TY - THES A1 - Teitscheid, Jana T1 - Information and communication technologies usage and the effects on the human mind N2 - The digitization has permeated almost all aspects of an individual’s life. In the work context as well as in the private sphere, one readily encounters and relies on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), such as Social Networking Sites (SNS), smartphones and so forth. By communicating with as well as obtaining information via such technologies, ICTs engage one’s mind as interaction happens. This interaction of ICTs and the human mind form the focal topic of this thesis. Within this thesis, the human mind is represented on behalf of a facilitated model comprising a perceptual, a cognitive and a motor subsystem. ICTs represent an external stimulus, which triggers the human mind's perceptual subsystem, the cognitive subsystem and eventually leads to a motoric response via the motor subsystem. The external stimulus causing this event chain is within this thesis an ICT. The digital environment and related ICTs are high attention environments offering large and easily accessible amounts of information. Not surprisingly, issues may arise, when the human mind deals with ICTs. Thus, the interplay between ICTs and the human mind entails downsides. This thesis investigates these downsides and in addition the ICT-based factors that cause these downsides. More specifically, the thesis investigates these two aspects as research questions in the context of SNSs as well as other ICTs (such as smartphones, e-learning etc.). Addressing the research questions, 8 articles are submitted within this thesis which address the topic with different methodologies, including quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods as well as systematic literature reviews. Article 1 investigates factors that lead to SNS fatigue and discontinuance intentions in a mixed-methods design. Article 2 explores if certain factors encountered on a newsfeed hamper sensemaking. Article 3 proposes a study design to explore the link between disorderly perceptions of a SNSs newsfeed and gender stereotype activations. Article 4 considers the interplay between users and algorithms via the newsfeed interface and the implications for relevance perceptions. Article 5 explores information acquisition, hampering factors and verification strategies of social media users. Article 6 systematically reviews addiction scales of various ICTs. Article 7 investigates click behavior in e-learning contexts and how this is linked to cultural and personality traits. Finally, article 8 offers a comprehensive overview of the antecedents and consequences of children’s smartphone usage. Within the specific context of SNSs, the thesis suggests that the cognitive tolls imposed on users’ minds cause adverse effects, such as impaired sensemaking, fatigue, stereotype activation as well as intentions to discontinue the service. Other ICTs lead to addiction, and i.e., smartphones evidence to cause cognitive impairments in children. Factors on the ICT side that promote these adverse effects are linked to specific features, such as the newsfeed for SNSs and entail overload or perceptions of disorder. The thesis adds theoretically to the understanding of downsides that arise from the interplay between human minds and ICTs. Especially, the context of SNSs is spotlighted and insights add to the growing body of literature on experiences and perceptions. For instance, one study’s result suggests that considering information organization is as important as merely decreasing overload perceptions from the users in countering adverse effects of SNS usage. Practically, the thesis emphasizes the importance of mindful interaction with ICTs. Future research is welcome to build on the exploratory investigations and may draw an even more holistic picture to enhance the interaction between ICTs and the human mind. N2 - Die Digitalisierung hat fast alle Aspekte unseres Lebens durchdrungen. Sowohl im beruflichen als auch im privaten Kontext sind wir auf Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien (IKT) wie soziale Netzwerke (SNS), Smartphones usw. angewiesen. Während wir mittels solcher Technologien kommunizieren, Informationen erhalten und interagieren, beansprucht die IKT unseren Verstand. Diese Interaktion zwischen den Informationstechnologien und dem menschlichen Verstand als auch deren Auswirkungen ist dabei das zentrale Thema dieser Dissertation. Der menschliche Verstand wird dabei anhand eines vereinfachten Modells dargestellt, das ein wahrnehmendes, ein kognitives und ein motorisches Teilsystem umfasst. Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien stellen einen externen Stimulus dar, der die Wahrnehmung des Verstandes und das kognitive Teilsystem anspricht und schließlich über das motorische Teilsystem zu einer motorischen Reaktion führt. Der externe Stimulus, der diese Ereigniskette auslöst, ist hier als Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie dargestellt. Die digitale Umgebung und die damit verbundenen Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien verlangen schon wegen des hohen Volumens der leicht zugänglichen Informationen ein hohes Maß an Aufmerksamkeit. Die in diesem Zusammenhang möglicherweise auftretenden Probleme sobald der menschliche Verstand mit IKT interagiert, überraschen insofern nicht. Die Wechselwirkung zwischen den IKT und dem menschlichen Verstand kann sich somit zu einem Nachteil auswirken. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht dieses Phänomen und darüber hinaus die IKT-gestützten Faktoren, die diese Nachteile begünstigen. Genauer gesagt stehen diese Untersuchungen im Kontext von SNS sowie anderen IKT (wie Smartphones, E-Learning usw.). Zur Beantwortung der Forschungsfragen werden in dieser Arbeit 8 Artikel vorgelegt, die das Thema mit unterschiedlichen Methoden beleuchten, darunter quantitative, qualitative und gemischte Methoden sowie systematische Literaturübersichten. Artikel 1 untersucht die Faktoren, die zur Ermüdung durch Nutzung von SNS und zu Abbruchabsichten führen, in einem Mixed-Methods-Design. Artikel 2 geht der Frage nach, ob bestimmte Faktoren, auf die man in einer Newsfeed stößt, die Sinnfindung behindern. Artikel 3 schlägt ein Studiendesign vor, um den Zusammenhang zwischen der wahrgenommenen Unordnung auf den Newsfeeds einer SNS und der Aktivierung von Geschlechterstereotypen zu untersuchen. Artikel 4 betrachtet das Zusammenspiel zwischen Nutzern und Algorithmen über die Newsfeed-Schnittstelle und die Auswirkungen auf deren Relevanzwahrnehmung. Artikel 5 untersucht die Informationsbeschaffung, hemmende Faktoren und Überprüfungsstrategien von Nutzern sozialer Medien. Artikel 6 gibt einen systematischen Überblick über Suchtskalen verschiedener Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien. Artikel 7 untersucht das Klickverhalten in E-Learning-Kontexten und wie dieses mit kulturellen Ausprägungen und Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen zusammenhängt. Schließlich bietet der Artikel einen umfassenden Überblick über die begünstigenden Faktoren und Folgen der Smartphone-Nutzung von Kindern. Im spezifischen Kontext von SNSs legt die These nahe, dass die kognitiven Belastungen, die den Nutzern auferlegt werden, negative Auswirkungen haben, wie z.B. eine beeinträchtigte Sinnfindung, Müdigkeit, die Aktivierung von Stereotypen sowie die Absicht, den Service nicht weiter zu nutzen. Andere IKT führen zur Abhängigkeit, und z.B. Smartphones verursachen nachweislich kognitive Beeinträchtigungen bei Kindern. IKT-seitige Faktoren, die diese negativen Auswirkungen begünstigen, sind mit spezifischen Merkmalen verbunden, wie z.B. dem Newsfeed der SNS und machen sich durch Überlastung oder wahrgenommener Unordnung bemerkbar. Die Dissertation trägt theoretisch zum Verständnis der aufgezeigten Nachteile bei, die sich aus dem Zusammenspiel zwischen dem menschlichen Verstand und den IKT ergeben. Insbesondere wird der Kontext der SNS beleuchtet, und die Erkenntnisse ergänzen die sich erweiternde Literatur über Erfahrungen und Wahrnehmungen. In der Praxis unterstreicht die Arbeit die Bedeutung eines achtsamen Umgangs mit IKT. Ich begrüße zukünftige Forschung, die auf den explorativen Untersuchungen aufbaut, um ein noch ganzheitlicheres Bild zu zeichnen: Langfristig trägt diese hoffentlich zur Verbesserung der Interaktion zwischen IKT und dem menschlichen Verstand bei. KW - information and communication technologies KW - social networking sites KW - human mind KW - newsfeed Y1 - 2023 ER - TY - RPRT A1 - Schwab, Regine A1 - Krause, Werner A1 - Massoud, Samer T1 - The bombing of hospitals and local violence dynamics in civil wars BT - evidence from Syria (2017 - 2020) T2 - HiCN Working paper N2 - The impact of civilian harm on strategic outcomes in war has been the subject of persistent debate. However, the literature has primarily focused on civilian casualties, thereby overlooking the targeting of civilian infrastructure, which is a recurrent phenomenon during war. This study fills this gap by examining the targeting of healthcare, one of the most indispensable infrastructures during war and peace time. We contend that attacks on medical facilities are distinct from direct violence against civilians. Because they are typically unrelated to military dynamics, the targeting of hospitals is a highly visible form and powerful signal of civilian victimization. To assess its effects, we analyze newly collected data on such attacks by pro-government forces and event data on combat activities in Northwest Syria (2017-2020). Applying a new approach for panel data analysis that combines matching methods with a difference-in-differences estimation, we examine the causal effect of counterinsurgent bombings on subsequent violent events. Distinguishing between regime-initiated and insurgent-initiated combat activities and their associated fatalities, we find that the targeting of hospitals increases insurgent violence. We supplement the quantitative analysis with unique qualitative evidence derived from interviews, which demonstrates that hospital bombings induce rebels to resist more fiercely through two mechanisms: intrinsic motivations and civilian pressure. The results have important implications for the effects of state-led violence and the strength of legal norms that protect noncombatants. KW - civil war KW - collective targeting KW - civilian infrastructure KW - hospitals KW - rebel attacks KW - Syria Y1 - 2023 UR - https://hicn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/HiCN-WP-403-2.pdf VL - 403 PB - Households in Conflict Network CY - Berlin ER - TY - GEN A1 - Matsunaga, Miku A1 - Krause, Werner T1 - Right-wing violence and the persistence of far-right popularity T2 - The LOOP : ECPR's Political Science Blog N2 - Miku Matsunaga and Werner Krause reveal how voters who support radical-right parties are sticking by them, despite the current upsurge in right-wing violence. Their findings raise crucial concerns about the broader ramifications of growing far-right movements across the globe KW - AfD KW - Alternative für Deutschland KW - far-right extremism KW - far-right groups KW - far-right parties KW - far-right populism KW - populist radical right KW - right-wing politics Y1 - 2023 UR - https://theloop.ecpr.eu/right-wing-violence-and-the-persistence-of-far-right-popularity/ PB - European Consortium for Political Research CY - Colchester ER - TY - CHAP A1 - M’Hamed, Sonia Chikh A1 - Sprinz, Detlef F. ED - Dyrhauge, Helene ED - Kurze, Kristina T1 - The keys to the EU’s climate neutrality goal T2 - Making the European Green Deal work N2 - The EU and its member countries have been laggards in using forest carbon to reduce EU emissions. The European Green Deal aims to change this. As part of its long-term emissions reductions, the EU aims to offset this by creating land-based carbon sinks, especially forest carbon sinks as well as carbon capture and storage. This chapter focuses on the role of forest carbon as part of the EU's climate policies towards achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It furthermore examines the European Commission's proposed forest strategy and its proposal for a revised LULUCF Regulation. The chapter shows that the logic of appropriateness dominates the European Commission's forest policies. Finally, the chapter makes policy recommendations on how the EU could credibly use long-term carbon sinks to achieve climate neutrality. Y1 - 2023 SN - 978-1-032-16070-2 SN - 978-1-032-16077-1 SN - 978-1-003-24698-5 U6 - https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003246985-6 SP - 60 EP - 75 PB - Routledge CY - London ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Sprinz, Detlef F. ED - Jörgens, Helge ED - Knill, Christoph ED - Steinebach, Yves T1 - The challenge of long-term environmental policy T2 - Routledge handbook of environmental policy N2 - Long-term environmental policy remains a vexing puzzle of environmental policy. Following its definition, the author reviews the methods suitable for the study of long-term environmental policy and develops a typology of policy instruments to cope with these challenges. The concluding section offers five central research challenges to advance the study of long-term environmental policy. Y1 - 2023 SN - 978-0-367-48992-2 SN - 978-1-032-50311-0 SN - 978-1-003-04384-3 U6 - https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003043843-26 SP - 305 EP - 314 PB - Routledge CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Giesen, Michael T1 - Framing gender-based violence in multi-level contexts BT - a networked approach to studying adoption of the Istanbul Convention JF - European journal of politics and gender N2 - International institutions are an essential driving force of contemporary policies to combat gender-based violence but remain toothless if political actors do not implement them in domestic policies. How can scholars conceptualise the transposition of international gender-based violence norms into domestic policies? I argue that discourse network analysis provides a powerful conceptual and methodological extension of critical frame analysis to understand how frames shape the meaning of gender-based violence norms in multi-level institutional contexts. Frames’ normative and cognitive network structure invites combining discourse network and frame analysis techniques that locate frames’ power in their ability to connect different institutional spheres temporally and spatially. I outline a multi-level research agenda that traces the framing processes of international norms and their domestic implementation through gender-based violence policies in the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention. This agenda includes avenues to study how complex transnational policy frameworks like the Istanbul Convention play out in domestic policy implementation. Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1332/251510821X16693059192022 SN - 2515-1088 SN - 2515-1096 VL - 6 IS - 1 SP - 76 EP - 91 PB - Bristol University Press CY - Bristol ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dijkstra, Hylke A1 - Debre, Maria Josepha A1 - Heinkelmann-Wild, Tim T1 - Governance abhors a vacuum BT - the afterlives of major international organisations JF - The British journal of politics & international relations N2 - International organisations have become increasingly contested resulting in worries about their decline and termination. While international organisation termination is indeed a regular event in international relations, this article shows that other institutions carry the legacy of terminated international organisations. We develop the novel concept of international organisation afterlife and suggest indicators to systematically assess it. Our analysis of 26 major terminated international organisations reveals legal-institutional and asset continuity in 21 cases. To further illustrate this point, the article zooms in on the afterlife of the International Institute of Agriculture in the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Refugee Organization in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the Western European Union in the European Union. In these three cases, international organisation afterlife inspired and structured the design of their successor institutions. While specific international organisations might be terminated, international cooperation therefore often lives on in other institutions. KW - death KW - institutional theory KW - international organisations KW - termination Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1177/13691481231202642 SN - 1369-1481 SN - 1467-856X PB - Sage CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Debre, Maria Josepha A1 - Dijkstra, Hylke T1 - Are international organisations in decline? BT - an absolute and relative perspective on institutional change JF - Global policy N2 - Many international organisations (IOs) are currently challenged, yet are they also in decline? Despite much debate on the crisis of liberal international order, con-testation, loss of legitimacy, gridlock, pathologies and exiting member states, there is little research on IO decline. This article seeks to clarify this concept and argues that decline can be considered in absolute and relative terms. Absolute decline involves a decrease in the number of IOs and their authority, member-ship and output, whereas relative decline concerns a decrease in the centrality of IOs in international relations. Reviewing a wide range of indicators, this article argues that, whereas there is limited decline in absolute terms since 1945, there may well be important decline in relative terms. Relative decline is more difficult to measure, but to probe its significance this article presents data from speeches during the United Nations General Assembly General Debate. It shows that IOs were most often mentioned in 1996 and that there has been a decline since. These findings indicate that, whereas IOs might survive as institutions, they are decreasingly central to international relations. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.13170 SN - 1758-5880 SN - 1758-5899 VL - 14 IS - 1 SP - 16 EP - 30 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Oxford ER - TY - RPRT A1 - Debre, Maria Josepha A1 - Sommerer, Thomas T1 - Weathering the storm? BT - the third wave of autocratization and international organization membership T2 - IGCC series on authoritarian regimes and international organizations N2 - Democratization scholars are currently debating if we are indeed witnessing a third wave of autocratization. While this has led to an extensive debate about the future of the liberal international order, we still know relatively little about the consequences of autocratization for international organizations (IOs). In this article, we explore to what extent autocratization has led to changes in the composition of IO membership. We propose three different ways of conceptualizing autocratization of IO membership. We argue that we should move away from a dichotomous understanding of regime type and regime change, but rather focus on composition of subregime types to understand current developments. We build on updated membership data for 73 IOs through 2020 to map membership configurations based on the V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index. Contrary to current debates on the crisis of the liberal order, we find that many IOs are not (yet) affected by broad autocratization of their membership that would endanger democratic majorities or overall democratic densities. However, we also observe the disappearance of formerly homogenous democratic clubs due to democratic backsliding in a number of European and Latin American IO member states, as well as a return of autocratic clubs in Southeast Asia and Southern Africa. These findings have important implications for the broader research agenda on international democracy promotion and human right protection as well as the study of legitimacy and the effectiveness of international organizations. Y1 - 2023 UR - https://ucigcc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Debre-Sommerer-Working-Paper-11.21.23.pdf PB - UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation CY - La Jolla, CA ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hänel, Hilkje C. T1 - Germany’s silence: testimonial injustice in the NSU investigation and willful ignorance in the NSU trial JF - Constellations : an international journal of critical and democratic theory Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8675.12703 SN - 1351-0487 SN - 1467-8675 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Oxford ER -