This research aims at analysing how women in Egypt have used comic books and graphic novels to portray feminist comics activism. It focuses on the case study of Deena Mohamed using content analyses...Show moreThis research aims at analysing how women in Egypt have used comic books and graphic novels to portray feminist comics activism. It focuses on the case study of Deena Mohamed using content analyses of the second part of Deena Mohamed’s graphic novel Shubeik Lubeik and her webcomic Qahera. The content analyses have shown the presence of feminist comics activism in both works. They tackle the issues of gender inequality, gender-based violence, corruption, class difference, stereotyping and depression, However, the chapter from the Shubeik Lubeik novel consisted of a less prominent display of feminist comics activism further argued through not meeting the requirements of activist communication. This can be explained by the fact that Shubeik Lubeik was a printed novel that needed to be screened by a publisher. Whilst the Qahera webcomic was published online and entirely independent allowing it more freedom regarding its content.Show less
Over the course of the last century, the Japanese population has left their humble hometowns and moved to large population centres. Now Japan experiences one of the worst population declines in the...Show moreOver the course of the last century, the Japanese population has left their humble hometowns and moved to large population centres. Now Japan experiences one of the worst population declines in the modern era and especially the countryside is shrinking at a rapid rate. This has prompted the government to implement measures to slow down the depopulation of the countryside and boost local economies. One of these measures is the furusato nozei tax system, which distributes a part of people’s inhabitant taxes towards other municipalities than the one they live in so that people may donate a share of their taxes to their hometown or any other municipality. This system may be tied to a general feeling of nostalgia that the Japanese people have towards their hometown or other places that generally evoke a sense of nostalgia as people have become desensitized with their current lives that sharply contrast with the calm and peaceful image of the Japanese countryside. Within the furusato nozei system, municipalities advertise themselves as the ‘ideal hometown’ by catering to peoples’ emotions towards those towns that people feel a certain connection with, but how do these emotions of nostalgia emerge in practice within the program? Do municipalities utilise nostalgia as a tool to draw in donations, and in what ways do they do this? Furusato on itself means something like ‘hometown’ or ‘native place’, but does this materialise in the self-marketing schemes of certain municipalities? By looking at two municipalities’ homepages and other websites, this paper determines that symbols of nostalgia are indeed drawn upon in the self-marketing schemes to gain more revenue in the program in the form of images, phrases, etc. These symbols evoke warm and nostalgic feelings and in a way reflect the state of the towns. Moreover, one may identify two ‘types’ of furusato on these homepages: either ‘emotional longing to one’s hometown’ or ‘nostalgia towards an older version of Japan in general’, which materialise to various degrees depending on the image that the towns want to impose on itself and the audience that they are trying to reach.Show less
This study tries to gain knowledge about the relation crochet plays within feminist crochet communities, in the sense of how crochet communities empower women through feminist principles, fostering...Show moreThis study tries to gain knowledge about the relation crochet plays within feminist crochet communities, in the sense of how crochet communities empower women through feminist principles, fostering intergenerational connections, and a strong sense of belonging, within the Brussels (Belgium) crochet feminist club. While crochet is still being gendered as a craft, the study aims to understand the motives and the factors that contribute to the sense of belonging within the community. It also unravels the importance of crochet intertwined with a form of feminist standpoint:crochet can convey feminist statements and actions, when they empower women.Show less
This bachelor's thesis delves into how the European Union (EU) navigates its energy security objectives alongside sustainability goals in multilateral negotiations with African countries, regarding...Show moreThis bachelor's thesis delves into how the European Union (EU) navigates its energy security objectives alongside sustainability goals in multilateral negotiations with African countries, regarding renewable resources. It scrutinizes whether the EU's pursuit of renewable energy projects in Africa primarily serves its own energy security needs, potentially overshadowing Africa's development, and sustainable development goals. Furthermore, the study underscores the symbiotic relationship between the EU's energy security concerns and Africa's renewable energy potential, while considering the implications of neocolonialist dynamics in EU-Africa energy relations. Hence, the thesis aims to answer the research question of how the EU's negotiations with African countries contribute to enhancing its energy security through diversification and access to renewable resources.Show less