Die „Vergleichende Kurortanalyse“ (VKA)

Kein touristisches Segment ist derzeit durch eine so massive Angebotsexpansion gekennzeichnet wie der Gesundheitstourismus. Allein in Deutschland versuchen sich heute mehr als 350 Heilbäder und Kurorte auf dem Markt der heiß umworbenen Selbstzahler zu positionieren. Aber auch außerhalb der Kurorte entwickelt sich das kur- und gesundheitstouristische Angebot dynamisch. Der nachfrageseitige Markt für gesundheitstouristische Dienstleistungen ist vielversprechend und hat eine weltweite Mobilisierung um den gesundheitsbewußten Touristen in Gang gesetzt. Um in diesem stark wachsenden Markt überhaupt wahrgenommen zu werden, müssen Anbieter mit einem klaren Profil erscheinen, vor allem Heilbäder und Kurorte, die ein eher traditionelles Image aufweisen. Zudem verlangen Investitionsvorhaben oder Wirtschaftsförderungen klare Entscheidungsgrundlagen der langfristigen Positionierung und Spezialisierung. Nicht zuletzt stellt sich die Frage, wie Heilbäder und Kurorte auf Destinations- bzw. Landesebene am Markt präsentiert werden müssen, um sich von anderen Bäderdestinationen zu unterscheiden. Für diese komplexe Aufgabenstellung hat das Europäische Tourismus Institut (ETI) ein abgestimmtes Erhebungs-, Bewertungs- und Analyseinstrument entwickelt, das konsequente Produkt- und Positionierungsentscheidungen für den einzelnen Kurort wie auch das Landes- oder Regionalmarketing ermöglicht. Die Vergleichende Kurortanalyse (VKA) berücksichtigt dabei sowohl die Bedürfnisse des Marktes als auch die spezifische Angebotsausstattung bzw. -attraktivität in den Orten.     

Are the most productive regions necessarily the most successful? Local effects of productivity growth on employment and earnings

Economists typically celebrate productivity growth as the chief way to improve living standards. Productivity growth may reduce costs, improve quality, or lead to innovation and new products, but if demand is insufficiently elastic, productivity growth can lead to weakening of labor markets. We study county‐level effects of productivity growth and productivity levels on growth in employment, income, and earnings. The results suggest that productivity growth generally suppresses job growth but has boosting effects on earnings and, to a lesser degree, on per‐capita income, although there is considerable variation across geographies and specific outcomes.     

The Choir of Auxerre Cathedral and the Question of a Burgundian Gothic Architecture

Despite criticisms, the classification of the choir of Auxerre Cathedral as Burgundian persists in recent literature. Yet the cathedral’s choir, begun c. 1215, demonstrates the problematic nature of the existing regional categories for French medieval architecture. Based on the 19th-century idea of progress, the conceptual model that conceives Gothic France as consisting of ‘centre and periphery’ and notions such as regional styles or period styles are deeply at odds with medieval concepts of innovation as inclusive of tradition, as evidenced in the biography of Bishop William of Auxerre (1207–20). Indeed, 20th-century studies in support of the classification are contradicted by recent archaeological findings, and neither the historical evidence nor the architectural evidence support a Burgundian label for the choir. The architecture’s distinctly trans-regional character with a mixture of both traditional and up-to-date architectural elements as well as the fact that patronal identities were strongly based on local affiliations and not attached to the duchy of Burgundy, invite a profound reconsideration not only of the position of the choir in the architectural landscape of the early 13th century but also of Gothic architecture of north-eastern France in more general terms.     

‘There was never anythin’ like this!!!’ Valeska Gert's Performances in the Context of Weimar Culture

This paper explores Valeska Gert's contributions to dance against the backdrop of Weimar Germany. The first section considers the themes of her choreographies. Eschewing both idealism and abstraction, her work presented a gritty account of the realities of contemporary quotidian life, often featuring outcasts from bourgeois society. It also reflected a growing German interest in aspects of American culture, including sport and multi-ethnicity. Whereas many expressive dancers offered bucolic images of nature, Gert fully embraced modernity, including the process of urbanisation and technological developments. The paper's second section turns to stylistic features of Gert's dance, using an analysis of Alfred Meyer's poem about the dancer as a springboard for discussion. Consideration is given to the montage-like structure of many of Gert's works, her invocation of elements of ‘lower’ culture such as the street ballad, and her association with the carnival and grotesque. Her frequently shocking body images are viewed as subverting social conventions, in particular by presenting a radical take on femininity.     

Urban Open Space and Governance in Ancient Mesoamerica

Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory - Analyzing the nature of governance of early states and cities is a major challenge for archaeology today. Blanton and Fargher’s (Blanton and...     

Date,Rituals and Socio‐Cultural Identity in the North‐Western Roman Provinces

This article explores issues of socio‐cultural identity in the north‐western Roman provinces, using all the available archaeobotanical evidence of date (Phoenix dactylifera L.). This fruit does not conform to the general social distribution pattern of other Roman exotic food plant imports in this area, but instead indicates a strong ceremonial connection. Through an in‐depth contextual approach the role of date in both domestic and ceremonial sites is investigated to reach beyond the simple ‘date‐Roman‐ritual’ association. The results suggest strong temporal, spatial and contextual patterning and an overall rare occurrence and selective use of the fruit in certain rituals and mystic cults. Date may have been employed not necessarily as a food, and was probably an affordable luxury for some in their ritual pursuits. As such, date can now be regarded as part of specific ceremonial expressions rather than a standard ingredient of a normative ceremonial or ‘Roman’ identity.