This thesis examines the link between social media and democratic backsliding in Europe, highlighting a paradox in European norms that allows democratic backsliding through social media platforms....Show moreThis thesis examines the link between social media and democratic backsliding in Europe, highlighting a paradox in European norms that allows democratic backsliding through social media platforms. Analyzing data from 2000 to 2024, it explores the roles of governments, populations, European institutions, and social media companies. The central question is whether current social media restrictions aimed at protecting democracy are justified. The study addresses the normative clash between freedom of expression and democratic integrity, questioning which should prevail. It also considers whether the EU can normatively and legally regulate social media to counteract autocracy. The thesis posits that current social media restrictions undermine freedom of speech and are overly restrictive, challenging their justification. This research aims to clarify the EU's authority to limit social media and its impact on upholding democratic norms.Show less
Transitional justice aims to address the aftermath of gross human rights violations and facilitate societal healing and recovery. Traditionally, transitional justice mechanisms have been state...Show moreTransitional justice aims to address the aftermath of gross human rights violations and facilitate societal healing and recovery. Traditionally, transitional justice mechanisms have been state-centric, relying on the capacity and will of states for their implementation. In fragile states—characterised by weak authority, capacity, and legitimacy—this approach often leads to an "implementation gap," where policies are designed but not enacted. This study explores the extent to which civil society can fill this gap. Focusing on Actoras de Cambio, a civil society organisation in post-war Guatemala, this research examines how civil society operates within this state-centric framework, evaluating its ability to fulfil the five pillars of transitional justice: truth-seeking, justice, reparation, memorialisation, and guarantees of non-recurrence. The findings suggest that civil society can effectively address truth-seeking, memorialisation, and psycho-social reparation, but faces limitations in delivering justice and guarantees of non-recurrence, areas requiring broader legal and structural reforms. These results underscore the importance of a synergistic approach between the state and civil society in transitional justice processes, particularly in fragile states. This research advocates for a more inclusive and holistic transitional justice framework, recognising the critical role of civil society in fragile states and informing more tailored international responses to mass atrocities.Show less
How the EU deals with regulating migration at its borders has been the subject of heated discussions for years. Headlines accentuating the dangers of immigration are ever-present. It is thus...Show moreHow the EU deals with regulating migration at its borders has been the subject of heated discussions for years. Headlines accentuating the dangers of immigration are ever-present. It is thus crucial to critically analyse these discourses’ origins, present features, and potential future consequences. This paper wants to investigate what securitisation of migration in the EU looks like in connection to the 2015 “refugee crisis”, and what consequences and compromises it led to, especially in terms of “formal informality”. Analysing EU-Libya relations, this thesis finds that a shift towards more securitised discourse starting from 2015 impacted informal measures, specifically through bilateral agreements such as the Italy-Libya Memorandum of 2017. Given recent backlash for the EU's management of external migration, and reports of mistreatments and abuses in migrant detention camps, this thesis aims at showing the importance of critically analysing discourse by EU institutions, in order to keep them accountable and prevent further rights violations.Show less
On the 24th of February 2022, Russia undertook the largest land invasion into a sovereign state since World War II. The unprecedented move was met with a swift deployment of economic tools to deter...Show moreOn the 24th of February 2022, Russia undertook the largest land invasion into a sovereign state since World War II. The unprecedented move was met with a swift deployment of economic tools to deter the invasion and increase Russia’s costs of sustaining the military effort in the long term. As a result of this economic warfare between Russia and the Global North, sovereign assets of more than 300 Billion US Dollars belonging to the Russian Central Bank (RCB) have been frozen. This constituted the largest seizure of sovereign assets since World War II. As of June 2024, calls in the United States and the European Union to use the RCB assets for Ukraine’s military and humanitarian efforts have only been amplifying. These voices neglect international legal perspectives- specifically from the Global South- which highlight the discourses on sovereign immunity and countermeasures. These voices probe the following questions: What do the RCB sanctions mean for the existing sovereign immunity regime? What is the validity of the countermeasures doctrine with regards to the RCB? And most importantly, what do such measures mean for Western financial hegemony? This thesis encapsulates all these legal discourses by asking the question: What is the legality of the Global North states’ sanctions against the Russian Central Bank?Show less
This thesis investigates the factors explaining the varying levels of success of international funded microfinance projects in Kenya, focusing on the role of the theory of asymmetric information....Show moreThis thesis investigates the factors explaining the varying levels of success of international funded microfinance projects in Kenya, focusing on the role of the theory of asymmetric information. This research highlights Kenya as a critical case due to its significant financial exclusion, and many Kenyans lacking access to basic financial services. Through process tracing, the thesis examines the impact of microfinance projects funded by the World Bank and the European Union. The analysis reveals that the World Bank’s emphasis on sustainability and innovations leads to higher success levels compared to the European Union’s focus on long-term loans and gender equality. Additionally, the World Bank’s ability to navigate and mitigate problems caused by asymmetric information contributes significantly to the success of its projects. This thesis contributes to the broader theoretical debate on international development finance, providing insights into optimizing the operations of global financial institutions. The implications of this thesis are relevant for both developed and developing countries, as they provide for financial inclusion and poverty reduction, ultimately benefiting the global economy.Show less
