bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structurally modulated codelivery of siRNA and Argonaute 2 for enhanced RNA interference
Authors: Li Jiahe , Wu Connie , Wang Wade , He Yanpu , Elkayam Elad , Joshua-Tor Leemor , Hammond Paula T.
Published: February 2018

Significance

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) has great potential to specifically target undruggable genes in many diseases. Despite its great promise, few siRNAs have been clinically approved due to limited therapeutic efficacy. We propose that one major barrier to RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapy is that the siRNA must form a bound complex with a “scissor” protein, Argonaute 2 (Ago2), after it is released in the cytoplasm. We take the approach of preassembling the duplex siRNA with Ago2 protein, and then packaging the complex with commercial transfection reagents or structurally defined polycations that specifically enhance the clustering of siRNA with Ago2. This unique approach augments gene silencing in cell lines and a melanoma mouse model, providing a potential translatable platform for RNAi therapies.
Bacteriocyte cell death in the pea aphid/
Buchnera
symbiotic system
Authors: Simonet Pierre , Gaget Karen , Balmand Séverine , Ribeiro Lopes Mélanie , Parisot Nicolas , Buhler Kurt , Duport Gabrielle , Vulsteke Veerle , Febvay Gérard , Heddi Abdelaziz , Charles Hubert , Callaerts Patrick , Calevro Federica
Published: February 2018

Significance

Beneficial symbiotic associations, ubiquitously found in nature, have led to the emergence of eukaryotic cells, the bacteriocytes, specialized in harboring microbial partners. One of the most fundamental questions concerning these enigmatic cells is how organismal homeostasis controls their elimination. Here we report that aphid bacteriocytes have evolved a form of cell death distinct from the conserved cell-death mechanisms hitherto characterized. This cell-death mechanism is a nonapoptotic multistep process that starts with the hypervacuolation of the endoplasmic reticulum, followed by a cascade of cellular stress responses. Our findings provide a framework to study biological functioning of bacteriocytes and the cellular mechanisms associated with symbiosis and contribute to the understanding of eukaryotic cell-death diversity.
Mechanism of ubiquitin transfer promoted by TRAF6
Authors: Fu Tian-Min , Shen Chen , Li Qiubai , Zhang Pengfei , Wu Hao
Published: February 2018

Significance

Polyubiquitination is critically important for many cellular functions from protein degradation to signal transduction. TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is a RING-type ubiquitin ligase that promotes polyubiquitination required for the signaling of many innate immune receptors. How TRAF6 uses its RING dimer to facilitate polyubiquitination remains elusive. In this paper, we mapped TRAF6 residues on both subunits of the TRAF6 dimer that are required for this process via allosteric activation. We found that in addition to the RING domain itself, residues outside the RING domain play indispensable roles. Moreover, our studies reveal common features for the activation of polyubiquitination by the RING family and related domains, which shed light on the functional mechanisms of both dimeric and monomeric ubiquitin ligases.
Degrees of grammaticalization and measure constructions in Italian
Authors: Giacalone Ramat Anna
Published: February 2018

Against the background of recent debate on Grammaticalization Theory, this study will provide an overview of some Italian quantifying expressions whose original head is a measure noun. The binominal expressions analysed indicate a quantity, either large or small; as such, they can be substituted by canonical quantifiers such asmolto“much” orun po’“a little”. I claim that their functioning as quantifier is the result of a process of grammaticalization, through which the original head noun of the complex construction has been reanalysed as quantifier. At a closer look, however, the degrees of grammaticalization appear different for specific items, as well as the sources providing the recruitment of new quantifiers. The specific collocational patterns that trigger the pragmatic inferences prior to their semanticization and reanalysis have not as yet received sufficient attention. Adopting a diachronic Construction Grammar approach, the paper discusses various case studies and provides a number of descriptive and theoretical insights concerning the rise of distinct grammaticalization patterns.
Differences between linguists and subject-matter experts in the medical translation practice
Authors: Muñoz-Miquel Ana
Published: February 2018

In the literature on medical translation, the question as to who translates (or should translate) medical texts has been largely discussed on the basis of the traditional linguists versus subject-matter experts opposition. Both scholars and professional translators have attempted to determine medical translators’ profile by making statements about the characteristics of translators with a linguistic background and those of translators with a scientific-medical one. These statements are generally based on intuition or personal experience rather than on empirical data which can be used to back up any kind of evaluation that may be made. This paper aims to bridge this gap by presenting the results of an empirical descriptive study which surveyed practicing medical translators. The survey included questions such as academic qualification, years of experience, customers, genres translated, main difficulties encountered, and degree of self-instruction received, among others. On the basis of these data, this paper approaches the medical translators’ profile and explores the main differences between translators with a linguistic background and translators with a scientific-medical one. The results show that some of the most substantial differences between them relate to the years of experience, difficulties encountered, documentation resources used, and training needs.
Dubbing vs. subtitling
Authors: Perego Elisa , Del Missier Fabio , Stragà Marta
Published: February 2018

Despite the claims regarding the potential disruptiveness of subtitling for audiovisual processing, existing empirical evidence supports the idea that subtitle processing is semi-automatic and cognitively effective, and that, in moderately complex viewing scenarios, dubbing does not necessarily help viewers. In this paper we appraise whether the complexity of the translated audiovisual material matters for the cognitive and evaluative reception of subtitled vs. dubbed audiovisual material. To this aim, we present the results of two studies on the viewers’ reception of film translation (dubbing vs. subtitling), in which we investigate the cognitive and evaluative consequences of audiovisual complexity. In Study 1, the results show that a moderately complex film is processed effectively and is enjoyed irrespective of the translation method. In Study 2, the subtitling (vs. dubbing) of a more complex film leads to more effortful processing and lower cognitive performance, but not to a lessened appreciation. These results expose the boundaries of subtitle processing, which are reached only when the audiovisual material to be processed is complex, and they encourage scholars and practitioners to reconsider old standards as well as to invest more effort in crafting diverse types of audiovisual translations tailored both to the degree of complexity of the source product and to the individual differences of the target viewers.
Effects of emulsifying conditions on creaming effect, mechanical properties and microstructure of processed cheese using a rapid visco-analyzer
Authors: Fu Wei , Watanabe Yurika , Satoh Hayaka , Inoue Keita , Moriguchi Natsumi , Fusa Kazunao , Yanagisawa Yuya , Mutoh Takaaki , Nakamura Takashi
Published: February 2018

The creaming effects, mechanical properties and microstructures of processed cheeses were investigated under different emulsifying conditions using a rapid visco-analyzer, and the changes in protein network related to the creaming effect and the occurrence of yielding points were discussed. The higher stirring speed affected the fat globules to be smaller, and gave the processed cheese more firmness at fixed stirring time. The longer stirring time caused the protein network to become fine-stranded. A fine-stranded structure promoted the creaming effect, and hence the formation of yielding point in the mechanical properties. The emulsifying salts had active effects on the creaming effect and mechanical properties at longer stirring time. The fine-stranded structures were shown in the cases of a binary mixture of polyphosphate and disodium phosphate (PDSP), polyphosphate (PP), and trisodium citrate (TSC). Monophosphate (MP) showed the lowest ability to alter the protein network, but was assisted at the higher stirring speed.
Do U.S. Anglers Care about Harmful Algal Blooms? A Discrete Choice Experiment of Lake Erie Recreational Anglers
Authors: Zhang Wendong , Sohngen Brent
Published: February 2018

Despite the growing awareness of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the United States and abroad, estimates of welfare losses due to their presence are missing from the literature. Using a mail survey of 767 Ohio Lake Erie recreational angler respondents and a choice experiment, this study provides the first empirical quantification of the economic impacts of HABs on U.S. recreational anglers. Our results demonstrate a significant and substantial willingness to pay by anglers for reduction in HABs, beyond the benefits associated with conventional water quality measures such as catch rates and water clarity. For instance, we find that anglers are willing to pay $8 to $10 more per trip for one less mile of boating through HABs en route to a fishing site. This finding suggests that explicit measures of HABs need to be collected and considered when valuing water quality in nutrient‐rich bodies of water. We evaluate the welfare improvements resulting from several nutrient reduction policies, and find that anglers are willing to pay on average $40 to $60 per trip for a policy that cuts upstream phosphorus loadings by 40%. The majority of welfare gains for anglers result from improving the non‐catchable component of the fishing experience, notably water clarity and HAB reduction, as opposed to better chances of angler success.
Urinary Angiotensinogen Excretion Level Is Associated With Elevated Blood Pressure in the Normotensive General Population
Authors: Sato Emiko , Wang An Yi , Satoh Michihiro , Nishikiori Yoko , Oba-Yabana Ikuko , Yoshida Mai , Sato Hiroshi , Ito Sadayoshi , Hida Wataru , Mori Takefumi
Published: February 2018

BACKGROUND

Inflammation, intrarenal renin–angiotensin system (RAS) activation, oxidative stress, and carbonyl stress have been postulated to play a fundamental role in controlling blood pressure. However, little is known about the association among renal RAS activation, carbonyl stress, and blood pressure elevation.

METHODS

We evaluated the relationship between blood pressure elevation and either renal RAS activity or carbonyl stress in the general population (N = 355) in Japan. To minimize the effect of antihypertensive drug therapy, we divided participants into 3 groups (normotensive, hypertensive-with-non-medication, and hypertensive-with-medication). Intrarenal RAS activity and carbonyl stress were indicated by the urinary angiotensinogen (AGT) and carbonyl compound excretion levels, respectively.

RESULTS

The urinary AGT and carbonyl compound excretion levels were significantly associated with blood pressure. Using a stepwise multiple regression analysis, we found that the urinary AGT excretion levels were strongly associated with blood pressure elevation, compared with inflammation, oxidative stress, and carbonyl stress markers, in all groups. Urinary carbonyl compound excretion was significantly associated with blood pressure in only the hypertensive-without-medication group. Furthermore, blood pressure was significantly increased in these participants, and both the urinary AGT and carbonyl compound levels were high. The urinary AGT excretion levels were strongly associated with elevated blood pressure in normotensive people, and inappropriate renal RAS activity and carbonyl stress independently contributed to the development of hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that RAS activation, particularly renal RAS activation exert a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of hypertension in the general population.
Disability Arts and Visually Impaired Musicians in the Community
Authors: Baker David , Green Lucy
Published: February 2018

This chapter reports on a multifaceted ‘disability arts scene’ in music worldwide that comprises visually impaired (i.e., blind and partially sighted) instrumentalists, singers, composers, producers, and others across a range of musical styles and genres. Some such musicians work alone but are usually deeply involved in networks. Others join community music ensembles that can be made up of musicians with a range of disabilities including visual impairments, or that consist entirely of visually impaired people. When promoting their community music participation, some visually impaired musicians draw on the history and traditions of the blind in music across the world, and thus exists the lore concerning special dispensations in the absence of sight. Yet there are also visually impaired musicians who distance themselves from that self-identity. The chapter explores how members of this unique socio-musical group consider the aforesaid ‘scene’ and its integral community music, and how their interpretations correspond or clash; it introduces key matters of accessibility, independent mobility, identity, musical approach and media, notions of discrimination, and social inclusion.
Community Music Practice with Adults
Authors: Coffman Don D.
Published: February 2018

This chapter examines three approaches to teaching and learning that resonate with community music principles and that can help inform the theoretical bases for community music practice, because there are similarities between the facilitating behaviours of community musicians and the teaching behaviours of educators. Specifically, this chapter portrays a continuum of viewpoints about guiding others—pedagogy, andragogy, and heutagogy—and illustrates how aspects of each approach can be applied to community music practice. These approaches range from authoritarian ideas that are teacher-centred and learner-dependent to more autonomous ideas that embrace learner-centred and self-directed learning. The New Horizons Band of Iowa City, Iowa, in the United States, is presented as an illustration.
Community Music in the United Kingdom
Authors: Deane Kathryn
Published: February 2018

The type of community music defined as an ‘active intervention’ can suggest a political, usually left-leaning, flavor to the practice. But the trajectory of the work in the United Kingdom over the last half-century suggests that government policies, rather than politics, have been the driver for the development of much community music work. Moreover, the practice adapts well to frequent changes in such policies. From an original stance of opposition to authority, through to a confidence in its own authoritativeness, the practice's instrumentality and focus on its participants have been key ingredients in helping community music in the United Kingdom to mature as a profession and continue to thrive.
Theorizing Arts Participation as a Social Change Mechanism
Authors: Dunphy Kim
Published: February 2018

This chapter analyses theories about how social change can be effected through participation in the arts. A theory of change lens applied to the literature results in identification of three broad types of change processes: social/civic action, in which the major change strategy is influencing of public opinion and decision-making through arts activities; the community cultural development approach in which change occurs at a community level, as a result of creative social interaction between arts participants; and finally, the therapeutic paradigm, in which change is elicited in individuals through the healing process of arts used therapeutically. These approaches are examined in relation to broader theories of participation, and Vygotsky’s social development theory, resulting in a meta-theory about factors that lead to change through arts participation: the contribution of a skilled leader, the utilization and stimulation of creativity, and a collaborative process. Case studies of community music initiatives illustrate the theory.
Arts-Based Educational Research in Community Music
Authors: Gouzouasis Peter , Bakan Danny
Published: February 2018

This chapter, written creatively as a scripted conversation between a professor and a doctoral student, asks how researchers might study music-making in a plethora of community music settings using arts-based methods. On the surface, arts-based educational research (ABER), art-based research (ABR), creative analytical practices (CAP), and arts inquiry (AI), may seem one and the same, but there are distinctive historical and theoretical nuances between them. We crafted this composition in a reflexive manner with theory and research embedded in the scripted conversation to explore these nuances. We point towards the conclusion that music communities, where participants are actively engaged, are well suited to inquiry through methods that include creative ways of representing and understanding both music and learning. In a conversational way, we explore distinctions, contexts, possibilities, problems, and the power of engaging arts-based research in the study of community music-making.
Models of Collaboration and Community Music
Authors: Helfter Susan , Ilari Beatriz
Published: February 2018

This chapter discusses the nature of collaboration as it pertains to community music. The chapter begins with a discussion of some areas of tension in collaborative initiatives within community music. Vignettes that stem from the authors’ observations of community music programs in Canada, Brazil, and the United States are presented to both introduce and discuss different models that might assist in designing and developing effective collaborations within community music programs. The chapter ends with implications of these same models and traits for the assessment of collaborations and collaborative research within the context of community music. The main argument is that any study of collaboration in community music needs to centre on an in-depth understanding of contextual issues, social and cultural capital, and musical aspects that impact organizations, but also on the models and traits that frame the underlying partnerships/collaboration.
Introduction
Authors: Bartleet Brydie-Leigh , Higgins Lee
Published: February 2018

A documented history of almost fifty years and a growing internationalization and interculturalisation of community music invites a revisiting of some of the field’s approaches, ideologies, and contexts. This chapter critically reflects on historical developments and current realities of how the field is conceptualized around the globe. It also touches on the role of community music facilitators in bringing about social change and outlines some of the key skills, working methods, values and ethics that are commonly associated with work in this field. It provides a snapshot of what has become a truly global phenomenon, and critically discusses the recurring question of whether community music needs a new defitinion or (re)definition in the twenty-first century.
The Ethics of Community Music
Authors: Lines David
Published: February 2018

This chapter outlines different concepts and positions on ethics as they apply to community music. An understanding of ethics is important in music because of its intrinsic nature as a human practice that involves acts of sharing, participation, interaction, and engagement through music (Cobussen & Nielsen, 2012). The changing and diverse nature of communities means that community music facilitators need to have the necessary conceptual tools to consider the possible ethical consequences and directions of their community music actions. A critical, questioning approach is advocated for, so that the demands of different community contexts are taken into account. Following a discussion of ethical principles and values important to music education, the chapter outlines some ethical contexts and perspectives specific to community music. A simple framework is suggested that could be applied to the critical questioning of the ethics of community music and serve as a tool to help community musicians and cultural workers negotiate the complex decision-making and creative practice in their work.
Community Music and Rational Recreation
Authors: Mantie Roger
Published: February 2018

Care and concern for the welfare of others is a central tenet of community music. Care often masks deeper issues of power and control, however. This chapter interrogates the nature of community music care and concern through an examination of the ancient Greek concept of schole, and the concept of ‘rational recreation,’ a term used to describe the paternalist practices of late nineteenth century reformers who, through a programme of social control, sought to ensure people engaged their leisure time ‘wisely.’ Through an examination of leisure, rational recreation, education, and mass leisure, questions are raised about the benevolent intentions and innocent assumptions often made in the name of community music practice and cultural democracy.
Community Music and Youth
Authors: Rimmer Mark
Published: February 2018

Recent years have witnessed an increasing alignment between community music activity and youth. From the range of community music-style activities taking place across formal domains of youth provision, to the youth-oriented musical activities occurring within informal settings, many commentators have come to see community music activities as holding particular relevance and value in relation to youth. Importantly, however, the assumptions lying behind the purportedly ‘special’ relationship between community music and youth—as well as their implications for the nature of much youth-focused community music activity—too often go unexamined. This chapter critically interrogates some of the key ways in which this relationship is commonly understood, and then examines how these sit alongside the broader purposes and values commonly associated with community music.
Engaging in Policy-Making Through Community-Oriented Work
Authors: Schmidt Patrick
Published: February 2018

This chapter argues that community-oriented work should be approached both as a contributor to, and consumer of, policy-thinking and analysis, and would benefit from becoming more broadly conceptualized as an agent within cultural policies, its study, and practice. It highlights the impact of integrative approaches whereby working synergistically within various stakeholders and areas of action we expand our chances to partner with purpose. The chapter suggests that in order to achieve greater engagement with policy, individuals and organizations must focus on how to develop a framing disposition—that is, the wherewithal (individual or organizational) to generate opportunities and put innovative projects to practice.
Rethinking Community Music as Artistic Citizenship
Authors: Silverman Marissa , Elliott David
Published: February 2018

This chapter raises questions about the intersections between community music and citizenship and poses the fundamental question: ‘Artistic citizenship for what?’ Our chapter proceeds as follows. First, in addition to providing a concept of community music as/for artistic citizenship, we seek to relate central themes of community music to ‘living sites’ of artistic citizenship. Second, because our approach is dominantly philosophical, we probe the concepts of artistry and citizenship separately and in combination. In doing so, we hope to provide community musicians/facilitators with a theoretical framework for thinking about and acting in relation to the ethical natures, potentials, and pragmatic realities of artistic citizenship for human flourishing through music and the other arts.
Community Music in the South Pacific
Authors: Oti Rakena Te
Published: February 2018

This chapter describes a community music research activity within an urban South Pacific context, and the processes used to ensure that authentic stories and new ways of knowing emerged from this interaction. The research project explored the prior learning experiences of indigenous Māori and minority Pasifika students enrolled in a faculty that teaches the disciplines associated with the creative arts and industries. The specific focus was the development of musical literacy through community music-making. By underpinning all research processes with methodologies that accommodate these populations’ worldviews and utilizing qualitative approaches that fit Pacific cultures, the researchers created the opportunity to enhance the data with new and unexpected findings. We uncovered stories about students’ community music-making experiences and a contemporary South Pacific view of the role of community music. This chapter focuses on those narratives, and the research design that allowed these stories to emerge.
Translating Intercultural Creativities in Community Music
Authors: Burnard Pamela , Ross Valerie , Hassler Laura , Murphy Lis
Published: February 2018

The term ‘intercultural’ (as in ‘intercultural creativity’) acknowledges the complexity of locations, identities, and modes of expression in a global world, and the desire to raise awareness, foster intercultural dialogue, and facilitate understanding across and between cultures. In a globalized world faced with unprecedented challenges, intercultural communication and dialogue is considered key to facilitating possibilities that, previously, might not have been available to us. In this chapter, we identify how intercultural creativity can be recognized and evaluated in the practice of community musicians. The notion of ‘translation’ is related to the interrogation, not only of what intercultural creativity is, but also how it is experienced. This chapter features the work of Netherlands-based Musicians without Borders and UK-based Music Action International, and the voice of a Malaysia-based composer working in an intercultural environment. We examine collaboration between diverse communities and musicians. The chapter concludes with implications for educating and developing the community musician.
Designing Interfaces for Musical Algorithms
Authors: Bullock Jamie
Published: February 2018

This chapter presents a range of approaches to the design of interfaces for the creation of and interaction with musical algorithms. The first part of the chapter grounds the discussion in an overview of salient design and development methods, drawing on the fields of usability, user experience, user-centred design, activity-centred design, and the psychological concept of ‘flow’. This culminates in the exposition of a new conceptual framework, music-centred design, which brings together these methods within the context of musical activity. The second part of the chapter presents a series of design case studies, each focusing on a distinct approach to interfaces for musical algorithms, and critically situates these in terms of design philosophy and implementation. A concluding argument is made for the centrality of design in the development of interfaces for algorithmic music.
The Audience Reception of Algorithmic Music
Authors: Simoni Mary
Published: February 2018

Contemporary music research and practice have leveraged advances in computing power by integrating computing devices into many aspects of music—from generative music to live coding. This efflorescence of musical practice, process, and product raises complex issues in audience reception. This chapter employs a comparative analysis in a longitudinal study designed to understand the psychological aspects of the audience reception of algorithmic music. It studies four compositions from the latter part of the twentieth century late, presented on fixed media to avoid variability in musical performance. Using a modified think-aloud protocol to collect data, this study shows that reception theory may be applied to the audience reception of algorithmic music using a cognitive-affective model to further understand the process of decoding of meaning. This study puts forth a robust methodology for future longitudinal and comparative research in the audience reception of music and makes recommendations for further research.
Tensions and Techniques in Live Coding Performance
Authors: Roberts Charlie , Wakefield Graham
Published: February 2018

In live coding performance, performers create time-based works by programming them while these same works are being executed. The high cognitive load of this practice, along with differing ideas about how it should be addressed, results in a plurality of practices and a number of tensions at play. In this chapter we use a lens of five recurrent tensions to explore these practices, including the balance of stability and risk in performance; the legibility and immediacy of code for audience and performer; the benefits and limits of musical and computational abstractions; the maintenance of flow and pace during performance; and the diversity of conceptions of time, determinacy, and duration that pervade live coding. Addressing these tensions contributes to the unique appeal, challenge, and power of live coding, and provides spaces to develop highly individual and expressive practices.
Thoughts on Composing with Algorithms
Authors: Spiegel Laurie
Published: February 2018

In this chapter Laurie Spiegel, a pioneer of algorithmic logic in music composition, considers various reasons to use algorithms, including their function as descriptors, generators and adjuncts to creative musical practises. Self-simulation (notably, of decision making processes) is juxtaposed against the sonification of external information and various other uses of algorithms are also described. Human input may be minimal or extensive for the logic used to specify parameters of individual sonic events, variations in global informational entropy, inherent structuring or to achieve variation of material. Spiegel values algorithms particularly to allow her to ‘inhabit the state of flow’ of music by freeing her to focus on selected aspects of composing while handing off other aspects to automated procedures. The chapter includes descriptions of the kinds of uses of algorithmic logic that have contributed to the composition of specific musical works.
Form, Chaos, and the Nuance of Beauty
Authors: I'Anson Mileece
Published: February 2018

In general, musical forms iterate from axioms of pitches and intervals organized by a set of principles, yet when describing music as ‘desirable’ or ‘effective’, we are pointing not to its form, but to our experience of it. In successful music, the composer moves the listener through a series of emotive states in some sense predetermined by the composer, but that are not reducible to the patterns and principles. The argument in this chapter concerns what makes some music capable of eliciting ‘exaltation’ rather than a routine response. Designing chaos into the musical patterns themselves is proposed as one such route. The author uses the evolution of the stochastic processes underlying her ‘aesthetic sonification’ of natural systems and the vocal variabilities of Emma Kirkby and Amy Winehouse to elucidate her thoughts on how chaos can interact with musical forms. Growth in natural systems, while still engaging with ‘choreographed chaos’ has particularly motivated the author.
Compositions Created with Constraint Programming
Authors: Anders Torsten
Published: February 2018

This chapter surveys music constraint programming systems, and how composers have used them. The chapter motivates why and explains how users of such systems describe intended musical results with constraints. This approach to algorithmic composition is similar to the way declarative and modular compositional rules have successfully been used in music theory for centuries as a device to describe composition techniques. This systematic overview highlights the respective strengths of different approaches and systems from a composer’s point of view, complementing other more technical surveys of this field. This text describes the music constraint systems PMC, Score-PMC, PWMC (and its successor Cluster Engine), Strasheela, and Orchidée—most are libraries of the composition systems PWGL or OpenMusic. These systems are shown in action by discussions of the composition processes of specific works by Jacopo Baboni Schilingi, Magnus Lindberg, Örjan Sandred, Torsten Anders, Johannes Kretz, and Jonathan Harvey.
Youth and the Radical Right
Authors: Miller Idriss Cynthia
Published: February 2018

This chapter argues that the most compelling explanations for far right engagement are ones that show how structural and cultural elements work together to attract youth to far right political parties, organizations, movements, subcultures, and scenes. For example, it suggests that youth who experience structural conditions such as economic uncertainty are more vulnerable to far right parties’ and groups’ rhetoric in part because they find cultural elements such as the desire to belong and the desire to resist mainstream authority more appealing. Beginning by attempting to define “youth” and “radical right,” the chapter discusses various structural and cultural factors that help explain far right youth political engagement and voting behavior as well as their engagement in far right subcultural scenes. It concludes by highlighting scholarship on the ways structural and cultural factors mutually reinforce each other to strengthen the appeal of the far right, particularly for youth.
The Radical Right in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Authors: Backes Uwe
Published: February 2018

This chapter analyzes and compares political developments in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It highlights the common ground between groups on the right-wing fringe of each country’s party system. To an extent the differences between the way right-wing groups developed in each of these countries is due to the different histories of the respective states. Recently however, they have moved closer to each other in the face of very similar problems. To a degree Switzerland is a special case because of its multilingual cantons and the early development of a pluralist civic culture that sustains an extraordinarily dynamic democratic constitutional state. This is particularly true given the autocratic relapses toward right-wing politics in neighboring German-speaking countries.
The Radical Right in the United Kingdom
Authors: Goodwin Matthew J. , Dennison James
Published: February 2018

This chapter examines the evolution of the extreme and radical right in the United Kingdom, providing an overview of its historical, organizational, and electoral development. In contrast to the experience of several other Western democracies, the repeated failures of extreme and radical right parties in Britain led academics to point to “British exceptionalism,” or to portray this case as the “ugly duckling” in the wider family of Europe’s extreme right. However, between 2010 and 2016, the UK Independence Party (UKIP) scored a string of impressive successes, finishing ahead of the mainstream parties in the 2014 European Parliament elections, then winning nearly 13 percent of the popular vote in the 2015 general election. The final section considers the role of UKIP in the United Kingdom’s 2016 referendum on European Union membership and what the future is likely to hold for the radical right in Britain.
The Radical Right in Post-Soviet Ukraine
Authors: Mierzejewski-Voznyak Melanie
Published: February 2018

During much of Ukraine’s post-Soviet history, the radical right has remained on the political periphery, wielding little influence over national politics. However, from 2009 to 2014, Ukraine saw a radical right-wing party, Svoboda, enter parliament, and from 2014 to 2016 there was an increased social role played by the right-wing radical groups Pravyi Sektor and Azov. Thus, the political impact of the far right in Ukraine extends beyond electoral performance and to the activities of extra-parliamentary groups that are beginning to penetrate political life and state institutions. The radical right in Ukraine is intertwined, but not identical, with ethnic Ukrainian nationalism. The direction and development of the Ukrainian far right have thus been a result of both the historical legacy and cultural context of a nation that was ruled over by others for centuries and is home to competing ethnic nationalisms and geopolitical orientations.
The Radical Right and Antisemitism
Authors: Wodak Ruth
Published: February 2018

This chapter considers the question of whether antisemitism today should be regarded as a genuine structural feature of contemporary society or rather as a relic of an old but now overcome European ideology. It begins by providing some working definitions of the most prominent forms of current expressions of antisemitism. It then describes some relevant antisemitic stereotypes as well as related strategies of denial. It summarizes the few existing opinion polls oriented toward right-wing populism that correlate with antisemitism. Finally, it presents two typical manifestations of antisemitism from right-wing populist parties, analyzed in a qualitative discourse-analytical way, to illustrate explicit as well as coded manifestations recurring across Europe (and beyond).
Explaining Electoral Support for the Radical Right
Authors: Arzheimer Kai
Published: February 2018

The literature on the radical right’s electorate offers a plethora of potential explanations as to why people vote for the radical right. This chapter organizes the presumptive causes of right-wing voting along the lines of the familiar micro-meso-macro scheme, focusing both on a number of landmark studies and on some of the latest research. In doing so, it weighs the evidence in favor of and against some prominent hypotheses about the conditions for radical right party success, including the pure-protest hypothesis, the charismatic-leader hypothesis, and the silent-counterrevolution hypothesis. It also discusses the existing knowledge on the effects of a host of meso- and macro-level factors, and points out some directions for further research. The chapter concludes that radical right mobilization is now the rule rather than the exception, and that we should perhaps focus on understanding why it is not successful in some cases.
Signal Crimes, Social Reactions, and the Future of Environmental Criminology
Authors: Innes Martin , Innes Helen
Published: February 2018

This chapter examines the precepts associated with the signal crimes perspective (SCP). It begins by setting out that a signal is something that transmits messages to an audience. Thinking in terms of signals and “signaling” opens up new ways of seeing crime, disorder, and social control. In particular, it keys into an event-based unit of analysis, as opposed to measuring impacts in an aggregated form. Having laid out the conceptual apparatus of the SCP, the discussion proceeds on to briefly consider how SCP compares with more established criminological frameworks for studying reactions to and consequences of crime. The latter sections of the chapter focus on the ways that changes to the information environment, associated with an era of “big data” and social media, are altering the incidents that signal and how their impacts travel across space and time.
Egohoods
Authors: Hipp John R. , Bates Christopher J.
Published: February 2018

This chapter focuses on a different conception of ecological space known as egohoods. It motivates the use of egohoods regarding the three features of routine activities theory: suitable targets, motivated offenders, and capable guardians. It discusses the spatial patterns of these three concepts and how egohoods as a geographic unit are well suited to capture their dynamic processes. It asks: what are the consequences of sociodemographic and business pattern changes in egohoods for the distribution of crime? Does the change in egohoods have similar implications for crime as does the change in meso-units such as neighborhoods, or microunits such as street segments? The chapter provides an empirical examination of these questions using data from the city of Los Angeles from 2000–2010 of robbery and burglary events.
Crime Concentrations
Authors: Ignatans Dainis , Pease Ken
Published: February 2018

This chapter begins by sketching out where the practice of policing may be heading, and what we need to do differently, so as to arrive at a roughly envisioned future ethically and in good order. A police presence at all places at all times being impossible, the practical issue is where and when to place officers or their technological surrogates. It then considers optimized distribution of effort and resource, given the central aim of fairness in the distribution of crime harm. It illustrates current levels of inequality of victimization, and claim that reducing the current concentration, at individual and area levels, should be an explicit underpinning vision for policing. It briefly reviews the relevant literature and its implications.
Riots, Space, and Place
Authors: Baudains Peter , Johnson Shane D.
Published: February 2018

This chapter reanalyzes data concerning the 2011 riots in Greater London. The authors extended prior work in a number of directions, using variables more representative of the areas in which rioting took place, using smaller geographical units of analysis, and extending the analysis to examine the role of risky facilities. The results show support for crime pattern and social disorganization theories, as well as the precipitating influence of crowds, in explaining rioter decision-making. In addition, it is shown that different types of facilities appear to have different influences on the spatial decision-making of those engaged in the riots. In explaining these differences, the chapter draws attention to the fact that some facilities are more common on the high street and visited more spontaneously, while others require a more purposeful visit, are likely to provide more guardianship, and are more likely to have formal place management practices.
Maritime Piracy
Authors: Townsley Michael
Published: February 2018

This chapter outlines how theories of environmental criminology can inform our understanding of maritime piracy and assesses empirically how the incidence of maritime piracy is influenced by opportunities created by a maritime setting. The chapter is organized into three sections. The first section after the introduction discusses different periods of piracy, spanning ancient times, the Middle Ages, and up to present day. While the factors contributing to piracy in each age vary, there is a common explanation for how piracy has been quashed: establishing effective place management in the maritime realm. The second section focuses on some key constructs in environmental criminology and illustrates how they operate in a maritime setting. The concluding section deals with patterns that have been observed in maritime piracy in recent times.
Child Sexual Abuse and Opportunity
Authors: Wortley Richard
Published: February 2018

Explanations of child sex abuse typically focus on the offenders’ presumed pathological dispositions that are seen to drive their offending behavior, and pay little attention to the role played by opportunity and other situational factors. It is argued in this chapter that child sexual abuse, like all behavior, is the product of a person-situation interaction and as such can be analysed using the theories and approaches of environmental criminology. Child sexual abuse is found to occur in contexts where potential victims can be easily accessed and where personal, social, situational, and legal controls over potential offenders are weak. Establishing a situational basis for child sexual abuse opens the way for the application of situational crime prevention strategies to create safer places for children.
GIS and Spatial Analysis
Authors: Andresen Martin
Published: February 2018

The importance of spatial-temporal dimension(s) within environmental criminology has made the use and applications of geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis rather widespread. This chapter covers some of the principles and advancements in the use of crime mapping and spatial analysis to study the spatial distribution of crime, primarily through the lens of environmental criminology. Crime mapping is defined as the spatial representation of crime (in the context of criminal events) on a map. Consequently, in order to do so, one must have geographic coordinates for each criminal event to place it on a map. There are three primary ways in which spatially referenced data can be presented: points, lines, and areas. Most often, criminal event data are represented as points (dot maps) or areas (census tracts or neighborhoods, for example), but maps considering lines (street segments) are becoming more commonplace.
Computer Simulations
Authors: Birks Daniel
Published: February 2018

In recent years, the field of social simulation has been dominated by the individual, or agent-based, computational model (ABM). ABMs provide unique means to explore complex social systems by allowing researchers to construct explicit models of the individual actors and interactions that make them up - people, peer groups, companies, nations, trade, reproduction, victimization, and so on, This chapter aims to provide the reader with a primer in the social simulation method and in particular the application of ABM in the field of environmental criminology. It begins by discussing the rationale behind the ABM approach. Subsequently, drawing on two illustrative simulations, it summarizes fundamental processes involved in designing, constructing, verifying, calibrating, validating, and utilizing ABM. It concludes by discussing some of the overarching strengths and limitations of the approach, and by discussing several areas of research that might aid in furthering the use of ABM within the field of environmental criminology.
Advances in Visualization for Theory Testing in Environmental Criminology
Authors: Brantingham Patricia L. , Brantingham Paul J. , Song Justin , Spicer Valerie
Published: February 2018

This chapter discusses advances in visualization for environmental criminology. The environment within which people move has many dimensions that influence or constrain decisions and actions by individuals and by groups. This complexity creates a challenge for theoreticians and researchers in presenting their research results in a way that conveys the dynamic spatiotemporal aspects of crime and actions by offenders in a clearly understandable way. There is an increasing need in environmental criminology to use scientific visualization to convey research results. A visual image can describe underlying patterns in a way that is intuitively more understandable than text and numeric tables. The advent of modern information systems generating large and deep data sets (Big Data) provides researchers unparalleled possibilities for asking and answering questions about crime and the environment. This will require new techniques and methods for presenting findings and visualization will be key.