This paper discusses that Saudi Arabia is undergoing a transformation as they implement many liberal reforms. These reforms are not isolated but are part of a strategic framework called Vision 2030...Show moreThis paper discusses that Saudi Arabia is undergoing a transformation as they implement many liberal reforms. These reforms are not isolated but are part of a strategic framework called Vision 2030. This is to ensure that Saudi Arabia becomes more attractive to the Western world as a tourist hotspot and to do business with. This paper analyzes some of these reforms within the framework of vision 2030.Show less
Recent is er hernieuwde aandacht voor de studie naar sociale mobiliteit in premoderne islamitische samenlevingen. In navolging hiervan onderzoekt dit werkstuk de sociale mobiliteit van vier artsen...Show moreRecent is er hernieuwde aandacht voor de studie naar sociale mobiliteit in premoderne islamitische samenlevingen. In navolging hiervan onderzoekt dit werkstuk de sociale mobiliteit van vier artsen die in de twaalfde eeuw studeerden in Abbasidisch Bagdad, daarna in Damascus carrière maakten als arts en in dienst gingen van het Zengidische of Ayyubidische hof. In deze periode kwam Damascus op als centrum voor geneeskunde. Artsen gaven de voorkeur aan Damascus ten opzichte van Bagdad. Door de sociale mobiliteit van de artsen te bestuderen en contextualiseren wordt inzichtelijk gemaakt welke sociale, politieke en economische factoren in beide steden hieraan ten grondslag liggen.Show less
The mythical half-snake, half-woman creature named Shahmeran from the Middle East has made an appearance in a controversial artwork highlighting LGBTQ+ oppression and faithbased misogyny during the...Show moreThe mythical half-snake, half-woman creature named Shahmeran from the Middle East has made an appearance in a controversial artwork highlighting LGBTQ+ oppression and faithbased misogyny during the Boğaziçi University student protests in early 2021. Shahmeran is an old and known symbol in the region, especially in the diverse areas of south-eastern Turkey, northern Iraq and Iran. She is most probably a remainder of ancient mother goddesses, and was changed overtime to be adopted by the Islamic community with her own story with the help of early Indo-Iranian literary culture, thus making her a pre-Islamic phenomenon. Traditionally, Shahmeran is used primarily for oral storytelling, literature, and art, but also serves as an important talisman for protection against the evil eye and adversity, as well as for happiness and prosperity. The use of Shahmeran in a student protest at a famous university to highlight social issues is a significant change compared to her traditional roles in the region’s folk beliefs. In response to these events, I based my research on the use of Shahmeran as a political symbol for minority groups such as the LGBTQ+ community and the Kurds. This research was conducted by analysing existing Turkish literature, various artworks and news articles. Shahmeran is an inherently non-binary creature, with both female and male sexual characteristics, making her an important symbol for the LGBTQ+ community and gender expression in general. For Kurds, Shahmeran is used as a symbol of resistance against the Turkish state. Both minority groups in Turkey use art with her in it to express their political realities.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
In 2015 former president Reuven Rivlin claimed that Israel needs a redefinition of Israeliness to preserve the Israeli society. According to him, a new national identity must be created, with which...Show moreIn 2015 former president Reuven Rivlin claimed that Israel needs a redefinition of Israeliness to preserve the Israeli society. According to him, a new national identity must be created, with which all citizens can identify. When looking at the Israeli educational system, it becomes apparent that such a redefinition is necessary. As multiple studies have shown, the Arab- Palestinian community in Israel is not only marginalized in terms of the quality of the educational system, but also with regards to the contents of the education, mainly -but not limited to- in the field of history education, which amongst others ignore Palestinian perspectives on the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict and which deny Palestinian belonging to the country. As this thesis shows, bilingual schools in Israel offer a radical alternative historical narrative that includes Palestinian perspectives, that treats Jewish and Palestinian identities on an equal basis and that at the same time creates an overarching narrative (or if you wish Israeliness) which connects both communities. At the same time however, this thesis argues that the success of the alternative historical narrative at bilingual schools is limited due to the same inequalities the education tries to counter, namely the lack of classes on Palestinian/Middle Eastern history, the continuing dominance of Jewish-Israeli frameworks for teaching history and the dominance of the Hebrew language. Nonetheless, although progress can still be made, the alternative approach to education of bilingual schools provide an inspirational basis for redefining Jewish-Palestinian relationships in the future.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
