How the EU deals with regulating migration at its borders has been the subject of heated discussions for years. Headlines accentuating the dangers of immigration are ever-present. It is thus...Show moreHow the EU deals with regulating migration at its borders has been the subject of heated discussions for years. Headlines accentuating the dangers of immigration are ever-present. It is thus crucial to critically analyse these discourses’ origins, present features, and potential future consequences. This paper wants to investigate what securitisation of migration in the EU looks like in connection to the 2015 “refugee crisis”, and what consequences and compromises it led to, especially in terms of “formal informality”. Analysing EU-Libya relations, this thesis finds that a shift towards more securitised discourse starting from 2015 impacted informal measures, specifically through bilateral agreements such as the Italy-Libya Memorandum of 2017. Given recent backlash for the EU's management of external migration, and reports of mistreatments and abuses in migrant detention camps, this thesis aims at showing the importance of critically analysing discourse by EU institutions, in order to keep them accountable and prevent further rights violations.Show less
Self-defence has been a longstanding foundational concept of international law. However ambiguity still remains over its content and requirements. In particular, this research examines the critical...Show moreSelf-defence has been a longstanding foundational concept of international law. However ambiguity still remains over its content and requirements. In particular, this research examines the critical yet neglected requirement of proportionality in self-defence under international law. The research aims to explore whether states have adhered to the requirement of proportionality in their military actions of self-defence. By operationalizing a framework on the concepts relevant to the research question, the research conducts an exploratory normative analysis on the cases of the US invasion of Iraq and the Gaza War of 2008-09, otherwise known as Operation Cast Lead. Utilising both qualitative and quantitative data from secondary sources and independent official reports. The result of the analysis reveals a lack of adherence to proportionality in self-defence as a result of the excessive scale and gravity of states military actions which far exceeded what would be proportionate in terms of scale and gravity relative to its declared intentions and objectives. In this way the research emphasises the need for clearer definitions and frameworks of the requirements in order to tackle the ambiguities of proportionality in the discourse of self-defence.Show less
This study investigates the doctrine of self-determination in the practice of the United Nations and in relation to the self-determination claims of the Palestinian people. In the first years that...Show moreThis study investigates the doctrine of self-determination in the practice of the United Nations and in relation to the self-determination claims of the Palestinian people. In the first years that followed its establishment, the United Nations terminated British mandate on the territory and since then its Partition Plan has not materialize. Over the time, he principle of self-determination underwent numerous reforms. To look back at the development of the principle as well as its application the the Palestinian self-determination claims this work employs process tracing method. This research looks at the five decades following the establishment of the United Nations and analyses them in three separate time frames. The time frames are based on historical context of the time. Findings of this work suggest that process of disregard, negligence and flexible interpretation of the doctrine of self-determination have played part in the unsuccessful exercise of the right to self-determination by the Palestinians.Show less
The Gaza crisis, which started on 7th October 2023 after Hamas attacks on Israel, killing 1139 Israelis, the conflict has resulted in tragic numbers, as of May 2024, with at least 34,622...Show moreThe Gaza crisis, which started on 7th October 2023 after Hamas attacks on Israel, killing 1139 Israelis, the conflict has resulted in tragic numbers, as of May 2024, with at least 34,622 Palestinian deaths, including over 9,500 women and 14,500 children, and 77.867 injuries, 1.7 Million internally displaced persons, and 1.1 million people projected to face catastrophic levels of food insecurity. The significant number of casualties has prompted widespread reference to the conflict as Israel’s war on Gaza, describing it as an Israeli massacre and genocide against Palestinians. The observed passivity of Islamic/Muslim-majority countries in actively addressing the Gaza crisis presents a puzzling scenario. It significantly raises questions about the dynamics of Muslim states' behavior within international relations. This research has aimed to provide insights into the reasons behind this passive stance of the Muslim states, in particular, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. By using qualitative and quantitative methods on these three separate cases within the scope of the Realism theory of International Relations, the research has found that the three major regional Muslim states have not taken proactive measures concerning the Gaza crisis due to their self-interests, reckoning with political and economic repercussions.Show less
Do United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) impact democratization in post-conflict states? Currently, this question is up for debate and this study builds on new relationships recently...Show moreDo United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) impact democratization in post-conflict states? Currently, this question is up for debate and this study builds on new relationships recently discovered in the literature. Blair, Di Salvatore, & Smidt (2023) argue that UN PKO tactics improve the likelihood of democratization. This relationship is tested through the examination of four mission tactics between the United Nations Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) and the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA). The cases were selected using a most similar design, indicating the cases are similar in all regards, except for their democratization outcomes; Mozambique democratized, while CAR did not. The analysis revealed that ONUMOZ and MINURCA were very similar in their mission tactics and thus mission tactics cannot be considered the sole explanation for democratization. Rather, the size and budget of the mission, involvement of civilian personnel, and recurrence of violence provided more fruitful avenues for explaining the difference in the democratization outcomes. This research contributes to the literature and yields recommendations for future research on UN PKOs and democratization. Additionally, this research provides insight into how the UN can successfully design and implement PKOs aimed at democratization.Show less
With the persistent human rights violations experienced by formerly colonized ethnic groups, the current human rights regimes need urgent review as they themselves may inadvertently contribute to...Show moreWith the persistent human rights violations experienced by formerly colonized ethnic groups, the current human rights regimes need urgent review as they themselves may inadvertently contribute to violence and human suffering. Contemporary human rights, in theory, ensure all individuals have an equal opportunity to claims their entitlements, assuming inherent systemic equality amongst all individuals and groups. However, through an analysis of the rights claims put forth by eight Tanzanian and Nigerian ethnic groups, this thesis finds that human rights fail to inclusively account for and protect the rights claims of formerly colonized groups and individuals. That is, human rights’ restrictive individualistic focus, colonial roots, and imposition of Western norms on non-Western societies have perpetuated the violence and human suffering amongst certain Tanzanian and Nigerian ethnic groups. Hence, human rights frameworks should be reconstructed in a manner that acknowledges existing structural barriers to equality and reduces its focus on individualism through improved collective rights provisions. Such reforms may enhance the recognition of an ethnic group, promote social justice, and address systemic inequalities.Show less
