Uncertainty and Narratives of the Future. A Theoretical Framework for Contemporary Fertility

Explanations for fertility decisions based on structural constraints—such as labor, housing condition, or income—do not account for the contemporary fertility downturn faced by many countries in Europe. In this paper, we posit that the rise of uncertainty is central for understanding contemporary fertility dynamics. We propose a theoretical framework (the Narrative Framework) for the study of fertility decisions under uncertain conditions based on expectations, imaginaries and narratives. Relying on the idea of future–oriented action, we argue that uncertainty needs to be conceptualized and operationalized taking into account that people use works of imagination, producing their own narrative of the future. Narratives of the future are potent driving forces helping people to act according to or despite uncertainty. We present the different elements of the Narrative Framework and address its causal validity. We conclude by highlighting the advantages of taking into account the narratives of the future in fertility research

Acting Oneself as Another: An Actor\u27s Empathy for her Character

What does it mean for an actor to empathize with the character she is playing? We review different theories of empathy and of acting. We then consider the notion of twofoldness (Wollheim), which has been used to characterize the observer or audience perspective on the relation between actor and character (Smith). This same kind of twofoldness or double attunement applies from the perspective of the actor herself who must, at certain points of preparation, distinguish between the character portrayed and her own portrayal effected in her craft. We argue that this concept helps us to understand how the actor can empathize with her character. For the actor who must study and rehearse her character, empathy may begin with higher-order (narrative or imaginative) processes that provide a contextualized understanding of the character. This understanding eventually integrates with more basic empathic processes in her actual performance

Improving putrescine production by Corynebacterium glutamicum by fine-tuning ornithine transcarbamoylase activity using a plasmid addiction system

Schneider J, Eberhardt D, Wendisch VF. Improving putrescine production by Corynebacterium glutamicum by fine-tuning ornithine transcarbamoylase activity using a plasmid addiction system. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2012;95(1):169-178

Unterricht Biologie : Zeitschrift für die Sekundarstufe

Wittgenstein offers a grave assessment of the state of psychology – one that falls just short of complete condemnation. Taken seriously, it should be a cause of concern for anyone working in the discipline today. But, should it been taken seriously? Was Wittgenstein’s evaluation ever justified? More urgently, is it still an accurate portrayal of psychology as practiced today? This chapter argues it was and still is, and that this fact highlights an urgent and inescapable need for conceptual clarification in psychology. As a prelude to making this case, it is useful to get clearer about what motivated Wittgenstein’s characterization of psychology as ‘barren’ because conceptually confuse

Self-Interpretation and Social Cognition

I contrast narrative and theory-of-mind (ToM) approaches to self-understanding and social cognition. A narrative approach is a clear alternative to strict ToM views on self-understanding, some of which deny that we have first-person access to our own mental states. On a narrative approach, self-understanding is more than just familiarity with one’s mental states. It involves a rich knowledge of one’s own embodied comportments and skills, one’s affective life, one’s autobiography, and a knowledge that derives from one’s relations with others. I consider evidence from developmental studies which shows that through our narrative understanding of others we begin to shape our own self-narrative, registering not only their actions and attitudes but also our own experiences in a way that differentiates self and other