Suchergebnisse

Thriller is considered to be a subgenre of criminal fiction, in which the most significant role is played by fast-paced action, suspense, spectacular events. In case of so called international and political thrillers it should also be mentioned that their authors construct their plots around the problems such as global conflicts, international conspiracy, terrorism, the development of nuclear weapon. However, problems commonly mentioned by many authors of other subgenres of criminal fiction, are also present in the novels classified as thrillers. The collapse of well-being society, unstable interpersonal relationships, mental problems of an individual, childhood traumas are therefore often mentioned by the writers, although they do not usually constitute main subjects of the novels. The article concentrates on some examples from international and political thrillers, in which such issues seem to be equally important, written by the most popular Finnish authors of this particular genre, namely Ilkka Remes and Taavi Soininvaara

Rez.: Der finnische SUPO-Ermittler Arto Ratamo (zuletzt "Finnisches Blut": BA 4/07) und sein Team ermitteln in einem Drogenfall, in den seine Bekannte Eeva verstrickt ist. Gerade sie wird von dem Kurden Zana als Übermittlerin einer Warnung vor dem Russen Arbamow ausgewählt, der gerade angefangen hat, europäische Großstädte mit billigem Heroin zu überschwemmen. Außerdem wird ihre Wohnung mit fingierten Spuren präpariert, so dass die SUPO sie selbst verdächtigt. Schließlich stellt sich heraus, dass ihr einstiger irakischer Freund (wie sie ein mathematisches Genie) sich an ihr rächen will. Ferner ergibt sich, dass mit den Drogen 2 große Terroranschläge finanziert werden sollen, einer auf einem britischen Luxuskreuzer mit 3.000 illustren Gästen und ein 2. auf die Imam-Ali-Moschee in Nadschaf, für den britische Soldaten verantwortlich gemacht werden sollen, um Sunniten und Schiiten zum gemeinsamen heiligen Krieg gegen die Ungläubigen anzustacheln. Wieder ein bis zuletzt spannender Plot mit sympathischen Ermittlern, zwischen denen es die üblichen Eifersüchteleien gibt. Breit einsetzbar. - Politthriller (Freya Rickert)

This article analyses the changing relations and deal making processes between the State of Finland and Finnish cities in the context of the so-called partnership approach in regional development. Within the partnership approach, the state apparatus and cities are figuratively posited as equal partners, though this equality has not been achieved in practice. The approach, promoted by consecutive Finnish governments, is analysed as an active mode of territorial politics that aims to capture or produce certain forms of urbanisation. These strategic partnerships are analysed by utilising the so-called regional cities, a group of smaller Finnish cities, as a case study. The article looks at how different participants, interviewed state officials and mayors of the regional cities, evaluate and frame the partnership approach. While the interviewees often regard the partnership approach as a functional mode of interaction and development, in practice, it creates and solidifies spatial categories and further contributes to the justification of instances of spatial selectivity. It becomes evident that deal making as a mode of regional development policy relies on hierarchisation and categorisation reflecting wider trends in state spatial transformation. The article argues that while failing to address the needs of smaller cities, the deal making process is nevertheless manifest in terms of demonstrative politics and so-called non-deals where deal making practices are constantly upheld but without clear content.

In this article, I analyze the politics of urbanization and competitiveness-led state spatial transformations through political narratives. By analyzing empirical material, I search for ways of reasoning and rationalities that disclose the dynamics of the depoliticization and politicization of different spatial transformations of urbanization. Based on extensive interviews, I argue that a general understanding of urbanization as an external, global inevitability and as a force prevails among political elites. This key rationality and other sedimented knowledge duly opens up new political debates on the proper political management of urbanization and national adaptation. The order of reasoning is clear: the political elites argue that the perceived inevitability, common good and state of crisis necessitate national spatial transformations in order to secure the competitiveness of the state. As a result, new spatial hierarchies are forming as an adaptive strategy. ; Peer reviewed

Frontmatter -- Table of Contents -- Preface / Soininvaara, Osmo -- Acknowledgements -- How Attractive is a Basic Income for European Welfare States? / Groot, Loek / Veen, Robert van der -- Part One. Policy Objectives -- In Search of the Double-Edged Sword / Beer, Paul de -- Basic Income and its Cognates: Partial Basic Income versus Earned Income Tax Credit and Reductions of Social Security Contributions as Alternative Ways of Addressing the 'New Social Question' / Parijs, Philippe Van / Jacquet, Laurence / Salinas, Claudio Caesar -- Activation and the Burden of Working: On Instrument Choice by a Responsibility-Sensitive Egalitarian Government / Vandenbroucke, Frank / Puyenbroeck, Tom Van -- Arguing for a Negative Income Tax in Germany / Mitschke, Joachim -- Hush Money or Emancipation Fee? A Gender Analysis of Basic Income / Robeyns, Ingrid -- Prospects for Basic Income in an Age of Inactivity? / Hemerijck, Anton -- Basic Income and Social Europe / Scharpf, Fritz W. -- Basic Income at the Heart of Social Europe? Reply to Fritz Scharpf / Parijs, Philippe Van -- European Basic Income or the Race to the Bottom: Why Politicians Might Come to Think the Unthinkable / Quilley, Steve -- Bibliography -- Part Two Political Chances -- Clues and Leads in the Debate on Basic Income in the Netherlands / Groot, Loek / Veen, Robert van der -- The History of an Idea: Why did Basic Income Thrill the Finns, but not the Swedes? / Andersson, Jan-Otto -- From Concept to Green Paper: Putting Basic Income on the Agenda in Ireland / Healy, Sean / Reynolds, Brigid -- Short Cuts and Wrong Tracks on the Long March to Basic Income: Debating Social Policy Reform in Germany / Lessenich, Stephan -- Ups and Downs of Basic Income in Denmark / Christensen, Erik / Loftager, Jørn -- What Reforms are Needed for the Minimum Insertion Income (RMI) in France? / Euzéby, Chantal -- The VIVANT Experiment in Belgium / Vanderborght, Yannick -- Notes on the Contributors -- Index