La Historia Moderna de las Emociones: un Centro de Investigación en Berlín

In January 2008 a new research center was inaugurated at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin. Under the guiding assumption that emotions matter to and in human development, the Center for the History of Emotions set out to explore a rather new, but fast burgeoning field. The Berlin Center is in a privileged position for exploring this continent supported by the generous funding of the Max Planck Society that allows pre-and postdoctoral fellows to conduct basic research in ideal working conditions. This article analyzes the objectives, frame of research and research areas or the Center as well as its impact and its new horizons. The Berlin Center for the History of Emotions has established itself as a leading research center that closely cooperates with other scholars in history and beyond. It focuses on the modern history of emotions, mainly in Europe and South Asia. By concentrating on the history of the body, of education/cultivation and of power (both political and economic), it scrutinizes the key elements of the processes through which emotions have been historically conceptualized, framed, negotiated, and experienced.En enero de 2008 un nuevo centro de investigación se inauguró en el Instituto Max Planck para el Desarrollo Humano en Berlín. Bajo el presupuesto de que las emociones son importantes para y en el desarrollo humano, el Centro para la Historia de las emociones, se lanzó a explorar un lugar nuevo pero floreciente campo de trabajo. El Centro se encuentra en una posición privilegiada para explorar este continente con el apoyo de la generosa financiación de la Sociedad Max Planck que permite a becarios (pre y postdoctorales) realizar investigación básica en condiciones de trabajo ideales. En este artículo se analizan los objetivos, áreas y líneas de investigación del Centro, así como el impacto y los nuevos horizontes de la investigación. El Centro para la Historia de las emociones se ha consolidado como un centro de investigación que trabaja en estrecha colaboración con otros estudiosos de la historia. Se centra en la historia moderna de las emociones, principalmente en Europa y Asia del Sur, y en especial en la historia del cuerpo, de la educación y en la conexión entre emociones y poder (político y económico)

Plasmodium cellular effector mechanisms and the hepatic microenvironment

Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains one of the most serious health problems globally. Immunization with attenuated parasites elicits multiple cellular effector mechanisms capable of eliminating Plasmodium liver stages. However, malaria liver stage immunity is complex and the mechanisms effector T cells use to locate the few infected hepatocytes in the large liver in order to kill the intracellular liver stage parasites remain a mystery to date. Here, we review our current knowledge on the behavior of CD8+ effector T cells in the hepatic microvasculature, in malaria and other hepatic infections. Taking into account the unique immunological and lymphogenic properties of the liver, we discuss whether classical granule-mediated cytotoxicity might eliminate infected hepatocytes via direct cell contact or whether cytokines might operate without cell-cell contact and kill Plasmodium liver stages at a distance. A thorough understanding of the cellular effector mechanisms that lead to parasite death hence sterile protection is a prerequisite for the development of a successful malaria vaccine to protect the 40% of the world’s population currently at risk of Plasmodium infection

„Herr über die Herzen“? Friedrich II. im Zeitalter der Empfi ndsamkeit

The article focuses on the Prussian king Frederick II and analyzes his “emotional policies”. Although, like most of his contemporaries, he considered himself to be an homme sensible, in direct reference to the Age of Sensibility, his policies spoke a different language: he acted ruthlessly by embarking on war whenever it suited his interests while his people felt the ensuing financial squeeze. Why, then, did he write so fervently about political emotions in his manifestos and testaments? Why did he praise monarchs whose aim was to be loved rather than feared by their subjects? What did the fact that he spoke of his own love for his people mean? How did this love materialize, and how did the people receive it? The article argues that Frederick was indeed keen on presenting himself as a loving and beloved king because he had developed an interest in his people as productive and imaginative as well as obedient but not necessarily oppositional subjects. He thus engaged in policies that aimed at reaching out to the people by fashioning himself as an approachable king: he invited them to write petitions and complaints and always staged his returns from expeditions or wars with ceremonious displays of loyalty from the gathered crowds. It is certainly hard to judge how this policy was received by the people. The available sources allow us to discern a growing sense of pride and expectation among urban dwellers, who engaged in a two-way communication with the king: on the one hand, they gladly and thankfully showed him their devotion, love, and reverence; at the same time, however, they put demands on his time and approachability. Gradually they started thinking in terms of laying down conditions: if the king wants us to love him, we want something back, we want him to prove his love for us. At this point, some scant traces of a change in political communication may be identified – a change that became more pronounced and evident after the French Revolution

Citoyenneté, identités de genre et service militaire en Allemagne (XIXe – XXe siècle)

Cet article étudie l’évolution des relations entre civils et militaires dans l’Allemagne contemporaine, en centrant l’attention sur le service militaire. Introduit en 1814 et maintenu depuis (après de courtes périodes d’interruption en 1919-1935 et en 1945-1956), il est considéré comme l’un des principaux éléments qui structure l’organisation du pouvoir militaire et la société civile. Tout en orientant la représentation de la citoyenneté qu’il légitime, il a un impact sur les relations de genre. Jouant un rôle d’intégration au même titre que d’exclusion, son sens a évolué selon les valeurs que la société a accordé à la force militaire.The article examines the development of civil-military relations in modern Germany by focusing on military conscription. Introduced in 1814 and still in use (after short periods of interruption in 1919-1935 and 1945-1956), it is considered to be a major element shaping both the organization of military power and civil society. It affects the way citizenship is perceived and legitimized, and it has an impact on gender relations. Serving as a means of exclusion as well as inclusion, its meaning changes according to the value that society attaches to the concept of military force

Feeling Political

Historicizing both emotions and politics, this open access book argues that the historical work of emotion is most clearly understood in terms of the dynamics of institutionalization. This is shown in twelve case studies that focus on decisive moments in European and US history from 1800 until today. Each case study clarifies how emotions were central to people’s political engagement and its effects. The sources range from parliamentary buildings and social movements, to images and speeches of presidents, from fascist cemeteries to the International Criminal Court. Both the timeframe and the geographical focus have been chosen to highlight the increasingly participatory character of nineteenth- and twentieth-century politics, which is inconceivable without the work of emotions

Early Invasion of Brain Parenchyma by African Trypanosomes

Human African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness is a vector-borne parasitic disease that has a major impact on human health and welfare in sub-Saharan countries. Based mostly on data from animal models, it is currently thought that trypanosome entry into the brain occurs by initial infection of the choroid plexus and the circumventricular organs followed days to weeks later by entry into the brain parenchyma. However, Trypanosoma brucei bloodstream forms rapidly cross human brain microvascular endothelial cells in vitro and appear to be able to enter the murine brain without inflicting cerebral injury. Using a murine model and intravital brain imaging, we show that bloodstream forms of T. b. brucei and T. b. rhodesiense enter the brain parenchyma within hours, before a significant level of microvascular inflammation is detectable. Extravascular bloodstream forms were viable as indicated by motility and cell division, and remained detectable for at least 3 days post infection suggesting the potential for parasite survival in the brain parenchyma. Vascular inflammation, as reflected by leukocyte recruitment and emigration from cortical microvessels, became apparent only with increasing parasitemia at later stages of the infection, but was not associated with neurological signs. Extravascular trypanosomes were predominantly associated with postcapillary venules suggesting that early brain infection occurs by parasite passage across the neuroimmunological blood brain barrier. Thus, trypanosomes can invade the murine brain parenchyma during the early stages of the disease before meningoencephalitis is fully established. Whether individual trypanosomes can act alone or require the interaction from a quorum of parasites remains to be shown. The significance of these findings for disease development is now testable