Austrian Government Research Articles

The Right and the Righteous? European Norms, Domestic Politics and the Sanctions Against Austria

In February 2000, 14 EU Member States collectively took the unprecedented step of imposing bilateral sanctions on their Austrian EU partner. How can this be explained? Was it, as the 14 governments argued, because the inclusion in the Austrian government of Jörg Haider's extreme right FPö opposes many of the ideas making up the common identity of the EU? Or, were the sanctions motivated, as the Austrian government argued, by narrow‐minded party political interests that lurked beneath the rhetoric of shared European norms and values? Our analysis suggests that, without the particular concerns about domestic politics of certain politicians, it is unlikely that the sanctions against Austria would have been adopted in this form. On the other hand, without the recent establishment of concerns about human rights and democratic principles as an EU norm, it is unlikely that these particular sanctions would have been adopted collectively by all member governments. Thus, while norms might have been used instrumentally, such instrumental use only works, in the sense of inducing compliant behaviour, if the norms have acquired a certain degree of taken‐for‐grantedness within the relevant group of actors or institution.

Die Unsichtbare Hand greift nach den Universitäten

The paper deals with the current efforts of the Austrian government to remodel the university sector. The Rectors’ Conference meddled in the discussion process and asked some experts to evaluate the outline which has been drawn up by the ministerial bureaucracy. Result is the voluminous report “Universitaten im Wettbewerb”. The report stands up for a radical change in the sense of neo-liberalism and centres the question how to make universities more efficient. Its suggestions refer to all aspects of universities: their funding and organisation, employment contracts of scientific staff, regulation of studies and access to university. The ideas presented in the report radicalize the outline the government developed. The analysis shows that a break with the targets of educational and research policy in the past is intended. Efficiency of universities and the interests of the economic sector are moved in the focus of policy at the expense of free access to universities, participation of lecturers and students, academic freedom and independent scientific work, diversity of research, generous furthering of junior staff.

Martti Ahtisaari, Jochen Frowein and Marcelino Oreja: Report on the Austrian Government's Commitment to the Common European Values, in Particular Concerning the Rights of Minorities, Refugees and Immigrants, and the Evolution of the Political Nature of the FPO (The Wise Men Report)

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Martti Ahtisaari, Jochen Frowein and Marcelino Oreja: Report on the Austrian Government's Commitment to the Common European Values, in Particular Concerning the Rights of Minorities, Refugees and Immigrants, and the Evolution of the Political Nature of the FPO (The Wise Men Report)

An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content.

Germany, Austria and dissolution of Yugoslavia

The article deals with one of the causes of dissolution/breakdown of Yugoslavia. The author first analyses writing of German and Austrian press which has, at the very beginning of the crisis, taken a strong anti-Serb standing, as in 1914 and 1941. Author then analyses the reasons that led Austrian and German diplomacy and governments to actively forging the crisis and then breaking down a sovereign country. Those reasons could be summarized as follows: German and Austrian revenge for two wars lost in these territories; improvement of conditions for fulfillment of old German dream to advance toward Middle East; in order to become a world power Germany 'had to' to annul some of the consequences of the First and Second World War on the symbolic level and acquire a possibility to test its powers, and breaking down Yugoslavia, with help of its internal allies Germany broke down its army without military engagement and removed an obstacle for advancement towards East.

II. Fourteen Against One: The Eu Member States' Response To Freedom Party Participation In The Austrian Government

The participation of the Freedom Party in the Austrian government has given rise to exceptional reactions both in Austria and internationally. The imposition of a freeze in bilateral diplomatic relations by Austria's European Union partners has been particularly notable, amounting to an unprecedented response to the election of a new government in another Member State. This note seeks to describe the development of events and assess the status of the 14 Member States' actions under international law, in particular in the light of any developing norms concerning non-intervention, respect for human rights and the right to democratic governance.

Women, Work, and the Breadwinner Ideology, from the Fifteenth to the Twentieth Century

From December 10–11, 1999, the Department of History of the University of Salzburg, Austria, hosted around forty scholars to reflect on the combination of women, work, and the breadwinner ideology. The conference was cofinanced by the Austrian government. This can be called a significant gesture in a country where the extreme right-wing politician Jorg Haider recently proposed in his victorious election campaign to increase the child allowance for Austrian couples if the mother opted to stay at home. Should Haider's proposal be carried out, it would constitute yet another example of successful breadwinner ideology in practice. Indeed, western European society seems to have been trapped for centuries in set ideas on the division of work, care, and income between the sexes. But could this be an illusion?

Austria: precautionary blockage of agricultural biotechnology

Austria has interpreted the precautionary principle and Directive 90/220 in a more stringent way than other EU member states. It continues to ban the import of Bt maize despite the Commission’s recurrent warnings. The Austrian standard of GMO risk assessment emphasizes a broad definition of adverse effects beyond a purely technical account of risk, including effects of agricultural practices. Boundaries between plant, seed, food, and feed assessments tend to blur. It asks implicitly for the demonstration of safety and uses organic farming as a normative reference point. The understanding of precaution goes beyond the Danish approach in extensively interpreting the scope of Directive 90/220. This policy originated from the Environment Agency (UBA) and developed out of the division of labour among government agencies. It is in line with the inherent paternalism of Austrian governance as well as with Austrian public sensitivities concerning organic agriculture and food. When public opinion turned hostile to agricultural biotechnology, the Austrian standard became entrenched and led to Austria’s initially lone stance among EU member states.

Improving the sustainability of regional cleaner production programs

Abstract The sustainability of cleaner production programs requires long-term co-operation between governments, both local and at State level, the university and industry. The presented approach to sustaining cleaner production activities in a region consists of three phases: the initiation, the basic capacity level and the sustainability phase. The initiation phase demands initial funds from donors, experts from universities and case studies in industry. The basic capacity level for further popularization and dissemination of cleaner production principles is achieved by establishing and operating a cleaner production center and/or spin-off company. The former operates primarily in a promotional and research environment, while the latter is typical of the business and development environment. Besides establishing long-term co-operation with stakeholders, a local cleaner production program should be started in the sustainability phase and only on the basis of its results can regional programs be set up to ensure the sustaining of cleaner production activities in the region. The first cleaner production project in Slovenia was initiated by the Graz University of Technology and the University of Maribor. The project was supported by the Austrian and Slovene Governments. Later on proposals were made to found a national cleaner production center. UNIDO was willing to support it but the Slovene side did not show interest in time and the project was thus not realized. When the Slovene Government eventually was willing to support it, UNIDO would not be ready to provide the financial means any more. Consequently, the local government and the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering joined forces and a new cleaner production project in the textile industry was launched. The project was then expanded to include a consulting company, which resulted in the emerging of a spin-off company now located in the Styrian Technological Park. This spin-off company has already initiated and carried out numerous projects in the fields of cleaner production and rational energy consumption. Alongside the university, consulting companies and industry, it also works in collaboration with international companies.

U.S. Reaction to Right-Wing Party’s Joining Austrian Government Coalition

U.S. Reaction to Right-Wing Party’s Joining Austrian Government Coalition

The new Austrian government has announced its plans for the healthcare sector,

The new Austrian government has announced its plans for the healthcare sector,

Austrian body pleads for normal contacts despite EU freeze

MUNICH Austria's main research funding agency has called on foreign scientists not to turn their back on the country in reaction to the inclusion of the right-wing Freedom Party in the new Austrian coalition government.

Giuseppe Sterzi (1876-1919) of the University of Cagliari: a brilliant neuroanatomist and medical historian.

irst of all, let me explain why weare now writing about Sterzi.Approximately two years ago I(A.R.) received a message from Prof.Colin Wendell Smith, the secretary ofthe FCAT, who happens to live in theantipodal (for me) island of Tasma-nia, asking me if I could find him thearticle on subcutaneous tissue writtenby an Italian professor named Sterzi.This article had been mentioned byProf. DiDio during one FCAT meetingand Prof. Wendell Smith had alreadyunsuccessfully tried to obtain it viathe usual library system. Since I wasaware that Sterzi had been one of mypredecessors in the Anatomy Chair inCagliari, it was easy for me to send acopy of the article to Prof. WendellSmith, who was surprised to hear thatSterzi had been working in the antip-odal (for him) island of Sardinia andso was indirectly associated with me.In order to provide him with an En-glish summary, I had to read the 172-page article myself. I was greatly im-pressed by the rigorous discussion ofprevious reports and by the amount ofnew findings obtained also through acomparative anatomical/embryologi-cal approach. Prompted by this, webecame interested in Sterzi’s life andscientific achievements, being mani-fest that the studies on the subcutane-ous tissue and some others such asthat on the endolymphatic sac,though important and superbly car-ried out, had been just a parenthesisin his production devoted almost ex-clusively to neuroanatomy and thehistory of anatomy. Favaro (1921)maintains, in fact, that Sterzi madethem mainly to show his critics thathis production was not monothe-matic.

Wie Neues nicht entsteht: Die Gründung des Instituts für Höhere Studien in Wien durch Ex-Österreicher und die Ford Foundation

On the basis of recently discovered sources the author is able to rewrite the prehistory and early history of the Viennese Institut fuer Hoehere Studien as a complex story of communications decision-making and revising decisions within a small group of Austrian emigrees (among them: Friedrich von Hayek, Paul Lazarsfeld, and Oskar Morgenstern), American foundations, Austrian government officials and a group of Austrian social scientists profiting from the development. The Austrians sides in many ways apparently unable to transscend their own interest of the day produced a series of obstacles and barriers to establish this new institute. Thus, the massive impact of American money apparently produced a variety of unintended effects and consequences.

Asset Prices and History: The Case of Austria

Historical events are reflected in asset prices. Looking at Austrian government bond prices traded on the Swiss stock exchange during WWII provides therefore a useful way of interpreting the importance the thousands of people directly and indirectly engaged in stock markets attributed to various war events. An econometric analysis of the relationship between government bond values and events in Austrian history reveals that some generally considered crucial events connected with WWII are clearly reflected in Austrian government bond prices. This holds, in particular for the beginning and the end of the war. The annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938 which seemingly looked as being overwhelmingly and passionately welcomed by the Austrian population negatively affected the evaluation of Austrian government bonds, i.e. it was considered to be to the disadvantage of Austria by the people who put their own personal fortune at risk.

Administrative reform and cultural change: Austria in the eighteenth century

This article examines the relation between mass piety and religious reform measures initiated by the Austrian government in the Josephinian period. Josephinism intended to transform the prevailing baroque type of popular piety into a new reformed way of Catholicism. The article focuses on popular attitudes toward liturgy and toward charity. Two issues which were regarded as key issues in the context of religious reform. The results suggest that religious behaviour followed a consistent pattern in both liturgical and charitable matters; personal characteristics of the people involved and circumstantial matters worked usual in the same way for both issues. However, religious change led only to limited success of the government's ideas in the population; secularization, which was unpopular with the government, became a new strong alternative to baroque religion as well as toReform Catholicism. The analysis is based upon 2,800 written or oral wills made in Upper Austria in the period 1700–1820. Wills are the best source for research on mass piety because they cover all social strata and are preserved in large numbers, and testators were directly involved in formulating the text.

Planning by minimum consensus: Austrian ‘co‐operative federalism’ as a model for Europe?

Austria joined the European Union as late as 1995, so it may seem far‐fetched to present her as a model. However, Austria has a federal planning system. In the European Union, too, Member States have ceded powers to Brussels, so the European Union resembles federal planning systems. However, neither the Austrian federal government nor the European Union has a formal planning mandate, and so both have developed para‐constitutional planning institutions. Thus, in Austria there is the Austrian Conference on Spatial Planning where representatives of federal, state and local government co‐operate on a voluntary basis. In the European Union, also, planning co‐operation between Member States is voluntary. Part 1 puts the Conference on Spatial Planning within the context of Austria's evolving ‘co‐operative federal state’. Part 2 focuses on the Conference itself. Part 3 compares the Austrian arrangements with those for European planning. The conclusions draw lessons for European planning. The first is that informal arrangements can work well. However, there is scope for improvements. In Austria there is continuity of the membership of expert panels of the Austrian Conference on Spatial Planning. The Committee on Spatial Development has only the Troika arrangement, with continuity being provided by Directorate‐General XVI acting as the secretariat. One would wish for an arrangement with an independent secretariat. The financing and appointment of the secretariat as practised in Austria may serve as a model.

Low‐level exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields: Health effects and research needs

The World Health Organization (WHO), the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), and the German and Austrian Governments jointly sponsored an international seminar in November of 1996 on the biological effects of low-level radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields. For purposes of this seminar, RF fields having frequencies only in the range of about 10 MHz to 300 GHz were considered. This is one of a series of scientific review seminars held under the International Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Project to identify any health hazards from EMF exposure. The scientific literature was reviewed during the seminar and expert working groups formed to provide a status report on possible health effects from exposure to low-level RF fields and identify gaps in knowledge requiring more research to improve health risk assessments. It was concluded that, although hazards from exposure to high-level (thermal) RF fields were established, no known health hazards were associated with exposure to RF sources emitting fields too low to cause a significant temperature rise in tissue. Biological effects from low-level RF exposure were identified needing replication and further study. These included in vitro studies of cell kinetics and proliferation effects, effects on genes, signal transduction effects and alterations in membrane structure and function, and biophysical and biochemical mechanisms for RF field effects. In vivo studies should focus on the potential for cancer promotion, co-promotion and progression, as well as possible synergistic, genotoxic, immunological, and carcinogenic effects associated with chronic low-level RF exposure. Research is needed to determine whether low-level RF exposure causes DNA damage or influences central nervous system function, melatonin synthesis, permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB), or reaction to neurotropic drugs. Reported RF-induced changes to eye structure and function should also be investigated. Epidemiological studies should investigate: the use of mobile telephones with hand-held antennae and incidence of various cancers; reports of headache, sleep disturbance, and other subjective effects that may arise from proximity to RF emitters, and laboratory studies should be conducted on people reporting these effects; cohorts with high occupational RF exposure for changes in cancer incidence; adverse pregnancy outcomes in various highly RF exposed occupational groups; and ocular pathologies in mobile telephone users and in highly RF exposed occupational groups. Studies of populations with residential exposure from point sources, such as broadcasting transmitters or mobile telephone base stations have caused widespread health concerns among the public, even though RF exposures are very low. Recent studies that may indicate an increased incidence of cancer in exposed populations should be investigated further. Bioelectromagnetics 19:1–19, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Low-level exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields: Health effects and research needs

The World Health Organization (WHO), the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), and the German and Austrian Governments jointly sponsored an international seminar in November of 1996 on the biological effects of low-level radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields. For purposes of this seminar, RF fields having frequencies only in the range of about 10 MHz to 300 GHz were considered. This is one of a series of scientific review seminars held under the International Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Project to identify any health hazards from EMF exposure. The scientific literature was reviewed during the seminar and expert working groups formed to provide a status report on possible health effects from exposure to low-level RF fields and identify gaps in knowledge requiring more research to improve health risk assessments. It was concluded that, although hazards from exposure to high-level (thermal) RF fields were established, no known health hazards were associated with exposure to RF sources emitting fields too low to cause a significant temperature rise in tissue. Biological effects from low-level RF exposure were identified needing replication and further study. These included in vitro studies of cell kinetics and proliferation effects, effects on genes, signal transduction effects and alterations in membrane structure and function, and biophysical and biochemical mechanisms for RF field effects. In vivo studies should focus on the potential for cancer promotion, co-promotion and progression, as well as possible synergistic, genotoxic, immunological, and carcinogenic effects associated with chronic low-level RF exposure. Research is needed to determine whether low-level RF exposure causes DNA damage or influences central nervous system function, melatonin synthesis, permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB), or reaction to neurotropic drugs. Reported RF-induced changes to eye structure and function should also be investigated. Epidemiological studies should investigate: the use of mobile telephones with hand-held antennae and incidence of various cancers; reports of headache, sleep disturbance, and other subjective effects that may arise from proximity to RF emitters, and laboratory studies should be conducted on people reporting these effects; cohorts with high occupational RF exposure for changes in cancer incidence; adverse pregnancy outcomes in various highly RF exposed occupational groups; and ocular pathologies in mobile telephone users and in highly RF exposed occupational groups. Studies of populations with residential exposure from point sources, such as broadcasting transmitters or mobile telephone base stations have caused widespread health concerns among the public, even though RF exposures are very low. Recent studies that may indicate an increased incidence of cancer in exposed populations should be investigated further.

Stellar Surface Structure, IAU colloquium No. 176

Abstract The IAU Symposium No. 176 on the topic “Stellar Surface Structure” was held between October 9–13th 1995 in Vienna. Five scientific Sessions - Stellar Surface Mapping Techniques, Direct Mapping: The Last Frontier, Photospheric Phenomena: Results, Outer Atmosphere Structures, Next Generation Model Atmospheres with more than 200 participants presenting 55 talks and 105 poster papers cook place at the premises of the famous Vienna University. The Vienna symposium was carefully prepared and organized by the LOC (the head of the LOC Professor K. G. Strassmeier). The Abstracts of all the scientific contributions as well as the volume of Poster Proceedings have been published by the hosts and were distributed among the participants of the Symposium. The attendees and their accompanying guests could enjoy several sightseeing tours of the Austrian capital and a rich cultural program including a reception by the Mayor of Vienna Dr M. Haupl in the Rathaus. Symposium No. 176 was sponsored by several institutions and businesses including the Austrian Government Department of Science, Research and Culture, European Space Agency, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austrian Space Agency and many others. A generous support from the IAU in form of travel grants gave the chance to attend IAU Symposium No. 176 to more than 20 astronomers from FSU and East European countries.