1 Introduction to Pattern Formation in Nonequilibrium Systems. - 1. 1 General Remarks. - 1. 2 A Simple Model. - 1. 3 Pattern Formation in Liquid Crystals. - References. - 2 Hydrodynamics and Electrohydrodynamics of Liquid Crystals. - 2. 1 Introduction. - 2. 2 Symmetries and Broken Symmetries. - 2. 3 Statics. - 2. 4 Dynamics. - 2. 5 Electrohydrodynamics. - 2. 6 Additions to Nematodynamics. - 2. 7 Director-Type Degrees of Freedom. - References. - 3 General Mathematical Description of Pattern-Forming Instabilities. - 3. 1 Introductory Remarks. - 3. 2 Linear Analysis. - 3. 3 The Landau Equation. - 3. 4 The GinzburgLandau Equations. - 3. 5 Extended Weakly Nonlinear Analysis. - 3. 6 From Order Parameter to Amplitude Equations. - 3. 7 Concluding Remarks. - References. - 4 Flow Instabilities in Nematics. - 4. 1 Introduction. - 4. 2 Continuous Description of Nematics and Viscometry. - 4. 3 Stability Analysis and Basic Mechanisms. - 4. 4 Shear Flow Instabilities with the Director Perpendicular to the Shear Plane. - 4. 5 Flow Instabilities with the Director Initially Parallel to the Shear Plane. - 4. 6 Elliptical Shear Instability in Homeotropic Configuration. - 4. 7 Further Developments. - Appendix A: Linear stability problem when the director is perpendicular to the shear plane. - Appendix B: Elliptical Shear Equations. - References. - 5 Experiments on Thermally Driven Convection. - 5. 1 Introduction. - 5. 2 Planar Alignment and a Horizontal Magnetic Field. - 5. 3 Homeotropic Alignment and a Vertical Magnetic Field. - 5. 4 Two-Phase Convection. - Appendix A: Experimental Methods. - Appendix B: Physical Properties of 5CB. - References. - 6 Electrohydrodynamic Instabilities in Nematic Liquid Crystals. - 6. 1 Introduction. - 6. 2 Planar alignment: linear theory. - 6. 3 Planar alignment: nonlinear theory. - 6. 4 Homeotropic alignment. - 6. 5 Concludingremarks. - References. - 7 Mesophase Growth. - 7. 1 Introduction. - 7. 2 The MullinsSekerka Instability. - 7. 3 Directional Growth Experiments. - 7. 4 Free-Growth Experiments. - 7. 5 Prospects. - References. - 8 Viscous Fingering. - 8. 1 Introduction. - 8. 2 Theoretical Background. - 8. 3 Experiments. - 8. 4 Concluding Remarks. - References. - 9 Thermal Fluctuations in Pattern Forming Instabilities. - 9. 1 Introduction. - 9. 2 Macroscopic Stochastic Equations for Thermal Noise. - 9. 3 Stochastic Amplitude Equations. - 9. 4 Theoretical Results. - 9. 5 Experimental Results. - 9. 6 Discussion. - References. Language: English