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Research Unit: Civil Society and Transnational Networks |
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WZB Discussion Paper Abstracts |
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The different research units of the WZB
publish their reports in "Discussion papers" (DIN A4-format).
They are available from the WZB's
Press and
Information Office. Please order the Discussion Papers by
email or
mail and include the number (SP IV …) and title of the
Discussion Paper in your order form . (Only written orders are
accepted.)
Delivery Terms
The WZB also offers the complete text of a number of discussion
papers for downloading in portable document format (PDF).
(Documents available in PDF are indicated by the Adobe PDF symbol to
the left of the title just under the paper number.) You
can view PDF documents with the original formatting on your screen
as well as print them out. To do so, you need
¬Adobe's free "Acrobat Reader" software. Be sure to use version
4 or higher of Acrobat Reader, as our documents are not readable
with older versions. |
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FS
II 01-301
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Bernhard
Glaeser: The Changing
Human-Nature Relationship (HNR) in the Context of GEC.
29 S. |
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English
Abstract: |
The
overall objective of this introductory essay is to convey
a broad view of social and cultural aspects of global
environmental change (GEC). It represents a Western,
social science perspective, and reflects on today's
discourses as influenced or characterized by the turn
from the second to the third millennium. The article
opens with some remarks concerning the relationship
between natural and social change (part 1). Part 2 raises
the question, 'to what extent is nature peripheral to
humans'? Part 3 focuses on present interpretations of
how a millennial shift is experienced: 'Do the social
and interdisciplinary sciences take notice of the human-nature
relationship (HNR) in the context of GEC?' An important
new topic in world politics and in the social sciences
will be the social dimension of sustainability, including
social exclusion and development, as argued in part
4. In part 5, the final section, conclusions are drawn
about historical, theoretical, ethico-behavioral, and
political aspects of the HNR within the context of GEC.
It is concluded that the international scientific community
can and should play a vital role in finding solutions
to sustain the environmental conditions for the sake
of global livelihood, including social justice. (Author's
abstract) |
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FS
II 01-302
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Kristine
Kern, Helge Jörgens, and Martin Jänicke: The Diffusion of Environmental Policy Innovations: A
Contribution to the Globalisation of Enviromental Policy.
32 S. |
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English Abstract:
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The
subject of this paper is the importance of the diffusion
of environmental innovations between countries for the
global development of environmental policy. Empirical
observation has shown that national environmental initiatives
are often rapidly adopted by other countriesthus, these
initiatives spread internationally. The conditions for
and restrictions on the international diffusion of environmental
innovations are examined on the basis of five case studies:
environmental agencies and ministries, ecolabels, national
environmental plans, CO2/energy taxes, and soil protection
legislation. The key determinants of policy diffusion
include (1) national factors (capacities for action
in environmental policy, the demand for problem solutions),
(2) the dynamics of the international system (the significance
of front-runner countries for global policy diffusion,
international organisations, transnational networks),
and (3) aspects of the specific policy innovation (characteristics
of policy innovation, availability of appropriate policy
models, etc.). (Author's abstract) |
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FS
II 01-303
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Andreas
Pettenkofer: Paradigmenwechsel
in der politischen Ökologie? Zur deutschen Diskussion
über die Lokale Agenda 21. 59 S |
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English
Abstract: |
This
paper reports on the social science debate in Germany
over the environmental policy program, 'Local Agenda
21' (LA 21). It attempts a preliminary reconstruction
of the specific form the LA 21 processes have taken,
and it tries to show how they deviate from the traditional
West German notion of political ecology. The paper examines
theoretical issues and questions that present themselves
in light of this new phenomenonin particular, it considers
the appropriateness of the modernization-theoretical
perspective with which participants and observers have
scrutinized LA 21. Contrary to their suppositions, the
success LA 21 has enjoyed does not appear to have stemmed
from fact that problems generated by differentiation
processes has been resolved through a reasonable consensus
based upon universal norms. It is more likely that particularistic
instances have played a decisive roll in LA 21's success
- not only in terms of calculated pursuit of selective
benefits, but also in terms of the impacts of local
identities, which can be more accurately described by
using 'communitarian' concepts. Precisely because of
this particularistic orientation, it appears that LA
21 represents a fundamental shift within German political
ecology. (Author's abstract)
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FS
II 01-304
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Klaus
Jacob und Helge Jörgens: Gefährliche Liebschaften? Kommentierte Bibliografie
zu Kooperationen von Umweltverbänden und Unternehmen
. 56 S. |
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English
Abstract: |
The
annotated bibliography provides a broad overview on
various forms of environmental co-operation among environmental
organisations and all kinds of businesses. The survey
focuses on Germany and other European countries but
also includes relevant literature from Great Britain
and North America. Furthermore, reference is made to
related research projects and websites. The bibliography
is preceded by a brief overview on the state of research.
The authors conclude that, although environmental cooperation
has increased world-wide, there is a great lack of empirically
oriented research on the typology of environmental cooperation
as well as analyses of the effects of such cooperation.
(Author's abstract) |
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FS
II 01-305
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Kristine
Kern, Ingrid Kissling-Näf, Ute Landmann, and Corine
Mauch, in collaboration with Tina Löffelsend:
Policy Convergence and Policy Diffusion by Governmental
and Non-Governmental Institutions—An International
Comparison of Eco-labeling Systems. 76 S |
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English
Abstract: |
The
study deals with eco-labeling systems that have spread
faster than other types of new policy instruments. The
paper focuses on the diffusion of two different types
of eco-labels: (1) general eco-labeling systems such
as the German “Blue Angel” (Blauer Engel),
and (2) the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification
program. We start with three different explanations
for policy convergence: international regimes, regional
integration, and global policy diffusion. Policy diffusion
is gaining in importance due to the diffusion processes
triggered by the emergence of international, intergovernmental,
and transnational transfer institutions. It is assumed
that governmental or quasi-governmental transfer institutions
(general eco-labels) and nongovernmental transfer institutions
(FSC label) have similar functions and effects. Our
main thesis is that labels can diffuse globally, be
decided on, and even implemented at the national level
without significant state influence. Furthermore, three
success factors for the national performance of eco-labeling
schemes are analyzed: (1) the characteristics of policy
innovations (costs of labeling etc.); (2) the economic,
societal, and political-institutional capacities for
action; (3) the co-existence and competition between
different eco-labeling systems which can result in converging
standards. On this basis some conclusions regarding
the overall performance of transnational network organizations,
such as the FSC, are drawn. |
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FS
II 01-306
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Malte
Schophaus:
Bürgerbeteiligung
in der Lokalen Agenda 21 in Berlin. 63 S. |
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English
Abstract: |
Public Participation
in Local Agenda 21 (LA 21) in Berlin
In chapter 28 of the final document "Agenda 21"
of the Rio Conference 1992, the local municipalities
are requested to develop local action programs to implement
sustainable development. After all (former) 23 boroughs
of Berlin became involved in the Local Agenda 21 process,
the city parliament passed a resolution in September
1999 to develop a Berlin-wide Local Agenda 21. This
paper investigates the activities and experiences with
the agenda processes in the individual boroughs of Berlin
and, afterwards, compares these to citywide developments.
According to the criteria "participation",
"public relations" and "policy commitment"-which
are identified as central for a successful process-the
Berlin process cannot be considered as stabilised. While
participation has decreased in the boroughs, the citywide
process was characterised by low participation and professional
actors from the very outset. This paper suggests that
the vague concept of participation should be distinguished
along the concepts of consensus and dissent. The criticism
against the consensus strategy of the Local Agenda 21
mentioned by local actors should be taken seriously
into account. The upcoming turn from consensus and win-win
strategies towards new dissent strategies in social
movements is discussed. |
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FS
II 01-307
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Manfred
Bonitz und Andrea Scharnhorst: Nicht alle Zeitschriften
haben das gleiche Gewicht — Der harte Kern der
Wissenschaftskommunikation. 37 S. |
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English
Abstract: |
Journals
play an outstanding role in scientific communication.
Bibliometric analyses of scientific journals cover both
the description and evaluation of certain journals and
statistical analyses of ensembles of scientific journals.
Examples of simple bibliometric indicators on the journal
level are the size of a journal (number of publications)
and the number of citations. The most well-known indicator
is the “journal impact factor” as the average
citation rate of an article in a certain journal. This
indicator is used frequently for the evaluation of a
journal as well as for the evaluation of institutions
or countries my means of their publications in a certain
journal. The impact factor stands for the perception
of a scientific journal in the area of scientific communication.
This is determined finally by the quality of the articles
appearing in the journal. Statistic analyses of groups
of journals lead usually to so-called skew distributions
of bibliometric indicators, e.g. the Bradford law. This
paper examines the phenomenon of the distribution of
citations which a journal receives in the countries
that publish in it. The different share that countries
have in the reputation of a journal can be characterized
by a new indicator, namely, the number of Matthew citations.
The first part of this paper introduces the new methodological
approach didactically. The second part presents empirical
analyses. The distribution of the new indicator is analyzed
within a large journal ensemble and then compared to
other journal indicators. We regard the number of Matthew
citations in a journal as an expression of the competition
among countries over how they are perceived in international
scientific communication. The empirical analysis shows
that this competition occurs mainly within a relatively
small group of journals, which we called Matthew Core
Journals. These journals take a special position in
the international scientific communication. |
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FS II 01-308
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Matthias
Trénel, Oliver Märker, Hans Hagedorn: Bürgerbeteiligung
im Internet —Das Esslinger Fallbeispiel.
46 S. |
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English
Abstract: |
One of the
first attempts to utilize the internet for public consultation
projects is represented in a case study of the South
German town of Esslingen. Over a period of four weeks
citizens were offered the opportunity to retrieve information
concerning a disputed zoning project, and to discuss
problems and make suggestions with regard to the proposed
building site. We begin by examining criteria—derived
from democracy theory—for public participation
projects and consider specific advantages the internet
has for public participation. Next, we look into probable
factors of success in the implementation process stemming
from three different areas: relevance, software, and
moderation. The experiences gathered during the implementation
process in Esslingen are described in detail, followed
by the results of a subsequent evaluation study based
on questionnaires. While the discussion of the topic
was excellent and although most of the citizens involved
appreciated the features of the internet as a tool for
participation, the implementation of a dialogue between
citizens and local politicians proved to be a more difficult
task because the latter were less willing to engage
in a dialogue. In fact, the relevance of the whole consultative
procedure was questionable, since most of the pertinent
aspects to the proposal had already been decided upon.
It is suggested that technology and culture are ready
to provide greater space for consultative participation
than politicians are willing to accept. Therefore, in
the future, citizens’ expectations concerning access
to information and deliberative processes are likely
to rise. Key words: public consultation, citizens’
participation, online facilitation, online mediation,
E-government, E-democracy, cooperative town planning. |
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Last change: 2005-03-22 13:36 |
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