Hostettler, Karin (2020): Kritik – Selbstaffirmation – Othering. Immanuel Kants Denken der Zweckmäßigkeit und die koloniale Episteme.

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Die Mühlen der Zivilisation 4: Die nomadische Alternative

James C. Scott: Die Mühlen der Zivilisation: Eine Tiefengeschichte der frühesten Staaten. Berlin: Suhrkamp 2019. 978-3-518-58729-

Magneto-optical study of electron occupation and hole wave functions in stacked self-assembled InP quantum dots

We have studied the magnetophotoluminescence of doubly stacked layers of self-assembled InP quantum dots in a GaInP matrix. 4.0±0.1 monolayers of InP were deposited in the lower layer of each sample, whereas in the upper layer 3.9, 3.4, and 3.0 monolayers were used. Low-temperature photoluminescence measurements in zero magnetic field are used to show that, in each case, only one layer of dots is occupied by an electron, and imply that when the amount of InP in both layers is the same, the dots in the upper layer are larger. High-field photoluminescence data reveal that the position and extent of the hole wave function are strongly dependent on the amount of InP in the stack. ©2001 American Institute of Physics

Sobre a economia política da transnacionalização da soberania popular

Transnationalization of popular sovereignty is Jürgen Habermas’ answer to the “postnational constellation”. His position of a supranational constitutionalization has been critized from the perspective of popular sovereignty by political theorist Ingeborg Maus. Although from the view of democratic theory of highest interest, this debate has so far focused primarily on articulating prospective institutional and procedural designs or criticizing existing ones but has neglected to sufficiently address the problem of effective democratic access to the economic sphere. The aim of this paper is to strengthen popular sovereignty theory by confronting the two competing positions with insights from political economy on the background of the “new constitutionalism”. We show that Maus’ idea to cut back “new constitutionalism” to the form of international agreements without supranational institutions runs into the same problems of equality between states that Habermas faces with his idea of “global governance without government”. We show also that a further unification of Europe as envisioned by Habermas is undermined by structural obstacles of capitalist economy that Habermas does not take into account. Therefore, both models, although contrary positions, share similar problems. It is our result that popular sovereignty theory must counter legitimatory and socioeconomic challenges simultaneously. -------------------------- This manuscript has been presented at the Research Seminar of ARENA, Centre for European Studies in Oslo. We are grateful for comments by the participants, especially Erik O. Eriksen and John Erik Fossum, and for comments on earlier drafts by Hans-Jürgen Bieling and Martin Höpner. Translated by Daniela Serra.A transnacionalização da soberania popular é a resposta de Jürgen Habermas para o fenômeno da “constelação pós-nacional”. A posição de Habermas sobre a constitucionalização supranacional foi criticada, sob a perspectiva da soberania popular, pelo teórico da ciência política Ingeborg Maus. Até agora, na visão da “teoria democrática de maior interesse” esse debate se manteve focado em articular propostas de designs institucionais ou procedimentais, ou em criticar articulações já existentes. No entanto, a discussão acabou negligenciando o aspecto fundamental do acesso democrático efetivo à esfera econômica. Esse artigo tem por objetivo fortalecer a teoria da soberania popular ao tratar das duas posições concorrentes, sob a visão da econômica política, em um contexto do “Novo Constitucionalismo”. Mostramos que a ideia de Maus para restringir o “Novo Constitucionalismo” aos acordos internacionais, sem instituições supranacionais, acaba se deparando com as mesmas questões de igualdade entre Estados com que Habermas lida em seu projeto de “Um governo global sem governante”. Nós mostramos também, que uma unificação mais profunda da Europa, como Habermas idealizou, acaba enfraquecida por obstáculos estruturais da Economia capitalista, que o autor não leva em conta. Portanto, os dois modelos, mesmo que em posições contrárias, possuem problemas em comum. A conclusão que obtivemos é a de que a teoria da soberania popular precisa opor, ao mesmo tempo, desafios de cunho “legitimador” e “sócio-econômicos”. ------------------------------- Artigo apresentado no Seminário de Pesquisa ARENA, do Centro de Estudos Europeu em Oslo. Somos gratos aos comentários dos participantes, especialmente Erik O. Eriksen e John Erik Forssum, assim como os comentários em versões prévias de Hans-Jurgen Bieling e Martin Höpner. Tradução de Daniela Serra

Internationale Politische Theorie: Globale Demokratiewissenschaft in der postdemokratischen Konstellation?

Der Beitrag untersucht den Vorschlag, Internationale Politische Theorie als Demokratiewissenschaft zu verstehen im Hinblick auf seine gesellschaftstheoretischen und sozialen Implikationen. Dazu wird die Debatte um Postdemokratie herangezogen und gezeigt, dass die üblichen Implikationen der Diagnose der ‚postnationalen Konstellation‘ vom Verhältnis von Demokratie und Kapitalismus, wie es dem aktuellen demokratiewissenschaftlichen Verständnis zugrunde liegt, nicht ausreichen, um IPT als eine globale Demokratiewissenschaft in der ‚postdemokratischen Konstellation‘ zu fundieren. Dies kann nur durch eine Verbindung von Demokratiewissenschaft und Internationaler Politischer Ökonomie gelingen, die wir abschließend aufzeigen.Our contribution analyzes the social and social-theoretical implications of the proposition to understand International Political Theory as Democracy Science. Drawing on the post-democracy debate we show that the usual implications of a diagnosed 'post-national constellation' in the relationship between democracy and capitalism, as international political scientists who refer to Democracy Science currently understand it, do not suffice to consolidate IPT as a global Democracy Science within the 'post-national constellation'. This can be achieved only through linking Democracy Science and International Political Economy, as we will show in the following

Grenzen demokratischen Rechts? Die Entsendeentscheidungen zum Irakkrieg in Großbritannien, den USA und Spanien

'Die Debatte um den Irakkrieg spaltete die demokratischen Staaten. Die Gegner verweigerten eine Beteiligung, während die so genannte Koalition der Willigen Truppen entsandte. Letztere führte vor allem moralische und Sicherheitsgründe ins Feld, mit denen sie auch in der eigenen Bevölkerung um Zustimmung warb. Dennoch hatten die gewählten Repräsentanten der Bevölkerung, das Parlament, in vielen Fällen kein Mitspracherecht. Dies kritisieren die Autoren. Sie gehen von Immanuel Kants Demokratie- und Verfassungstheorie aus, die das moderne demokratische Staatsdenken begründet, und untersuchen die Entscheidungsprozesse zur Truppenentsendung in drei Demokratien: Großbritannien, Spanien und den USA. Nach Kant müssten in Demokratien drei wesentliche Prinzipien eingehalten werden. Erstens dürfen Regierungen nicht im Alleingang über Militäreinsätze entscheiden, zweitens müssen ihre Entscheidungen im Einklang mit nationalen Gesetzen und dem Völkerrecht sein und drittens muss die gerichtliche Kontrolle über die Einhaltung dieser Anforderungen ermöglicht sein. In allen drei untersuchten Demokratien zeigt sich, dass militärische Entsendeentscheidungen unter Missachtung der genannten Grundsätze getroffen werden können und wurden. Zumindest in Spanien ist jedoch nach der letzten Wahl Bewegung in die verfassungsrechtliche Debatte gekommen. Dort hat ein Gesetzesentwurf die ersten Hürden genommen, der die Zustimmungspflicht des Parlaments zu Auslandseinsätzen des Militärs vorsieht. Sollte dieses Gesetz in Kraft treten, wäre dies ein wichtiger Schritt beim Abbau von Demokratiedefiziten.' (Autorenreferat

Prestin is an anion transporter dispensable for mechanical feedback amplification in Drosophila hearing.

In mammals, the membrane-based protein Prestin confers unique electromotile properties to cochlear outer hair cells, which contribute to the cochlear amplifier. Like mammals, the ears of insects, such as those of Drosophila melanogaster, mechanically amplify sound stimuli and have also been reported to express Prestin homologs. To determine whether the D. melanogaster Prestin homolog (dpres) is required for auditory amplification, we generated and analyzed dpres mutant flies. We found that dpres is robustly expressed in the fly's antennal ear. However, dpres mutant flies show normal auditory nerve responses, and intact non-linear amplification. Thus we conclude that, in D. melanogaster, auditory amplification is independent of Prestin. This finding resonates with prior phylogenetic analyses, which suggest that the derived motor function of mammalian Prestin replaced, or amended, an ancestral transport function. Indeed, we show that dpres encodes a functional anion transporter. Interestingly, the acquired new motor function in the phylogenetic lineage leading to birds and mammals coincides with loss of the mechanotransducer channel NompC (=TRPN1), which has been shown to be required for auditory amplification in flies. The advent of Prestin (or loss of NompC, respectively) may thus mark an evolutionary transition from a transducer-based to a Prestin-based mechanism of auditory amplification

Innovative bedding materials for compost bedded pack barns: enhancing dairy cow welfare and sustainable dairy farming

Compost bedded pack (CBP) barns are an innovative housing system that improves the comfort and welfare of dairy cows, compared to cubicle style housing or free stalls with artificial surfaces, such as rubber or concrete. This type of bedding system also has the potential to improve lameness scores, overall health, welfare, and productivity of dairy cows. In CBP barns, carbon materials or organic materials are composted in the barn while being used as bedding for livestock. The animals pass manure on these surfaces providing the nitrogen, microorganisms, and moisture necessary for the composting process. Historically, dry sawdust originating from mills, furniture and pallets have been used as a substrate for compost. However, due to these materials becoming increasingly expensive and hard to source, other materials have been trailed as potential substitutes. Furthermore, there is an increasing interest in making dairy production more environmentally friendly by reducing carbon footprint. This review summarises and highlights appropriate alternative materials that, subject to their management, can be successfully used in the CBP barn system. This will act as an aid for farmers and decision makers when choosing materials to be incorporated in CBP barns. Using alternative materials to sawdust, wood chips and wood shavings, which are the current industry standard, will contribute to a more circular economy and sustainable dairy production, while simultaneously contributing to sustainable development goals, and improved animal health and welfare

Recipes for spin-based quantum computing

Technological growth in the electronics industry has historically been measured by the number of transistors that can be crammed onto a single microchip. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end; spectacular growth in the number of transistors on a chip requires spectacular reduction of the transistor size. For electrons in semiconductors, the laws of quantum mechanics take over at the nanometre scale, and the conventional wisdom for progress (transistor cramming) must be abandoned. This realization has stimulated extensive research on ways to exploit the spin (in addition to the orbital) degree of freedom of the electron, giving birth to the field of spintronics. Perhaps the most ambitious goal of spintronics is to realize complete control over the quantum mechanical nature of the relevant spins. This prospect has motivated a race to design and build a spintronic device capable of complete control over its quantum mechanical state, and ultimately, performing computations: a quantum computer. In this tutorial we summarize past and very recent developments which point the way to spin-based quantum computing in the solid-state. After introducing a set of basic requirements for any quantum computer proposal, we offer a brief summary of some of the many theoretical proposals for solid-state quantum computers. We then focus on the Loss-DiVincenzo proposal for quantum computing with the spins of electrons confined to quantum dots. There are many obstacles to building such a quantum device. We address these, and survey recent theoretical, and then experimental progress in the field. To conclude the tutorial, we list some as-yet unrealized experiments, which would be crucial for the development of a quantum-dot quantum computer.Comment: 45 pages, 12 figures (low-res in preprint, high-res in journal) tutorial review for Nanotechnology; v2: references added and updated, final version to appear in journa