Olaf Kühne Livres

The book explores the significant transformations in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, highlighting the interplay between petrochemistry, Louisiana State University, and public administration since the late 1920s. It examines the transition from modern to post-modern spatial development, revealing unique local characteristics and challenges, such as the downtown area's eccentric location and limited spatial planning influence. The concept of a 'multivillage metropolis' emerges, analyzed through a neopragmatic approach that integrates various theories, methods, and perspectives.

Offering a foundational exploration of the philosophy of science, this volume delves into essential concepts, theories, and various philosophical perspectives. It examines scientific methodologies and spatial approaches, making complex ideas accessible for readers seeking to understand the interplay between philosophy and scientific inquiry.

Exploring the intersection of aesthetics and the petrochemical industry, this book delves into how oilscapes are perceived and constructed socially. It examines individual interpretations of landscapes shaped by petroleum extraction and its impacts, emphasizing the limits and possibilities of aesthetic experiences. Drawing from neopragmatic landscape research and Richard Rorty's ideas, it critiques expert knowledge and innovative representation methods, focusing on Louisiana's diverse landscapes affected by over a century of petrochemical activities and their ecological consequences.

Exploring the concept of 'horizontal geographies', this book presents a theoretical redefinition that synthesizes various disciplines like regional and area studies. Grounded in philosophical neopragmatism, it aims to establish a theory-driven empirical research program that has been largely overlooked in spatial sciences. The work serves as a foundational guide for future research, offering a fresh perspective on spatial analysis and its applications across different fields.

Focusing on the social construction of landscape, this book explores how societal notions influence the design and use of physical spaces. It investigates the emergence and evolution of these ideas, emphasizing cultural specificity and the impact of Western landscape concepts. Through diverse case studies, including modern spatial planning in the U.S. and model railway landscapes, it reveals the intricate relationships between collective and individual perceptions of landscape. This comprehensive examination serves as a vital resource for professionals in geography, sociology, and landscape architecture.

Ralf Dahrendorf's extensive contributions to sociology, political practice, and philosophy are synthesized in this comprehensive work. Renowned for his insights into role theory and conflict theory, the book offers an English-language overview of his influential ideas and theories, highlighting his impact on social sciences and political thought.

Focusing on the interplay between freedom and liberalism, the authors present a unique theoretical exploration that intertwines concepts of space, landscape, and social dynamics. This innovative approach delves into how these elements shape individual and collective identities, offering a fresh perspective on the significance of liberalism in contemporary society.

The book explores the complex spatial, social, cultural, and demographic structures of Germany, emphasizing the interconnections between various levels of spatial development. It provides an in-depth analysis of how these aspects influence one another, offering insights into the unique characteristics of German society and geography.

Since the mid-1990s, the term 'foodscapes' has been used. Its reference to landscape opens it up to a wide theoretical variety and numerous methodological approaches. Through the large 'semantic yard' of the concept of landscape it becomes clear that the approach of foodscapes aims less at the description or pure positivistic analysis of the production, distribution and consumption of food, but is rather open to aesthetic approaches, normative questions, aspects of the connection of food and space with meaning. In this respect, research on foodscapes is not simply a part of food geography but reaches beyond it. With this anthology we contribute to the development of the research field on foodscapes and combine diverse perspectives from different disciplines, locations and theoretical as well as methodological backgrounds on the diversity of what foodscapes can be. Our anthology 'Foodscapes - Theory, History, and Current European Examples' is the result of the collaboration of lecturers and students from the universities of Bucharest, Madrid, Rome and Tübingen.

In the face of great challenges, utopian thinking is currently in vogue. The fact that utopias, with their ideas of an idealized target society, are not compatible with the basic features of an Open Society was already pointed out by Karl Popper in his book 'Die Offene Gesellschaft und ihre Feinde' (The Open Society and its Enemies) under the impression of National Socialism and Stalinism. In the present book, further forms of Closed Societies and the principal similarities (and differences) of their construction are examined. This is done by drawing on Ralf Dahrendorf's concept of life chances, in which he deals with the interaction of options and ligatures. The ambivalence of Dahrendorf's understanding of ligatures, since they restrict options on the one hand, but also give them meaning on the other, is resolved by a threefold differentiation: into ethical and moral, internally and externally directed, and explicit and implicit ligatures. While the former are capable of enabling lifechances, the latter tend to limit them. Based on this, the authors elaborate on the landscape (side) consequences of various closed societies and how ill-suited they are for dealing with current challenges.