Since 2006, Mexico has experienced periods of very high levels of violence and homicide rates, product of a developing conflict between the government and drug trafficking organizations (DTOs)....Show moreSince 2006, Mexico has experienced periods of very high levels of violence and homicide rates, product of a developing conflict between the government and drug trafficking organizations (DTOs). Following a shift in political regimes in 2000 which resulted in the decentralization of government power and an increased focus on combatting corruption, relations between the DTOs and the government grew tense. In 2006, President Felipe Calderón decided to militarize the drug war, resulting in a number of developments which appear to have compromised Mexico’s public security. This thesis attempts to create a timeline of the developments that have occurred since 2006 linked to this conflict. It argues that the government’s interventions against DTOs have amplified the intensity of violence in conflict through applying brute force and poorly thought out policies. The timeline is constructed through the presentation of empirical data coupled with a number of key events that I believe have played a role in the development of drug-related violence in Mexico.Show less
20% of the Brazilian Amazon has been deforested to date; this threatens the provisioning of vital ecosystem services, some of which are of relevance internationally. This thesis analyzes how...Show more20% of the Brazilian Amazon has been deforested to date; this threatens the provisioning of vital ecosystem services, some of which are of relevance internationally. This thesis analyzes how neoliberalism has influenced the development of deforestation and agri-business in the Brazilian Amazon. The implementation of neoliberal policies in the 1990’s has been instrumental in the exponential growth of agri-business sectors such as cattle and soy within the Brazilian Amazon. Neoliberalism also reconfigured the primary driver of deforestation from the national government to private enterprise, Brazilian agri-business currently represents the primary driver of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. In addition, federally directed development and conservation policies have also been influential in terms of deforestation rates in the Brazilian Amazon. Neoliberalism, deforestation, agri-business, development policy and conservation policy will all be engaged in order to assess how neoliberalism has impacted agri-business and deforestation within the Brazilian Amazon.Show less
The Mapuche community is an indigenous group in Chile and Argentina and can be considered a cross-border nation. Since the establishment of national borders and nationalization programs by the...Show moreThe Mapuche community is an indigenous group in Chile and Argentina and can be considered a cross-border nation. Since the establishment of national borders and nationalization programs by the Chilean and Argentinian governments, the group has diminished. There are less Mapuche in Argentina and only a small amount of speakers of Mapudungun (the Mapuche language). Chile has a larger Mapuche community and is well known for its activism, such as political participation and protests. This thesis analyses the differences between the Chilean and Argentinian Mapuche and what the reasons are behind those differences. The main focus is on the indigenous rights, including land rights and the offer of bilingual education. The most important reasons lined out for the differences can be traced back to historical events, and are often a result of the nationalization processes and governmental policies towards indigenous groups.Show less
The following thesis is an in-depth analysis of the extent to which the male gaze constructs female identity in 21st century Brazilian society. In the light of post-modern discourse, the concept of...Show moreThe following thesis is an in-depth analysis of the extent to which the male gaze constructs female identity in 21st century Brazilian society. In the light of post-modern discourse, the concept of gender identity has been hotly debated and deconstructed, leading to the conclusion that there is nothing inherently natural about gender; it is instead the byproduct of social, cultural, political, and economic factors. The following thesis analyzes the ways in which feminine identity is crafted through the powerful impact of the male gaze, biopower through the media, and voyeuristic desire. Through an in-depth analysis of two case studies − one focusing on the carnival in Rio de Janeiro, and another one on Brazilian magazine covers − the thesis assesses the extent to which the male gaze impacts feminine identity in 21st century Brazilian society. The main findings suggest that feminine identity in Brazil is created and reaffirmed through the male gaze and voyeuristic pleasure, as exemplified by events such as the carnival in Rio as well as an analysis of Brazilian magazine covers. The thesis concludes that the male gaze and biopower have repercussions on gender norms in Brazilian society, as they present feminine and masculine identities in oppositional terms, thus reinforcing them as separate categories: masculine as active and feminine as passive.Show less
This thesis analyzes the ongoing debate to what extent Mexico can be considered a failed state. There are different points of view about the concept of the failed state, on the one hand it is...Show moreThis thesis analyzes the ongoing debate to what extent Mexico can be considered a failed state. There are different points of view about the concept of the failed state, on the one hand it is commonly accepted; and on the other hand it is mainly seen as a Western paradigm. Mexico has longstanding problems with violence and the failure of the government to provide internal security, both a result of the democratization of this century and the war on drugs by the government. The government cannot address the violence effectively because of the dysfunction of institutions like the police. Another longstanding problem that influences the country are the human rights abuses, in relation to the war on drugs. However, despite these longstanding problems, the Mexican state overall is not failed and will not fail in the near future because it functions effectively on other levels. Economically the country has a strong position in the region. Moreover, the government is able to perform its daily tasks effectively. The failed state paradigm does not take into account the specific cultural and historic characteristics of state development, which is different in every region. The structural problems in Mexico can pose a threat to democracy in the country, but will not lead to state failure.Show less
In 1989, after 17 years of state terrorism and authoritarianism, Chile transitioned back to democracy. Since then, many scholars have studied and attempted to delegitimize Pinochet’s dictatorship...Show moreIn 1989, after 17 years of state terrorism and authoritarianism, Chile transitioned back to democracy. Since then, many scholars have studied and attempted to delegitimize Pinochet’s dictatorship by focusing on its excessive violence. Not only have they furthered the quasi-axiomatic incompatibility between legitimacy and violence, these scholars have also participated in the creation of an immense literature on Pinochet’s violent practices. Yet, in contrast, the literature explaining the longevity of the regime is disproportionately small. In light of this imbalance, this paper examines how violence allowed this authoritarian regime to be one of the longest and latest dictatorships in Latin America. The nature of violence must be reconsidered in an effort to uncover hidden perpetrators who contributed to the dictatorship’s longevity. To do so, Pinochet’s regime is analysed through a Weberian lens. That is, Weber’s three sources of leadership legitimacy: charisma, traditions and legality. This paper exposes the theoretical weaknesses of the conceptualization of legitimacy and of violence. As long as a theoretical shortcoming of these concepts exists, difficulties to evaluate, judge and react appropriately to authoritarianism in practice will persist. This will, in turn, come with additional pernicious effects such as political and social polarization in post-authoritarian societies.Show less
This Bachelor’s thesis analyzes the influence of the ideologies marianismo and machismo on society in Mexico. By analyzing the country’s past, from pre-Hispanic times until after the conquest, it...Show moreThis Bachelor’s thesis analyzes the influence of the ideologies marianismo and machismo on society in Mexico. By analyzing the country’s past, from pre-Hispanic times until after the conquest, it is safe to say that the past continues to have a significant influence on present day Mexico. Marianismo and machismo were used by the Spaniards, as tools for controlling the indigenous people of Mexico, and this has led to the subordinate social position of women. As marianismo and machismo continue to be deeply embedded in Mexican culture, it is important to detect the main institutions that perpetuate these traditions, and cause them to live on in the present. Even though we can see the presence of marianismo and machismo throughout the whole of Mexican society, this work will focus on the economic position and political participation of women. Generally speaking, the family can be considered the main institution that keeps these ideologies alive, doing so by means of traditional norms and values. This thesis will show that, besides the impact on the family unit, marianismo and machismo also have significant effects on the labor market and the political sphere.Show less
