DOAB - Directory of Open Access Books
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Introduction to Ethical Software Development
No full textThis open access book bridges the gap between ethical theory and software practice. It introduces foundational concepts in digital ethics, highlights the distinctive nature of software as a technology, and offers a systematic approach to integrating ethics into the development process. The book is structured in eight chapters: it starts with an Introduction presenting a historical overview that puts the relation between ethics and technology (with software as a special kind of technology) in context. Next, What is (Digital) Technology? explores various philosophical perspectives on technology and underlines why software producers carry a significant ethical responsibility. Why develop Software ethically? thenexplores the ethical imperative for software development and advocates for a dynamic hybrid approach that combines universal ethical principles with context-sensitive, participatory methods, while What is Ethics? introduces the foundational concepts of ethics and explores their relevance for software development. Subsequently, Values and Software explores the central role of values in ethical software development discussions. Spotting the Right - Overcoming Moral Uncertainty then addresses the foundational phase of ethical practice and examines the epistemic challenge of identifying morally significant aspects in software design, and Deciding for the Good - Overcoming Moral Indecisiveness examines the challenges of ethical decision-making in software development and highlights the necessity of ethical deliberation to navigate value conflicts such as usability versus explainability, and safety versus autonomy. Eventually, Organization, People and Processes underlines the crucial role organizational structures play in enabling ethical deliberation within software development. The book offers practitioners a clear orientation in the increasingly bewildering landscape of normative demands, value lists, ethical guidelines, and codes of conduct that have emerged around ethically informed software development. It especially aims at practitioners, product managers, policymakers, and students who wish to understand the ethical dimensions of the software systems they develop or regulate
Outonomy: Fleshing out the Concept of Autonomy Beyond the Individual
No full textThis open access book offers an innovative exploration of the concept of autonomy, extending beyond the traditional individualistic perspectives to encompass a richer, more interdependent understanding of autonomy in various domains. The authors delve into the multifaceted nature of autonomy, traversing theoretical, biological, psychological, and technological landscapes to present a comprehensive and cohesive picture. The main topics, including enactivism, biological autonomy, the psychological self in its environment, and the interplay of technology, ecology, and politics, are not only timely but also crucial for understanding the challenges and opportunities of autonomy in our increasingly complex world
The Mean in Budgeting
No full textThis open access book systematically applies the philosophy of the Golden Mean to interpret the public budgeting process, policies, and reforms in contemporary China, within the framework of Commentary on The Doctrine of the Mean by Zhu Xi, a Neo-Confucian scholar of the Song Dynasty. By constructing a classic perspective for understanding public budgeting in China, the book offers insights that are both innovative and grounded in traditional philosophy. With the rich experience in research and execution in public budgeting, the author provides Western readers with an easy access to understanding the Chinese perspective on budgeting, the budgeting process in China, and its underlying logic
Umwelt – Technik – Wissen
No full textUmwelt, Technik und Wissen sind zentrale Triebfedern moderner Gesellschaften. Die Beiträger*innen machen die Verflechtungen dieser Bereiche vom 18. Jahrhundert bis heute sichtbar. Dabei setzen sie Schwerpunkte auf das Spannungsverhältnis zwischen Ökonomie und Ökologie in Konzepten und Praktiken des Haushaltens, auf kritische Infrastrukturen und vulnerable Umwelten, auf widerständige Umwelten in Zeiten ihrer Quantifizierung sowie auf die Verwissenschaftlichung von Umwelten in der Agrargeschichte – und bieten so einen aktuellen Einblick in die junge Forschung aus der Umweltgeschichte und angrenzenden Fächern im deutschsprachigen Raum
Reflexivities and Knowledge Production in Migration Studies
No full textThis open access book brings together cutting-edge work on reflexive approaches within migration studies and emphasizes the boundedness and political character of knowledge production. Beyond presenting a state-of-the-art of the problematic aspects of knowledge production in migration studies, this volume is innovative insofar as the contributions all formulate alternatives. They should lead to transform knowledge production in relation to migration and therefore contribute to alter our ways to do research and tackle established power relations. By discussing a diverse range of topical subjects – among others, epistemology, power, ethnocentrism, racism, decoloniality, gender and methodology – this volume is a great resource to students, to junior and senior academics in migration studies and social sciences more general as well as to policy-makers in European countries
The AI Matrix
No full textArtificial intelligence (AI) is heralded as a revolutionary force in the global economy. But the transformation it brings is not simply about new technology as a driver of change. It is about who owns it, what they want to do with it, who can pay for it, and how other economic actors around the world – from legacy manufacturing firms in the Global North to farmers in the Global South – must adjust. This book explores AI systems as products of unequal and conflictual power relations. It exposes grand AI narratives as rhetorical ammunition in political fights over tech futures and socio-economic distribution. Tech giants leverage infrastructure and data to cement their global dominance. Meanwhile, geopolitical competition between China and the United States increasingly dominates the AI economy, entrenching globe-spanning dependencies. The AI Matrix is an essential guide to the real-world economic dynamics that AI unleashes
Mediation in der Wissenschaft
No full textDieses Open-Access-Buch begründet den besonderen Wert der Mediation in der Wissenschaft. Zunächst hilft Mediation einer guten Kommunikations- und Fehlerkultur. Die Methoden der Mediation unterstützen aber auch Perspektivwechsel und helfen dadurch, den sowohl in der Wissenschaft wie auch in Konflikten vorkommenden Bias zu reduzieren. Das Buch gibt einen Überblick über etablierte Instanzen des Konfliktmanagements, stellt den Prozess und verschiedene Methoden der Mediation vor und beschreibt Elemente einer mediativ organisierten Wissenschaftseinrichtung. Ergänzt wird der Überblick durch einige Interviews mit Verantwortungsträgern aus Wissenschaftseinrichtungen sowie aus der Beratungspraxis. Es richtet sich an wissenschaftliche Verantwortungsträgerinnen und Verantwortungsträger, die die Qualität der Zusammenarbeit und der erzielten Forschungsergebnisse in ihren Wissenschaftseinrichtungen stärken wollen
Corporate Accountability for Human Rights Violations
No full textThis edited volume is the first collection to critically explore the role, limitations, and internal fragmentation of social activism for corporate accountability across Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. It analyses a variety of NGOs, trade unions, and grassroots movements and their transnational mobilizations for holding accountable business actors involved in human rights violations and environmental degradation. The book emphasizes the diverse visions and strategies extolled by these civic actors: from civil and criminal litigations, efforts to prohibit and punish business misconduct through national and international legislation, to boycotts, and memorialization projects. By adopting an actor-focused perspective and examining their national and transnational activism, the collection provides an innovative perspective across three main themes: civil society and social movements as key drivers of corporate accountability efforts; the fragmentation of the global corporate accountability movement across ontological, ideological, regional, and professional lines; the Janus-faced paradigm of transnational activism for corporate accountability. The volume argues that corporate accountability coalitions are successful especially when social actors form alliances across borders and professional sectors. Such transnational and intersectoral engagements create counter-hegemonic discourses against corporate impunity, push for more inclusive justice projects, and multiply spaces and ideas of accountability. Yet, civil societies and social movements themselves are fragmenting over the meaning, scope, and tactics of corporate accountability due to different local, national and regional contexts, ideological variations regarding human rights and economic development, and diverse professional understandings of accountability processes. This is an open access book
Nuclear Power
No full textThis open access book offers a comprehensive overview of nuclear technologies and the nuclear supply chain. It explores nuclear energy as a critical resource through economic, geopolitical, and social lenses, assessing its potential role in combating climate change. The book also addresses key challenges, including nuclear waste management, decommissioning, and back-end operations. By examining both historical hurdles and future policy and industry obstacles, it provides valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and industry professionals navigating the evolving landscape of nuclear energy
Integrative Forest Management and Silviculture
No full textThis open access book presents the integrative forest management and silvicultural practices developed by the University of Tokyo Hokkaido Forest (UTHF) over the past six decades. Central to the UTHF’s approach is the Stand-based Silvicultural Management System (SSMS), a pioneering framework designed to balance timber production with biodiversity conservation and ecosystem health. The book details the SSMS and its application at the UTHF, which serves as a model for integrative forest management applicable to diverse forest ecosystems worldwide. The focus of the book is on the scientific basis, achievements, and challenges of SSMS in the UTHF. Part I includes this outline of this book and the history of the UTHF′s forest management since 1899. Part II introduces the ecosystem and geographical characteristics of the UTHF, where the SSMS is put into practice. Part III presents the basic principles and practical application of the SSMS. Ecosystem management and ecosystem services of the UTHF at the landscape scale are discussed in Part IV. Part V discusses challenges and opportunities for advancing integrative forest management in a rapidly changing environment. Through case studies and detailed analysis, this book serves as a valuable resource for forestry scientists, practitioners, and policymakers. It offers insights into sustainable forest management in a changing world. By sharing the experiences and lessons learned from the UTHF, the book aims to inspire and guide the advancement of sustainable forestry practices globally. The publication of this book commemorates the 125th anniversary of the University of Tokyo Hokkaido Forest