Revolutions against racism, militarism and sexism organized by the New Left characterized the political landscape in the United in the sixties and seventies of the last century. Within these groups...Show moreRevolutions against racism, militarism and sexism organized by the New Left characterized the political landscape in the United in the sixties and seventies of the last century. Within these groups of the New Left, women played an important part and stood side by side along their male companions. Their voices, however, are overlooked and their experiences have only been researched in general terms. This paper focuses on the American Weather Underground organization and discloses the personal opinions and experiences of three Weatherwomen, Susan Stern, Cathy Wilkerson and Bernardine Dohrn, through autobiographies and video recordings. At the hand of the new social movement theory, a multi-faceted approach for a more thorough and less-biased understanding of this radical left-wing organization, it becomes clear that the activities of the Weather Underground were not that progressive towards women’s issues as they claimed to be.Show less
In the summer of 2013 and 2014 research was conducted by the Nexus-1492 project on the Amerindian site El Flaco in the Dominican Republic. This site contains platforms and montículos. Montículo A...Show moreIn the summer of 2013 and 2014 research was conducted by the Nexus-1492 project on the Amerindian site El Flaco in the Dominican Republic. This site contains platforms and montículos. Montículo A is excavated in diagonal 2 by 2 m units by using the box-grid method. These units are excavated in arbitrary layers of 10 cm. Montículo A contained a lot of archaeological material, such as ceramics, shell and fauna material. This research contributed to the reconstruction of the formation process of montículo A, which is investigated by J.A.M. Vermeer. Vermeer is investigating the formation process of the montículos on the site El Flaco. He does this by looking at the geological and archaeological components used for the phasing of the montículos. This study contributes to this research by examining the taphonomy and larger context of the shell material. The results of the shell material support Segaar’s hypothesis that there were two phases of occupation on the site, a possible Meillacoid and a Chicoid occupation. Next to that, the composition of the shell material is analyzed and divided into three classes: bivalves, gastropods and crustaceans. Furthermore, the habitat of the shell species is investigated to provide an indication of the food strategy or the ‘food network’ that was used by the Amerindian inhabitants. It is likely that a large portion of this diet consists of one gastropod, the Pleurodonte formosa. However, palynology is needed to provide a definitive answer to this problem.Show less
In recent years, China has made international headlines as a result of its poor factory labour conditions. Chinese leaders have observed that this international coverage has reflected poorly on the...Show moreIn recent years, China has made international headlines as a result of its poor factory labour conditions. Chinese leaders have observed that this international coverage has reflected poorly on the country and greatly impacted its image both internationally and domestically. Therefore new strategies to (re)build China's image have utilized CSR in order to gain a certain influence and stability in the national and international sphere.Show less
During the last ice age, the North Sea was a dry land. Following the deglaciation, it became inundated because of the rising sea levels roughly 8 millennia ago. The North Sea region was inhabited...Show moreDuring the last ice age, the North Sea was a dry land. Following the deglaciation, it became inundated because of the rising sea levels roughly 8 millennia ago. The North Sea region was inhabited by humans and animals and provides major archaeological insights. In this thesis, an analysis of the carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotopes of 14C dated skeletal remains from the North Sea is performed. The research question is to evaluate the potential outcome for paleo-ecological reconstructions during the Late Pleistocene and the Early Holocene, and contributions regarding human societies - in particular subsistence. The material consists for the most part of mammal skeletal remains, dating from the maximum of the 14C range (ca. 45,000 BP) to the Early Holocene. An overview of the data generated on the basis of all available measurements is given, focusing on stable isotopes. The data are discussed from various perspectives, such as the composition and biases of the database that is used in this thesis. An interesting observation is the difference in diet between Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene terrestrial mammals. This is caused by differences in the consumption of vegetation and suggests a change of landscape during this timerange. The isotope analysis of the North Sea material does confirm pre-existing hypotheses regarding dietary differences between animals. It also confirms the picture of how the North Sea area looked like many years ago: terrestrial and marine ecosystems dominated the Late Pleistocene landscape, after which it became more wet during the Early Holocene with the emergence of freshwater environments, the expansion of the marine environment and subsequent gradual disappearance of the terrestrial ecosystem. The potential of applying stable isotope research for paleo-ecological reconstructions is therefore clearly shown, even when it is based on a relatively limited sample of animal bones available.Show less
Regionalism and independence movements are rising in the European Union. Referendums have been held in Scotland and Catalonia of which only the referendum in Scotland was legally binding. The...Show moreRegionalism and independence movements are rising in the European Union. Referendums have been held in Scotland and Catalonia of which only the referendum in Scotland was legally binding. The Scottish people voted NO to independence, while the referendum in Catalonia, which was illegal according to the Spanish constitution, showed a clear YES vote. These developments show various differences in the way how and why the independence movements seek the goal of independence. Both Catalonia and Scotland want the same, becoming independent and become a member of the European Union. These two case studies are extensively analyzed, using qualitative research, discourse analysis and the method of process tracing. Findings reveal that regional disparities, historical en cultural past, which are encouraged by the Euro crisis, are important motives for the regions seeking independence. While seeking independence these regions state that self-determination of the people living in those regions, is a fundamental issue which should give them access to the European Union. Self-determination of regions however exists in a tense relation with the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that form the foundation of the international system of states. This is why the European Union has made more of less clear statements that continued membership for regions, seceding from an European Union member state, is not possible. The European Union commented on this issue most notably through Romano Prodi, Vivine Reding and José-Manuel Barroso that secession of a part of the territory of a Member State entails an automatic exit of that territory from the European Union. These comments were political, non-juridical, in nature. Of course there are juridical consequences too. Secession by its very nature implies conflict with the legal framework of the European Union. The fact is that there are no provisions in European Union law or treaties on secession of regions from European Union member states. Besides there are negative consequences involved for the people of the regions the European Union and its institutions if a region becomes independent, which effects I shall point out in this thesis. There are alternative ways to resolve or to diminish the regional strive for secession. Possibly devolution of powers and decentralization would be a democratic alternative too.Show less
This paper is on one of the seminal events in Ukrainian history, the Holodomor. The paper seeks to apply the theory of genocidal consolidation to the Holodomor to determine the answer to “why”...Show moreThis paper is on one of the seminal events in Ukrainian history, the Holodomor. The paper seeks to apply the theory of genocidal consolidation to the Holodomor to determine the answer to “why” Stalin executed a genocide against the Ukrainian nation. More specifically, the paper seeks to link the mass killings in Ukraine to Stalin and Stalin’s personal position within the Soviet Union. In seeking the answer previously mentioned, the paper relies on the method of process tracing. The underlying hypothesis of the paper is that the theory of genocidal consolidation best explains the Holodomor and links Stalin to it, using the methodology previously described. By using and exploring genocidal consolidation vis a vie the Holodomor the paper also seeks to further bolster the connection between mass political violence and authoritarian politics. Additionally, the paper sought to expand on genocidal consolidation and add to the already existing research and theoretical applications by attempting to explore the Holodomor through genocidal consolidation. Lastly, it should be stated that the often ambitious aims of this paper allow for further exploration on the topic and potential missed linkages between the Holodomor and Stalin.Show less
Genetic studies in human populations have unveiled a vast number of polymorphisms. This variability is shaped by evolutionary forces such as drift, selection, bottlenecks and more. The approach...Show moreGenetic studies in human populations have unveiled a vast number of polymorphisms. This variability is shaped by evolutionary forces such as drift, selection, bottlenecks and more. The approach applied in this thesis is based on haplotype method meaning that we consider block of SNPs of the human genome. This method has an advantage over single SNP analysis. The aim of the thesis is to characterise the genetic history based on the correlation structure of polymorphisms. This correlation structure is characterised in terms of joint cumulants which generalise linkage disequilibrium (LD) to more than two loci. The advantage of a multilocus LD (high order LD) measurement over a pairwise LD measurement is that the latter is not adequate to detect simultaneous allele associations among multiple markers. Characteristic patterns of this standardised higher-order LD are summarised in a catalogue for all possible genetic histories in an exponentially growing population. Heatmap approach was applied to visualise and interpret the behaviour of the LD patterns under different population scenarios. Tests were developed to determine whether given data is more likely to stem from a particular catalogue entry than others. These tests were developed using Monte Carlo techniques. Simulations were complemented by an analysis of part of the public HapMap project.Show less
Drawing on Upheavals of Thought; The Intelligence of Emotions (2001), a book by classical scholar and public intellectual Martha Nussbaum on the ethical value of emotions, this study investigated,...Show moreDrawing on Upheavals of Thought; The Intelligence of Emotions (2001), a book by classical scholar and public intellectual Martha Nussbaum on the ethical value of emotions, this study investigated, in a chronological treatment of W.B. Yeats’s lyrical poetry, what views on suffering and compassion transpire from Yeats’s work during the early stages of his poetical development, up until he immersed himself late 1902/early 1903 in the work of the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, and by what these views may have been informed. Because much of Yeats’s work is openly or covertly autobiographical, dealing with the latter issue involved paying close attention to the development of Yeats’s personality, to the time and circumstances in which the poems were drafted or revised, and to both the people whose views may have significantly influenced Yeats’s emotional make-up and intellectual mind-set at the time, and those with whose suffering and misfortune Yeats was confronted. The focus of this study has been on the lyrical poems Yeats wrote (and cared to preserve) up to the publication of his collection Into the Seven Woods in 1903.Show less
In deze scriptie wordt de reactie op de aanslag op het hoofdkantoor van Charlie Hebdo (d.d. 7 januari 2015) geanalyseerd aan de hand van enkele godsdienstwetenschappelijke en sociaalpsychologische...Show moreIn deze scriptie wordt de reactie op de aanslag op het hoofdkantoor van Charlie Hebdo (d.d. 7 januari 2015) geanalyseerd aan de hand van enkele godsdienstwetenschappelijke en sociaalpsychologische theorieën. De massale reacties in de vorm van de wijdverspreide leus “Je suis Charlie” en de massademonstraties die door Frankrijk werden gehouden impliceren dat deze gebeurtenis als zeer heftig werd ervaren. Welke rol speelt het Franse wereldbeeld in de betekenistoekenning van de aanslag en in hoeverre verschilt dit wereldbeeld kwalitatief van een religieus wereldbeeld, in overweging nemend welke emoties hiermee gepaard gaan? De verschillende theorieën wekken tezamen de suggestie dat een seculier en een religieus wereldbeeld in functie weinig verschillen; zij fungeren beiden als angstbuffer. “Je suis Charlie” kan hierbij als sacraal symbool geïnterpreteerd worden en de massademonstraties als collectief ritueel.Show less
This thesis presents a comparative typological study of twelve languages, with varying degrees of geographical and genealogical distance. The system of Reference Tracking of each of these languages...Show moreThis thesis presents a comparative typological study of twelve languages, with varying degrees of geographical and genealogical distance. The system of Reference Tracking of each of these languages is detailed and, in the conclusion, compared to the other systems, with the purpose of finding relevant similarities. Moreover, the aim is to corroborate the findings of this thesis with those of previously established works (cf. Haiman & Munro 1983, Foley & Van Valin 1985, Stirling 1993). The languages are sorted by their types of system, which are Agreement, Switch Reference or neither of the aforementioned. All the languages used in this thesis were chosen for their intricate systems of reference tracking, and for the geographical and genealogical distance between them. Each language is treated a small case study. First, the status of the language is established. This is followed by a detailed description of the workings of the reference tracking system of that language. Finally, all systems are compared to one another and all notable similarities are given. The end of the thesis consists of the conclusions I have drawn from these comparisons.Show less
This thesis argues that the use of the civic-ethnic dichotomy in describing nationalism is flawed. It does so by examining written works and speeches by Shinzo Abe, the current Prime Minister of...Show moreThis thesis argues that the use of the civic-ethnic dichotomy in describing nationalism is flawed. It does so by examining written works and speeches by Shinzo Abe, the current Prime Minister of Japan.Show less
