Protests flared up in Iran in November 2019. The sheer amount of people reminded me of the protests a decade earlier surrounding the 2009 presidential elections. Back then, the so-called Twitter...Show moreProtests flared up in Iran in November 2019. The sheer amount of people reminded me of the protests a decade earlier surrounding the 2009 presidential elections. Back then, the so-called Twitter Revolution was instigated when, according to many, the elections were conducted in a fraudulent manner. The emphasis had been placed on the role of Twitter in the international media caught my attention. After conducting a literature review I came up with the research question: To what extent has Twitter played a role in the mobilisation processes of the 2009 Iranian Green Movement? Both primary source Twitter data and multidisciplinary secondary sources have been consulted to try answer this question. This research has delved into the obscure world of mass mobilisation within a highly regulated public sphere. It has spent equal time analysing both sides of the debate surrounding the influence of Twitter on the Green Movement. When looking at the events surrounding the tragic death of Neda Agha-Soltan, one must conclude that Twitter has most certainly played a role in the mass-dispersion of information during the Green Movement. However, one also cannot ignore the successful suppression of the Green Movement. In short, not the outside researchers but the people of Iran themselves have the ability and knowledge to explain their efforts behind their fight against oppression.Show less
The poetry of the Afghan Taliban offers an interesting angle to look at the organization. It shows that aesthetics are a relevant way to observe political organizations in order to discover things...Show moreThe poetry of the Afghan Taliban offers an interesting angle to look at the organization. It shows that aesthetics are a relevant way to observe political organizations in order to discover things that would have remained undiscovered by other research.Show less
The dynamics between Sufism and politics in Morocco go back hundreds of years in history, yet they are still seen as relevant to this day. Studying these dynamics can offer invaluable insights into...Show moreThe dynamics between Sufism and politics in Morocco go back hundreds of years in history, yet they are still seen as relevant to this day. Studying these dynamics can offer invaluable insights into the relationship between power and religion in Moroccan society. In this thesis I will examine the development of the Moroccan State’s discourse on Sufism in the 21st century, by analyzing the State’s utterances in the realm of Sufism within the country. In order to present an in-depth analysis, this thesis studies recent scholarly literature on this topic, as well as actual utterances of the Moroccan State in speeches and policy. Moreover, by taking into account the sociohistorical complexities of Sufism and politics in Morocco, I aim at presenting a discourse analysis that is not merely focusing on the present, but also considering the possible connections with the ‘old’ system. Drawing on Foucault’s notion of power and discourse, this thesis also aims at linking the Moroccan State’s powerful position to the discourse on Sufism. I argue that in the 21st century, the Moroccan State’s discourse on Sufism, or sainthood, has become more versatile and complex, due to it is entanglement with political challenges of the 21st century, and its employment under the realm of larger discourses.Show less
