Bicultural or multicultural identities have emanated from migration in today’s world of globalisation. This study focuses on the gap in research on the development of return migration’s impact on...Show moreBicultural or multicultural identities have emanated from migration in today’s world of globalisation. This study focuses on the gap in research on the development of return migration’s impact on cultural identity through the case study of readjustment experiences of Japan’s kikokushijo. By examining eight factors, both personal, societal, and interactive, the analysis finds that recent return migrants experience less severe readjustment problems than those in the 1970s and 1980s, and that Japanese society’s perception of return migrants is less critical. Yet recent return migrants still struggle with “traditional” aspects of Japan, issues of identity, and stereotypes. Through the analysis of Japan’s kikokushijo, this research adds a new perspective and contributes to the broader field of migration in an era of globalisation with a focus on society’s perception of return migrants, cultural identity development, and readjustment strategies.Show less
Since Kim Jong-un acceded as North Korea’s state leader in 2012, it was speculated that North Korea would gradually become more involved in the international community. Although the absence of...Show moreSince Kim Jong-un acceded as North Korea’s state leader in 2012, it was speculated that North Korea would gradually become more involved in the international community. Although the absence of international involvement ensures authoritarian regime survival, authoritarian regimes benefit from involvement international community if they obtain a position of negotiation for financial and material aid. In relation to this dichotomous effect of international involvement on authoritarian state survival, this study aimed to define North Korea’s efforts to deploy its fundamental institutional legacies of state ideology, economy and military to achieve regime survival in the international community. Accordingly, the main research question that this study addressed is: How does North Korea intend to deploy its fundamental institutional legacies in the process of achieving regime survival in the international community, with regard to the dichotomous impact of international involvement on authoritarian state survival? In order to answer this question, this study conducted a word frequency analysis of Kim Jong-un’s New Year addresses from the years 2013 and 2018. Although this study disregarded the contextual value of the selected words, the data obtained from the New Year speeches indicated that North Korea intends to pursue involvement with South Korea and the United States in the international community. This study concluded that, through the preservation of the vital essence of Juche ideology and the reinforcement of the essential components of its economic institutional legacy, North Korea intends to retain regime survival in its external environment. In addition, through increasing the emphasis on its nuclear abilities, rather than reinforcing the focus on the fundamental constitutes of its military institutional legacy, it is suggested that North Korea intends to create a position of negotiation in the international community. Overall, this study could provide the foundation for future comparative research on the contemporary relation between North Korea and the international community, with regard to North Korea’s intentions for its fundamental institutional legacies and the reflection of words related to economy, military and ideology in Kim Jong-un’s New Year speeches.Show less
A look at how Sino-Relations have devloped in the context of development in Central Asia. Analyzing international and regional organizations from both a neo-realist perspective and a liberal...Show moreA look at how Sino-Relations have devloped in the context of development in Central Asia. Analyzing international and regional organizations from both a neo-realist perspective and a liberal institutionalist view this thesis will attempt to explain the concept of cooperation that continues under the posibility of confrontation between China and Russia.Show less
This study aims to find out how stereotypes about foreigners are formed in South Korea, and what the role of the media is. It delves into the reason why people construct stereotypes and how the...Show moreThis study aims to find out how stereotypes about foreigners are formed in South Korea, and what the role of the media is. It delves into the reason why people construct stereotypes and how the media can influence public opinion through framing. With these as attributing factors, the history of foreigners in South Korea is also illuminated and it is established that Korean identity dictates that there is a stark categorization of what is Korean and what is not. This dictates means that inherently those that are not Korean are believed to not act like Koreans in any way, and this thus forms the stereotype. On a micro-scale, it is demonstrated how stereotypes are negotiated, reproduced and confirmed. These stereotypes focus mainly focus on categorization and identity of the foreigners and Koreans. These stereotypes being the center of a TV program is an act of framing, which is then conveyed to an audience, which is how stereotypes are influenced by the media.Show less
This thesis covers how the cultural identity of one nation can affect an economic phenomenon. This thesis chooses Republic of Korea (ROK) and youth unemployment as the case studies for the unit of...Show moreThis thesis covers how the cultural identity of one nation can affect an economic phenomenon. This thesis chooses Republic of Korea (ROK) and youth unemployment as the case studies for the unit of analysis. This thesis claims that identity is embedded within the educational policies, which together, creates the over-education phenomenon, and result the ROK with the highest tertiary education attainment among the OECD countries. By investigating the historical and economic development of South Korea, this thesis illustrates the key characteristics of its cultural identity and how this was embedded within the economic structures of the country. With this rhetoric, this thesis attempts to grasp the notion that identity economics has a bilateral relationship between their cultural identity and the structural policies.Show less
The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the influence of the Confucian family system over lesbian, gay men, bisexual, and transsexual rights, LGBT rights, in Japan. This thesis investigates how...Show moreThe purpose of this thesis is to analyse the influence of the Confucian family system over lesbian, gay men, bisexual, and transsexual rights, LGBT rights, in Japan. This thesis investigates how this family system portrays hegemonic gender roles over the Japanese population. One of the outcomes is that the Confucian family system created a registry system, or Koseki Seido which dates back the Tokugawa era. The koseki seido has been an obstacle for these LGBT communities to have a legal status in Japan. Also, the traditionalist nature of the Japanese society has severely impacted the efforts of these minority groups in obtaining civil rights, when compared to more LGBT-friendly countries. Even though LGBT communities have not obtained a legal status within Japan’s society, since 2015 the Shibuya prefecture has been issuing same-sex partnerships that have granted these communities a better legal status. The partnership certificates are not legally binding; however, same-sex couples can be afforded the same civil rights as that of opposite-sex couples. The inclusion of the same-sex partnership certificates as a case study serves to illustrate how Japan is progressing in adapting LGBT rights, albeit slowly.Show less
