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The precarious inclusion of emancipation. Gender-specific labor-market integration projects for refugees in Germany from an intersectional perspective
Full text linkDer rasche Arbeitsmarktseintritt für Geflüchtete war ab dem Jahr 2015 aufnahme- und integrationspolitische Maßgabe in Deutschland. Neben geschlechterneutralen Unterstützungsangeboten richteten sich geschlechterspezifische Arbeitsmarktintegrationsprojekte gezielt an geflüchtete Frauen. Über die Umsetzung dieser Politiken, den dahinterliegenden wirksam werdenden Mechanismen, Prozessen und den tatsächlichen Erfolgen für den Abbau von Geschlechterungleichheit ist nur wenig bekannt. Dabei geben geschlechteranalytische Flucht-/ Migrationsstudien und postkoloniale feministische Theorien Grund für Skepsis gegenüber humanitären Politiken der Geschlechtergleichstellung im Fluchtkontext. Was geschieht also genau in den Projekten und durch welche Widersprüche, Komplexitäten und Gleichzeitigen sind sie in ihrer Umsetzung gekennzeichnet? Diese qualitativ-empirische soziologische Studie geht drei Fragen nach: 1) Wie werden geflüchtete Frauen in den Integrationsprojekten adressiert? 2) Warum treten diese Adressierungen auf? und 3) Welche Wirkungen haben die Aushandlungsprozesse in den Projekten auf die Gruppe und ihre Teilhabechancen am Arbeits- und Ausbildungsmarkt? Verortet an der Schnittstelle zwischen Flucht-/ Migrationsforschung und Geschlechterforschung baut diese Studie auf umfassenden wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen zu Flucht, Geschlecht und Arbeitsmarktzugang auf. Es wird eine intersektionale und organisationale Migrationsregimeanalyse auf drei Ebenen durchgeführt. Ich argumentiere, dass die Teilhabechancen von geflüchteten Frauen durch Verflechtungen von feministischer Rhetorik, Kulturalisierung bzw. Rassismus, Nationalismus, humanitären Schutzlogiken und neoliberalen Aktivierungs- und Verwertungslogiken vorherrschend erschwert werden, die eine differenzielle und segmentierte Positionierung insbesondere von geflüchteten Müttern auf dem Arbeits- und Berufsbildungsmarkt legitimieren. Die gleichstellungsorientierten Diskurse und Praktiken sind im Unterstützungsfeld jedoch nicht unangefochten, sondern Gegenstand symbolischer Kämpfe. Die symbolischen Adressierungen und faktischen Integrationschancen sind nicht nur auf die organisationalen und feldspezifischen Logiken in ihren Variationen zurückzuführen, sondern auch maßgebend durch die etablierte nachfrageinduzierte Segmentierung von Arbeits- und Berufsbildungsmarkt vorstrukturiert. Die durchschlagenden Organisationslogiken und die Segmentierung des Arbeits- und Berufsbildungsmarkts strukturieren die Aushandlungen und begrenzen die Projektwirkung in unter-schiedlichem Maß. Nicht zuletzt geflüchtete Frauen selbst fordern das erwerbsarbeitsbezogene Aufnahmeregime mit ihren Subjektivierungen und ihrer Handlungsmacht stets ein stückweit heraus. Um die konkrete Ausformung und Wirkung des Migrationsregimes in geschlechterspe-zifischen Integrationsprojekten zu erfassen, ist es essentiell dessen Zusammenspiel mit dem Geschlechterregime in organisationalen Prozessen ins Zentrum zu rücken. Die Studie trägt zur Forschung bei indem ein nuancierteres und differenziertes Bild über das praktische Zusammenspiel von Migrations-/Asyl-, Arbeitsmarkt-/Wohlfahrts- und Geschlechterpolitiken in Träger- und Verwaltungsorganisationen geliefert wird als dies bisherige Debatten zu Femonationalismus in Integrationsprojekten vermuten ließen
Online Testing and Webcam Based Eye Tracking Technologies: A Comparative Study with Laboratory Standards and Future Directions for Development
Full text linkOnline behavioural experiments are vital across various domains, including academia, market research, and clinical studies. The incorporation of advanced technologies like eye tracking offers immense value for patients with restricted clinic access. Online research provides several benefits, including broad participant recruitment, ease of
access via home or mobile devices, and substantial technological capabilities. Numerous cutting-edge web technology applications utilise eye trackers for fixation detection, blink saccades, and potentially, future pupillary and pulse detection. These indicators pave the way for expanded opportunities in behavioural research. This PhD thesis specifically examines webcam-based eye tracking implemented in an online behavioural research application. We compared the online system with the gold-standard laboratory EyeLink 1000, presenting a series of tests that provided a detailed analysis of both technologies in relation to established benchmarks and metrics. Additionally, we showcased the technology’s application in recording data from Parkinson’s and dementia patients in various medical environments, with a control group recruited in a home setting. The thesis concluded with an in-depth
discussion of potential advancements, including AI utilization to enhance existing algorithms and technology applications, as well as addressing potential limitations related to technology, research recruitment, and personal data protection. The objective of this work was to delineate the prospective direction and evolution of web
technologies while acknowledging the potential limitations and challenges that lie ahead
Netweave: Kombination struktureller, ressourcenbasierter und psychologischer Aspekte zur Optimierung von Stakeholder-Netzwerken im Umweltbereich
No full textThis dissertation explores innovative frameworks to enhance stakeholder collaboration in environmental management, addressing the pressing challenges of sustainable development. Central to this research is the development and application of the Netweave Approach, a comprehensive framework integrating Social Network Analysis (SNA), Stakeholder Analysis (SA), and the psychological constructs of Organizational Culture, Environmental Worldview, and Environmental Risk Perception. Designed to optimize stakeholder networks, the Netweave Approach bridges structural inefficiencies and socio-psychological barriers, offering actionable strategies for fostering collaboration, resolving conflicts, and enhancing resource utilization.
The dissertation consists of four interlinked studies. The first Study combines SNA and SA to identify gaps and opportunities in stakeholder networks, while the second examines stakeholder needs and communication barriers through qualitative interviews. The third study delves into the psychological dimensions of stakeholder interactions, highlighting the influence of Organizational Culture, Environmental Worldview, and Environmental Risk Perception on collaboration potential. The final study synthesizes these findings to design and pilot the Netweave Approach in the Osnabrück region, providing practical insights into its implementation and adaptability.
Key contributions include a novel interdisciplinary methodology that advances theoretical understandings of stakeholder dynamics, a ready-to-use platform for facilitating collaboration, and evidence-based recommendations for sustainable regional management. The findings underscore the approach's potential for scalability and transferability across diverse contexts, ranging from conservation networks to broader applications such as urban sustainability and climate adaptation initiatives. This work highlights the importance of participatory governance and the integration of diverse stakeholder perspectives in addressing complex socio-ecological challenges. By advancing both theory and practice, the dissertation provides a robust foundation for future research and actionable tools for fostering collaborative environmental management
Territorial Acoustic Species Estimation using Acoustic Sensor Networks
No full textAccurate biodiversity assessment is fundamental for effective conservation management and environmental policy-making. However, monitoring local species populations is time-consuming, as experts can cover only one limited area at a time and are also prone to errors due to their varying knowledge and experience. Advances in low-cost autonomous recording units and AI-based classifiers offer new tools for species monitoring. However, while helpful in identifying species, current tools for acoustic species monitoring fall short in providing data on local populations. This limitation emphasizes the demand for more sophisticated methods, as uncertainties in estimating species populations can lead to misleading conclusions and misclassification of conservation statuses. In this work, we take a significant step towards more sophisticated monitoring by presenting a Territorial Acoustic Species Estimation approach, called TASE, to extract spatial, territorial patterns of species using acoustic sensor networks, allowing the estimation of territorial individuals of a species. It requires a acoustic sensor network and exploits the characteristic spatial distribution of territorial species. We formalize TASE, apply it to bird acoustics, and share a proof-of-concept evaluation in a real-world deployment in a nature reserve, deploying 29 devices over 12 hectares. We show that it works on par with the time-consuming practice applied by bird experts and can provide novel insights into the spatial use of sound-producing territorial species
Measuring Mobile Starlink Performance: A Comprehensive Look
No full textWith the recent success of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks, such as SpaceX’s Starlink, measuring their performance has been of great interest to the community. While stationary Starlink performance has been extensively assessed on a globalized view, mobile - in-motion - usage is relatively new. A first look at its performance has only been taken by three studies so far. In this paper, we take a comprehensive look at mobile Starlink performance from the measurement perspective by answering the following three research questions: (1) How does mobile Starlink performance differ in different regions of the world? (2) How does the mobile performance compare to stationary performance? (3) How does obstruction impact mobile performance? To answer these questions, we conduct our own 300 km long test-drive on the German Autobahn (highway) with car velocities up to 140 km/h. We compare our results to the datasets of the other three studies and to stationary measurements. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to deeper analyze the impact of obstructions on the performance. For this, we map bridges crossing the highway to our measurements and find that these short total obstructions cause significant burst packet loss, RTT spikes, and throughput drops. We show that mobility-induced instabilities can have a severe negative impact on the performance of higher-level applications such as HTTP bulk file transfer
Situated Affectivity in the Realm of Extremes
No full textThis dissertation examines the role of situated affectivity in understanding extremism, radicalization, and protest movements through three interconnected studies, offering new perspectives on emotional dynamics in extremist environments and social movements. The first study investigates radicalization. It illustrates how extremist organizations construct elaborate emotional environments through affective scaffolding, mind invasion, and self-stimulatory loops of affectivity. By fostering deep emotional connections to radical beliefs, these strategies aid in recruitment and retention. In the second study, the emphasis is on affectivity in the pathways to extremism, analyzing how affective compositions—combinations of individuals, objects, symbols, and dialogues—form emotionally stimulating environments that promote adherence to extremist ideologies. The analysis suggests that emotional environments play a major role in the emergence of extremism, in addition to ideological transformations. The third study explores the concept of situated affectivity in protest movements by analyzing the interactions of affective structures and intense emotions in non-violent group activism. The analysis indicates how protest movements operate and intentionally employ extreme emotions to strengthen group solidarity and drive political goals, intensifying emotional energies for societal change. Through the integration of critical discourse analysis, and phenomenological investigation, this dissertation enriches both theoretical understanding and practical implications. The dissertation's objective is to illustrate that affective processes in extremist contexts operate through intricate mechanisms that go beyond simple psychological influence and encompass dynamic interactions between individual vulnerabilities and contextual elements. This research enhances both academic understanding and practical solutions by illustrating the role of situated affectivity in improving counter-extremism strategies and social movement analyses
The Interpersonal Challenge in Psychotherapy: How Patients’ Interpersonal Problems Affect the Therapeutic Alliance
No full textPsychotherapy is fundamentally an interpersonal process, yet many patients enter treatment with enduring difficulties navigating through these interpersonal interactions effectively. This dissertation investigates how interpersonal problems affect the therapeutic process, with a particular focus on their impact on the therapeutic alliance. Across four studies, different levels of analysis were applied to examine the relationship between interpersonal problems and the therapeutic alliance, ranging from broad meta-analytic perspectives to in-depth analyses of in-session alliance ruptures.
Study I presents a multi-level meta-analysis synthesizing the association between interpersonal problems and various domains of mental health. Including 120 effect sizes from 66 studies, the results demonstrate robust links between interpersonal dysfunction and greater general psychological distress, heightened symptoms of depression and anxiety, higher negative affectivity, lower well-being, and diminished positive emotions. Moderator analysis showed no significant difference of the effect sizes between clinical samples and non-clinical individuals.
Study II extends this by exploring the role of interpersonal problems in psychotherapy, specifically its impact on the therapeutic alliance. A three-level meta-analysis of 48 effect sizes from 27 studies revealed that patients with higher interpersonal distress at the beginning of psychotherapy tend to report weaker alliances during therapy, particularly in the early stages of the treatment. This association was found to be relevant across different therapeutic approaches. However, the research proved to be complex and heterogeneous, with few studies also reporting positive associations.
Study III examines the dynamic interplay between interpersonal problems and the therapeutic alliance over the course of the first 20 sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Using longitudinal modeling, this study found a bidirectional association: higher-than-usual interpersonal difficulties predict weaker alliance quality in the same session and five sessions later. Conversely, stronger-than-usual alliance moments predict reductions in interpersonal problems over time, suggesting that the alliance itself may function as a mechanism of change for interpersonal dysfunction.
Lastly, Study IV investigates how trait-like interpersonal problems predict the manifestation of relational strains – alliance ruptures – within the first three sessions of CBT. Findings show that certain interpersonal tendencies, particularly hostile-submissive problems, are linked to more frequent withdrawal ruptures, whereas friendly-submissive problems are associated with fewer. The results also indicate that alliance ruptures are not solely patient-driven but emerge within the therapeutic dyad, emphasizing the need for a relational perspective in understanding therapy process challenges.
Taken together, these findings reinforce the interpersonal challenge of psychotherapy: interpersonal dysfunction can complicate the therapeutic process across multiple levels, from broad alliance development to momentary relational strains. However, they also suggest that these difficulties present opportunities for change. A strong therapeutic alliance can serve as a corrective relational experience, helping patients navigate their interpersonal difficulties in new ways. The dissertation outlines potential future research directions to further explore the interpersonal challenges in psychotherapy.
In a nutshell, assessing and incorporating interpersonal dysfunction into case conceptualization may be a promising step toward more effective and individualized psychotherapy
Watching Proteins at Work - Conformational Dynamics of G proteins revealed by Site-directed Spin Labeling EPR Spectroscopy in the framework of Integrative Structural Approaches
Full text linkComprehensive understanding of the function of proteins requires knowledge about the structural and dynamics properties of these molecules, especially when they work as enzymes or interact with other proteins. In general, the key step for any process in life is a binding event. Either a substrate binds to an enzyme, a protein-ligand interaction, or two or more proteins form a complex involving protein-protein interactions, and in some cases, like for the GTP-hydrolyzing proteins investigated in this work, a protein-protein interaction, namely (homo-)dimerization, is required to form a functional enzyme and protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions influence each other.
The results presented here have been obtained using site-directed spin labeled protein variants and EPR spectroscopy to obtain information about the structure and dynamics of five different G proteins that dimerize (Ras, MnmE, CtRoco, hLRRK2) or form larger oligomeric assemblies (hGBP1). The information about spin label side chain dynamics from cw EPR experiments and inter-spin distances mainly from pulsed EPR, specifically DEER, experiments obtained in these studies has been combined with other biophysical data and computational methods, foremost MD simulations, in an integrative approach. In integrative structural biology approaches, data from multiple methods is combined to obtain structural models and reveal information about the dynamic behavior of large and often complex macromolecular assemblies. The studies presented in this work all use integrative approaches to different extents to obtain insights into the structural and dynamic properties of different G proteins that form larger complexes by dimerization. The results obtained are discussed in the present context
Introduction to Quantum Technology
Full text linkThis working paper provides a brief introduction to quantum technology as an emerging technology in the military and security area. Quantum technology is very promising for military and security-relevant applications; the major areas are quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing, cryptoanalysis and quantum imaging. The four key concepts are quantum bits, superposition, entanglement and decoherence. The basic element is the quantum bit (qubit) where small particles are utilized for more variability, e.g., the spin of electrons, which can be used for faster calculations. Superposition means that quantum systems exist in two or more states simultaneously, i.e., like a spinning coin that could still land on either of both sides. But these systems are very sensitive and an interaction with the environment can result in loss of superposition, the decoherence. Therefore, quantum computers may need extreme cooling, special materials, good isolation from environment etc. which makes them difficult to handle. Currently, quantum computers have reached the Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum era with 50 to 100 qubits. For 2033, a computer with 2,000 logical qubits is planned. Entanglement is an intrinsic linkage between two or more quantum objects that works like an invisible band. If the quantum state of one entangled particle is changed, the state of the other particle changes immediately as well, which allows to transfer quantum information over large distances if one particle is in the sender and the other in the receiver. The sensitivity of quantum states makes it impossible to intercept an information exchange without altering the information, resulting in secure communication. A practical application is the Quantum Key Distribution QKD where a secure quantum key with entangled photons is used to protect messages that are sent over normal networks. China has launched two satellites in 2016 and 2022 for QKD and has a large QKD network on the ground as well. In 2024, Germany launched the microsatellite QUBE for QKD. In the area of quantum sensing, the US military develops quantum navigation chips which allow extremely sensitive and superior measurements for acceleration and angular velocity. Quantum sensors may improve the detection of submarines which is relevant for nuclear deterrence. In cryptoanalysis, the Shor algorithm allows factorization of large numbers into primes which may crack the important Rivest–Shamir–Adleman (RSA) encryption, but for the decryption of the secure RSA-2048 standard, larger quantum computers will be needed which will not be achieved before the 2030ies. In summary, some applications are mature while others are still theoretical. The development of quantum computers is still challenging. The quantum key distribution QKD is currently the most advanced application of quantum communication. Quantum sensors are currently developed as alternative to the Global Positioning System GPS while the quantum-based crack of current encryption methods may be achieved in the 2030ies. Further progress can be expected with a broader use of quantum technology
A Nuanced Perspective on How Item Features Are Associated With Different Forms of Agreement
Full text linkWhile personality research has repeatedly shown that self-, meta- and other-ratings of personality are correlated to a considerable degree, relatively little is known about how item features determine agreement between different perspectives, especially beyond observability and social desirability and at the level of personality nuances. The present study examines item features as predictors of different forms of agreement using two datasets (Study 1: targets N = 73, informants N = 549; Study 2: targets N = 189, informants N = 1352). Both studies used one-with-many designs in which each target was matched with several informants that differed in their attitudes toward the target. This matching was accomplished based on a first round robin assessment in larger groups. Targets then provided self- and meta-ratings, and informants provided other-ratings of personality on broad sets of items as markers of personality nuances. Items had been reliably rated with regard to five features: observability, social desirability, importance, stability and base rate. In both studies, we consistently found strong effects of item features on different types of inter-rater agreement. Inter-rater agreement was much higher for items referring to more observable target characteristics, and lower for more evaluative and (partially) for more important items. The important role of item features in future person perception research is discussed