It is estimated that up to 25% of all children growing up worldwide experience child maltreatment, making it a global emergency with substantial individual and public health consequences. This... Show moreIt is estimated that up to 25% of all children growing up worldwide experience child maltreatment, making it a global emergency with substantial individual and public health consequences. This chapter addresses one of the most societally pervasive consequences of child maltreatment which is known as the "cycle of victimization." This concept depicts the increased risk of maltreated individuals to victimize others later in life, both within and outside the family environment. To understand the architecture of this victimization cycle, the chapter further sheds light on neurocognitive mechanisms aiding different forms of victimization and the buffering role of social support that could help break the cycle of victimization. Advancing our understanding of these complex and interrelated mechanisms will ultimately facilitate the design and implementation of more targeted early treatments and (preventive) interventions and support a move toward a safer society. Show less
On 26 July 2012, Mario Draghi declared in front of a group of about 200 London business people that he would do ‘whatever it takes to save the euro’.1 These seven words have been analysed to have... Show moreOn 26 July 2012, Mario Draghi declared in front of a group of about 200 London business people that he would do ‘whatever it takes to save the euro’.1 These seven words have been analysed to have made all the difference.2 By doing so, the European Central Bank (ECB) effectively ended a long period of uncertainty and indecisiveness. The markets needed a strong signal so that they knew that the young European currency would be supported politically and economically. After summer 2012, the euro area did not experience the same level of crisis, although the sovereign debt crisis was truly resolved only in 2015 and there were still challenging times until then. Show less
Palliative care has been developing since the 1960s as a form of caregiving that focuses on the relief of suffering when there is no prospect of a cure or when a patient is at the end of life....Show morePalliative care has been developing since the 1960s as a form of caregiving that focuses on the relief of suffering when there is no prospect of a cure or when a patient is at the end of life. Originating in the UK and US, palliative care has been taken up by global institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO), and implemented in various cultural and socioeconomic settings. Anthropological studies have long been highlighting the wide variety of experiences and needs in illness and dying and have problematised the supposedly universal ideas behind palliative care. After a brief discussion of the historical and institutional development of palliative care, this entry highlights the links between palliative care principles and notions of a good death. It then turns to the medicalisation of death and the primacy of choice in palliative care discourses. It elaborates on anthropological studies that have observed how palliative care comes to relate to existing end-of-life care practices and the diversity with which local practitioners and care recipients give shape to this new care paradigm. Finally, it discusses various cultural and moral attitudes towards disclosure and concealment of dying as a site of friction in palliative care. Show less
Civilian self-protection is often associated with nonviolent means of protection. This chapter questions this view and argues that certain types of armed self-defence can be understood as... Show moreCivilian self-protection is often associated with nonviolent means of protection. This chapter questions this view and argues that certain types of armed self-defence can be understood as expressions of civilian protection agency. Specifically, it examines the consequences of the activities of community-initiated part-time militias during the war in Mozambique, drawing on a data set of violent events compiled from archival sources and interviews. Through this case study, it explores in what ways and under what conditions these more contentious and more risky forms of civilian self-protection help reduce violence against civilians during wartime and contribute to protection outcomes. The chapter shows how any effect in terms of protection was a temporary one, as the rebels quickly adapted and learned how to respond to the new armed challenge. Overall, the chapter emphasizes the dynamic character of war, shaped by learning processes on both the part of civilians and rebels. Show less
This chapter offers an inquiry into how EMU has been conceptualized in the European Union by analysing the path taken over the past five decades. The definition of what is on the agenda, and... Show moreThis chapter offers an inquiry into how EMU has been conceptualized in the European Union by analysing the path taken over the past five decades. The definition of what is on the agenda, and considered part of the scope of EMU, has had a major impact on what EMU actually covers. In the early years, the focus was on exchange rates, policy coordination, and central banking. In the second part, macroeconomic policy coordination with limits on budgetary deficits and public debt took centre stage. The third period added the importance of banking regulation. The most recent period is branching out into the early steps of fiscal federalism. These topics had been considered when conceptualizing early plans, but had not been developed, as there was insufficient consensus for actionable points, leading to asymmetries. Revisions to EMU followed the various crises, for example the financial crisis and sovereign debt crisis, and most recently the COVID-19 crisis. Theories of European economic and political integration impacted the creation of EMU at the time of its design, but the pragmatic understanding of what was feasible was at least as important for determining what became part of the institutional design of EMU. Show less
Since the 1980s, the Greek political scene had been observing far-right movements and parties emerging in countries throughout Europe, without experiencing any similar phenomena within its own... Show moreSince the 1980s, the Greek political scene had been observing far-right movements and parties emerging in countries throughout Europe, without experiencing any similar phenomena within its own borders. However, in 2012, Greece would become the first country of Europe that would host, in the national parliament, a neo-Nazi party, the party of Golden Dawn. The country that since 2008 has been in a constant series of crises (economic, societal and political), was now also called to reflect on the emerging question: ‘How did we get here?’. In a country where, since its political change-over of 1974, democratization, tolerance and hospitality were the mainstream political discourse of parties throughout the left-right spectrum, a shift of that scale would be considered highly implausible. However, despite the internal collisions, disruptions and confrontations in far right movements, they managed to remain, maintain and preserve support within the electorate, reflecting the notion of extremism rooted in the Greek society. This chapter addresses not only successful expressions of far-right in Greece, like LA.O.S., Golden Dawn or Greek Solution, but also tries to identify the origins since the political change-over, of a political scene that was seen as a pariah that arose to shake the national democratic institutions. Building on the already extended bibliography on far-right (Mudde 2019, Ignazi 1996, Minkenbert 2011, Rydgren 2018) the chapter follows Greek far-right from 1974 onwards. As its compass it uses the predominant criteria of nationalism, racism, nativism and anti-establishment attitudes, in order to transcribe and narrate its foretold story. Show less
Barkham, M.; Jong, K. de; Delgadillo, J.; Lutz, W. 2023
Images have low priority in the study of Islam, despite their ubiquitous proximity to lived experience. This chapter argues for an exploration of images in contemporary Islam. It proposes a dynamic... Show moreImages have low priority in the study of Islam, despite their ubiquitous proximity to lived experience. This chapter argues for an exploration of images in contemporary Islam. It proposes a dynamic approach towards the relationship between Islam and the image by engaging with the concept of provocation. The chapter proposes that provocation helps us to draw attention to a multiplicity of emotions that images may engender, from feelings of joy and enlightenment to terror and rage, and from mixed feelings and feelings of indifference to a sense of shame. The chapter suggests that provocation helps to map how Muslims navigate and make sense of the overwhelming abundance and multiplicity of sounds and images in the religious public sphere today. Show less
On 31 January 2020 the United Kingdom (UK) left the European Union (EU). In the European Parliament (EP), Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) cried together and folded flags. It marked the... Show moreOn 31 January 2020 the United Kingdom (UK) left the European Union (EU). In the European Parliament (EP), Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) cried together and folded flags. It marked the end of an era. At the end of that year, after much agony, the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) was signed on 24 December 2020 and the ratification was completed in April 2021. The TCA allows both entities tariff-free, quota-free access to markets for goods. Services are not part of the TCA. Part of the agreement are also fishing rights as well as cooperation in the area of security (e.g., in the area of information sharing security related to matters of internal security), but no mention of security and defence collaboration. There are still many unresolved issues. Some of these issues involve fishing matters (Reuters, 2021). But collaboration in security and defence matters is also crucial as demonstrated by the need to deal with the war in Ukraine that erupted following the Russian invasion on 24 February. Show less
This chapter charts the position of the European Union (EU) in the global political economy (GPE), identifies key dimensions of change and development, and evaluates the EU’s impact on the... Show moreThis chapter charts the position of the European Union (EU) in the global political economy (GPE), identifies key dimensions of change and development, and evaluates the EU’s impact on the operation of the contemporary GPE. It does so by outlining key ideas in international political economy (IPE), by relating these to the growth of the EU, and by assessing the EU’s role in the GPE in three areas: European integration itself, the EU’s engagement in the GPE, and the EU’s claims to be a major economic power. The final part of the chapter brings these together an examination of global economic governance—in particular, the EU’s role in the financial, multilateral state system with its principles of global governance, and pays some attention to recent crises (such as the Covid-19 pandemic) and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Show less
Adapting education to students’ diverse educational needs is widely recognised as an important, but also complex aspect of effective teaching. In this chapter, we provide insight into how Dutch... Show moreAdapting education to students’ diverse educational needs is widely recognised as an important, but also complex aspect of effective teaching. In this chapter, we provide insight into how Dutch primary school teachers implement differentiation based on students’ current mathematics achievement level. We review evidence from four independent samples in which the same teacher self-assessment questionnaire was administered (N = 907 teachers in total), supplemented with qualitative data from various perspectives: external observers, students, and teachers. Based on these sources of information, we identify the following general patterns. Teachers generally implement achievement-based differentiation at least to some extent. That is, student achievement is monitored, and efforts are taken to adapt instruction or practice to students’ current achievement level. This is often organised using within-class homogeneous achievement groups. While low-achieving students regularly receive additional instruction, specific instruction for high-achieving students is uncommon. Refined, qualitative strategies to diagnose students’ individual educational needs and to adapt education to these individual needs are also used relatively infrequently. These relatively infrequently used strategies point to areas for improvement. Furthermore, the flexibility of within-class achievement groups seems to vary and deserves more attention in future research and practice. Show less
This contribution develops process tracing (PT) as a method for Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA). It explains what it takes to conduct PT, trace a mechanism, and draw conclusions on that basis.... Show moreThis contribution develops process tracing (PT) as a method for Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA). It explains what it takes to conduct PT, trace a mechanism, and draw conclusions on that basis. Importantly, I lay out an analyticist approach to PT that is amendable to more actor-centered and interpretivist studies. This approach treats mechanisms as akin to Weberian ideal types: abstract constructs that are adduced from multiple concrete, contextually embedded, and largely idiosyncratic instantiations. This creates space for agency and contingency and allows us to (a) study how a mechanism or concatenation of mechanisms led to a particular outcome; (b) assess how the mechanism(s) functioned in a given context; and (c) abstract from the specific instantiation(s) more general propositions about foreign policy making. In an empirical example of state employment of Private Military and Security Contractors, drawing on interpretivist and narrative-based understandings of FPA, I illustrate what this means in practice. Show less
