This chapter considers a general form of the Wick’s theorem, which leads to a perturbation expansion of the (contour) single- and two-particle Green’s functions, which are expressed in terms of the contour time-ordering operator. The strategy for proving the Wick’s theorem is similar to that adopted within the Matsubara formalism for the Green’s functions at finite temperature and relies on the Gibbs form of the statistical operator in the interaction picture. An extension to superfluid Bose and Fermi systems is also considered.

The ’Introduction’ lays the intellectual foundation for the book by situating mind-altering substances within the broader arc of human cultural, neurological, and technological evolution. It argues that altered states of consciousness — whether chemically, behaviourally, or digitally induced — are not peripheral but central to the human experience. The chapter outlines how the search for transcendence, novelty, and meaning has driven innovations in medicine, ritual, and technology across millennia. It introduces the concept of ’experiential adaptation’ to describe how societies continually modify consciousness in response to environmental, social, and symbolic pressures. The introduction also maps out the interdisciplinary methodology of the book, drawing from anthropology, neuroscience, history, digital media studies, and future forecasting. It prepares the reader to navigate a narrative that stretches from Palaeolithic natural and artificial, healthy and pathological, sacred and simulated.

In Chapter 31, “People in the Publishing World,” we explain the different types of professional figures whom academic writers will encounter, particularly editors and agents. The chapter reviews the roles and responsibilities associated with each of these roles, as well as providing guidance as to how and when to reach out to these figures. This chapter connects junior faculty to others involved in research and publishing, encouraging them to see themselves as members of this community who can benefit from the experience of others around them while also contributing to their fields.

The Conclusion argues that despite material improvements in both work and home life during the twentieth century, societal changes and a growing popular discourse of stress meant that by its end, people regularly interpreted their everyday woes as stress. The language and terminology deployed to describe what is now understood as stress, were historicised according to cultural and social acceptability and thus physical explanations and stoicism were privileged for much of the century. The chapter argues that after the Second World War, thanks to increasing education, affluence and consumerism, people began to understand and deal with their everyday experiences of work and domestic life differently, so that such experiences became both problematised and the concept of stress popularised. Overall, it argues that stress was and is a mutable concept, its flexibility ensuring both conceptual longevity and, by the end of the century, its apparent ubiquity.

Businesses have a long-standing record of involvement in severe human rights violations, a trend that continues today and is likely to persist, and that is often aggravated during periods of conflict. However, corporate actors have mostly been excluded from transitional justice mechanisms, and corporate accountability remains an elusive element of transitional justice. In this context of impunity, scholars have called for the inclusion of economic actors in transitional justice processes and for stronger links between the transitional justice and business and human rights (BHR) fields. Focusing on Colombia, this chapter explores the mobilisation of victims’ organisations during and after the Peace Agreements, highlighting their pivotal role in shaping transitional justice and BHR debates and contesting corporate impunity. It underscores the need for context-sensitive, legally binding accountability mechanisms, and argues that addressing corporate complicity in conflict is not only essential for achieving justice but also a demand rooted in victims’ lived experiences, offering valuable insights for the intersection of transitional justice and BHR.

Vienna’s musical heritage is defined not solely by its composers and performers but also by an impressive array of distinctive instruments that have emanated from the city. This chapter delves into the variety of sound bodies that have shaped the city’s sonic environment: mechanical clocks with music, bells, string, keyboard and wind instruments, as well as their unique Viennese modifications. Designed and produced specifically for and/or in Vienna, they reflect the needs of their time and materialize the creative ideas of then-manufacturers, serve as popular tourist attractions or curiosities and transmit symbolic or social meaning.

While the international legal issues related to the search for disappeared persons have received considerable attention, limited research has been conducted on how participation in the search impacts victims’ lives. In particular, we argue that the importance of victim recognition needs to be inserted into these discussions, and our understanding improved about what types of institutional and social responses are needed to ensure effective and victim-oriented search processes. Our chapter utilises the concept of ‘recognition relationships’ with reference to two cases: Colombia and El Salvador. Our discussion illuminates the ways in which a focus on recognition relationships captures the dynamics of power, mobilisation, and participation which are central to any successful and just search process.

This chapter analyzes how a network of discourses, sounds, images, and behaviors conveyed content in Colombian salons during the nineteenth century, producing a “world of meaning.” To do this, I study the salon as a part of a civilizing project, exploring how it articulated gender and musical practice under new forms of sociability while examining masculinity and femininity roles introduced and performed within the salon, often using music and dance as means for fostering social interaction among peers. Ultimately, such analysis suggests that the salon became a musical scene that played a prominent role in social reform as a medium for bridging multiple social class and distinction discourses with new ideas about civilization, modernization, social order, and progress. From this standpoint, salons became semiprivate spaces where music and socialization allowed the members of the new Colombian urban bourgeoisie to articulate their visions of the private and the public spheres.

Chapter 8, “Introductions and Conclusions,” addresses these important components of academic writing that are often overlooked. We offer suggestions on various methods of capturing the readers’ attention and outlining key points and arguments in a clear and succinct way in the introduction. For conclusions, we provide strategies for summarizing an article’s arguments without unnecessary repetition and discuss different techniques for creating memorable and impactful conclusions.

Severance, buyouts, and talent raiding are key aspects of workforce transitions. This chapter discusses the financial and strategic implications of layoffs, golden parachutes, and employee poaching. It explores how organizations handle competitive job offers, counteroffers, and talent acquisition in dynamic labor markets.