of the much-debated particle -nā in Biblical Hebrew, often translated with “please”, from the point of view of the most important ancient Bible translations ... Show moreMy research addresses the function of the much-debated particle -nā in Biblical Hebrew, often translated with “please”, from the point of view of the most important ancient Bible translations (Greek, Syriac, Latin). It combines textual criticism, translation technique, discourse pragmatics, and the study of politeness in language. The bewildering amount of variation in the rendering of this particle in the ancient versions can be explained as the result of a conscious choice by the translator or as a reflex of a different Hebrew original. After a survey of previous research, a systematic and comprehensive investigation of the evidence shows that the pragmatic function of this particle is strongly conditioned by the context and cannot be explained by a unified denominator. Its primary function appears to be emphasis, hence it sensitizes the addressee/reader. Cases of schematic translation can indicate with relative certainty where -nā was present or not in the Hebrew original of a given translation. By and large, the following tendencies can be observed: the Greek often has dē as the most obvious translation equivalent, the Syriac only translates it occasionally, and the Latin connects it most directly with politeness by a Latin expression for request (generally obsecro or quaeso). Show less
The Partimenti of Giovanni Paisiello: Towards Their Understanding in Context. This doctoral thesis focuses on Paisiello's partimenti and how to approach their realization and performance. To that... Show moreThe Partimenti of Giovanni Paisiello: Towards Their Understanding in Context. This doctoral thesis focuses on Paisiello's partimenti and how to approach their realization and performance. To that end I completed an in-depth profile of his pedagogical activities and expanded the already well-known sources—the Regole published in St. Petersburg (1782)—with newly discovered partimenti by Paisiello. Crucial for this study were connections between Paisiello's partimenti and not only his own compositions but also those of his teacher Francesco Durante and his other contemporaries. This broader perspective required taking into account the genre-specific contexts in which Paisiello’s partimenti reside. The inclusion of larger musical forms and complex progressions as compositional models significantly expands the spectrum of possibilities in the realization of his partimenti. A central idea emerging from this study is that partimenti provide a key to the musical language of the time and offer vast possibilities for realization and ornamentation. Show less
My dissertation provides a detailed description of the interaction between verb semantics and the two grammatical voice categories (that is, middle and active voice) in the Vedic Sanskrit of the... Show moreMy dissertation provides a detailed description of the interaction between verb semantics and the two grammatical voice categories (that is, middle and active voice) in the Vedic Sanskrit of the Rigveda (which is the earliest text of the Old-Indic religious tradition, datable to plus/minus 1500 BC). I give a full synchronic description of the middle voice semantic cluster (including a list of all middle readings) and the verbal lexicon with regard to valency and semantic transitivity. In addition, the two last chapters are devoted to paradigmatic voice marking asymmetries found in the text which point to a particular prehistory of its voice system. Show less
The performance practice of Italian instrumental music in relation to vocal music and text: Sources and their modern realization. In my work I have shown that in the second half of the 18th century... Show moreThe performance practice of Italian instrumental music in relation to vocal music and text: Sources and their modern realization. In my work I have shown that in the second half of the 18th century in Italy, one prepared instrumental music for performance with the help of texts. Central to this work is a treatise by Benvenuto Robbio Conte di San Raffaele stemming from the circle around Giuseppe Tartini which demonstrates the various steps of learning instrumental music through text underlay. Based on this, I could show how in various genres (solfeggi, recitatives, arias) numerous composers (Domenico Corri, Francesco Geminiani, Guiseppe Tartini) used texts and singing in preparing instrumental music for performance. The influence of this sort of “vocal” preparation on the interpretation of instrumental music has proved itself to be very fruitful in my own playing as well as in my work with students. Show less
The Roman military belt was a "marker" piece of equipment of the Roman soldier, distinguishing him from civilians when he was not wearing arms and armour. This is corroborated both by ancient... Show moreThe Roman military belt was a "marker" piece of equipment of the Roman soldier, distinguishing him from civilians when he was not wearing arms and armour. This is corroborated both by ancient literature and the frequency and accuracy of the depictions of the military belt on the gravestones of the soldiers. The immense ideological value invested in the belt originated in its function as sword belt, but then developed independently from it. This comprehensive study of the Roman military belt combines the written sources with the pictorial representations of belts and the archaeological finds of the metal mounts, buckles and hangers of the belt. In addition to discussing typological features and analysing the distribution and dating of the different types, questions on the social significance of this distinct piece of equipment are discussed. The book aims to give as broad a picture as possible of the Roman military belt; from its origins and development to its visual, acoustic and physical characteristics and from its ideological value to its influence on the everyday posture of the Roman soldier. Show less
Highlighting the (often ignored) link between "Cur Deus homo" and "Proslogion", the thesis examines the ‘logic of Christianity’ Anselm of Canterbury seeks to demonstrate in an inter-religious... Show moreHighlighting the (often ignored) link between "Cur Deus homo" and "Proslogion", the thesis examines the ‘logic of Christianity’ Anselm of Canterbury seeks to demonstrate in an inter-religious context; his atonement theory is not necessarily a result of an ill-conceived religious image of God but rather can be seen to follow from a heightened ontological awareness regarding the conceivability of the God-world relationship; his philosophical theology informs his soteriology. Yet, his attempt to think God’s justice and love together remains aporetic. The thesis further explores the (allegedly) ‘a priori’ character of the ‘ontological argument’ and proposes – pointing out the a posteriori dimensions in the conceptual genesis of Anselm’s theology – a cosmological reconstruction of the unum argumentum, thus arguing for a different answer to the problem Anselm tries to solve in CDH by postulating the necessary death of Christ on the cross. Our critique of Anselm’s God-concept (philosophical and biblical ‘unfittingness’) provides the philosophical groundwork for an alternative, ecumenical, Christian logic of the unconditional: from unconditional being to unconditional love, so that the all-creator is also the all-embracing, all-sustaining, all-redeeming father-God; and unconditional love demands: a review of the religion-morality-relationship (‘Christian Overman’), unconditional ecumenism, and a lived ethos of universal humanity. Show less
The thesis presents a new perspective on Giovanni Girolamo Kapsperger (ca.1580-1651), who is nowadays only famous for his works for theorbo and lute, his remarkable output of vocal music of all... Show moreThe thesis presents a new perspective on Giovanni Girolamo Kapsperger (ca.1580-1651), who is nowadays only famous for his works for theorbo and lute, his remarkable output of vocal music of all genres being still mostly neglected from musicologists and performers. The thesis aims to change the perception of the composer via three different angles: A reconstruction of his life and career with a substantial amount of new biographical information builds one pillar of the book, whereas in the second part his vocal works are approached and contextualized as prototypes of radical „stile novo“ in Roman characteristic. The last third is dedicated to questions about basso continuo and Roman performance practice in Kapsperger’s lifetime, dealing also with the composers’ own material on continuo as fount of inspiration for continuo players of all instruments.*************Important notice from the author:Further research after finishing the PhD has unearthed important new archival material. Some of my hypotheses have been strongly confirmed, but some chapters of the biographical part of this thesis are not valid any more. Please find an updated version of Kapsperger’s biography here:https://www.lim.it/en/essay/5964-giovanni-girolamo-kapsperger-9788855430470.htmlVienna, the 14th of November 2020Anne Marie Dragosits Show less
This book deals with medical responses to explicitly expressed requests for assistance and support with regard to wishes for death by people, more precisely the relations from the viewpoint of... Show moreThis book deals with medical responses to explicitly expressed requests for assistance and support with regard to wishes for death by people, more precisely the relations from the viewpoint of patients and physicians as well as the state__s approach to the topic. The question regarding the extent to which this triad of physician, patient and state can be brought together when it concerns the matter of responding (or not responding) to a wish for death is covered. Furthermore, the question is clarified as to why the laws of the countries around the world prohibit by overwhelming majority the termination of a person__s life by another person, when in this connection it ostensibly involves the fulfilment of protective obligations. The existing situation with regard to active responses to wishes for death by patients is described by means of an international comparison between Germany, The Netherlands and Canada. The objective is to illustrate benefits as well as potential dangers which desired wishes for death entail. Show less
Der vorliegenden Arbeit liegt eine spirituelle und dialogische Erfahrung mit der Religion und Kultur der heutigen Mixteken zu Grunde, die ich im Zuge des pastoralen Dienstes als katholischer... Show moreDer vorliegenden Arbeit liegt eine spirituelle und dialogische Erfahrung mit der Religion und Kultur der heutigen Mixteken zu Grunde, die ich im Zuge des pastoralen Dienstes als katholischer Priester in der Pfarrei Nuestra Señora de la Natividad in Chalcatongo, Distrikt Tlaxiaco im mexikanischen Bundesstaat Oaxaca in den Jahren 1990 – 1993 machen durfte. Diese Erfahrung verlangt nach einer Deutung, die grundlegende und wichtige Erkenntnisse für die wissenschaftliche Kulturanthropologie und Religionsgeschichte verarbeitet und transparent macht. Deshalb wird diese Interpretation als wissenschaftliche These dargestellt. Mein persönliches Anliegen ist es jedoch mit dieser Arbeit nicht nur zu einem vertieften Verständnis mixtekischer Religion und der Rolle von Religion in anthropologischen Studien beizutragen, sondern insbesondere auch den Mixteken selbst aus der Sicht und der Einsicht eines Europäers die Kostbarkeit und den Reichtum ihrer Tradition vorzustellen. Ich möchte mit dieser Arbeit an die junge Generation der Mixteken appellieren, die „Tradition der Ahnen“ im Umfeld aggressiver und allzu plausibler Modernität nicht achtlos beiseite zu stellen Show less
This study discusses church interiors painted in the Dutch Republic. With a focus on the social and religious backgrounds of the city of Delft, it argues that these works of art have functioned as... Show moreThis study discusses church interiors painted in the Dutch Republic. With a focus on the social and religious backgrounds of the city of Delft, it argues that these works of art have functioned as arguments within the confessional discourse. By developing innovative ways of depicting, or by maintaining these schemes, the painters visualized alternative concepts of ‘ecclesia’ Show less
How are the GDR and the fall of the Berlin Wall remembered? The dissertation “Alles Banane?” deals with this question. It assumes that identity, individual as well as collective, is a social,... Show moreHow are the GDR and the fall of the Berlin Wall remembered? The dissertation “Alles Banane?” deals with this question. It assumes that identity, individual as well as collective, is a social, cultural and political construction based on the memory of the past. This construction is not only pre-shaped by valid cultural conventions but also influenced by images of the past circulating in the community. This dissertation tackles the question how novels and films contribute to the process of shaping collective memory by (re)constructing important places and by disseminating images of historical events in the community. It examines the function of fictional texts as a record of official and alternative memories. To what extend can one speak of conflicting memories in respect to the recent past in Germany? What role do the various social groups play in this context? Is, concerning the memory of the GDR and the fall of the Berlin wall, indeed ‘Alles Banane’? Show less
Het proefschrift De canonisering van moderne Duitse kunst in New York, 1904-1957 onderzoekt op welke wijze de bemiddelaars in de New Yorkse kunstwereld bepaalde stromingen en kunstenaars in de... Show moreHet proefschrift De canonisering van moderne Duitse kunst in New York, 1904-1957 onderzoekt op welke wijze de bemiddelaars in de New Yorkse kunstwereld bepaalde stromingen en kunstenaars in de canon opnamen en andere marginaliseerden. Om deze vraag te beantwoorden zijn drie hypothesen geformuleerd: 1. Het kunstmuseum speelde als institutie in de eerste helft van de 20ste eeuw in New York de centrale rol in de waardebepaling van moderne Duitse kunst; 2. De ideologische houding van recipiënten was bepalend voor de algemene erkenning van moderne Duitse kunst; 3. Het nationaal-socialisme in Duitsland had een abrupte canonisering van moderne Duitse kunst in New York tot gevolg. De bruikbaarheid van deze hypothesen wordt op grond van de uitkomsten van het onderzoek bevestigd, zij het met enige noodzakelijke nuanceringen. Met betrekking tot de eerste hypothese is de rol van kunstbemiddelaars en hun maatschappelijke invloed onderzocht. Als belangrijkste conclusie komt daaruit voort dat het museum van doorslaggevende betekenis was voor een meer algemene erkenning van moderne Duitse kunst. Het onderzoek naar de tweede en derde hypothesen maakt vervolgens duidelijk dat de esthetische waardering van kunstvormen fundamenteel en in korte tijd kunnen veranderen. Het waren politieke verschuivingen die internationaal vrij algemeen aanvaarde esthetische opvattingen in tegengestelde waarderingen deden omslaan. Show less
Hypertexts are special. Every text segment has to be written in such a way that it can be read independently. This is necessary because the text segments are not presented in a single standardised... Show moreHypertexts are special. Every text segment has to be written in such a way that it can be read independently. This is necessary because the text segments are not presented in a single standardised sequence. Instead, they are mutually connected through hyperlinks. The actual order of the segments only arises in the process of reading. In this setting, the hyperlinks do not only connect text parts, but also play a role with respect to the content. The word that is marked as a hyperlink predicts the content of the linked text segment. Looking at hypertexts from a text linguistic point of view shows that you can build a new hypertext with text segments from different existing hypertexts. The reader would not even notice that these segments actually belong to different texts. Apparently, the text itself cannot mark its own borders. In a network-like environment, this is the task of the paratext, e.g. layout, title or menu. This dissertation focuses on the question how text and paratext contribute to the way that text in a network-like environment is clearly bordered and at the same time can easily be linked to other texts. Looking at hypertexts from a text linguistic point of view shows that you can build a new hypertext with various text segments from different existing hypertexts. The reader would not even notice that these segments actually belong to different texts. Apparently, the text itself cannot mark its own borders. In a network-like environment, this is the task of the paratext, e.g. layout, title or menu. If you click on a hyperlink, the layout for example tells you immediately if you are still reading the same hypertext. This dissertation focuses on the question how text and paratext contribute to the way that text in a network-like environment is clearly bordered and at the same time can easily be linked to other texts. Show less
Many literary dictionaries still define an autobiography as a deliberate, structured retrospective of the writer’s own life, characterized by a perspective that suggests a certain unity or harmony.... Show moreMany literary dictionaries still define an autobiography as a deliberate, structured retrospective of the writer’s own life, characterized by a perspective that suggests a certain unity or harmony. Many of these characteristics, however, are now taken for granted less and less. Today, the autobiographer rarely delivers a text that is organized coherently and presents life as a whole. This thesis argues that expectations of, and ideas on, the genre have a substantial effect on the reception of autobiography in the German-speaking area. Earlier concepts of the genre appear to determine readers’ expectations to a large extent. This often results in strange forms of reception, with readers rejecting current variants. The selected works are the autobiography of the Austrian writer Thomas Bernhard, Kindheitsmuster by Christa Wolf, Generation Golf by Florian Illies, Zonenkinder by Jana Hensel and Meine freie deutsche Jugend by Claudia Rusch. The discussion about the past plays a major role in the reception of these works. For many readers, it is not style or point of view that are decisive, but the manner in which the Austrian or German past is described. Show less
Politicians, columnists and talk show guests __ anyone and everyone who appears in the public arena __ might at times be accused of talking rubbish. But what is rubbish? The criteria are not always... Show morePoliticians, columnists and talk show guests __ anyone and everyone who appears in the public arena __ might at times be accused of talking rubbish. But what is rubbish? The criteria are not always clear. This problem is characteristic of modernity. In former times, the chatterbox was literally sick of talking. But due to the fast passed media developments of the last two centuries, it is no longer obvious who has a right to speak and who does not. Control is no longer possible. This also applies to modern literature. Literature no longer determines what constitutes an acceptable use of language and in response, now claims the right to chatter too. Literature uses the residue of speech for example to test whether it is possible to un-talk language. The surprising conclusion is that this is far from simple. Even the highest degrees of bullshit are not yet devoid of all meaning. In addition to this, literature presents extreme situations in which the speakers have no alternative but to keep chattering, even when they are prepared to assume their societal obligations. In this way, literature proves that talk without chatter is ultimately impossible, whilst at the same time teaching us how to enjoy rubbish. Show less
Dialogical logic is a game-theoretical approach to logic. Logic is studied with the help of certain games, which can be thought of as idealized argumentations. Two players, the Proponent, who puts... Show moreDialogical logic is a game-theoretical approach to logic. Logic is studied with the help of certain games, which can be thought of as idealized argumentations. Two players, the Proponent, who puts forward the initial thesis and tries to defend it, and the Opponent, who tries to attack the Proponent’s thesis, alternately utter argumentative moves according to certain rules. For a long time the dialogical approach had been worked out only for classical and intuitionistic logic. The seven papers of this dissertation show that this narrowness was uncalled for. The initial paper presents an overview and serves as an introduction to the other papers. Those papers are related by one central theme. As each of them presents dialogical formulations of a different non-classical logic, they show that dialogical logic constitutes a powerful and flexible general framework for the development and study of various logical formalisms and combinations thereof. As such it is especially attractive to logical pluralists that reject the idea of “the single correct logic”. The collection contains treatments of free logic, modal logic, relevance logic, connexive logic, linear logic, and multi-valued logic. Show less
Family businesses are experiencing a revival in the German economy. In the face of the challenges of globalization and the ongoing relocation of production facilities, home base oriented... Show moreFamily businesses are experiencing a revival in the German economy. In the face of the challenges of globalization and the ongoing relocation of production facilities, home base oriented enterprises meet with increasing attention and gain in importance. Family-owned enterprises have indeed been neglected in the past, a fact which shows clearly also in business economics research. But this was also due to the family businesses, or the owner families, respectively, failing to open up. In the present paper, the author succeeded in winning high-ranking representatives of producing family businesses as interview partners. The discussions and the subsequent analyses both of the topics discussed and of the theoretical context serve to provide a new and intriguing picture of family-owned enterprises on their international growth path to world market leaders. Show less
