Search

Few topics generate as much controversy and confusion in society, therapeutic practice, and science as violence in families, often referred to as domestic violence. There is a neverending dispute around the definition and about the statistics. Is relational violence mainly against women or are women as violent as men in intimate relationships? Outcomes from research are contradictory. When we zoom out, we can be aware that violence is everywhere and that we are part of it. At the same time, we can sense that the world is full of love. Both are part of the destructive dynamics of escalating conflicts in families that are more related to powerlessness than to power. In a therapeutic context we focus on the destructive dynamics in which the languages of perpetrator and victim are not helpful. We suggest the formulation of keystones as light posts to help us find a way to help family members to de‐escalate conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few topics generate as much controversy and confusion in society, therapeutic practice, and science as violence in families, often referred to as domestic violence. There is a neverending dispute around the definition and about the statistics. Is relational violence mainly against women or are women as violent as men in intimate relationships? Outcomes from research are contradictory. When we zoom out, we can be aware that violence is everywhere and that we are part of it. At the same time, we can sense that the world is full of love. Both are part of the destructive dynamics of escalating conflicts in families that are more related to powerlessness than to power. In a therapeutic context we focus on the destructive dynamics in which the languages of perpetrator and victim are not helpful. We suggest the formulation of keystones as light posts to help us find a way to help family members to de‐escalate conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in complex networks research allow to take a closer look at various ecological interactions that involve both plants and animals at the level of ecosystems. Especially mutualistic interactions (eg. pollination) play a crucial role in generating and sustaining biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. Many authors regard them as "architecture of biodiversity" because usually they connect dozens or even hundreds of species, forming large and complex networks of reciprocally beneficial interactions. The structure of such networks is highly heterogeneous and asymmetric: most of the species are rather weakly connected, while some of taxa develop much stronger relationships. Based on our studies in semi-natural habitats in NE Poland we will demonstrate how new mathematical tools allow to analyse the pollination network structure and can be farther applied to indicate "keystone" species which may be important in determining the stability of the studied ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]