The use of queer as an umbrella term provides no single definition and thus allows individuals to experience their unique identities. However, this way of using the word also flattens the group...Show moreThe use of queer as an umbrella term provides no single definition and thus allows individuals to experience their unique identities. However, this way of using the word also flattens the group creating 'queernormativity'. This idea of there being a 'right' way of being queer is quite problematic, because it is not just an identification marker. Being queer is also a way of doing. Through the increasing effects of globalisation a trend of 'global queerness' has formed which is often dominated by Western knowledge. Recently more focus is on overcoming this Euro-American metropolitanism. One way is through film as it is a form of popular culture presenting alternative ideas and possibilities. Film festivals in particular present the perfect arena for these ideas to present themselves. However in recent decades these established communities struggle with commercialization. This research focuses on understanding how queer Asia is represented in film at European film festivals.Show less
China has been important for the global luxury industry in the last decades. A recent trend in the Chinese luxury industry has been the growth of Chinese luxury brands, however, literature mostly...Show moreChina has been important for the global luxury industry in the last decades. A recent trend in the Chinese luxury industry has been the growth of Chinese luxury brands, however, literature mostly focuses on the influence of Western brands in this industry. This thesis therefore analyzed what factors have had, and still have, the biggest influence on this quick rise and success of local Chinese brands in the Chinese fashion luxury industry. This is done through a combination of the meso-, and macro-environment analysis of the industry. Porter’s five forces model and the DESTEP-model have been used to realize this. The results have shown that there are multiple factors that have contributed to the growth of upcoming Chinese brands in this industry. The factors that can be considered as most beneficial are the easy to enter market, growing sense of nationalism and the growing importance of sustainability.Show less
The current degradation of Lancang-Mekong River basin’s ecosystem is partly caused by the development of hydropower plants. If nothing is done to stop the damage being done, the Mekong River...Show moreThe current degradation of Lancang-Mekong River basin’s ecosystem is partly caused by the development of hydropower plants. If nothing is done to stop the damage being done, the Mekong River Commission expect catastrophic consequences to the ecosystem by 2040. Thus, the thesis explored how regional organisations in the Mekong region address the current environmental issues related to hydropower development in the Lancang-Mekong River basin, and what the drivers of hydropower development are. By analysing reports, press releases, and strategies from regional organisations, the thesis found that the collective action problems of poverty reduction and environmental protection have created a dichotomy between economic development and environmental protection based on a trade-off and off-setting approach that is best explained by Nancy Fraser’s foreground and background stories. This dichotomy has resulted in a system, where benefits to the river are viewed as secondary to benefits from and beyond the river. Thus, new approaches to hydro-governance are needed in the region.Show less
Debates about the ownership of cultural heritage have been ongoing between colonizer and colonized countries. It has only been recently that the Netherlands has been reflective of its colonial...Show moreDebates about the ownership of cultural heritage have been ongoing between colonizer and colonized countries. It has only been recently that the Netherlands has been reflective of its colonial history and has returned 472 looted art objects back to Indonesia that came into Dutch hands during the colonial period. However, Indonesia has been requesting the return of cultural heritage objects since the 1960s, with its aim to support a new national narrative of the Indonesian state. The Netherlands has been unwilling to return objects due to a loss of power in the colonies and a loss of cultural control. This thesis explores the colonial thought and power structures that underlie the discourse on the restitution of colonial artifacts, such as in the case study of the Java Man remains. By performing an adaptation of a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and employing concepts such as heritage, universal value, looted, and restitution, this thesis argues that the Dutch state and institutions, such as Naturalis, claiming ownership of the looted artifacts proves to reflect the presence of a lingering colonial way of thinking, where the West is thought of as superior in terms of scientific research and architecture. The exhibition Early Humans where the Java Man remains are stored and presented, lacks information regarding the excavation of the artifacts and the colonial context they were found in. The lack of information regarding the colonial history reaffirms the power structures of the museum, linked to their colonial past of collecting. By analyzing the discourse surrounding the remains, this thesis aims to add how such colonial thinking and power structures have been reinforced through the debate of cultural heritage ownership.Show less
This thesis is an examination of the character of wakashu as depicted in Ihara Saikaku's late 17th-century collection of short stories Nanshoku ōkagami. It looks at overall similarities between the...Show moreThis thesis is an examination of the character of wakashu as depicted in Ihara Saikaku's late 17th-century collection of short stories Nanshoku ōkagami. It looks at overall similarities between the stories and constructs a general view of this type of sexuality-wise intriguing youth as well as comparing it to the earlier medieval character of chigo.Show less
The term menhera, originally an Internet term, has taken on various meanings. To date, the academic literature has focused primarily on the meaning of the word in popular culture. There has been...Show moreThe term menhera, originally an Internet term, has taken on various meanings. To date, the academic literature has focused primarily on the meaning of the word in popular culture. There has been little research on the meaning of menhera as an Internet language and the perspective of those who identify with it. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis was to find the meaning of menhera for those who identify with it in an online community. A content analysis was conducted on a Discord server called Sick Miss. The analysis revealed that for the members of Sick Miss, the term menhera does not mean a set of particular characteristics or a specific disorder. Instead, menhera encompasses all mental disorders and the members specify their illness by using terms from the DSM-V. Furthermore, Sick Miss members express their illness through pain; expressing it primarily as the pain of living. The reason for members to join the server is to join a community of people for mutual support. The analysis has shown that in the context of an online community, the meaning of menhera is to ease the pain of life together.Show less
Existing literature on the intellectual field in the post-1989 China has focused predominantly on the intellectuals of the mainstream trends of thoughts and “-isms”, including for example, the neo...Show moreExisting literature on the intellectual field in the post-1989 China has focused predominantly on the intellectuals of the mainstream trends of thoughts and “-isms”, including for example, the neo-conservativism and the Liberals. While scholarships contribute to the discussion from a variety of perspectives, one genre has probed into the divergent self-images of the mainstream intellectuals in the post-1989 era. Despite the mainstream trends of thoughts and “-isms”, however, the intellectual field of the post-1989 China had also comprised marginal trends of thoughts and inconspicuous intellectuals respectively, for example, Chinese Straussians. Current studies revolving the rise of Chinese Straussians have so far concentrated mainly on its critiques on the mainstream trends but have not yet discussed whether Chinese Straussians’ self-image is divergent from the mainstream. In this regard, this thesis is proposed to study the self-image of Chinese Straussians and to compare it with the self-images of the mainstream intellectuals. This thesis will thus contribute to the existing academic debate by providing a more sophisticated understanding of Chinese Straussians, one of the marginal threads of the post-1989 intellectual field, that is considered to have fundamentally challenged the mainstream intellectuals.Show less
Ryukyu, also known as Okinawa, is the southernmost prefecture of Japan today. However, these islands were once an independent Kingdom and played a crucial role as a link between Northeast and...Show moreRyukyu, also known as Okinawa, is the southernmost prefecture of Japan today. However, these islands were once an independent Kingdom and played a crucial role as a link between Northeast and Southeast Asia during the maritime period. Established in 1429, the Ryukyu Kingdom existed as a separate state for nearly 450 years until it was incorporated into Okinawa Prefecture by the Meiji Japanese government in 1879. Scholarship on Okinawa has predominantly focused on post-war geopolitics or the general exchanges between China, Japan, and Ryukyu in the early modern period, often relying on textual accounts. Unfortunately, the arts of Okinawa have largely been overlooked by the Western world due to the prevailing notion that Japan is a homogeneous culture, disregarding local variations and leading Western Japanologists to lack specialized interest in Japan's peripheral regions. Similarly, ethnographic museums in the West have limited collections related to the Ainu people. These circumstances suggest that contemporary studies on Japan are largely influenced by the country's nationalist concept of a unified nation, particularly after the Meiji Restoration. China had been sending diplomatic envoys to the Ryukyu Kingdom since the Ming Hongwu Emperor, and this practice continued until the mid-19th century when Japan annexed Ryukyu and made it part of its territory. The four-century-long diplomatic history between Ryukyu and China can be considered the golden age of Okinawan history, during which numerous art forms thrived, and Okinawans took great pride in their unique culture and language. The Okinawans referred to the vessels carrying envoys from China as Okansen (meaning "crown ships"), and the primary envoys who crowned the Ryukyu King were called Sappōshi. Although the Ryukyu Kingdom was officially established as a unified dynasty by King Shō Hashi in 1429, the tributary relationship with Ming China had already begun in 1372, during the reign of the Ming Hongwu Emperor and King of Chūzan. In addition to the vassal and tributary relationship with China, the Kingdom maintained careful relations with Japan after the invasion by the Japanese Satsuma-Shimazu clan based in Kagoshima, Kyushu in 1609. The Ryukyu Kingdom pursued a diplomacy of equidistance and multilateralism, establishing trade with China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asian countries as the foundation of its economy. Consequently, people, goods, and information from various Asian countries were exchanged, giving rise to an international "Ryukyu culture." This study aims to explore the enduring but relatively understudied tributary relationship between the suzerain and vassal states through an examination of historical documents and material culture. Specifically, I will analyze similar tributary offerings found in the collections of various museums.Show less
The Japanese Mingei (Folk craft) theory has played a prominent role in the realm of crafts, drawing parallels to the Arts and Crafts movement that emerged in Great Britain during the late 19th and...Show moreThe Japanese Mingei (Folk craft) theory has played a prominent role in the realm of crafts, drawing parallels to the Arts and Crafts movement that emerged in Great Britain during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Mingei, as a counter-movement, aimed to revive traditional crafts in response to the perceived decline of fine arts. Influenced by pioneers of the Arts and Crafts movement, Yanagi Sōetsu (1889-1961) began developing Mingei theory in the early 20th century after exploring Korean crafts. Yanagi's theory centered on appreciating objects crafted by the people (min) and aimed to highlight the significance of these creations. Even today, Mingei continues to be applied to various objects, endowing them with an air of "authenticity" and "naturalness." Objects classified as Mingei are often perceived as traditional, reflecting regional techniques and shapes. The link to "nature" arises from the production process, where craftsmen prefer using locally available materials, operating in a state of mushin (no mind) – a concept derived from Zen Buddhism. According to Yanagi Sōetsu, this non-conscious state enables craftsmen to channel "nature" or a higher power, resulting in objects that embody a spiritual connection to the natural world. This research explores the evolution of Mingei theory in the context of Japanese ceramics and its reciprocal influence on ceramicists. Focusing predominantly on Yanagi's original theories, this study investigates how ceramicists have adapted and applied these ideas. Notably, Mingei theory has been instrumental in differentiating Japanese ceramics from non-Japanese works, imbuing them with a sense of "authenticity" associated with "folk art." While certain elements may not inherently qualify as "folk," they still carry Mingei attributes, reflecting national and possibly essentialist notions. Through comparative analysis, this study examines the work and comments of two prominent figures in Japanese ceramics – Hamada Shōji (1894-1978) and contemporary ceramicist Matsuo Haruka (b. 1974). Hamada Shōji, renowned for his association with Yanagi Sōetsu and the Mingei movement, serves as a compelling case study. His influence on Yanagi and vice versa sheds light on the essence of being a Mingei artist. In contrast, Matsuo Haruka, a ceramicist active in the Netherlands, offers a contemporary perspective, adhering to traditional "folk" techniques while receiving formal education in fine arts and textiles. Her experience and familial connections to Yanagi Sōri, Sōetsu's son, present a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of tradition and modernity in Mingei theory. Ultimately, this research aims to illuminate the dynamic relationship between Mingei theory and Japanese ceramics, uncovering the ways in which this influential movement has shaped the world of crafts. By examining the insights of Yanagi Sōetsu, Hamada Shōji, and Matsuo Haruka, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of Mingei's impact on the appreciation of Japanese ceramics and its continued relevance in contemporary artistic practice.Show less