The Crisis of Representative Democracy
Extraits
Sciences politiques
The Crisis of Representative Democracy
The ideological background and the deficiencies of the concept of representation are being analyzed. It is shown that the present crisis of the Western democratic system is to be attributed to the form of oligarchy which has developed as a result of the "dogma of representation". The fictitious character of representation is being elaborated on the ontological, psychological and normative levels. An analysis of present and historical forms of parliamentary systems (as examples for the ideology of representation) is followed by a reflection on possible alternatives to this traditional system of power. Various forms of direct democracy are examined in regard to their practicability.
12/1987
Non classé
«In the Interest of Democracy»
Until recently, there has been little concrete evidence linking the American Federation of Labor (AFL) to the U.S. government's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the late 1940s and early 1950s. In this book, based upon recently opened archival collections, the author investigates this controversial and complicated early Cold War relationship. Contrary to arguments that the AFL's international activities were entirely controlled by the U.S. government to the detriment of the independent international labor movement, or that the AFL acted on its own without government involvement to foster legitimate anti-communist trade unions, the author's examination of the archival sources reveals that the AFL and the CIA made an alliance of convenience based upon common goals and ideologies, which dissolved when the balance of power shifted away from the AFL and into the hands of the CIA. In addition to tracing the complicated historical threads which resulted in an apparently unlikely relationship, three specific examples of how the AFL worked with the CIA are investigated in this book : the development of the anti-communist trade union federation Force Ouvrière in France ; the AFL campaign against the Soviet Union's use of "slave labor" at the UN ; and labor's role in the activities of the National Committee for a Free Europe, including Radio Free Europe and the Free Trade Union Center in Exile.
07/2011
Sciences politiques
Pass or Fail?. Assessing the Quality of Democracy in South Africa
In recent years, growing concerns over the strength of South Africa's democracy appear to indicate a population increasingly disillusioned and dissatisfied with the quality of its implementation. This book assesses the quality of democracy in South Africa after 20 years of democracy in order to ascertain whether or not this growing perception is valid. Since the inception of democracy in 1994 there have been countless procedural and substantive improvements in addressing historically entrenched political, social and economic problems ; however, there are serious issues that have emerged relating to the quality of democratic implementation in South Africa. Two existing analytical frameworks of democracy assessment, International IDEA's State of Democracy framework and Leonardo Morlino's tool for empirical research on democratic qualities, TODEM, are utilised to assess the quality of South Africa's rule of law and institutional capacity ; representative and accountable government ; civil society and popular participation ; and freedom and equality after 20 years of democracy. The book concludes cautiously that while South Africa faces many serious and threatening potholes in the road to a fully successful democracy, there is nevertheless much to applaud.
09/1991
Sciences politiques
A Morbid Democracy. Old and New Populisms
The crisis of democracy in Europe and the inability of the political parties and élites to adequately meet the challenges of globalisation exposes the increasingly fragmented middle classes to the temptations of Euroscepticism, and, in some cases, xenophobia. This appears to be a portrait of contemporary reality, but the current crisis has deep roots. The Spanish thinker José Ortega y Gasset described the pathologies of the mass man and of the nascent democratic system as far back as the beginning of the twentieth century, in a significant text entitled Una democracia morbosa, which appears to foreshadow the present state of affairs. The crisis of the average man, the degradation and devaluation of culture appear to be the distinctive traits of the new, post-ideological democracy of our times, known as "audience democracy". The political parties, faced with this profound crisis, in some cases seek dangerous shortcuts through demagogic and rhetorical use of the term "people", while the charismatic figure of the leader gains in prestige as a reference model. Resentment, caused by lack of representation of the just demands of the citizens, can turn to anger and destabilise the institutions of democracy. There is therefore an urgent need for an inclusive Europe with a renewed welfare system, based around the citizenry and not the masses.
09/1987
Droit
The Winter of Democracy. Partitocracy in Belgium
In itself, partitocracy can be simply defined as a political regime where power is - in an excessive degree - in the hands of political parties. In Belgium, partitocracy has perhaps reached its highest level of elaboration, with complex interactions between citizens, candidates and elected representatives, parties as well as parliaments and governments. The Winter of Democracy : Partitocracy in Belgium aligns a dozen of scientific contributions that tackle the mutltifaceted concept of partitocracy from multiple perspectives. The book also celebrates the academic career of Lieven De Winter, almost five decades of a rich research commitment that spanned both at Université catholique de Louvain and at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, as well as across numerous institutions, projects and networks all around Europe. Lieven De Winter has significantly contributed to the study of all dimensions that constitute the core object of this book : Partitocracy in Belgium.
06/2022
Sciences politiques
Organizing after Crisis. The Challenge of Learning
How do actors organize after crisis ? Do they "simply" return to normal ? The post-crisis phase is anything but a linear process. Actors and their practices may be transformed by learning from crises and by implementing the lessons. In this volume, 19 contributors from 7 countries analyse how learning happens after crisis in a dynamic political environment where framings, strategies, discourses, interests and resources interact. Exploring various policy sectors, they ask whether and in what ways organizations in charge of crisis management perform well. Where political responsibility is located ? What changes do lessons trigger at political, organizational and individual levels ? The book answers these questions by addressing issues like blame and responsibility but also the influence of communication, social dynamics and the institutional environment.
03/1994
Non classé
Embracing Democracy
Hermann Broch wrote two of the most significant novels of German modernism, The Sleepwalkers and The Death of Virgil, which established his importance to German literature. His writings on democracy, mass delusion and internationalism are more obscure. Embracing Democracy examines the central political, social and psychological tenets of Broch's concept of "total democracy" as an expression of the synthesis of his European intellectual development – his Viennese Bildung – and his new position as an exile from fascism. This book chronicles Broch's experiences from the founding of the Austrian First Republic to his exile in the United States (1918 to 1951). The author traces two seemingly contradictory narratives in Broch's political consciousness. On the one hand, Broch held an intellectual position in his post-exile political theory that was consistent with the philosophy of history, psychology and epistemology of his Viennese milieu. On the other hand, he significantly reconceived the utility of politics for his theory of value construction, while also becoming more involved in political activism. This book provides new perspectives on the work of Hermann Broch beyond his literary oeuvre and offers insights into the development of political theory among exiled European intellectuals in the United States.
09/2014
Non classé
Democracy in Nigeria
Democracy is much more than a system of government. It is also, and above all, a way of life. To build a sustainable democracy, Nigeria - a country very rich in natural and human resources but unfortunately battered by lack of unity, poor leadership and management, inadequate socio-economic structures and services, lack of social justice and security, corruption and indiscipline - must not only have the democratic principles and institutions in place, its people must also cultivate the democratic virtues and its leaders must be responsible and accountable. Moreover, the dignity and development of the human person, as well as the common good, must form the basis of all its political, social and economic decisions, structures and developments.
07/1997
Actualité et médias
Performance post-crise
Today's professional environment is dramatically different from that which existed just twenty years ago. The digital revolution is in full swing, and working practices are undergoing some of the biggest changes in history. In addition to this background of change, COVID 19 has had an unprecedented impact on every aspect of modern professional life. This background of change, combined with an additional sudden shock is generating novel challenges, which present difficult questions. What organisational structure is best placed to handle crises such as this ? What are the ingredients of successful remote work ? What is the best way to manage a team remotely ? How should leaders communicate in a crisis ? Beyond these critical issues—and perhaps even more importantly—leaders also need to prepare for the future. How do they ensure the success of an organisation in an uncertain future ? How are they going to secure the talent they need ? To address these questions, this collection brings together contributors from a rich variety of backgrounds, drawing on many combined decades of leadership experience. In addition to sharing answers to many contemporary questions and their personal experience of the recent crisis, they outline their vision of the future of the world of work.
01/2021
Economie
Arguing about justice. Essays for Philippe Van Parijs
"A book of quick and sharp thoughts on a grand theme is a novel way of paying tribute to a leading philosopher. But it has worked beautifully here, both as a stimulating book of ideas on justice, and as a fitting recognition of the intellectual contributions of Philippe Van Parijs, who is one of the most original and most creative thinkers of our time". Amartya Sen, Harvard University, 1998 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences This book brings together fifty of today's finest thinkers. They were asked to let their imaginations run free to advance new ideas on a wide range of social and political issues. They did so as friends, on the occasion of Philippe Van Parijs's sixtieth birthday. Rather than restricting themselves to comments on his numerous writings, the authors engage with the topics on which he has focused his attention over the years, especially with the various dimensions of justice, its scope, and its demands. They discuss issues ranging from the fair distribution of marriage opportunities to the limits of argumentation in a democracy, the deep roots of inequality, the challenges to basic income and the requirements of linguistic justice. They provide ample food for thought for both academic and general readers.
01/2011
Sociologie
A Handbook of Global Citizenship Education. The Belgian perspective
Presented as a response to contemporary global issues (such as sustainable development, interculturality or democracy), Global Citizenship Education (GCE) aims to "open people's eyes and minds to the realities of the world and awaken them to bring about a world of greater justice, equity and human rights for all". Given that GCE is now perceived as a means of bringing contemporary world issues into classrooms, teachers and school principals are increasingly encouraged to adopt it. Indeed, new skills frameworks require students to develop knowledge on global issues, while students themselves are demanding this education because they seek the means to play a greater role in the world. Often addressed in the form of social or environmental issues perceived as being of serious concern, GCE is expected to feature increasingly in the curricula of schools and universities in the future. But in Belgium and around the world, Global Citizenship Education (GCE) has been the subject of debate in recent years. This handbook reflects these various debates. Initially published in French, it is, above all, an attempt to compensate for the absence of texts on the subject from the French-speaking world, notably from the Belgian research and practice world. This English version enhances the international visibility of the vital academic, institutional, and professional sectors addressing GCE in Belgium, and highlights the specific features of GCE in this country. It will be particularly useful for students, teachers and practitioners, and everyone who wants to understand the challenges of Global Citizenship Education today.
01/2023
Monographies
Hilma af Klint. The Five Notebook 1
In 1896, Hilma af Klint and four other like-minded women artists left the Edelweiss Society and founded the "Friday Group", also known as "The Five". They met every Friday for spiritual meetings, including prayers, studies of the New Testament, meditation and séances. The medium exercised automatic writing and mediumistic drawing. Eventually they established contact with spiritual beings whom they called "The High Ones". In 1896, the five women began taking meticulous notes of the mediumistic messages conveyed by the spirits. In time, Hilma af Klint felt she had been selected for more important messages. After ten years of esoteric training with "The Five", aged 43, Hilma af Klint accepted a major assignment, the execution of The Paintings for the Temple. This commission, which engaged the artist from 1906 to 1915, changed the course of her life. In 1908, Rudolf Steiner, leader of the German Theosophical Society, held several lectures in Stockholm. He also visited af Klint's studio and saw some of the early Paintings for the Temple. In 1913, Steiner founded the Anthroposophical Society, which af Klint joined in 1920 and remained a member for the rest of her life.
01/2022
Philosophie
Agencies of the Good in the Work of Iris Murdoch
In part one Iris Murdoch's work is set against its contemporary background. Her concept of Man, as seen both in her fiction and in her philosophical work, is discussed with special attention being paid to the influence of Plato, J.P. Sartre, Simone Weil, Gabriel Marcel and the linguistic philosophers. Murdoch's views on the Good, and on Love, Death and Art, her main agencies of the Good, are then dealt with in greater detail. In part two five novels, which are representative of her literary output, are examined in greater depth.
10/1991
Histoire internationale
National Heroes and National Identities. Scotland, Norway and Lithuania
This book investigates the concept of the heroic, questions what it is that makes the national hero an indispensable appendage to any possible interpretation of national identity, and asks why scholars stop short before coming to terms with this elusive phenomenon. It finds answers by following heroic traditions in Scotland, Norway and Lithuania from the early modern period to the twentieth century. The book argues that heroic traditions – prevailing trends in situating heroes in national history – owe much to the early modern state. Both national heroes and the nation state had been conceived with a similar moral political mindset that looked for new ways to identify sources for commonality. The confluence of political theory and Realpolitik attested to three classical types of polities, i.e. civitas popularis (democracy), regnum (kingship), and optimatium (aristocracy), as found at that time in Scotland, Norway and Lithuania respectively. The author shows the varied impact these patterns had on heroic traditions. The long record of national heroes in Scotland is explained as a vestige of the legacy of civic humanism, the continuing traditions of the heroic king-lines in Norway are seen as a result of long-standing absolutism, while the belated arrival of national heroes in Lithuania is excused by the country's aristocratic if at times oligarchic past.
02/1993
Philosophie
«Phädon», or «On the Immortality of the Soul»
This is the first modern translation of Moses Mendelssohn's classic work of 1767, the Phädon. It includes Mendelssohn's own introduction and appendix, as well as footnotes and explanatory introduction by David Shavin. (Charles Cullen's translation of 1789 is the only other extant translation.) The "modern Socrates" of the German classical period, Mendelssohn has created a beautiful translation and elaboration of Plato's Phädo led to a revolution in thought, and a subsequent renaissance in Germany. The debt of the German classical period to ancient Greece is embodied in Mendelssohn's Phädon, as is the promise of the American Revolution. The translation and accompanying notes recapture Mendelssohn's unique marriage of depth of thought and breadth of appeal.
12/2006
Non classé
Philip Freneau- Tomo Cheeki, the Creek Indian in Philadelphia
Philip Freneau (1752-1832) was one of the first Americans to gain wide recognition as a writer. He is generally remembered as the "father of American poetry," but his prose writings have not always received the attention they deserve. As the editor of three important papers in the late 18th century (The National Gazette. The Jersey Chronicle, and The Time-Piece and Literary Companion) and as a contributor to many others, Freneau produced a large number of political and literary essays. The "Tomo Cheeki Essays", which were published in 1795 and in 1797, constitute an excellent example of Freneau's prose work. These pseudo-autobiographical accounts of an Indian visiting a city of the Whites are based upon the model of the European "oriental tale," while simultaneously incorporating American subject matter. The essays are representative of a decisive period of American literary history, since they reveal both Freneau's indebtedness to European culture and his role in the process of overcoming this indebtedness in the beginning creation of an independent national literature. The present edition provides the first complete and separate modern collection of the essays, which gives the reader an opportunity to get acquainted with an important example of early American prose writing that has been virtually inaccessible up to now.
12/1987
Non classé
Education and the Values Crisis in Central and Eastern Europe
Fundamental educational reform is one of the central elements of the social transformation taking place in the former socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. In this volume selected experts and eye witnesses of the radical change taking place in the region provide detailed and graphic presentation of the problems and controversies surrounding reform. They explore how the educational systems have responded to the collapse, and they explain the source of new models, ideas, and values on the part of educational policy makers, researchers and teachers. A focus of attention is the values crisis among the youth. The authors explore the values the socialist systems attempted to convey, the manner in which the youth have responded to the collapse, and the possible sources of new values and ideals.
05/1994
Religion
Corporatism and the Stability of Capitalist Democracies
This dissertation treats a problem which originally stems from Marxist political economic thinking : why do representatives of the working-class compromise with representatives of the capitalist class on major socio-economic topics on a national level, and what do such compromises look like ? The author establishes the claim that macro-economic compromises between organized classes are both likely to result and unstable in their nature. It is shown how the state may act as an actor supporting the establishment of an institutionalized class compromise and how it may try to prevent the breakdown of it. After elaborating these claims in a dynamic macro-economic model, the author describes developments of class compromises in post World War II Sweden, Austria and the Netherlands to illustrate the theory.
02/1991
Sciences politiques
The Structure of Political Communication in the United Kingdom, the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany
Political Communication in The United Kingdom, the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany differs in terms of what the peoples expect to take issue with, how they are prepared to talk about them, which choices they can make to solve problems and, finally, whom or which organizations they delegate to resolve them. This comparative media study of The Economist, Time and Der Spiegel attempts to extract the differences in politics of the three societies.
11/1987
Histoire internationale
On the Border - The Otherness of God and the Multiplicity of the Religions
The Christian theology of religions at present faces a crisis. What precisely is the task of the theology of religions ? Does it merely consist in interpreting the non-Christian religions as steps, phases or contributions in the light of Christianity ? Has one from the theological side conceded the maximum to the non-Christian religions by acknowledging them as anonymous Christianity (Karl Rahner)? This study is an exploration on how one shall liberate the religion of the other from anonymity : how one shall leave the other with his/her own name. The model of thought employed in this study is gained through an analysis of the intercultural process of understanding, explained with instances from Africa and South America.
01/1994
Non classé
Priscilla, (White) Queen of the Desert
Written for an international audience, Priscilla, (White) Queen of the Desert speaks to the current crisis in queer rights and representation in the context of colonial nations. Focusing on issues of identity, but exploring concerns as wide ranging as morality, same-sex marriage, state sanction, families, and history, this book will appeal to students, activists and academics alike. Asking hard questions of queer rights movements, and the identity politics that often inform them, the book calls for a sustained engagement with the theorisation of queer racial identity and queer race privilege.
09/2006
Histoire et Philosophiesophie
The Undergrowth of Science. Delusion, self-deception and human frailty
Walter Gratzer's themes in the stories he relates in The Undergrowth of Science are collective delusion and human folly. Science is generally seen as a process bound by rigorous rules, which its practitioners must not transgress. Deliberate fraud occasionally intrudes, but it is soon detected, the perpetrators cast out and the course of discovery barely disturbed. Far more interesting are the outbreaks of self-delusion that from time to time afflict upright and competent researchers, and then spread like an epidemic or mass-hysteria through a sober and respectable scientific community. When this happens the rules by which scientists normally govern their working lives are suddenly suspended. Sometimes these episodes are provoked by personal vanity, an unwillingness to acknowledge error or even contemplate the possibility that a hard-won success is a will o' the wisp; at other times they stem from loyalty to a respected and trusted guru, or even from patriotic pride; and, worst of ail, they may be a consequence of a political ideology which imposes its own interpretation on scientists' observations of the natural world. Unreason and credulity supervene, illusory phenomena are described and measured, and theories are developed to explain them - until suddenly, often for no single reason, the bubble bursts, leaving behind it a residue of acrimony, recrimination, embarrassment and ruined reputations.
Here, then, are radiations, measured with high precision yet existing only in the minds of those who observed them; the Russian water, which some thought might congeal the oceans: phantom diseases which called for heroic surgery; monkey testis implants that restored the sexual powers of ageing roués and of tired sheep; truths about genetics and about the nature of matter, perceptible only to Aryan scientists in the Third Reich or Marxist ideologues in the Soviet Union; and much more. The Undergrowth of Science explores, in terms accessible to the lay reader, the history of such episodes, up to our own time, in ail their absurdity, tragedy and pathos.
01/2000
Histoire et Philosophiesophie
Thinking about Physics
Physical scientists are problem solvers. They are comfortable "doing" science: they find problems, solve them, and explain their solutions. Roger Newton believes that his fellow physicists might be too comfortable with their roles as solvers of problems. He argues that physicists should spend more time thinking about physics. If they did, he believes, they would become even more skilled at solving problems and "doing" science. As Newton points out in this thought-provoking book, problem solving is always influenced by the theoretical assumptions of the problem solver. Too often, though, he believes, physicists haven't subjected their assumptions to thorough scrutiny. Newton's goal is to provide a framework within which the fundamental theories of modem physics can be explored, interpreted, and understood.
"Surely physics is more than a collection of experimental results, assembled to satisfy the curiosity of appreciative experts," Newton writes. Physics, according to Newton, has moved beyond the describing and naming of curious phenomena, which is the goal of some other branches of science. Physicists have spent a great part of the twentieth century searching for explanations of experimental findings. Newton agrees that experimental facts are vital to the study of physics, but only because they lead to the development of a theory that can explain them. Facts, he argues, should undergird theory.
Newton's explanatory sweep is both broad and deep. He covers such topics as quantum mechanics, classical mechanics, field theory, thermodynamics, the role of mathematics in physics, and the concepts of probability and causality. For Newton the fundamental entity in quantum theory is the field, from which physicists can explain the particle-like and wave-like properties that are observed in experiments. He grounds his explanations in the quantum field.
Although this is not designed as a standalone textbook, it is essential reading for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, professors, and researchers. This is a clear, concise, up-to-date book about the concepts and theories that underlie the study of contemporary physics. Readers will find that they will become better-informed physicists and, therefore, better thinkers and problem solvers, too.
01/2000
Anglais apprentissage
LA VIERGE ET LE GITAN : THE VIRGIN AND THE GIPSY
When the vicar's wife went off with a young and penniless man the scandal knew no bounds. Her two little girls were only seven and nine years old respectively. And the vicar was such a good husband. True, his hair was grey. But his moustache was dark, he was handsome, and still full of furtive passion for his unrestrained and beautiful wife. Why did she go ? Why did she burst away with such an éclat of revulsion, like a touch of madness ? Nobody gave any answer. Only the pious said she was a bad woman. While some of the good women kept silent. They knew. The two little girls never knew. Wounded, they decided that it was because their mother found them negligible. The ill wind that blows nobody any good swept away the vicarage family on its blast. Then lo and behold ! the vicar, who was somewhat distinguished as an essayist and a controversialist, and whose case had aroused sympathy among the bookish men, received the living of Papplewick. The Lord had tempered the wind of misfortune with a rectorate in the north country. [...] "Lorsque la femme du pasteur s'enfuit avec un jeune homme sans le sou, le scandale ne connut pas de bornes. Ses deux fillettes n'avaient que sept et neuf ans respectivement. Et le pasteur était un si bon mari. Certes, il avait les cheveux gris, mais sa moustache était restée noire, il était bel homme et brûlait encore d'une passion furtive pour sa belle épouse immodeste. Pourquoi était-elle partie ? Pourquoi s'était-elle arrachée à lui, dans un tel éclat de dégoût, comme un grain de folie ? Personne n'apporta de réponse. Seules, les dévotes dirent que c'était une mauvaise femme. Cependant que certaines femmes de bien gardaient le silence. Elles comprenaient, elles. Les deux fillettes ne comprirent jamais. Blessées, elles jugèrent que c'était parce que leur mère les tenait pour quantité négligeable. Le vent du malheur qui est censé être bon à quelque chose balaya de son souffle les habitants de la cure. Puis, miracle, le pasteur, qui avait une certaine éminence comme essayiste et polémiste, et dont la situation avait su émouvoir certains intellectuels, fut nommé à la paroisse de Papplewick. Le Seigneur avait adouci l'ouragan du malheur par un bénéfice de recteur dans le nord du pays. " [...]
02/1993
Histoire de France
«Die Welt war meine Gemeinde»- Willem A. Visser ’t Hooft. A Theologian for Europe between Ecumenism and Federalism
Willem A. Visser 't Hooft (1900–1985), Dutch pastor and theologian, was one of the most significant personalities in the Protestant Ecumenical movement. Deeply influenced by Karl Barth, and filled with a strong Ecumenical spirit, he was closely involved in the founding of the World Council of Churches, of which he was elected General Secretary. During the Second World War, many Protestants became convinced of the need for an international political system which, beside uniting the nations and peoples of Europe, would guarantee them fundamental freedoms and mutual respect for their historical, cultural and confessional traditions. The directors of the WWC were strongly committed to federalism, partly because of the political traditions of the states from which their member churches originated (Switzerland ; Great Britain and its Commonwealth ; the United States), and partly because of their conviction that a simple confederation of states, based on the model of the League of Nations, would be completely incapable of containing national ambitions. In spring 1944, Visser 't Hooft welcomed into his Geneva home the representatives of the European Resistance, who, under the leadership of Altiero Spinelli and Ernesto Rossi, signed the International Federalist Declaration of the Resistance Movements. These historic transnational encounters, aimed not only at coordinating military action or seeking diplomatic contacts but at exploring ways to "build" peace and re-establish the future of the Continent on new foundations, marked a profound break with the past.
12/1985
Non classé
Friendship and Love in the Middle English Metrical Romances
"Friendship and Love in the Middle English Metrical Romances" groups together a representative cross-section of the genre, according to variants of love relationships, and to ideas of friendship. The horizontal and the vertical structure of the relatonship are tripartite. The horizontal stages are attraction, separation-testing-trial, and reunion, the vertical spheres are the personal, social/political, and religious. All relationships fail into two types, the restorative-concordant and the innovative-discordant. These are defined by the relative position of the partners in the social-political sphere of their relationship. The groups of relationship are defined by the initially more active partner : forward heroine, fairy mistress, forward hero, mutual love, married love ; friendship, lords and retainers. Surveys of the Insular understanding of courtly love, and of Caxton's prose romances, complement the findings.
02/1991
Musique classique
Songs of Love. 12 Romances. 12 Lieder. Soprano (tenor) and piano.
Leokadiya Kashperova (1872-1940), hitherto consigned to a footnote in musical history as Stravinsky's piano teacher, is undergoing rediscovery. A double graduate of the St Petersburg Conservatoire, she emerged as a virtuoso pianist and composer in the romantic tradition. She was associated with some of the great musicians of her day, including Balakirev and Auer. She performed in both Germany and the UK in the 1900s, but her career petered out after 1920. Songs of Love was first published in 1904. No evidence survives of any public performance in Kashperova's lifetime although it is very likely that they were performed at her regular 'musical evenings at home on Tuesdays' mentioned in her Memoirs. The transparency of the piano writing strongly suggests that she would accompany herself singing. Kashperova, by all accounts, possessed a fine voice, and in the summer of 1906 she decided 'to learn from the artistry', as she put it, of the tenor Raimond von Zur-Mühlen who was widely celebrated for having developed (with Clara Schumann) the Lieder-Abend tradition. His summer-schools on the Baltic coast were frequented by aspiring singers from all over Europe, even Japan and India. Kashperova herself was responsible for the poetic lyrics of Songs of Love (in both Russian and German), which may well have emerged from her own bittersweet experience of life and love ; she was not to marry until 1916 at the age of forty-four. That Kashperova is the author of both the music and the lyrics of Songs of Love would suggest that they express very personal sentiments. Instrumentation : soprano (tenor) and piano
12/2023
Non classé
Marriage and Divorce in the Plays of Hermann Sudermann
This study investigates Sudermann's plays from a socio-historical and literary-historical perspective. His plays are a response to a crisis of marriage. That crisis had its roots in the Romantic period and came to a head when the conservative Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch was introduced in 1900. Of particular significance is Es lebe das Leben (1902). The manuscripts of this play reveal that here Sudermann moved from a Realist treatment of marital difficulties to an exploration of the crisis of the realist literary system and a search for a Modernist treatment of divorce. His plays on marriage, divorce, courtship and the problems of single men and women constitute a sustained attempt to modify or at times radically to challenge the presentation of marriage in the Realist literary system.
03/1996
Théâtre
Theatre Now N° 4 : Youth Theatre
The Theatre Now collection provides a varied and representative picture of the vitality and extreme diversity of contemporary playwriting in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. It is aimed at stage directors, actors and cultural officers keen to discover new writing and wanting to work on recent plays, as well as students, teachers, translators, and other readers curious about what's new in the world of theatre. This fourth volume, which is devoted to youth theatre, is the result of a collaboration between the Chamber of theatres for Children and Youth (CTEF) and the Wallonia-Brussels Centre for dramatic Writing.
01/2015
Tourisme étranger
Moroccan tracks Volume 11. The sagho djebel
The Sagho djebel is the eastern extension of the Anti-Atlas, a volcanic mountain with granitic mamelons, basaltic organs, chaos of black shales, pink sandstones... at the gates of the Sahara. As far as the eye can see, large wild, arid spaces. A desolate land made for the lonely DPM. And for a thousand miles around, silence is the only companion. Absolute plenitude and the desire to take to the track. From flat expanses to rolling hills, from sharp relief to steep canyons : pure, original nature. The character is strong, rustic but the heart is soft. The colours are soft and gentle. Ochre, pink, brown, violet, the colour chart stretches in a gradation of shimmering pastels, sometimes accompanied by an overwhelming heat. Eldorado in the heart of the desert, rare are the oases ; modest green spots in the infinitely large, they are the reminders that we are on African soil. The wild charm of the Sagho is due to its exceptional geology : high cliffs and steep peaks, tabular escarpments and deep canyons in the middle of which caravans of camels and mules circulate. When you arrive on these immense plateaus, the lunar horizon is so vast that you want to go everywhere at once to see if it is really as beautiful elsewhere ! The Sagho also surprises by the richness of its lights : limpid like those of the nearby Sahara, or sometimes in half-tone, as in the neighbouring Dades valley. The Sagho is also the Morocco of the last Berber nomads, descendants of the ancient lords Aït Atta. In autumn, after leaving the snows of the High Atlas, they set up their dark wool tents on the slopes of the jebel until spring. They can neither read nor write, but they are sure of their way through the Atlas Mountains and the Moroccan desert. In the Sagho, they have built houses of unbaked stone, dug wells, planted almond trees, grown wheat, barley and various vegetables. Others built herds of goats and sheep, and caravans of camels. Most of them are now sedentary, semi-nomadic or nomadic...
08/2022
