Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB)
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Trust, Responsibility, and Digital Governance
No full textNumerous ethical guidelines and regulatory frameworks have been developed to assess and shape digital systems. However, these efforts often rest on the dubious assumption that individuals and organisations possess the necessary capacities to assess such systems in terms of justice, reliability, and other normative standards – especially given the growing complexity and corresponding opacity of many digital models. This issue is therefore of central importance to both legal and ethical debates surrounding AI and digital systems in general. The contributors to this volume propose a new approach to digital governance to enhance the capacity to evaluate and shape digital systems
Governance without Government in the MENA Region
No full textThis open access volume offers a timely and original contribution to scholarships in the Middle East and North Africa by focusing on governance and public policy in post-conflict contexts. Unlike works that center primarily on conflict and geopolitics, Governance without Government examines how authority is exercised in fragmented and transitional settings. Drawing on diverse case studies, the book explores informal governance, hybrid institutions, and the evolving roles of state and non-state actors across the MENA region. Each chapter of the book delves into specialized and focused realms, presenting a lucid, cohesive, and compelling narrative. Tailored to cater to upper-level undergraduates and postgraduates specializing in the politics, international relations, and political economy of the MENA region, it also offering valuable insights for research degrees homing in on country-specific or thematic case studies. The interdisciplinary and international appeal ensures its relevance on reading lists globally, extending beyond North America and the United Kingdom. Setting itself apart in terms of originality and composition, this book stands out amid a decade since the Arab Spring, distinguishing itself from a limited pool of comparable titles. The amalgamation of empirical and theoretical approaches enhances its worth, rendering it an indispensable resource for policy-oriented graduate students, researchers, and professionals immersed in or focusing on the MENA region and Africa. The chapters carve out new territory, both conceptually and empirically, offering insights that are not only groundbreaking but also highly applicable in navigating the intricate landscapes of governance in conflict-affected areas. As the MENA region confronts novel policy challenges, our book encapsulates a snapshot of case studies and the wellspring of policy-relevant concepts and ideas. Addressing lingering issues post-2011, it lays the groundwork for these regions to progress in a more sustainable manner. "Governance without Government" transcends by being a mere book; it evolves into a guide for comprehending and shaping the future of governance within the ever-changing landscape of the MENA region. About the Editor: Moosa Elayah is Associate Professor of Public Administration at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies. His work focuses on governance, civil society, and post-conflict institutional development in the MENA region
Fragmented Local Government Systems and Crises
No full textThis open access book assesses the links between decentralization and crises management in Czechia, paying particular attention to the ways in which local municipalities have dealt with turbulent problems including the Covid-19 pandemic and the migration crises caused by the war in Ukraine. There are more than 6000 municipalities in Czechia, most of which have fewer than 1000 inhabitants. With limited resources, municipalities are often forced to cooperate when it comes to dealing with major political and societal issues. Yet the various ways in which local governments cooperate, and the wider impact this has on the country as a whole, has not been fully examined. Drawing on existing literature and interviews with local governors, the book examines how decentralization affects the way crises are handled, and summarizes experiences and lessons from Czechia. In doing so, it identifies both the challenges brought about by decentralized local government systems, as well as the ways in which they contribute to community governance and its resilience. The book will appeal to all those interested in public administration and local government studies
Community Education and Neoliberalism
No full textThis open access book, now in its second edition, offers a powerful analysis of adult and community education at a time of rising inequality and diminishing state support. Grounded in both Irish and international contexts, this edition again challenges the impact of neoliberal agendas on grassroots community education and makes a convincing case for reclaiming community education’s radical, consciousness-raising agenda. The book is theoretically rooted in critical feminist pedagogy and draws on real-world examples to present key aspects of this approach to adult learning in a clear, accessible, and practical way. Community Education and Neoliberalism exposes the extent to which market-driven forces and managerialist agendas are eroding the transformative nature of adult and community education. The author examines the impact of neoliberal government lifelong learning policies, the potential drawbacks of professionalising community education and the perils of accreditation systems when marketisation becomes the principal focus. But this book does not simply offer a critique — it also presents practical pathways to revitalise community education, ensuring it continues to be a part of the struggle for a better world which, the author argues, can only be achieved through collective action. The book is essential reading and a call to action for students, educators, activists and policymakers alike, or indeed or anyone who is passionate about equality and social justice
Advanced Learning Analytics Methods
No full textThis is an open access book. This comprehensive and timely methodological book introduces several novel topics under the overarching sections of advanced learning analytics (LA), artificial intelligence (AI), precision education, and complex systems. These topics are presented using accessible language, beginning with introductory chapters that cover the fundamentals of each section, followed by step-by-step tutorials featuring code and datasets for various methods within each area. Although the title refers to “advanced LA,” the book is written for the broader educational research community and is of interest to quantitative researchers from diverse backgrounds. The first section focuses on Explainable AI and machine learning (ML), with an introduction to the methods, their applications, and tutorials. The second section outlines the foundational concepts of LLMs, their potential applications, and related methodologies, with a tutorial on using LLMs in various analytical tasks. The third section focuses on complex systems, which have become integral to many disciplines and have enabled breakthroughs in modeling intractable problems. Here, three chapters cover Transition Network Analysis (TNA), which fills a critical gap in modeling the temporal unfolding of learning processes over time from a complex systems perspective. The final section addresses precision education, with a particular emphasis on person-centered and person-specific (idiographic) methodologies
Linguistische Grenzübergänge
No full textLinguistische Grenzübergänge eröffnen die neue Reihe Interkulturelle Linguistik und bieten innovative Einblicke in aktuelle Forschungsfelder der Sprachkommunikation. Die Beiträge vereinen unterschiedliche Ansätze und interdisziplinäre Methoden, die weit über die Grenzen der konventionellen Sprachwissenschaft hinausgehen. Im Fokus stehen Diskursanalyse, Medienkommunikation, Sprachgebrauch im Unterricht und Berufsleben sowie die Untersuchung von Kurztexten im öffentlichen Raum aus lexikalischer, interkultureller und multimodaler Perspektive. Besonderes Augenmerk gilt dabei dem Spannungsfeld lokaler, translokaler und globaler Verknüpfungen von Zeichen, Texten und Diskursen. Das Werk ist ein wertvoller Begleiter für Forschende und Studierende der Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaften und lädt dazu ein, die Vielfalt sprachlicher Grenzüberschreitungen in modernen gesellschaftlichen und professionellen Kontexten zu erkunden
Macht und Mobilität
No full textDieses Open-Access-Buch untersucht die Metagovernance urbaner Mobilität auf EU-Ebene. Angesichts von Staus, Gesundheitsgefahren, Nutzungskonflikten und verfehlten Klimazielen unterstützt die EU – trotz begrenzter formaler Zuständigkeit – Städte bei der Mobilitätswende. Die zentrale These lautet: Nur durch ein Verständnis der Machtförmigkeit des Policyprozesses lassen sich Ursachen bisheriger Zielverfehlungen erklären und Ansatzpunkte für eine umfassende Mobilitätswende aufzuzeigen. Zur Analyse kombiniert die Arbeit Zugänge aus der Historisch-Materialistischen-Policy-Analyse (HMPA), der Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) und der Policy-Transfer-Forschung. Erstens wird geprüft, ob die EU-Strategie angemessen ist, um aktuellen Herausforderungen im urbanen Verkehr zu begegnen. Zweitens wird analysiert, wie unterschiedliche Wissensformen den Policyprozess prägen. Drittens werden Machtmechanismen identifiziert, die den Transfer nachhaltiger Planungsansätze beeinflussen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen: Zwischen Zielen und Förderpraxis bestehen Inkohärenzen, zudem fehlt eine konsequente Auseinandersetzung mit dem stetig wachsenden Verkehrsaufkommen
Aktuelle Entwicklungen des Rechtsrahmens der Cybersicherheit und Privatheit
No full textDer Sammelband zum Rechtsrahmen der Cybersicherheit und Privatheit bietet eine umfassende Sammlung von Beiträgen aus den Rechtswissenschaften. Die Themen reichen von datenschutzrechtlichen Herausforderungen der Nutzung neuer Technologien, über die angemessene Umsetzung neuer Rechtsakte im Kontext Privatheit und Cybersicherheit bis hin zu aktuellen rechtlichen Entwicklungen in der Cybersicherheitsforschung. Dies ist ein Open-Access-Buch
Threats to Our Ocean Heritage: Deep Sea Mining
No full textThis open access brief is a pioneering work that is one of the first book publications to cover underwater cultural heritage and deep seabed mining. Bringing together a variety of perspectives, the work is designed to serve several purposes and educate a few different types of readers. The work introduces and offers a history on deep seabed mining, the legal context, and how it fits into the new UN Convention on Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ treaty), the International Seabed Authority (DSM governing body), and the ecological impacts of deep seabed mining. The brief is also aimed at marine ecologists and other ocean scientists who may already be aware of the DSM and the ecological impacts, but not of the cultural heritage at risk. It introduces deep-water archaeology to them and a few case studies of heritage at risk, like in New Zealand or polluting wrecks. Finally, the book offers suggestions for steps forward and case studies of cultural heritage being included in environmental impact assessments. By the end of the book, all parties should feel educated enough to begin championing a ban on, or more regulations for, seabed mining. One additional strength of the book is that it gives voice to those without a traditional academic background. Intangible cultural heritage has been a hotbed issue in mining regulations and many indigenous voices, especially from the Pacific, have been loudly outspoken at the ISA. While writing thousand-word academic journal articles was not in their wheelhouse, they have given permission for their speeches to be transcribed and included in the book. This will bring a new set of voices into the scientific discourse on the issue. The book is also set up to have many images to de-mystify the deep and show readers the beauty that must be protected
Volksabstimmungen als Heilmittel oder Gift für die repräsentative Demokratie
No full textIn diesem Open-Access-Buch wird untersucht, wie die zunehmende Nutzung von Volksabstimmungen die Wahlbeteiligung auf der lokalen Ebene beeinflusst. Mit der Einführung lokaler Volksabstimmungen in Deutschland und vielen anderen Staaten zu Beginn der 90er Jahre war auch die Hoffnung verbunden, die Beteiligung der Bürger*innen wiederzubeleben. Schließlich sank parallel die Beteiligung an lokalen Wahlen rapide. Ebenso gibt es aber auch die Befürchtung, Volksabstimmungen könnten die Krise der repräsentativen Demokratie noch verschärfen. Im Buch wird mit Fokus auf die Wahlbeteiligung der Frage nachgegangen, ob Volksabstimmungen das erhoffte Heilmittel oder eher Gift für die lokale repräsentative Demokratie sind. Mit einer innovativen und erstmals systematisch für die deutschen Bundesländer Bayern und Hessen durchgeführten Längsschnittanalyse wird gezeigt, dass lokale Volksabstimmungen die Kommunalwahlbeteiligung weder generell senken noch steigern. Stattdessen werden abhängig von Kontextfaktoren wie der Abstimmungsbeteiligung und der wirtschaftlichen Lage einer Gemeinde unerwartete positive wie auch negative Nebenwirkungen identifiziert. Das Buch liefert somit eine differenzierte Diagnose der Wirkungen von Volksabstimmungen auf die lokale Demokratie