The aim of this thesis is to examine whether China has the structural power to redefine global economic governance through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). To understand the...Show moreThe aim of this thesis is to examine whether China has the structural power to redefine global economic governance through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). To understand the significance of this initiative, the topic of the AIIB will be analysed through the lens of international socialisation theory. This thesis finds that even though, China has managed to shape the AIIB in accordance with its own interests and preferences, still, in many aspects, the bank adheres to Western norms and values. In addition to this, the reforms accelerated by the establishment of the AIIB are rather limited. Clearly China is experiencing a structural power deficit, yet the establishment of the AIIB may positively influence China’s national image abroad and thus, lay a foundation for China’s future grand aspirations.Show less
The following work provides an analysis of how education and housing policy of Hong Kong Government contributes to rising income inequality in the country.
The rise of China’s economy and the rise of number of women empowerment in China have amplified. This paper argues that urban Chinese women hold up more than just half the sky and that the women of...Show moreThe rise of China’s economy and the rise of number of women empowerment in China have amplified. This paper argues that urban Chinese women hold up more than just half the sky and that the women of Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou are very much empowered and career driven than what many may think. However the link between the rise of economy and women empowerment in urban China is something scholars need yet to delve into. Thus this research paper will argue that due to the opportunities working at international companies, Chinese female white-collar workers are more focused on their careers and are becoming more independent. Which leads to a societal change; empowering women and fighting against the concept of ‘leftover women’1. With the rise of the Chinese female white-collar workers, it is beneficial and important for international companies in China to emphasize the importance of women empowerment without creating a gender imbalance.Show less
Human society is facing radical shifts of paradigm in all aspects of culture, politics, economics, and society in an age of exponential technological development. Ever since the first Industrial...Show moreHuman society is facing radical shifts of paradigm in all aspects of culture, politics, economics, and society in an age of exponential technological development. Ever since the first Industrial Revolution, innovations in production have resulted in the automation of many tasks initially performed by human labor. Especially China will face a large influx of unemployed citizens which can increase inequality and harm social stability, and sectoral shift of employment is unlikely to occur. This thesis will explore the scope of automation on a worldwide scale and narrow it down to the impact on technological unemployment in China. The thesis analyses the situation in Guangdong and Jiangsu in particular, because here there is a lot of employment in manufacturing threatened by automation. Furthermore, there will be an analysis of the government’s management of previous unemployment waves, inequality and social unrest. The social welfare system in China is currently ineffective to deal with future technological unemployment. For this reason, China should explore the implementation of a universal basic income (UBI) through experimentation. It is likely within the Chinese government’s financial capabilities, and similar wealth distribution projects have already enjoyed success around the world and in China. UBI has the potential to ensure the benefits of technology are distributed more equally to all of China’s citizens.Show less
China’s intent to increasingly promote infrastructural large projects abroad, in particular. High-Speed Rails, has raised concerns on the implications on China’s rise. Offensive Realists that are...Show moreChina’s intent to increasingly promote infrastructural large projects abroad, in particular. High-Speed Rails, has raised concerns on the implications on China’s rise. Offensive Realists that are concerned with power calculations see a strategy in which China enforces its power on other nations through soft power, while other scholars see China’s High-Speed Rail Diplomacy as an attempt for the Chinese government to present their benevolence and good intentions. As High-Speed Rail Diplomacy is a fairly recent development, there has yet to be ample research done on the topic. In particular existing theories in “conventional” International Relations theory fail to fully explain the case of High-Speed Rail Diplomacy in Southeast Asia. What's interesting about China’s High-Speed Rail Diplomacy in Southeast Asia is that although territorial disputes have shaken the relationships of both China and Southeast Asian nations, there seems to be no tension in negotiations about infrastructural projects. Quite the opposite is happening, as both Southeast Asian Nations and China encourage bilateral negotiations when it comes to infrastructural projects. Current accounts on High-Speed Rail Diplomacy only view the development between a stark dichotomy between “good” or “bad”, failing in formulating statements to China’s state behaviour and its perspectives on its own rise. This research intends to introduce the theories of processual constructivism, which include the process approach and relationality theory, to the discussion on High-Speed Rail Diplomacy and China’s outbound infrastructure investment strategy. Finally, the theoretical framework of processual constructivism and its views on relationality will be applied to the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway project to illustrate how projects like these are a way for the Chinese government to operationalize a “peaceful Rise”.Show less
Education systems play a key role in integrating (im-) migrant children into society. In Shang-hai, migrant children do not have access to equal education, due to the household registration system....Show moreEducation systems play a key role in integrating (im-) migrant children into society. In Shang-hai, migrant children do not have access to equal education, due to the household registration system. The local government has taken steps to gradually open public schools for migrants. However, it remains questionable if migrant children will be able to succeed if they have few-er resources of cultural and social capital. To illustrate how cultural and social capital influ-ence the educational success of students, Shanghai will be compared to the German education system. The example of Second generation Turkish immigrants' school performance is an indi-cation that the German education system underlies cultural and social capital constraints. Even though Shanghai's school's system has institutional barriers, a comparison can help to explain how mechanisms of social exclusion play out. A comprehensive school model could help to cancel out the effects of cultural and social capital. The aim of this research is to a deeper understanding of how education systems influence social mobility of (im-) migrants in different contexts.Show less
This thesis is a study on the provision and management of urban green space through the lens of the structure and actors which influence the often socially unequal outcomes. This has been done by...Show moreThis thesis is a study on the provision and management of urban green space through the lens of the structure and actors which influence the often socially unequal outcomes. This has been done by taking Shanghai and New York as case studies using the paired comparison case study method. It has been found that, while there are very different variables in play between the two cities, the outcome of the interaction between structure and actors are oftentimes similar. In addition, the changing of the structures over time, while not analogous, has certainly moved in the same direction. Using urban green space provision as a post-political facade for underlying motives of growth is becoming more common, denying the average citizen a voice in the matter. Environmental gentrification is a real problem which has existed since the start of modern urban green space provision, and an effective solution has yet to be found.Show less
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), an invention of the West, is on the rise in China. This research paper examines the specific Chinese cultural elements that have influenced the mechanisms and...Show moreCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR), an invention of the West, is on the rise in China. This research paper examines the specific Chinese cultural elements that have influenced the mechanisms and implementation of CSR in China, and more specifically in Wenzhou. The cultural elements that will be discussed in this thesis are Confucianism and communism, as these have had a large impact on Chinese society and culture. A study of the stakeholder and social dimensions of private companies in Wenzhou showed connections between Chinese cultural factors and how CSR policies were adopted. The Chinese CSR policies did not differ radically from Western ones, but principles of Confucianism and communism could still be found in the CSR policies and outcomes of these private companies, in some cases more explicitly than in others. This Chinese form of CSR provides both advantages and challenges for the further development of CSR in China, and can serve as an example of non- Western CSR.Show less
