Political Sociology of Islam Integration: the Role of Liberal Law

In Europe and North America, migration and integration has become a busy subfield of political sociology. Of particular interest in this respect is the integration of Muslims and Islam, which has dominated the debate in Europe. Broadly conceived «political opportunity structures» have received much attention in this context. But the role of liberal law in the integration of Islam has been largely ignored, not by lawyers of course, but by political sociologists who have thus delivered far too negative and truncated pictures of Muslims and Islam in Europe. This is the deficit we sought to redress in Legal Integration of Islam; A Transatlantic Comparison (2013) (co-authored with John Torpey). Some of this study’s main ideas and findings are presented in the following.

Cooperative VET in Training Networks: Analysing the Free-Rider Problem in a Sociology-of-Conventions Perspective

In training networks, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises pool their resources to train apprentices within the framework of the dual VET system, while an intermediary organisation is tasked with managing operations. Over the course of their apprenticeship, the apprentices switch from one training company to another on a (half-) yearly basis. Drawing on a case study of four training networks in Switzerland and the theoretical framework of the sociology of conventions, this paper aims to understand the reasons for the slow dissemination and reluctant adoption of this promising form of organising VET in Switzerland. The results of the study show that the system of moving from one company to another creates a variety of free-rider constellations in the distribution of the collectively generated corporative benefits. This explains why companies are reluctant to participate in this model. For the network to be sustainable, the intermediary organisation has to address discontent arising from free-rider problems while taking into account that the solutions found are always tentative and will often result in new free-rider problems.

Na 1 Nachlass Max Horkheimer, 639 - "On the Sociology of Class Relations" und "The Psychology of Nazidom" (p. IX 16.1-2-IX 17.1-2)

"On the Sociology of Class Relations" (GS 12, S.75-104); 1. 1943 Aufsatz. a) Typoskript mit handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 34 Blatt b) Typoskript mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen, 31 Blatt c) Typoskript, 31 Blatt und eigenhändigen Ergänzungen, 1 Blatt d) Typoskript mit eigenhändigen Korrekturen, 26 Blatt; 2. Franz Neumann: 1 eigenhändiger Brief mit Unterschrift an Max Horkheimer mit Anmerkungen zum Aufsatz, ohne Ort, 30.09.1943, 11 Blatt; "The Psychology of Nazidom" (GS 5, S. 354-359); 1. Buchbesprechung von "Is Germany Inucable?" von Richard M. Brickner; veröffentlicht in: "The New Leader", 14.08.1943. a)Typoskript, 7 Blatt b) Typoskript mit eigenhändigen und handschriftlichen Korrekturen, 7 Blatt c) Zeitungsdruck, 3 Exemplare; 2. "What Shall We Do With Germany? A Panel Discussion of 'Is Germany Incurable?'". Zeitungsausschnitte aus : "The Saturday Review of Literature", 29.05.1343, 6 Blatt;

Optimization of test and maintenance of ageing components consisting of multiple items and addressing effectiveness

There are many models in the literature that have been proposed in the last decades aimed at assessing the reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) of safety equipment, many of them with a focus on their use to assess the risk level of a technological system or to search for appropriate design and/or surveillance and maintenance policies in order to assure that an optimum level of RAM of safety systems is kept during all the plant operational life. This paper proposes a new approach for RAM modelling that accounts for equipment ageing and maintenance and testing effectiveness of equipment consisting of multiple items in an integrated manner. This model is then used to perform the simultaneous optimization of testing and maintenance for ageing equipment consisting of multiple items. An example of application is provided, which considers a simplified High Pressure Injection System (HPIS) of a typical Power Water Reactor (PWR). Basically, this system consists of motor driven pumps (MDP) and motor operated valves (MOV), where both types of components consists of two items each. These components present different failure and cause modes and behaviours, and they also undertake complex test and maintenance activities depending on the item involved. The results of the example of application demonstrate that the optimization algorithm provide the best solutions when the optimization problem is formulated and solved considering full flexibility in the implementation of testing and maintenance activities taking part of such an integrated RAM model.

Language and literature in society : a sociological essay on theory and method in the interpretation of linguistic symbols : with a bibliographical guide to the sociology of literature.

Bibliography: p. [141]-214.

The Sociology of Rural Life [a symposium]

Mode of access: Internet.

The sociology of urban regions.

Mode of access: Internet.

The sociology of economic life.

Bibliography: p. 118.

The ecology and sociology of the Norway rat /

Bibliography: p. 285-288.