Is the spectre of Weimar still haunting?: 'Militant democracy' and party proscription in contemporary Germany

The way in which democratic states react to political parties with anti-democratic goals is a subject of major interest and debate in the study of political extremism. Previous authors have coined the term ‘militant democracy’ for states that employ severe restrictions against extremist parties. In this regard, Germany is widely perceived as the prototype of a 'militant democracy'. The so-called ‘wehrhafte Demokratie’ scheme within the Basic Law consists of provisions such as Art. 21(2), providing the possibility of banning a party. However, recent developments in the German practice of party-banning challenge the outright classification of Germany as a ‘militant democracy’. Based on a case study of the failed attempt to ban the extreme-right party NPD, this study investigates the question as to what extent the ‘wehrhafte Demokratie’ scheme in Germany can still be characterised as militant in application. It claims that the 2017 judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court represents a paradigm shift in German party-banning, calling for a re-classification of Germany as an ‘immunised democracy’. The Court has moved towards a more cautious and restrictive interpretation of Art. 21(2), displaying an increasing trust in the German democratic system to contain its enemies without having to employ its sharpest legal weapons

Extending Global Education Through Remote Laboratory Access

Advanced software technologies that are integrated with physical laboratories now allow students and researchers to access laboratory equipment and instruments remotely through the Internet. While this capability has been used in engineering and science education successfully for some time, application of this approach to human factors engineering and ergonomics education is new. The development of a remote ergonomics laboratory based on such an Internet technology is described. The focus of this new laboratory is to provide a method of evaluating protective clothing heat stress using a thermal manikin technology. The laboratory has generated global interest and created international collaboration in teaching and research

New constraints on granulite facies metamorphism and melt production in the Lewisian Complex, northwest Scotland

In this study, we investigate the metamorphic history of the Assynt and Gruinard blocks of the Archean Lewisian Complex, northwest Scotland, which are considered by some to represent discrete crustal terranes. For samples of mafic and intermediate rocks, phase diagrams were constructed in the Na2O–CaO–K2O–FeO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2–H2O–TiO2–O2(NCKFMASHTO) system using whole-rock compositions. Our results indicate that all samples equilibrated at similar peak metamorphic conditions of ~8–10 kbar and ~900–1,000°C, consistent with field evidence for in situ partial melting and the classic interpretation of the central region of the Lewisian Complex as representing a single crustal block. Melt-reintegration modelling was employed in order to estimate probable protolith compositions. Phase equilibria calculated for these modelled undepleted precursors match well with those determined for a subsolidus amphibolite from Gairloch in the southern region of the Lewisian Complex. Both subsolidus lithologies exhibit similar phase relations and potential melt fertility, with both expected to produce orthopyroxene-bearing hornblende granulites, with or without garnet, at the conditions inferred for the Badcallian metamorphic peak. For fully hydrated protoliths, prograde melting is predicted to first occur at ~620°C and ~9.5 kbar, with up to 45% partial melt predicted to form at peak conditions in a closed-system environment. Partial melts calculated for both compositions between 610 and 1,050°C are mostly trondhjemitic. Although the melt-reintegrated granulite is predicted to produce more potassic (granitic) melts at ~700–900°C, the modelled melts are consistent with the measured compositions of felsic sheets from the central region Lewisian Complex

Comprehensive and Creative Conclusions: Enhancing Structural Design Educational Opportunities in Labs for Architecture Students

For decades, structural design has erroneously been taught to architecture students using a modified version of an engineering-based pedagogical model. Instead of imparting a broad range of information for how structural design considerations could be critically integrated into architectural design, these courses instead focus on a narrow range of curricular topics and analytical methods that negatively impact the preparedness of architectural students for practice. To help address these deficiencies, the entire building technology course sequence at Iowa State University, has been dramatically reconfigured as a collaborative and integrative teaching environment that uses active learning environments and unique classroom activities to enhance student learning. Specifically this paper will present three different labs that occur during the final five-week course module of this structural design sequence. Each of the three exercises demonstrates particularly important, capstone-level, learning objectives. The paper will describe the means, methods, challenges, and benefits of these specific assignments and how these represent other important improvements throughout the new sequence. Examples of student work will be shown, and an assessment of the efficacy of the assignments will be presented including reflections upon lessons learned and suggestions for future improvements

Thinking EU militant democracy beyond the challenge of backsliding member states

Published online: 01 September 2022EU militant democracy – an approach beyond member states’ democratic backsliding – the EU as a first case of transnational democratic self-defence – the EU’s democratic legitimacy – national and supranational threats to EU democracy – instruments and enforcement of EU militant democracy – comparison to national militant democracy – problems of effectiveness

National mini-public report : Italy

Published online: 11 January 2024This report provides an overview of the Italian mini-public on knowledge communication, disinformation, the role of experts, and trust in politics during the Covid-19 pandemic, which was held in the framework of the Horizon Europe research project REGROUP. The participants of the citizens’ jury shared their experiences related to these themes in times of the pandemic to ultimately formulate concrete policy recommendations to help the EU in preparing for future pandemics. The report discusses (1) organisational matters, (2) provides a summary of the discussion contents, (3) presents the jurors’ policy recommendations, (4) analyses the attitudinal participant surveys, and includes (5) citizens’ feedback, and a (6) self-evaluation.Funded by the European Union, Horizon Europe – Research and Innovation Actions, Grant no: 10106082