Papers by Heide Gerstenberger
PROKLA. Zeitschrift für kritische Sozialwissenschaft, 2007
The tradition of reducing state analysis to the detection of elements which differentiate capital... more The tradition of reducing state analysis to the detection of elements which differentiate capitalist states from states in other historical epochs has been criticized by the participants of the socalled derivation debate. They endeavoured to derive the political form of capitalism from capitalist social relations. Since these conceptions did not translate into research agendas for concrete historical transformations regulation theory became widely accepted. Recent developments provoked debates on the relationship between the plurality of capitalist states and the world market. It might be useful to try to reformulate central questions of the derivation debate by taking into consideration historical developments.
PROKLA. Zeitschrift für kritische Sozialwissenschaft, 2011
The author discusses the causes, the special forms and the consequences of piracy in the coastal ... more The author discusses the causes, the special forms and the consequences of piracy in the coastal waters of Somalia. She debates the reasons for the decision of the European Union to launch a military operation against piracy. In spite of the fact that the German constitution prohibits the use of armed forces for the prevention of criminal acts German naval forces are taking part in the European military operation „Atalanta“.
BRILL eBooks, Sep 30, 2022
ACME: An International Journal for Critical Geographies, 2013
The article argues that any state theory has to take into consideration the fundamental changes o... more The article argues that any state theory has to take into consideration the fundamental changes of the logic of power that was brought about by the advent of capitalism. While a territorial logic of power was a central characteristic of European states before capitalism, the power of states has been detached from national territories through the mobility of capital. Technological developments have not only enhanced this mobility but also possibilities of production that are no longer determined by physical nature of a certain kind. The present international order of sovereign nation states was inherited from the pre-capitalist epoch. But the plurality of nation states has not only been reproduced in the processes of decolonization but has become a functional element of globalized capitalism. In guise of an introduction: territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zones Some readers may have heard or read about the Cod Wars between Britain and Iceland. There were three. They had been preceded by a conflict that broke out in 1952 when the Government of Iceland extended the breadth of its territorial waters from 3 to 4 nautical miles. Britain retaliated by banning Icelandic ships from British ports. But this only inspired the Icelandic fishermen to look for new customers and to start processing their own catches. The landing ban was a complete failure. In Iceland, however, it had soon become clear that four nautical miles did not really help matters. After all, fish was of utmost importance to the income of its population. In 1958 Iceland therefore decreed that from now on the breadth of its territorial waters were to be 12 nautical miles. While, following this 1 Creative Commons licence: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works
BRILL eBooks, Sep 30, 2022
BRILL eBooks, Sep 30, 2022
BRILL eBooks, Sep 30, 2022
BRILL eBooks, Sep 30, 2022
BRILL eBooks, Sep 30, 2022
BRILL eBooks, Sep 30, 2022
BRILL eBooks, Sep 30, 2022
BRILL eBooks, Sep 30, 2022
BRILL eBooks, Sep 30, 2022
BRILL eBooks, Sep 30, 2022
Lignes, 1995
Distribution électronique Cairn.info pour Éditions Hazan. Distribution électronique Cairn.info po... more Distribution électronique Cairn.info pour Éditions Hazan. Distribution électronique Cairn.info pour Éditions Hazan. La reproduction ou représentation de cet article, notamment par photocopie, n'est autorisée que dans les limites des conditions générales d'utilisation du site ou, le cas échéant, des conditions générales de la licence souscrite par votre établissement. Toute autre reproduction ou représentation, en tout ou partie, sous quelque forme et de quelque manière que ce soit, est interdite sauf accord préalable et écrit de l'éditeur, en dehors des cas prévus par la législation en vigueur en France. Il est précisé que son stockage dans une base de données est également interdit. Article disponible en ligne à l'adresse Article disponible en ligne à l'adresse https://www.cairn.info/revue-lignes0-1995-2-page-23.htm Découvrir le sommaire de ce numéro, suivre la revue par email, s'abonner... Flashez ce QR Code pour accéder à la page de ce numéro sur Cairn.info.
The International Journal of Maritime History, Jun 1, 2002
If they could have imagined modern means of communication, many shipowners and captains of the pa... more If they could have imagined modern means of communication, many shipowners and captains of the past would have dreamed of having these marvels installed. This same dream probably also holds true for present-day shipowners and officers who cannot take advantage of modern communication equipment. To be able to reach a ship regardless of where it is and regardless of the time of day would seem the solution to many problems affecting the economic use of a vessel and would save the owners countless headaches, while at the same time offering captains the option of seeking advice. In former times shipowners, especially if they engaged in tramping and did not have the means to employ agents, had to rely on their captains to be not only good seamen but also gifted tradesmen. With modern means of communication the latter qualification is no longer required. Telex, e-mail or fax aboard ships now make it possible to seek advice in an emergency or in case of a serious medical problem. The second officer, who on bigger ships is usually responsible for medical treatment, can ask to be connected with a doctor ashore for help with a diagnosis or guidance about treatment. If necessary, and if the ship is close enough to shore, he can even ask for a helicopter to evacuate a sick or injured seaman. Crews can receive weather forecasts or information about military problems ashore, the danger of pirates, or a ship in distress nearby. They receive news about developments in the structure or strategies of the managing company and sometimes about the status of port state controls (which ship, under which flag, classified by which society, has been held in port because of deficiencies). On many ships the bridge also receives a telex with a short summary of world news, an extraordinary mixture of political events, natural catastrophes, gossip about prominent people, the latest sports and the odd bit of trivia. Important news usually reaches the crew as well, although we have not observed any systematic distribution of information. 1
Prokla, Jun 1, 2005
Bis heute wird der Terminus "Globalisierung"-seit Mitte der neunziger Jahre ist er in Mode (Walte... more Bis heute wird der Terminus "Globalisierung"-seit Mitte der neunziger Jahre ist er in Mode (Walter 2003: 1. Kap.)-mit unterschiedlichen Inhalten und in unterschiedlichen theoretischen Zusammenhängen gebraucht. In kritischen Gesellschaftsanalysen ist inzwischen aber ein gewisses Maß an Übereinstimmungen erreicht worden. Auf den allerkürzesten Nenner gebracht bestehen sie in der Feststellung, derzeit sei nicht nur einer jener Prozesse verstärkter Internationalisierung zu beobachten, wie sie auch in früheren historischen Phasen immer wieder aufgetreten seien, vielmehr habe sich das Verhältnis von Politik und Ökonomie derart verändert, dass ein historisch neuartiger Strukturtypus entstanden sei. Des weiteren: Die Globalisierung sei zwar durch krisenhafte Entwicklungen der Weltwirtschaft in den sechziger und siebziger Jahren des 20. Jh. provoziert, ihre seither eingetretene Dynamik aber durch politische Entscheidungen in Gang gesetzt worden. Letztere reichten von nationalstaatlich beschlossener Aufhebung der Kapitalverkehrskontrollen bis zu fortlaufenden Prozessen der Deregulierung und Privatisierung. Nationalstaatliche Regulierungskompetenz sei nach wie vor daran beteiligt, die Reichweite eben dieser Kompetenz zu beschränken. Über das Ausmaß der solcherart hergestellten Beschränkung nationalstaatlicher Regulierungskompetenz wird nicht nur weiterhin politisch, sondern auch wissenschaftlich gestritten (z.B. die Beiträge in: Hibou 1999). Nach wie vor geht es also darum, das für die gegenwärtige historische Epoche charakteristische Verhältnis von Politik und Ökonomie genauer zu bestimmen. An dieser Diskussion beteiligen wir uns mit der These, dass eine theoretisch angemessene Analyse des epochalen Strukturwandels den Abschied vom territorialen Verständnis nationaler Souveränität verlangt. Am Beispiel der Ausflaggung von Handelsschiffen soll diese These im Folgenden erläutert werden. Die Thematik mag vielen abwegig erscheinen, ist es aber in doppelter Hinsicht nicht. Zum einen gewährleistet die Handelsschifffahrt täglich neu die technischen Grundlagen für den intensivierten Weltmarkt: über 90% der international gehandelten Waren werden auch heute noch zumindest ein Stück des Weges auf Schiffen transportiert. Zum anderen ist die faktische Auflösung der territorialen Konzeption nationalstaatlicher Souveränität untrennbar mit der aktuellen Entwicklung im internationalen Seetransport verbunden.
Westfälisches Dampfboot eBooks, 1996
PROKLA. Zeitschrift für kritische Sozialwissenschaft, 2005
While free trade zones, offshore banking and open ship registers have long been known, it is only... more While free trade zones, offshore banking and open ship registers have long been known, it is only during the last three decades that the offshore complex has become an important structural element of the world market. Governments offer special conditions for non-citizens on a world market. While these “havens” are often made use of for criminal activities, their use has also become a feature of legal strategies in the global economy. As far as the shipping industry is concerned “flags of convenience” offer several possibilities for cost reduction, the most important factor being the possibility to legally circumvent national labor markets. Most seafarers of today therefore work in a politico-legal no-man’s land.
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Papers by Heide Gerstenberger