Especially in the last decade, pipelines transporting Russian natural gas abroad have come under much attention in academic studies. The academic debate surrounding these pipelines is characterized...Show moreEspecially in the last decade, pipelines transporting Russian natural gas abroad have come under much attention in academic studies. The academic debate surrounding these pipelines is characterized by a wide variety of different viewpoints, which can be broadly classified into studies ascribing geopolitical and economic motives to Russian energy policymakers. This thesis adds to the literature on Russian gas pipelines by examining Russian official rhetoric on the Nord Stream 2 and Power of Siberia pipelines, the largest pipelines from Russia to Europe and China, respectively, planned in the last decade. In particular, it questions the dichotomy between geopolitical and economic ways of looking at pipelines by examining how Russian officials use narratives of both kinds in justifying the construction of these pipelines. In analyzing statements from various Russian officials, this thesis used qualitative content analysis, meaning that the narratives discussed are the result of a close reading and interpretation of the statements, instead of identifying and counting the use of key words. The results of this research show that Russian officials have regularly made use of both geopolitical and economic narratives to justify both pipelines – with economic narratives slightly more prevalent – , but the nature of these narratives and the frequency of their use differs widely between the cases. This calls into question the strong focus on either economic or geopolitical factors that can be seen in the literature.Show less
Deze scriptie behandelt de vraag hoe de Russische politieke en economische elite de wederzijdse afhankelijkheid in de energierelaties tussen Rusland en Europa ziet. Bij dit onderzoek zijn artikelen...Show moreDeze scriptie behandelt de vraag hoe de Russische politieke en economische elite de wederzijdse afhankelijkheid in de energierelaties tussen Rusland en Europa ziet. Bij dit onderzoek zijn artikelen, interviews, beleidstukken en dergelijke gebruikt van de naar mijn mening drie belangrijkste Russische instanties in de energiesector: de de President van Rusland, het Ministerie van Energie van de Russische Federatie en de Russische gasleverancier Gazprom. Uitgaande van de bronnen van de gebruikte Russische instituties, ziet de Russische politieke en economische elite de wederzijdse afhankelijkheid als een positieve situatie die stabiliteit en zekerheid in de gassector genereert en daarmee de inkomsten uit de export van gas garandeert. Nu Europa zich lijkt af te wenden van het model van wederzijdse afhankelijkheid, gaat Rusland ook op zoek naar manieren om de afhankelijkheid van Europa te verkleinen. Dit gebeurt onder ander door nieuwe afzetmarkten te verkennen en energieproducten te diversifiëren. Uit de resultaten van het onderzoek is te concluderen dat de Russische politieke en economische elite de wederzijdse afhankelijkheid in de energierelaties met Europa erkent. De elite ziet wederzijdse afhankelijkheid in de energierelaties tussen Rusland en Europa als een model dat hen zekerheid en stabiliteit verschaft en dat inkomsten garandeert. De wederzijdse afhankelijkheid creëert volgens de onderzochte Russische instanties een speelveld waarin de risico’s en de voordelen van de gashandel evenredig tussen beide partijen zijn verdeeld. De focus ligt op het ‘wederzijdse’ deel van de afhankelijkheid: duidelijke verplichtingen en voorwaarden van beide kanten creëren een stabiel klimaat dat beide partijen voordelen biedt.Show less
This thesis analyzes whether the depiction of Putin’s obstinate attitude towards international agreements is correct, or whether Russia appears to be less obstinate in handling the conflict in...Show moreThis thesis analyzes whether the depiction of Putin’s obstinate attitude towards international agreements is correct, or whether Russia appears to be less obstinate in handling the conflict in Ukraine when working within the OSCE and the Council of Europe. The analysis is based on the theory of socialization in international organizations and argues that the Russian delegation has not internalized the common lifeworld of the Council of Europe and has only to a certain extent internalized the common lifeworld of the OSCE. Instead, the Russian delegation's socialization can be considered as Type I socialization, meaning that the Russian delegation engages in conscious role play.Show less
In Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s [CFK] numerous speeches towards the Argentineans, other regional leaders and the members of the United Nations, CFK often criticises the West, International...Show moreIn Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s [CFK] numerous speeches towards the Argentineans, other regional leaders and the members of the United Nations, CFK often criticises the West, International Financial Institutions and neoliberalism. This thesis aims to discover what these speeches reveal about Argentina’s foreign policy issues [FPIs]. Specifically, this thesis focuses on the concept of State sovereignty, considering that CFK’s criticism towards the behaviour of the West is often reflected as colonialism and infringement of Argentina’s State sovereignty. In her speeches sovereignty is often reflected as of great importance to Argentina, but why? The research question is therefore formulated as: What do President Fernandez de Kirchner’s speeches on Argentina’s foreign policy issues reveal about the importance of State sovereignty to the Argentine Republic? This thesis will focus on CFK’s annual speeches before the UN General Assembly. We will discover that the speeches on FPIs reveal that in fact Argentina’s national interests are not secured and threatened, caused by the decision-making system of multilateral bodies [MBs]. These MBs are dominated by the developed countries and therefore reflect their interests and values. The developed countries therefore infringe Argentina’s State sovereignty by means of these MBs, by both the absence of mutual recognition and dealing on equal basis. CFK regards the behaviour of developed countries as unfair, abusing the weaker position of developing States for their own benefits.Show less
