Master thesis | Crisis and Security Management (MSc)
open access
2022-05-30T00:00:00Z
Classical literature on crisis communication focusses primarily on factors like consistency, accuracy and speed as being the most important aspects to effective crisis communication. However, an...Show moreClassical literature on crisis communication focusses primarily on factors like consistency, accuracy and speed as being the most important aspects to effective crisis communication. However, an emerging body of literature criticizes this approach for being too Western oriented and indicates that culture should play a bigger role in crisis communication and crisis communication statements. As such this thesis wanted to contribute to this research gap by examining to what extent multinational corporations should take cultural factors into account in their crisis communication statements. In order to achieve this, an explorative study was conducted that looked at how companies currently conduct their crisis communication and what can be learned from these practices through preliminary interviews, case studies and final interviews. From this, interesting finding were found at both the practical and academic levels. At the practical level, it was found that current crisis communication practices seem sufficient. Despite the fact that case studies portray a more nuanced picture than the classical literature would suggest, with culture being considered more than expected it still seems that the focus in crisis communication is and will remain on consistency, accuracy and speed. At the academic level, the most important finding was that current endeavors have been too oriented on the Western world, shaping the classical body of literature present today. As a consequence, the emerging body of literature tends to originate from non-Western parts of the world and seems to be a response of sorts against this traditional literature. As a result, these research agendas operate in the extremes and show little nuance in terms of the role culture plays or should play in crisis communication. By providing these insights, this thesis hopes to add more nuance to the existing research and offer suggestions on how the current literature can be improved or further developed.Show less
Master thesis | Crisis and Security Management (MSc)
open access
This study focuses on the changing legislation towards protecting national security and the consequences of those changes regarding the legal protection of civil rights. Through an analysis of a...Show moreThis study focuses on the changing legislation towards protecting national security and the consequences of those changes regarding the legal protection of civil rights. Through an analysis of a longitudinal case study (1987-2021), the question has been answered what the possible consequences will be for the legal protection of civil rights after the last revision of the Dutch Intelligence and Security Service Act 2017 (Wiv 2017) which took place in 2021. This revision contains extensions regarding intelligence sharing operations of the Dutch intelligence and security services. This means that fundamental civil rights stated in the European Convention of Human Rights could be more easily affected than before. This will be the case when foreign intelligence and security services share the received intelligence with third parties without consent from the Dutch intelligence and security agencies. Additionally, shared intelligence might thus be more easily used by the receiving agency for harmful purposes that do not correspond with the interest of the Dutch intelligence and security services and the Dutch state. Moreover, the receiver agency might interpret the intelligence regarding a citizen that this person is perceived as serious terrorist threat by the sending agency and therefore affect the life of the person in question. Thus, incorporating the ex-ante review of the Review Committee on the Deployment of Powers (TIB) besides the authorization of the appointed minister and ex-post review of the Intelligence and Security Services Oversight Committee (CTIVD) might improve the actual legal protection of the fundamental civil rights in the Dutch society.Show less
Master thesis | Crisis and Security Management (MSc)
open access
This study addresses the lamentably under researched topic of small state coalition defection. Extant defection literature understands coalition defection to be mainly a political undertaking....Show moreThis study addresses the lamentably under researched topic of small state coalition defection. Extant defection literature understands coalition defection to be mainly a political undertaking. Whereas small state scholarship argues that small states face myriad political incentives to become and remain involved in multilateral military coalitions but lack the military capacity to act upon their political ambitions. Upon three process-tracing case studies of the contributions to and defections from the US-led Global Coalition Against ISIL (GC) by three small states – i.e., Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands, this study concludes that small state coalition defection is indeed primarily the result of military capacity limitations. Although such defections did not constitute a wholesale exit from the GC by these small states. Instead, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands remained involved in the GC in a lower capacity to guarantee their security and foreign policy, which prompted their contribution to the GC in the first place.Show less
Master thesis | Crisis and Security Management (MSc)
open access
On the case of Croatia, this research analyses the changes in the border management at the external EU border that have been implemented since the 2015 migration crisis. Special focus is on the...Show moreOn the case of Croatia, this research analyses the changes in the border management at the external EU border that have been implemented since the 2015 migration crisis. Special focus is on the practice of pushbacks, carried out by the Croatian law enforcement, in the context of EU migration policy.Show less
Master thesis | Crisis and Security Management (MSc)
open access
While the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, travels fiercely and fast throughout the world, many countries have also seen the growth of other supposedly viral phenomena such as conspiracy...Show moreWhile the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, travels fiercely and fast throughout the world, many countries have also seen the growth of other supposedly viral phenomena such as conspiracy theories and fake news. High-speed information sharing between news media providers and users, as well as cross-platform information cascades, have been made possible by social media platforms and digital technology. As a result, conspiracy theories and false information swiftly spread. For this thesis, a meta-analysis will be performed on several studies including new data and experiments related to the COVID-19 crisis. The COVID-19 crisis is a very impactful crisis. It affects every individual in a society. The theory states that there is a relationship between conspiracy theories and political violence. Sitting at home and working can make people experience more stress, anxiety and insecurity, which is detrimental to their mental and physical well-being. The possible consequences can in the worst-case result in physical violence. These are relevant topics, because they can be anticipated in the event of possible new waves or new crisis. This research will show why it is important to pay extra attention during the corona crisis when it comes to conspiracy theories and how they spread on social media. In this way, the results of this research can be used to see the connection better and faster between social media, conspiracy theories and violence.Show less
Master thesis | Crisis and Security Management (MSc)
open access
This thesis investigates the effectiveness of the legal accountability mechanisms that govern the marketization of intelligence agencies. The current scholarly debate focuses primarily on...Show moreThis thesis investigates the effectiveness of the legal accountability mechanisms that govern the marketization of intelligence agencies. The current scholarly debate focuses primarily on accountability issues related to privatization of military functions, failing to provide a similar discussion of the conduct of private intelligence actors. Within this research, four types of legal accountability mechanisms are identified: international law, extended jurisdiction of national law, public law values and contractual law, and soft law. Subsequently, three case studies, to which one or more of these mechanisms apply, are evaluated regarding the effectiveness of the legal accountability mechanism or mechanisms in place. The findings show that there are four reasons why legal accountability mechanisms fail to properly hold Private Intelligence Companies and their employees to account. First, there is no clear and legally binding definition of the ground rules of privatization. Second, there is legal asymmetry between the government and the private sector. Third, political interference in legal processes problematizes the establishment of accountability. And lastly, there is a clear reluctance to enforce laws in place that should contribute to good behavior.Show less
Master thesis | Crisis and Security Management (MSc)
open access
Every year people are reported missing in the Netherlands. In the situation that a missing person is not found quickly, it creates unbearable situations for their close ones. Therefore, it is...Show moreEvery year people are reported missing in the Netherlands. In the situation that a missing person is not found quickly, it creates unbearable situations for their close ones. Therefore, it is important to continue to improve the effectiveness of the search for missing persons. With the recognition that citizens need and want to contribute to a safe society, it is important to learn more about the ways in which citizens can be effectively involved. This is especially relevant for the police. One of the ways to involve citizens is the form of coproduction. This research focuses on coproduction between the police and citizens during the time of missing persons cases. A comparative case study is applied. The cases that are compared are those of Ruben and Julian and Anne Faber. Qualitative content analysis is applied to analyse a triangulation of sources with the use of operationalization tables established on coproduction and effectiveness in missing persons cases. The findings of this study shed light on the impact of coproduction during the search for missing persons as it reveals similarities and differences between the two cases.Show less
Master thesis | Crisis and Security Management (MSc)
open access
Preventive corona measures imposed by the Dutch government have resulted in a lot of turmoil and eventually in protests and demonstrations. This study aimed to link radicalization theory to the...Show morePreventive corona measures imposed by the Dutch government have resulted in a lot of turmoil and eventually in protests and demonstrations. This study aimed to link radicalization theory to the corona crisis. More specifically, the main objective was to find determinants of radicalization processes regarding attitudes about anti-corona measures demonstrations as well as participation in these demonstrations. Existing radicalization models were the basis of the study. A quantitative method was used, and results have been analysed statistically. The study found that group relative deprivation, trust in government officials and belief in conspiracy theories regarding the coronavirus significantly predicted attitudes towards (participation in) anti-corona measures demonstrations. The use of online news sources significantly predicted attitudes towards participation in anti-corona measures demonstrations as well.Show less
