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The article "War versus Ecology: The Struggle for Economic Potential in Times of Crisis" by Andreas Forner examines the relationship between war, ecology, and economy. It is noted that war reduces resources for environmental protection and the fight against climate change, while also contributing to environmental destruction. The article emphasizes the importance of a livable environment and sustainable economic growth. It argues that environmental protection and energy transition require a strong and growing economy in order to be successfully implemented. The article examines the impact of war on the environment and the economy, particularly in relation to the Russian war in Ukraine. [Extracted from the article]

This paper deals with the management of settlement growth in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg from the perspective of informality. Luxembourg is subject to high demographic and economic growth pressures across all parts of the country (capital, old-industrialized South, rural North), which strongly challenges the current planning system. At the same time, there is no formal regional planning, apart from approaches of intermunicipal cooperation, which are mainly voluntary in nature. Drawing on empirical case studies in two high-growth municipalities (Junglinster, Schuttrange), the paper outlines planning decisions in the institutional triangle between municipality, state and private institutions. Informality serves here not only to compensate for a lack of planning control, but also to deal with the country's complex legal framework conditions. The vital interests of landowners come into play informally as well: since parts of the country's wealth emerge from the valorization of property, speculative interests are immanent, and thus block development processes. In this context, the paper addresses elements of a regional growth management that could close the gap that exists between state planning and municipal autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, growth coalitions and growth critiques are examined by using the example of in-migration policies in the context of Jena case study. This is based on the following questions: Which local growth coalitions do exist with which growth goals? To what extent do growth boundaries lead to an expansion of local growth coalitions with the urban hinterland? What kind of growth-critical positions are there in urban politics and to what extent do they question growth policies? The paper particularly ties in with the theoretical discussion of post-growth planning and enriches it by an empirical reflection by examining forms of municipal growth scepticism as well as limits of regional cooperation. The results show that there is a distinct growth coalition in Jena, which pursues the goal of attracting skilled workers to secure economic growth. However, due to natural growth limits and the resistance of individual residents, in-migration policies are reaching their limits, so that intermunicipal cooperation in the urban region is being sought as a fallback solution. Explicit critiques of growth and a fundamental public discussion about growth policies, on the other hand, just begin to emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "China and the Changes of Our Century: Some Conceptual Considerations" by Wang Yiwei deals with the significant changes that China is causing in the world. President Xi Jinping has stated that these changes have not been seen on such a scale for centuries. The rise of China and the collective rise of emerging countries influence the direction of these changes. Experts agree that the world is unstable, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. The power shift from the West to China leads to a structural conflict between the US and China. The article deals with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and emphasizes the importance of cooperation for a common future of humanity. The US uses fears of China's rise to influence the West and force the West and other countries to take sides between China and the United States. The BRI aims to promote harmonious cooperation and open up new spaces for global economic growth. The initiative aims to achieve peace and stability at the national, regional, and global levels and address the deficit of peace, development, governance, and trust in today's world. The development of international relations should be accompanied by universally recognized principles that represent the basic guidelines for building cooperation for a common future of humanity. [Extracted from the article]

The article describes the development of India since its independence in 1947. Despite challenges such as a large population and a hierarchical caste system, India has emerged as an emerging country. It has experienced strong economic growth and is predicted to become a future major power. In terms of foreign policy, India has had historical border conflicts with Pakistan and China, as well as the aspiration to be a regional power in the Indian Ocean. India has formed various international alliances and faces challenges such as population growth, inequality, poverty, and climate change. [Extracted from the article]

The book "Germany. Geschichte einer Nation" by Helmut Walser Smith discusses the history of the German nation from 1500 to the present. The author emphasizes the importance of language, shared experiences, and religious affiliations for the sense of belonging. He relativizes the assumption that nationalism gave rise to the nation and warns against exaggerating war as a catalyst for nation-building. Nationalism only became a deadly ideology during World War I. Today, Germany represents political stability, economic growth, and military restraint. [Extracted from the article]