Leiden University Student Repository

Lynden, Maaike van (2017)

Paradoxical Policies: The emergence of human rights legislation in the United States vs. the support for the occupation of East Timor during the Ford presidency

Bachelor thesis | International Studies (BA)

This research elaborates on how the stark contrast between US involvement in the invasion and occupation of East Timor and the emergence of human rights legislation during the Ford presidency can be understood and explained. The contradiction between American values and American actions during the Nixon and Ford presidencies is often explained to be created by the superiority of Cold War interests, inter alia by political scientists Clair Apodaca and Michael Goodhart. This research does not serve to prove these authors completely wrong. However, it elaborates on the matter in a more inclusive manner by showing that the complexity behind the contradiction in policy reaches further than mere Cold War interest.

Author

Lynden, Maaike van

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

North America

Supervisors

Bloemendal, Albertine

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en