As Korea has globalized, so too has its discourse surrounding Korean transnational adoptees. Globalization of the issue can be seen in media portrayal of this group, where their canon of portrayal...Show moreAs Korea has globalized, so too has its discourse surrounding Korean transnational adoptees. Globalization of the issue can be seen in media portrayal of this group, where their canon of portrayal in Korean film and television is now accompanied by non-Korean works of visual media. Through a case study of Return to Seoul, a 2022 film by non-adoptee, non-Korean director Davy Chou, the thesis argues the following. While Return to Seoul as an independent foreign film on transnational Korean adoptees is in some capacity aware of Korea’s national wound and discourse, it is not meant to fit into existing Korean representations or answer to political incentives. Conversely, it is exactly through its divergence from existing portrayals that foreign film on the topic has the potential to resonate with its global audience, and create productive discourse on Korean-ness and foreign-ness.Show less
The Korean Wave, or Hallyu (한류), has captivated global audiences through the popularity of K-pop artists, Korean dramas like ‘Squid Game’, and films such as ‘Parasite’. This phenomenon has boosted...Show moreThe Korean Wave, or Hallyu (한류), has captivated global audiences through the popularity of K-pop artists, Korean dramas like ‘Squid Game’, and films such as ‘Parasite’. This phenomenon has boosted South Korea’s soft power, motivating people to become fans. This thesis investigates whether K-pop, as a soft power tool, has a similar effect on audiences in the Netherlands. An open-ended questionnaire was sent to 12 K-pop fans and 11 non-fans as a control group. Thematic analysis reveals that the K-pop fan group shows they are motivated to seek out more Korean-related content and have a more positive perception of South Korea. In contrast, the non-fan group acknowledges South Korea’s growing positive reception but express uncertainty. A theoretical framework to analyze soft power has been established. The study suggests K-pop can positively influence perceptions of South Korea, contributing to its soft power, though this is more the case for people who are already K-pop fans as opposed to those who are non-fans.Show less
In formal peace negotiations, women often do not get a seat at the table. However, the growing field of everyday peacebuilding argues that peacebuilding does not only take place at the negotiation...Show moreIn formal peace negotiations, women often do not get a seat at the table. However, the growing field of everyday peacebuilding argues that peacebuilding does not only take place at the negotiation table, but also in everyday interactions between “normal” people. In order to find out how everyday peacebuilding works, this research project uses the case study of women in Lebanon to explore in what ways women in Lebanon contribute to peacebuilding in informal and non-organised ways. Hereby this study fills a significant research gap, as no research has yet been done on women and everyday peacebuilding in Lebanon. Through carrying out and analysing qualitative interviews with Lebanese women, this study concludes that the women contribute to everyday peacebuilding by avoiding conflicts and expressing unity and solidarity between groups in Lebanese society. The women recognise these actions as important parts of peacebuilding, and do not see a gendered element in their actions.Show less
This research is a crafted investigation of how Nigeria's foreign policy frameworks formed the country's external relations under the leadership of President Olusegun Obasanjo's civilian...Show moreThis research is a crafted investigation of how Nigeria's foreign policy frameworks formed the country's external relations under the leadership of President Olusegun Obasanjo's civilian administration (1999–2007). The study attempts to uncover the variants of strategies used during the administration of President Obasanjo to deal with the complexities in international diplomacy against the background of Nigeria's historic orientations and the complex problems it encountered within the time frame of the study. This study investigates Nigeria's diplomacy, regional engagement, and international alliances in that particular era, and it tries to provide insights into the complex approach it was used by Nigeria in order to establish its international influence. This paper aims to explore the underpinning elements determining the nature of Nigeria's foreign policy strategy of Constructive and Beneficial Concentricism through a systematic investigation of its objectives and application with other countries, international organizations or regional blocs. Also, a critical assessment is done on how successful these types of diplomacy have built the national interests of Nigeria, promoted stability in the region and stimulated economic development. This study aims to reveal those variables that matter for the foreign policy of Nigeria as well as discover the reasons for the changing place of the country in the world community via a thorough examination of the successes and failures of the foreign policy of Nigeria. In addition to secondary literature and expert analysis, this paper improves the primary sources like official documents, policy statements and diplomatic letters to project the big picture of Nigeria's foreign policy trajectory during the Obasanjo administration. The research advances the understanding of the dynamics that made Nigeria interact with the international community to strengthen external relations and offers the reader helpful insights for individuals with an interest in the nation's diplomatic efforts.Show less
This paper examines the role of defensible space theory - efforts to design buildings and public spaces in a way that reduces the ability to commit crime - within the Irish planning system, and to...Show moreThis paper examines the role of defensible space theory - efforts to design buildings and public spaces in a way that reduces the ability to commit crime - within the Irish planning system, and to what extent that the Irish anti-social behaviour strategies include and adapt such theories. Across analysis of municipal and national level planning strategies within recent decades, this paper tracks the inclusion and non-inclusion of defensible space and related topics within government literature, as well as the research gap into defensible space within Ireland. Three Dublin case studies with a strong historic presence of anti-social behaviour - the Fatima Mansions, O’Connell Street, and Portobello Plaza - are examined, and to what extent redesigns of these areas have included urban design efforts to reduce criminological capacity. These case studies identify a far less rigorous implementation of defensible space than in countries such as the United Kingdom, with the absence of guidelines generally resulting in a less thorough and more flexible application of such efforts. When defensible space efforts are applied, they typically stem from architect-led efforts, or are a by-product of improved planning processes, such as creating permeability and mixed-use development. Through additional engagement with planners, this ultimately paints a picture of a country that has utilised social impacts, not defensible space, towards a reduction in anti-social behaviour, though still possesses the ability to integrate some defensible space elements to improve this system.Show less
Food studies are an increasingly prominent field of study for studying various socioeconomic processes in the urban environment. This paper explores the sociocultural usage of food studies through...Show moreFood studies are an increasingly prominent field of study for studying various socioeconomic processes in the urban environment. This paper explores the sociocultural usage of food studies through the study of foodscapes. Food is not merely a source of sustenance, but can also function as a method of expressing or experiencing a sense of identity. Foodscapes, which concern the manner in which people relate to the food they consume, is thus an important concept for sociocultural food studies. Foodscapes are additionally one of the major factors able to contribute to a distinctly urban sense of identity, but are as of yet understudied. This thesis will explore the relation between a city’s foodscape and the feeling of urban identity through the lens of Rotterdam’s Cape Verdean community, using semi-structured interviews.Show less
The following thesis incorporated and developed a unified framework based on the theories of Henri Lefebvre and Frantz Fanon to amplify existing scholarship’s narratives and offer a new perspective...Show moreThe following thesis incorporated and developed a unified framework based on the theories of Henri Lefebvre and Frantz Fanon to amplify existing scholarship’s narratives and offer a new perspective and method of assessing the historical experience of urban spaces, with the primary case study of Seneca Village. The identified crossovers between Lefebvre’s theory of “Production of Space” and Frantz Fanon’s theory of “Decolonization”, formed the backbone of the unified framework, which was applied to a series of publicly available, digitalised primary sources from municipal archives of New York City. The topographical maps, population census, report, newspapers, and political posters analysed through the unified framework have provided several conclusions. Firstly, the historical experience of Seneca strongly coincides with the physical and representational violence in the form of the material destruction of the village and inducing social barriers to isolate the African American community of Seneca Village from the general social fabric of the city. Secondly, the power specialisation within Seneca falls in between the dwellers of the village and the Board of Commissioners for Central Park. Through the legitimization of authority, the Board of Commissioners have expanded their overarching control of the space of the village and subjected it to manipulations beneficial to the board itself. Hence, it formed a one-sided power dynamic at the expense of the village’s dwellers. Thirdly, the paradoxical conundrum was identified where authority, granting freedom through the 1799 Gradual Slavery Abolishment Act, continued to establish discriminatory practices against the Seneca’s dwellers through manipulation and redefinition of the space; developing further injustice in the matter. In conclusion, the application of the unified framework in supplement to existing scholarship has put forward a new, theoretical perspective on re-assessing the historical experience of Seneca Village.Show less
The debate around the issue of abortion rights is not new in American politics. However, in recent years American politics has been polarized along partisan lines. This is also the case in the...Show moreThe debate around the issue of abortion rights is not new in American politics. However, in recent years American politics has been polarized along partisan lines. This is also the case in the abortion rights debate. The abortion rights debate has an effect on policy making in U.S. politics. Abortion rights also play a role in foreign policy making. Under the Trump Presidency, the Mexico City Policy was reinstalled and even further strengthened, entailing that no government funds were allowed to be given to actors that provide or promote abortions. Republicans, after years of supporting the initiative, now also threaten to defund PEPFAR, the successful initiative that has saved millions of lives in the fight against HIV/AIDS. They threaten to do this since they claim that the program funds abortion services. This thesis investigates and reveals the impact that this partisan polarization on the abortion rights issue has on American foreign policy and therefore on the United States’ image and influence in Africa. Furthermore, this research investigates China’s efforts to benefit from America’s impacted foreign policy by the abortion rights discussion. This thesis indeed reveals that the United States’ image and influence in Africa is negatively impacted by the partisan polarized abortion debate in American politics and that China is actively using its propaganda apparatus to portray the United States as hypocritical and unreliable and China as the better alternative.Show less
