Aloys Prinz Livres

„Squaring the Circle“ is a collection of essays in honour of Bert Steenge on occasion of his retirement as a full professor of economics at the University of Twente. The title of this volume is based on Prof. Steenge's interest in seemingly unsolvable economic problems. The broad variety of topics in the book mirrors Prof. Steenge's wide area of interests in the field of economic analysis. The essays originate from presentations at the annual, binational Rothenberge seminar, organized by economists from the University of Münster and the University of Twente.

This volume contains a selection of papers on new technologies, networks and governance structures presented at the Rothenberge Seminar 2007, a joint venture of the School of Management and Governance of the University of Twente, the Institute of Public Economics of the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster and the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Groningen. Each paper explores a specific aspect of newly emerging technologies. The contributions range from a discussion of new conceptualizations of procuring knowledge to problems generated by targeted governmental policies including weapons production, strategies in adopting new technologies, regulation in environmental issues, the origin of rail transport in the Prussian Rhine Province, and a discussion of the work of the American-Canadian urban theorist Jane Jacobs.

In a global economy, environmental challenges and present as well as future demand and supply of energy are of crucial importance. Rules and institutions here are general tools to provide guidance for welfare improving solutions. In this context, researchers of the School of Management and Governance of the University of Twente and the Institute of Public Economics of the University of Muenster presented papers at a seminar at Rothenberge, published in this volume. The three main topics are: economic and institutional aspects of energy markets, economic implications of environmental laws, and the economics of international trade and markets.

Institutional and technological innovations are promoters of economic growth and development. Based on this general hypothesis, researchers of the School of Business, Public Administration and Technology of the University of Twente and the Institute of Public Economics of the University of Muenster presented papers at a seminar at Rothenberge, published in this volume. The central topics are: Institutional reforms to regulate markets, especially with respect to environmental problems; impulses to vitalize old industrial regions; innovations in the system of national accounts; innovation and cartelization of markets; the use of the internet for public choice and administrative accountability and an innovative voucher scheme for social policy.

The welfare state in its traditional form seems no longer sustainable. At the Rothenberge Seminar 2004, a joint venture of the School of Business, Public Administration and Technology at the University of Twente, NL, and the Institute of Public Economics at the Westfaelische Wilhelms-University Muenster, D, the reform options for the welfare state as such and in particular for the health care sector were discussed. In addition to that, other topics were touched upon as environmental policy, the urban structure of Germany and the public sector in general.

Die Autoren Hanno Beck und Aloys Prinz beleuchten die Herausforderungen, die Fake News in der heutigen Medienlandschaft darstellen. Sie erklären die verschiedenen Arten von Falschmeldungen, deren Entstehung und Auswirkungen auf die Gesellschaft. In einer Zeit, in der soziale Netzwerke Informationen blitzschnell verbreiten, verschwimmen die Grenzen zwischen Wahrheit und Lüge. Staaten und populistische Parteien nutzen gezielt Desinformation, während auch Experten und Medien oft im Informationsdschungel scheitern. Das Buch bietet zudem Strategien zur Abwehr von gezielter Desinformation.