When cholera hit the small village of Scheveningen on the west coast of Holland in June 1832, it took everybody by surprise. It had been generally assumed that the deadly disease would come from the east. From India the pandemic had spread throughout Asia, reaching Russia, Poland, then Prussia…… Soldiers had fired their rifles to clear the air, ships had been quarantined, travellers had been stopped and questioned, all to no avail.

The first cases of cholera in the Netherlands were fierce...

This book explores the concept of love in the work of Russian philosopher Vladimir Solov’yëv (1853–1900), with a focus on two of his writings: La Sophia (1875–1876) and Smysl lyubvi (The Meaning of Love, 1892–1894). The author analyzes how the concept of ‘Sophia’ (wisdom as a feminine, divine force) and the idea of All-Unity (a universal all-encompassing unity) converge in Solov’yëv’s deeper philosophical-theological vision of love.

The study connects Solov’yëv’s ideas ...

Solitary Persons? describes the autism theories of George Frankl (1897-1975), Hans Asperger (1906-1980) and Leo Kanner (1894-1981). These medical doctors were among the first to work with autistic children. Frankl’s role in the history of autism was discovered in 2015 and is clarified here. Asperger and Kanner are well-known founders of autism research, but this dissertation presents new discoveries about their work and a new interpretation of their work as a whole.

Frankl, Asperger and Kan...

Rian de Waal (1958-2011) has written a book about the piano, and how the development of piano playing has been very much dependent upon musicians who were able to cross borders. In 'Metamorphoses, the Art of the Virtuoso Piano Transcription', De Waal takes us on a journey through the capricious history of the piano transcription. At first revered by musicians and audience alike (and often the sole reason for the great fame of some pianists), the piano transcription later became despised and c...

To most obervers, the recent intensification of heat and drought alternating with torrential downpours and floods, destroying crops and infrastructure, is clear evidence that the climate system has become unstable, and that we’re entering a roller coaster of state changes that we will hardly be able to cope with. Meanwhile, mankind keeps racing at full speed on the highway that traverses the technological promise land full of illusions of an even easier and more affluent existence.

This bo...

Bij het inrichten van de Nederlandse ruimte komen ruimtelijke planners en infrastructuurplanners elkaar veelvuldig tegen. Ruimtelijke ordening en transportplanning hebben veel met elkaar te maken. Toch zijn de relaties tussen beide plannerswerelden niet eerder beschreven.

Dit boek gaat over de ontmoeting tussen de builders uit de infrastructuurwereld en de planners, die de ruimte wilden ordenen. Beschreven wordt hoe sinds de jaren 1920 de professionalisering van builders en planners verliep, ...

During large parts of its history chemistry was seen as a science of progress, admired by many. But contemporary public debates on chemistry have been quite critical, mainly for environmental reasons. Therefore is it interesting to note that in the course of the 1990s “green chemistry” emerged. The origins, scientific meaning and drivers behind the spectacular growth of that new field are the subject of "Research between Science, Society and Politics: The History and Scientific Developmen...

This edited volume explores the interface between psychiatry and spiritual care. Philosophers, psychiatrists and chaplains focus on recovery, trauma and grief in mental health care, prison and military settings.

This volume offers an in-depth analysis of the political shifts and challenges currently facing the centre–right in Europe. The central theme is the rise of radical-right parties and ideas, which not only strain the traditional political order but also raise questions about the future of European integration, the democratic order, and transatlantic cooperation. The authors explore the core values and strategies of Christian Democracy and conservatism and their enduring relevance. They also ...