This thesis looks at the compatibility of statism with principles of distribution of climate change costs. Two strands of statism are analysed, communitarianism and institutionalism, in relation to...Show moreThis thesis looks at the compatibility of statism with principles of distribution of climate change costs. Two strands of statism are analysed, communitarianism and institutionalism, in relation to three principles of distribution of costs, the Polluter Pays Principle (PP), the Beneficiary Pays Principle (BP) and the Ability to Pay Principle (AP). This thesis focusses on statism because its applicability to climate change is understudied in the climate justice literature. The main argument is that statism is only partially compatible with some of the principles of distribution of costs. Institutionalists are only partially compatible with the PP and the AP but not with the BP. Communitarianism on the other hand, is applicable to all three principles but always to a limited extent.Show less
The European Court of Human Rights has come under criticism for lack of legitimacy, relevance, and effectivity. Whether the continuation of diplomatic and financial support to regional human rights...Show moreThe European Court of Human Rights has come under criticism for lack of legitimacy, relevance, and effectivity. Whether the continuation of diplomatic and financial support to regional human rights mechanisms is justified depends on their effectiveness in addressing present day challenges. An example of interest here is environmental degradation. This thesis explores the effectiveness of the ECtHR as a norm entrepreneur in disseminating the right to a healthy environment in its member states. It analyses how decisions by domestic appellate courts were influenced by ECtHR jurisprudence. The normative approach of the study sets it apart from other legal and political science papers. The comparison of jurisprudence in Germany and the UK substantiates the conclusion that the ECtHR is only limited in effectiveness as a norm entrepreneur in the field of environmental law.Show less
In the EU, the 2015 refugee crisis was met with the securitization of migration. In order to “protect” member states from larger waves of displaced people, several deals with EU neighboring states...Show moreIn the EU, the 2015 refugee crisis was met with the securitization of migration. In order to “protect” member states from larger waves of displaced people, several deals with EU neighboring states were concluded. Simultaneously to these migration deals, one could observe a decrease in overall political and civil liberty in a number of EU neighboring states. This paper poses the question: How does migration diplomacy affect autocratization in the EU periphery? In order to investigate this relationship, a qualitative exploratory single case study is conducted. Based on a theory by Levitsky and Way (2006), this paper hypothesizes that migration diplomacy can enhance autocratization for two reasons: (1) it reduces EU democratizing pressure and (2) provides fewer incentives for neighboring states to comply. The selected case to test this hypothesis is Turkey. An analysis of the EU and Turkey during two episodes of autocratization permits to identify substantial behavior changes after the deal. These findings confirm that, in EU periphery states which experience democratic backsliding, migration diplomacy could enhance autocratization.Show less
Despite the main function of the United Nations (UN) peacekeepers being to protect civilians in war-torn territories, allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) committed by said...Show moreDespite the main function of the United Nations (UN) peacekeepers being to protect civilians in war-torn territories, allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) committed by said peacekeepers continue to arise during every peacekeeping mission. Much of the previous scholarship has focused on the structural and institutional causes of the problem, primarily focusing on factors such as immunities, data gathering mechanisms and training programs. The feminist scholarship has also been increasingly vocal on the matter, stressing the importance of gender framing in UN documents and policies. Nevertheless, the feminist theory has continuously resorted to normative studies, lacking any empirical backing to their arguments. This thesis investigates whether a condescending and victimizing way in which women are framed in a series of UN documents can serve as a possible explanation for the continued SEA perpetrated by the UN peacekeepers. A critical discourse analysis of the UN’s zero-tolerance policy, SEA pre-training manual and mission mandates demonstrated that UN’s discourse on gender can be one of the reasons why SEA is continuously committed by the peacekeepers.Show less
