Security and cross-border political crime: the formation of transnational security regimes in 18th and 19th century Europe

"This contribution proposes to observe Foucault's concept of the security dispositive from the angle of transnational security and criminal law regimes. Since the late 18th century security and securitization became not only a prime category and field of national policies and discourses but were increasingly influenced by transnational issues and cross-border security threats (or narratives) such as international crime, transnational political violence and international conspiracies. This was accompanied by the formation of transnational security regimes, which concerned cross-border security policies, discourses and legal norms in the fields of extradition, political asylum, and police cooperation, with a variety of different actors: states, police organizations, experts, international organizations. These transnational security regimes and their respective fields were characterized by complex interdependencies and interactions as well as by legal pluralism, flexibility, fragmentation, collisions, and 'Entrechtlichung', transgressing national security and extending securitization to indefinite 'global' security spaces. Though this could be interpreted as an 'international security dispositive' it as well challenges Foucault's concept which, in the end, should be substituted by the historical mode) of 'transnational security regimes'." (author's abstract

Security and "gute policey" in early modern Europe: concepts, laws and instruments

"The article demonstrates that the development of 'security' as a leading category and main field of state activity in the Early Modern Era was closely interconnected with the concept of 'gute Policey' and the increasing body of police ordinances. Within Early Modern administrative law as well as in the theoretical discourses of the administrative sciences, 'security' became a crucial objective of the well-ordered police state and thus succeeded 'peace' and 'unity' as a leading category. In this respect, the growing importance of security indicates the 'secularization' of authoritarian regulatory policy. In parallel to this, administrative law was characterized by the differentiation between 'internal' and 'social' security. Whereas the former focused on exterior security threats, for example mobile marginal groups, the latter manifested itself in scopes such as 'poor relief', the 'health sector' and measures dealing with risks and hazards including bad harvests, epidemic plagues, fire hazards and natural disasters. The resulting regulatory policy gave rise to the gradual establishment of administrative measures in the area of internal and social security, ranging from surveillance to insurances. However, the addressees of ordinances and the subjects also participated in the production of security via 'guter Policey', and in this respect security policy partially adopted popular demands for security and security discourses. Altogether, the Early Modern 'gute Policey' could well be interpreted as a prototype of 'human security'. But on the other hand, 'gute Policey' also implied the juridification of security and the implementation of a state-based security policy, which ultimately led to the fundamental separation between internal security and police on the one hand and welfare policy/ administration on the other hand, by the beginning of the 19th century." (author's abstract)"Der Aufsatz demonstriert, dass die Entwicklung von 'Sicherheit' als zentrale Kategorie und Betätigungsfeld staatlicher Verwaltung in der Frühen Neuzeit eng mit dem Konzept der 'guten Policey' und der wachsenden Policeygesetzgebung verbunden war. In der frühneuzeitlichen Ordnungsgesetzgebung sowie in der Policeywissenschaft avancierte Sicherheit zu einem wesentlichen Ziel 'guter Ordnung und Policey' und löste 'Frieden' und 'Einigkeit' als Leitvorstellungen ab. In dieser Beziehung indiziert die wachsende Bedeutung von 'Sicherheit' eine Säkularisierung obrigkeitlicher Ordnungspolitik. Parallel hierzu entwickelt sich in der Ordnungsgesetzgebung eine Differenzierung zwischen 'innerer' und 'sozialer' Sicherheit. Während erstere auf von außen kommende Sicherheitsbedrohung wie z.B. mobile soziale Randgruppen fokussierte, manifestierte sich die letztere in Regelungsbereichen wie dem 'Armenwesen', der 'Gesundheitspolicey' und Maßnahmen zur Bewältigung von Risiken und Gefahren wie Missernten, Seuchen, Brände oder Überschwemmungen. Die daraus resultierende Ordnungspolitik führte zur allmählichen Etablierung administrativer Maßnahmen im Bereich der inneren wie der sozialen Sicherheit - von der Überwachung bis zur Versicherung. In diesen Prozess der Produktion von Sicherheit mittels guter Policey waren aber auch die Normadressaten und Untertanen integriert, und die obrigkeitliche Sicherheitspolitik nahm insofern teilweise populäre Sicherheitsbedürfnisse und Diskurse auf. Insgesamt ließe sich die frühneuzeitliche 'gute Policey' folglich durchaus als ein Prototyp von 'human security' deuten. Andererseits bedeutete sie aber auch eine Verrechtlichung von Sicherheit und die Etablierung einer staatlichen Sicherheitspolitik, was schließlich an der Wende zum 19. Jahrhundert zur Trennung von innerer Sicherheit und Polizei auf der einen und Wohlfahrt/ Sozialpolitik auf der anderen Seite führte." (Autorenreferat

Guideline-based stepped and collaborative care for patients with depression in a cluster-randomised trial

Guidelines recommend stepped and collaborative care models (SCM) for depression. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a complex guideline-based SCM for depressed patients. German primary care units were cluster-randomised into intervention (IG) or control group (CG) (3:1 ratio). Adult routine care patients with PHQ-9 ≥ 5 points could participate and received SCM in IG and treatment as usual (TAU) in CG. Primary outcome was change in PHQ-9 from baseline to 12 months (hypothesis: greater reduction in IG). A linear mixed model was calculated with group as fixed effect and practice as random effect, controlling for baseline PHQ-9 (intention-to-treat). 36 primary care units were randomised to IG and 13 to CG. 36 psychotherapists, 6 psychiatrists and 7 clinics participated in SCM. 737 patients were included (IG: n = 569 vs. CG: n = 168); data were available for 60% (IG) and 64% (CG) after 12 months. IG showed 2.4 points greater reduction [95% confidence interval (CI): -3.4 to -1.5, p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 0.45] (adjusted PHQ-9 mean change). Odds of response [odds ratio: 2.8; 95% CI: 1.6 to 4.7] and remission [odds ratio: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.58 to 6.26] were higher in IG. Guideline-based SCM can improve depression care

Efficacy of a brief manualized intervention Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) adapted to German cancer care settings: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Although psycho-oncological interventions have been shown to significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and enhance quality of life, a substantial number of patients with advanced cancer do not receive psycho-oncological interventions tailored to their individual situation. Given the lack of reliable data on the efficacy of psycho-oncological interventions in palliative care settings, we aim to examine the efficacy of a brief, manualized individual psychotherapy for patients with advanced cancer: Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM). CALM aims to reduce depression and death anxiety, to strengthen communication with health care providers, and to enhance hope and meaning in life. We adapted the intervention for German cancer care settings. Methods/Design: We use a single-blinded randomized-controlled trial design with two treatment conditions: intervention group (IG, CALM) and control group (CG). Patients in the CG receive a usual non-manualized supportive psycho-oncological intervention (SPI). Patients are randomized between the IG and CG and assessed at baseline (t0), after three (t1) and after 6 months (t2). We include patients with a malignant solid tumor who have tumor stages of III or IV (UICC classification). Patients who are included in the study are at least 18 years old, speak German fluently, score greater than or equal to nine on the PHQ-9 or/and greater than or equal to five on the Distress Thermometer. It is further necessary that there is no evidence of severe cognitive impairments. We measure depression, anxiety, distress, quality of life, demoralization, symptom distress, fatigue as well as spiritual well-being, posttraumatic growth and close relationship experiences using validated questionnaires. We hypothesize that patients in the IG will show a significantly lower level of depression 6 months after baseline compared to patients in the CG. We further hypothesize a significant reduction in anxiety and fatigue as well as significant improvements in psychological and spiritual well-being, meaning and post-traumatic growth in the IG compared to CG 6 months after baseline. Discussion: Our study will contribute important statistical evidence on whether CALM can reduce depression and existential distress in a German sample of advanced and highly distressed cancer patients

Study approach and field work procedures of the MentDis_ICF65+ project on the prevalence of mental disorders in the older adult European population

Background This study describes the study approach and field procedures of the MentDis_ICF65+ study, which aims to assess the prevalence of mental disorders in older adults. Methods An age-appropriate version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI65+) was developed and tested with regard to its feasibility and psychometric properties in a pre-test and pilot phase. In the cross-sectional survey an age-stratified, random sample of older adults (65–84 years) living in selected catchment areas of five European countries and Israel was recruited. Results N = 3142 participants (mean age 73.7 years, 50.7% female) took part in face-to-face interviews. The mean response rate was 20% and varied significantly between centres, age and gender groups. Sociodemographic differences between the study centres appeared for the place of birth, number of grandchildren, close significants, retirement and self-rated financial situation. The comparison of the MentDis_ICF65+ sample with the catchment area and country population of the study centres revealed significant differences, although most of these were numerically small. Conclusions The study will generate new information on the prevalence of common mental disorders among older adults across Europe using an age-appropriate, standardized diagnostic instrument and a harmonized approach to sampling. Generalizability of the findings and a potentially limited representativeness are discussed