Andalusian music is performed today all over the Mediterranean and beyond. Why? There is not one kind of music that we can characterize as being from al-Andalus. Jewish and Christian peoples had...Show moreAndalusian music is performed today all over the Mediterranean and beyond. Why? There is not one kind of music that we can characterize as being from al-Andalus. Jewish and Christian peoples had musical traditions before the arrival of the Muslims, who brought along musicians from the East. There was reciprocal influence between traditions, but likely there remained separate identities to a certain extent. From the 15th century, great numbers of Jews, Muslims, or converted people were forced in different installments to leave the Iberian Peninsula. These people brought along elements of their home culture to their new destinations. This forms the basis for most contemporary traditions of Andalusian music. These traditions and their different claims on the identity and purpose of the music, provide telling insights into the narratives on Andalusian music of today. For this reason, I discuss a handful of primary sources, discussing either performances of Andalusian music or ensembles of Andalusian music. Three main narratives emerge, the first being the Islamic Golden Age narrative. It looks back on Al-Andalus as the highpoint of Islamic civilization and culture, and Andalusian music then is instrumentalized as a nostalgic tool and symbol of the ‘ideal’ al-Andalus. The second narrative is that of local heritage. This narrative focusses on the locally cultivated traditions of Andalusian music, that have both a stark regional identity and its own claim to al-Andalus and a certain authenticity. The last main narrative observed is that centered on the European Convivencia ideal, full of nostalgia for a time of peaceful tolerance and collaboration between ‘the three religions’.Show less
The first elections after the anti-establishment Arab Spring protests resulted in a victory for Islamist political parties in a number of MENA countries. This came as a surprise to the West, which...Show moreThe first elections after the anti-establishment Arab Spring protests resulted in a victory for Islamist political parties in a number of MENA countries. This came as a surprise to the West, which points of view are known to contradict Islam with the democracy and civil liberties that the Arab Spring protests called for. It comes as no surprise then that Islamist political success is often contributed to the inclusion of these parties in a pluralist and democratic playfield. Allegedly, this forces them to bargain and negotiate with other actors, resulting in the disappearance of Islamist ideological elements and making them viable options for the electorate. This prominent way of thinking - which has been called the moderation through inclusion theory - is much critiqued for being too shortsighted in its view of political Islamism. That is why this thesis argues in favor of an alternative approach that shifts the focus from the outcome of a period of political transition and whether or not this is moderate, to one that emphasizes the processes and internal and external factors that shape the ideological transformations of these parties. By looking at the most prominent Islamist parties of three countries (Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt) and tracing their historical developments and contexts based on these internal and external factors, this thesis then offers an alternative explanation to the popularity of political Islamism in the first elections after the Arab Spring uprisings.Show less
Every year, Morocco sends hundreds of imams to different countries in Europe during Ramadan to support the local Moroccan community. They are sent by the Foundation Hassan II, a foundation...Show moreEvery year, Morocco sends hundreds of imams to different countries in Europe during Ramadan to support the local Moroccan community. They are sent by the Foundation Hassan II, a foundation safeguarding the cultural and religious identity of the diaspora. This research focuses on this institution and examines the ways in which religion is manifested in foreign policy in relation to the diaspora in the Netherlands. This is done by analyzing a national policy called the Stratégie Nationale en faveur des Marocains du Monde by the Ministère chargé des Marocains Résidant à l’Etranger et des Affaires de la Migration. In the case of the Netherlands, religion is mainly manifested by sending religious personnel and materials. In general, Morocco emphasizes a return transnationalism within its policy by motivating contributing to the country’s development, but also return to Morocco. This return transnationalism was first visible in the terminology that Morocco used to refer to the migrants which were underlinging the economic purposes of the migration. This later evolved into a term that also emphasized cultural and religious elements. Furthermore, various institutions were found to represent the interests of the diaspora, including the Fondation, but this system is not flawless because their cooperation can be ineffective. The study also covers the invention of “Moroccan Islam” as a colonial construct and the Moroccan interpretation of Islam that consist of four pillars. These pillars are also visible in the Strategy for example by emphasizing the Maliki Madhhab or moderate nature of the Moroccan interpretation of Islam.Show less
Since the first oil-boom of the 1970s, the Arab Gulf countries have witnessed rapid socio-economic developments as a result of expansive oil-revenues. These rapid socioeconomic developments were...Show moreSince the first oil-boom of the 1970s, the Arab Gulf countries have witnessed rapid socio-economic developments as a result of expansive oil-revenues. These rapid socioeconomic developments were multifaceted, but in a region known for its social conservatism, it is interesting to explore the evolution of the position of women amid socio-economic changes. The expression of female agency offers numerous possibilities to explore this evolution in Arab-Gulf societies from a woman’s perspective, but it also offers challenges to Western academics as contemporary literature on female agency in the Arab Gulf is limited. In this thesis, I present a case study of the social media accounts of six Arab-Gulf women with a relatively large social media following. Research has been conducted into their social media posts to explain a changing attitude in female agency in the Arab Gulf, in terms of clothing, self-expression and positioning in their society. As all six women are part of the wealthier echelons of their society, it is interesting to observe that there is little cohesion in their posts to changing societal progress in terms of women’s rights. While the women seem to acknowledge societal change through their posts, none of them used their relatively large social media following to explicitly call out leaders to demand rights or to express gratitude for obtained rights. This research highlights the need for further exploration into the expression of female agency through the use of social media in a digitalizing world.Show less
The pressing water shortages, extreme population growth, and high food dependency rates lie at the roots of the contemporary food crisis in the MENA region. These circumstances will exaggerate in...Show moreThe pressing water shortages, extreme population growth, and high food dependency rates lie at the roots of the contemporary food crisis in the MENA region. These circumstances will exaggerate in the near future, leading to even more challenges in guaranteeing food security. There is an ongoing academic debate on whether the region should focus on the international food market or strive for food self-sufficiency. According to some, the former lies at the roots of the food crisis, while the latter is challenging because of climate issues. To contribute to this debate, this thesis critically examines the coming about of the food crisis based on food regime theory. It takes Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt as case studies to reflect on the agricultural policy in the MENA region from the colonial period onwards. There is a large focus on the neoliberal food regime, being the current global system of food production, consumption, and distribution that can be characterised by 1) a liberalised agricultural market, 2) a centralisation of power and wealth through large agribusiness from the Global North, 3) a focus on the export market and 4) the significant role of International Financial Institutions like the WB and the IMF. This thesis expounds on the contemporary food crisis in the MENA region, both in socio-economic and ecological terms, and explores the relationship between the neoliberal food regime and these issues. As for prospects, it suggests combining food self-sufficiency with the global market, striving for a fair and sustainable global food system that takes into account the contemporary context, its historical background, economic and collaboration opportunities and ecological restrictions. This entails a critical reflection on the role of the persisting Global North in the contemporary food regime and the global food crisis.Show less
This research investigates the factors contributing to a change in the anti-Semitic discourse used by some Palestinian Syrian Dutch individuals (PSDs) during their participation in pro-Palestine...Show moreThis research investigates the factors contributing to a change in the anti-Semitic discourse used by some Palestinian Syrian Dutch individuals (PSDs) during their participation in pro-Palestine protests in the Netherlands. Based on interviews conducted with five PSDs, this study has focused on studying the impact of different factors leading to a new understanding of anti-Semitism. The findings indicate that a shift away from the use of anti-Semitic rhetoric took place amongst the participants, as observed in four different aspects. While this does not necessarily mean that anti-Semitism is not present, the general trend indicates a shift toward a more inclusive discourse in the future. As such, it is important to consider these factors that helped change this rhetoric and take them into account in the context of discussing anti-Semitic discourse in pro-Palestinian demonstrations taking place in the Netherlands.Show less
Bu araştırmanın konusu Elif Shafak’ın en son Kıbrıs’taki anlaşmazlık hakkında olan kitabı ‘Ağaçları kayıp olan Ada’daki hatıra söylemleri olmaktadır. Yirminci asrın başlangıcında Rum ile Türk...Show moreBu araştırmanın konusu Elif Shafak’ın en son Kıbrıs’taki anlaşmazlık hakkında olan kitabı ‘Ağaçları kayıp olan Ada’daki hatıra söylemleri olmaktadır. Yirminci asrın başlangıcında Rum ile Türk Kıbrıslıların arasında gerilimlerin ortaya çıkmasıyla, şimdiki siyasi hedeflere ulaşmak için geçmişle şimdiki zaman hakkında çeşitli hikayeler oluşturulmuştur. Bu hikayeler çoğunlukla Sağ ile Sol siyasal akımlarına göre ayırt edilebilir; Sağdakiler kendi etnik grubunun katlanması gereken haksız eziyetini vurgularken ve milliyetçi düşünceleri savunurken, Soldakiler ortak eziyeti vurgular ve milliyetçiliği aşmak ister. Bu hikayeler hatıra bilimleri bölümünde ‘hatıra söylemleri’ olarak bilinir ve aynı olaylar hakkında farklı gruplar tarafından çeşitli hatıraların oluşturulmasına atfetmektedir. Shafak’ın kitabı Kıbrıs’taki anlaşmazlık hakkında olan ilk roman olduğuna göre, anlaşmazlığın edebiyattaki sunması hakkında bugüne dek hiçbir akademik araştırma yapılmamıştır. Bu nedeniyle, bu araştırmanın amacı Shafak’ın kitabında belirli bir hatıra söylemi kullanıp kullanmaması ve kullanmışsa Kıbrıs’taki anlaşmazlığın hakkında olan hatıra söylemlerine uyup uymadığını ortaya çıkarmak olmaktadır. Bu araştırmanın metodolojisi qualitative content analysis, yani kategorizasyon aracılığıyla elde edilmiş verilerin derinlemesine analiz olmaktadır. Bu yöntemin bulguları Shafak’ın Sağcı ve milliyetçi düşüncelerinin romanında tanımlaması, ama desteklememesi olmaktadır. Aksine, kitap milliyetçiliği karşılamak amacıyla çoğunlukla milliyetçiliği aşan ve hem Rum hem Türk Kıbrıslılar için ortak bir Kıbrıslı kimlik sağlamaktadır.Show less
This thesis looks at the postcapitalist potential of NGO practices in the occupied Palestinian territories. Specifically, this thesis discusses the Palestinian NGO Ma’an Development Center and to...Show moreThis thesis looks at the postcapitalist potential of NGO practices in the occupied Palestinian territories. Specifically, this thesis discusses the Palestinian NGO Ma’an Development Center and to what extent it promotes a specific form of postcapitalism known as the Community Economy in the context of the Palestinian NGO sector as a whole. The goal of this thesis is two-fold: 1) adding a new dimension to the study of NGOs in the occupied Palestinian territories and 2) enriching postcapitalist scholarship with a case study from an understudied geographical area.Show less
The thesis is about the polarization in Israeli society between the ultra-Orthodox and secular population. This polarization is largely caused by a difference of opinion about Israeli identity and...Show moreThe thesis is about the polarization in Israeli society between the ultra-Orthodox and secular population. This polarization is largely caused by a difference of opinion about Israeli identity and the political power of the ultra-Orthodox political parties.Show less
