In an era marked by geopolitical tensions and the race for technological sovereignty, this study explores the divergent strategies and policy instruments employed by the United States (US) and the...Show moreIn an era marked by geopolitical tensions and the race for technological sovereignty, this study explores the divergent strategies and policy instruments employed by the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) in strengthening their semiconductor industries. Despite being economic powerhouses, the U.S. and the EU hold only about 12 percent and 10 percent of the global semiconductor manufacturing market share, respectively. This comparative analysis delves into the nuanced policy frameworks based on the Developmental Network State (DNS) model of targeted resourcing, brokering, facilitation, and protection in shaping their semiconductor policy. This thesis aims to provide insights that extend beyond mere policy descriptions, intended to inform policymakers, industry stakeholders, and academic scholars to understand the strategic underpinnings that are influencing the global competitive semiconductor industry.Show less
This research provides an empirical analysis of the latest international development aid strategy of the European Commission, namely, the Global Gateway. This new approach to the European Union’s ...Show moreThis research provides an empirical analysis of the latest international development aid strategy of the European Commission, namely, the Global Gateway. This new approach to the European Union’s (EU) development policy aims at developing equal partnerships through the correction of asymmetries of power as well as environmental and social inequalities. It notably puts a specific emphasis on the inclusion of the civil society in Global Gateway’s partnerships. The underlying empowerment of partner countries and the civil society through ‘local ownership’ and the objectives of the Global Gateway echo Manners’ notion of Normative Power Europe (NPE). This research investigates the synergies between the strategy and an NPE by asking: How can the inclusion of the civil society in the Global Gateway strategy contribute to a Normative Power Europe? It identifies how the participation of the civil society to avoid neo-colonial relations in the EU-Togo partnership can fulfil the three prerequisites of an NPE: i.e. an ‘action in concert’; a ‘simultaneous awareness’ and; a ‘non-adversarial relation’. Early studies suggest that the Global Gateway’s discourses replicate neo-colonial and prescriptive diffusion of norms. But these findings rely on publicly available documents from the European Commission, adopts a Eurocentric view of the strategy and don’t look at its practical application. This research takes these critics duly into account by analysing through an interpretative approach empirical material from both the EU and Togo, panel discussions of EU and partners’ leaders and semi-structured interviews with EU policy makers. Findings stress the centrality of policy makers’ intentions and visions vis-à-vis the Global Gateway. The instrumentalization of the strategy for economic and geopolitical purposes directly undermines the empowerment of EU partners despite effective civil society inclusion. If the EU were to be a normative power through the inclusion of civil society in the Global Gateway, it should make of development the principal objective of partnerships over trade and geopolitics.Show less
This paper seeks to find an answer to the question: "How does BlackRock interact with European industrial policies, such as the Green Deal, and what implications might this have for public...Show moreThis paper seeks to find an answer to the question: "How does BlackRock interact with European industrial policies, such as the Green Deal, and what implications might this have for public objectives?" Key findings suggest that BlackRock has a significant sphere of influence in and around the institutions that constitute the European Union. BlackRock hires strategically by employing former high-ranking government officials, people who have often overseen regulatory processes about BlackRock itself. Furthermore, BlackRock employees occupy strategic positions within several European bodies, such as the EFAMA. BlackRock is very pro-Green Deal to the outside world, but behind the scenes they actively lobby for policies that either delay or undo the Green-Deal policies. They don’t do this using the name “BlackRock” however, they do this through many different Trade Groups which BlackRock dominates. The study concludes that we can speak of a “regulatory capture” of these bodies. However, it is unclear if there is a causal relationship between BlackRock’s sphere of influence and European policy outcomes, and if there is, to which extent. To quantify that, we would need full access to insider information from BlackRock, something that is beyond the scope of this paper. BlackRock’s influence, however, is undeniable.Show less
This thesis investigates the representative bureaucracy theory within the context of the Dutch government. Specifically, it examines how conditions facilitating the translation from passive to...Show moreThis thesis investigates the representative bureaucracy theory within the context of the Dutch government. Specifically, it examines how conditions facilitating the translation from passive to active representation may explain potential differences in the degree of active representation of minority groups between New Professionals and Rijkstrainees. To explore this, a qualitative research method was employed, opting for a comparative case study. A total of 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted with trainees from both groups. The findings indicate that the selected factors, namely differences in trainee programs, policy congruence, internal political support, and external political support, have little to no impact on the degree of active representation. However, a difference in the degree of active representation between the two groups was identified. It was revealed that New Professionals more frequently engage in active representation. This difference appears to be primarily associated with distinctions in the approach of the recruitment processes of the programs, rather than with the goals or organizational structure of the programs.Show less
This thesis investigates the effects of government satisfaction and political trust on public attitudes towards the ‘social investment’ state in Italy. In the thirty years following the Second...Show moreThis thesis investigates the effects of government satisfaction and political trust on public attitudes towards the ‘social investment’ state in Italy. In the thirty years following the Second World War, advanced industrial economies established the welfare state to protect (male) breadwinners against income loss due to old age, disability, sickness, or unemployment. However, since the post-war years, the structure of social risks has changed dramatically. The dilemmas of modern societies comprise long-term unemployment, in-work poverty, precarious jobs, single parenthood, and a growing difficulty in reconciling work and family life. These challenges have called for a recalibration of the traditional welfare state towards a ‘social investment’ model focused on the generation, preservation, and mobilisation of human capital. However, welfare state recalibration remains, for some countries more than others, an arduous challenge. Welfare state institutions successfully adapted to the emergence of new social risks in the Nordic countries, but not in Southern Europe, still lagging behind. Why has it been so difficult for some welfare states to implement future-oriented strategies? Under which conditions would citizens be willing to accept welfare state modernisation based on social investment measures? Focusing on the Italian case, this thesis argues that a recalibration towards future-oriented reforms is complicated by the low levels of political trust that characterise the Italian welfare regime. Relying on micro-level data from the eight wave of the European Social Survey (ESS), the empirical analysis investigates the effects of governmental trust and satisfaction on the willingness of Italian citizens to support recalibration towards social investment, financed through retrenchment of existing social benefits or tax hikes. The evidence confirms that trust and satisfaction encourage the disposition of Italians to support investment-based reforms that are costly in action at present, with uncertain future outcomes. Overall, these findings suggest that governments’ trustworthiness broadens our understanding of the political viability of future-oriented policymaking under financially constrained scenarios.Show less
The European Union (EU) has been in perpetual crisis for more than a decade. By the end of the previous decade, the EU recognized the need to strengthen its climate policy to address the climate...Show moreThe European Union (EU) has been in perpetual crisis for more than a decade. By the end of the previous decade, the EU recognized the need to strengthen its climate policy to address the climate crisis. At the end of 2019, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission (EC), declared the European Green Deal (EGD) as the new top priority. The EGD aims to achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, decouple economic growth from resource use, and ensure that no one and no place is left behind. This thesis explores how the grand EU integration theories, neofunctionalism and liberal intergovernmentalism, can be used to explain the content of the EGD by conducting a theory-testing qualitative analysis case study. Does the EGD reinforce the power of member states or is it a symbol of European supranationalism?Show less
This thesis has investigated the extent to which expert advice on cross-cutting policy issues, as expressed by the WRR in its reports, led to political adoption at the national level in the...Show moreThis thesis has investigated the extent to which expert advice on cross-cutting policy issues, as expressed by the WRR in its reports, led to political adoption at the national level in the Netherlands. Text analysis of cabinet reactions showed levels of agreement indicating degrees of influence. High levels of agreement, and thus strong influence, were found. A supplementary citation analysis of parliamentary debates showed references to reports indicating types of influence. Very limited references were found. In conclusion, the WRR possesses expert influence to a great but limited extent.Show less
The European Union has made great strides in integration in many areas. However, military cooperation is lagging behind. Various factors such as the war in Ukraine show that the EU must pull...Show moreThe European Union has made great strides in integration in many areas. However, military cooperation is lagging behind. Various factors such as the war in Ukraine show that the EU must pull together and not remain dependent on the US and NATO. The introduction of PESCO as an instrument appears to be a step towards strategic autonomy for the European Union’s defence entity. The aim of this research is to discuss PESCO and to what extent this instrument can lead to the European Union’s strategic autonomy. The following research question was therefore used: Will PESCO contribute to strategic autonomy for the European Union's defense and if so, why? Through interviews with various experts in the field of European military cooperation and document research, there is a high degree of coherence between the member states to expand military cooperation. This also has a positive effect on external events such as the war in Ukraine, making PESCO appear to be adaptive. However, the EU's presence has not yet reached that point and NATO is still mainly looked to when it comes to military cooperation. Despite of this PESCO has shown to be promising for the near future.Show less
This thesis delves into the intricate landscape of (green) industrial policies, focusing on Tata Steel Nederland (TSN) and its governance within the Netherlands from 2009 to 2023. Against the...Show moreThis thesis delves into the intricate landscape of (green) industrial policies, focusing on Tata Steel Nederland (TSN) and its governance within the Netherlands from 2009 to 2023. Against the backdrop of global sustainability imperatives, the study navigates the evolving paradigm of industrial policies in response to climate challenges. As the manufacturing sector, particularly steel production, stands pivotal in achieving emission reduction targets, the research unravels the change in governmental rhetoric and policy outcomes towards TSN. This thesis addresses change surrounding TSN governance, injecting agency into Historical Institutionalism (HI) analysis and considers three pressures — expert knowledge, mobilisation, and salience — collectively to address existing research gaps. HI provides the theoretical lens, supported by agency to address the theory’s limitations. The directional flow of pressures, from the communicative to the coordinative policy sphere, elucidates the role of actors in inducing institutional changes. A process-tracing case study methodology is employed and the research analyses governmental documents, health reports, news articles, and interviews to trace the unfolding changes in TSN's governance. The empirical findings show a departure from historical patterns, marked by the maatwerkafspraken, as well as increased monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure the company adheres to the new green industrial vision of the Netherlands. The findings indicate a necessity of coexisting pressures—expert knowledge, mobilisation, and salience—to trigger change. The absence of any one pressure prompts dynamic equilibrium in favour of the powerful interests of TSN, emphasising the need for high pressure in the communicative policy sphere.Show less
The figure of the neutral bureaucrat is endangered by the new challenges of New Public Management. The heightened attention on performance information and goal prioritization characterizing NPM...Show moreThe figure of the neutral bureaucrat is endangered by the new challenges of New Public Management. The heightened attention on performance information and goal prioritization characterizing NPM collides with political preferences and aspirations. The dissertation explores how political interferences influence the prioritization of goals in Dutch local governments. The research expects that the presence of conflicting goals will foster reprioritization considerations during bureaucratic performance evaluation. Through an experimental approach, combining the Experimental Vignette Method and semi-structured interviews, the research finds that political interference leads to goal reprioritization. The employment of thematic coding and subsequent analysis detects guiding explanations cascading from political interference, reinforcing the institutional constraints within the bureaucratic domain. Finally, the dissertation identifies theoretical and methodological limitations and provides practical implications for policymaking and suggestions for the reduction of institutional constraints in bureaucratic evaluation.Show less
