Coherent phonon dynamics at the martensitic phase transition of Ni_2MnGa

We use time-resolved optical reflectivity to study the laser stimulated dynamics in the magnetic shape memory alloy Ni_2MnGa. We observe two coherent optical phonons, at 1.2 THz in the martensite phase and at 0.7 THz in the pre-martensite phase, which we interpret as a zone-folded acoustic phonon and a heavily damped amplitudon respectively. In the martensite phase the martensitic phase transition can be induced by a fs laser pulse on a timescale of a few ps.Comment: 3 figure

Critical perspectives on agency and social justice in transitions and career development

For this special issue of the journal, we asked authors to explore critical perspectives in career guidance research with a focus on social justice, equality, power, and emancipation. Approaches that are related to critical theory have developed considerable momentum in the psychological and social sciences in general, and in career guidance research and theory, in recent years. Given this, it is timely that the British Journal of Guidance and Counselling has focused this special issue on critical perspectives as a means of stimulating further discussion of these ideas. The British Journal of Guidance and Counselling is one of the most diverse career development journals in terms of the disciplinary, theoretical, and methodological approaches that it publishes. It has a long history of featuring articles which draw on critical approaches to career development theory and career guidance going back at least to the 1990s (e.g. Bailey, 1993; Sultana, 1990). However, despite the history of engagement with critical theories in the field, there have been limited attempts to consider what critical theory might offer collectively to the study of career development and practice of career guidance and counselling with the special issue of this journal on poststructuralism and the impact of the work of Foucault (Besley & Edwards, 2005) offering an important exception. In this issue, we begin the process of addressing this more widely by bringing together researchers who are using critical theory and encouraging reflection on its use.publishedVersio

Fælleseuropæisk sikkerhed. Transnationale Socialdemokratiske netværk, afspændingspolitikkens krise og Ostpolitikkens videreførelse

All-European Security Transnational Social Democratic Networks, the Crisis of Détente, and the Continuation of OstpolitikIn the late 1970s and early 1980s, relationships became strained between the United States and a number of West European countries. The present article investigates the specific role of the West European Social Democratic parties in this context, with particular focus on the role of values and ideas in shaping perceptions and priorities of political players. European Social Democrats had been firm and loyal supporters of the Atlantic partnership since the formation of the Atlantic Pact in 1949. During the early Cold War, the fundamental conflict between Communist and Capitalist systems determined, in large measure, their policies. Even later, they remained faithful to the same fundamental positions. Nevertheless, during the 1970s the arms race, including innovations in the technology and tactics of nuclear warfare, modified the attitude of the Labour parties. They and many other Europeans feared that in case of war the battlefield would be in Western and Central Europe, not the Soviet Union or the United States. The Labour parties increasingly tried to make their influence felt in matters of the East-West Divide. Social Democratic party delegations travelled to Moscow and expressed, visiting the Kremlin, their desire to end the confrontation. At the same time, they emphasized that Social Democrats did not shrink from competition between Communism and democratic Socialism, be it in terms of ideology or economic performance. Disagreement over the political strategy of NATO towards its East Bloc counterpart was growing between the United States and parts of Western Europe. Many leading North European politicians had since the early 1950s been in general support of détente policies, whereas the United States had been more hesitant. Following the Helsinki accords in August 1975, this divide within NATO was aggravated to a degree that justifies talking about two competing Grand Strategies. The United States, supported by European Conservatives, wanted to conduct a policy of strength, whereas Social Democratic politicians, especially from North Western Europe, preferred to continue the so-called Ostpolitik – a brand of German origin – that had been so vital for the détente process. Following 1975, joint efforts to that effect were weaker; but the process did not stop entirely, at least not in Europe. Washington may have abandoned it temporarily, but a large number of leading European Social Democratic politicians strived to keep the idea alive. They continued to promote the same Ostpolitik that had been conducive to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, this coordinated, transnational Social Democratic activity – mainly inspired by Willy Brandt and Egon Bahr, but supported by other prominent Social Democratic leaders – may have appeared less powerful than one would expect of a Grand Strategy. In fact, on national levels it had the air of improvisations, as Labour parties constantly struggled with Liberal and Conservative parties over these issues. Indeed, domestic politics – the appeal by Social Democrats to widespread anti-war values and sentiments among voters – may be the most important single factor in order to explain why their security policies, albeit in different ways, were sharpened according to the general pattern described in this article

Kollektiv Akademisk Vejledning - en introduktion

Kollektiv Akademisk Vejledning (KAV) er en forskningsbaseret kollektiv arbejdsform, som giver de studerende erfaringer med at diskutere faglige spørgsmål i et kollektivt forum. I KAV mødes studerende, som skriver på forskellige opgaver. I vejledningen bruges forskelligheden som drivkraft i vejledningen. Med akademisk understreges vejledning som central læringsaktivitet i udviklingen den akademiske kompetence, det er at give og modtage kritik i vejledningen. Introduktions første del beskriver det teoretiske og metodiske grundlag, som vejledningen bygger på. Her uddybes de udfordringer, som en kollektiv vejledningsform rummer for både studerende og vejledere, og den kommer med bud på, hvordan disse håndteres. Anden del består af et inspirationskatalog med en række konkrete øvelser, som vejlederen kan anvende i vejledningen

„Ostpolitikkens anden fase“. Socialdemokratiet og sikkerhedspolitikken 1975-88

„The Second Phase of Ostpolitik“The Danish Social Democratic Party’s National Security Policies, 1975-88Between 1982 and 1988 the Danish parliamentary opposition, led by the Social Democratic Party, pressured the Conservative-Liberal minority governments to submit so-called Danish „footnotes“ to official NATO documents, i.e. Danish reservations towards a number of NATO and U.S. nuclear policies. Instead of calling for a general election, the Conservative-Liberal government decided to „coexist with“ the footnotes in order to remain in office. The result was domestic strife in Denmark as well as allied criticism. Since the 1980s, the „footnote policy“ has been debated by Danish historians. So far, however, most accounts have failed to examine to what extent the „footnote policy“ was related to the Social Democratic Party’s commitment to international party cooperation. Based on findings in Nordic labour archives as well as private archives from Denmark and Germany, it is argued that the security policy of the Social Democratic Party was largely inspired by discussions in the Socialist International, the UN appointed Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues under the Chairmanship of Olof Palme, and the Social Democratic transnational discussion group Scandilux. It is however also argued that the „footnote policy“ cannot be fully understood if the domestic perspective is not included in the analysis