Cultural exchange is so embedded in daily life that the importance of it for international relations is not apparent. Cultural products or services may unconsciously generate feelings towards the...Show moreCultural exchange is so embedded in daily life that the importance of it for international relations is not apparent. Cultural products or services may unconsciously generate feelings towards the nation they represent. Irish Riverdance, and Chinese dancing, for example, are actively generating emotions and stances among their international audiences, and the exchange of these cultural products generates mutual understanding between these nations. The aim of this thesis is to study the significance of cultural exchange as a means of soft power and cultural diplomacy in international communication and cooperation. The case studies of this thesis are Chinese and Irish performing arts. This study implies that the relations between China and Ireland are positively influenced by cultural diplomacy and soft power.Show less
This thesis is about the study of the impact of responses from (civil) society, the economic market and the national political sphere on the success of cross-border joint ventures in China. Through...Show moreThis thesis is about the study of the impact of responses from (civil) society, the economic market and the national political sphere on the success of cross-border joint ventures in China. Through this study, it will be established that responses from the aforementioned sectors do indeed impact the realization of cross-border joint ventures in China. The origin and role of these responses in facilitating international corporate interaction will also be assessed. Because of the lack of research on cross-border Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) in China, literature has been selected from a variety of perspectives and disciplines. The societal responses have been grouped in three different foci through which the research has been done: (1) external risks inherent to joint ventures and M&A in general, that in the context of the Chinese market are extra compromising; (2) the controlling practices and narrative of the economic nationalist agenda of the Chinese government; (3) (media) discourses and practices that code the consumption of foreign products and/or services through the lens of consumer nationalism. Leading from these foci and the establishment of the existence of an impact, the research question has been tackled from different angles through e.g. case studies, sub-questions and a counterargument. The intended purpose of this enquiry is to contribute to an underdeveloped research field and also aid practitioners’ understanding of Chinese M&A so they can better anticipate and design their cross-border joint ventures in China.Show less
We depend on media for information and the most important distributor thereof are news media. This thesis will evaluate different media perspective of four countries. A comparative quantitative...Show moreWe depend on media for information and the most important distributor thereof are news media. This thesis will evaluate different media perspective of four countries. A comparative quantitative content analysis of sixty-two articles from news websites from China, The U.S., England and the Netherlands aims to identify the different perspectives in the coverage of the event of U.S. President Trump his ‘state visit-plus’ to China. The thesis will address the mechanisms and history behind journalism with special interest in Chinese journalism. This is due to the controlling nature of Chinese domestic politics and the effects thereof on Chinese journalism. Concepts evaluated to obtain a better understanding of China’s media tactics and development are soft power and framing. These concepts, combined with a historical framework and the content analysis will provide a better understanding of the workings of media from different national perspectives.Show less
This thesis aims to research how the Korean Wave has been a factor in increasing the government's soft power. It sets out the role the government has played in creating this source of soft power...Show moreThis thesis aims to research how the Korean Wave has been a factor in increasing the government's soft power. It sets out the role the government has played in creating this source of soft power and how it has affected South Korea's position in the world scene. This is done by researching the effects of K-dramas in the East Asian region and K-pop in the global context.Show less
The Chinese Social Credit System (SCS) has often been described by Western observers as an “Orwellian nightmare”. However, within China, so such outrage appears to exist. Therefore, this paper...Show moreThe Chinese Social Credit System (SCS) has often been described by Western observers as an “Orwellian nightmare”. However, within China, so such outrage appears to exist. Therefore, this paper examines the current state of the SCS and analyses to what extent the system really intents to further repress the Chinese people using surveillance and big data. First, a number of common myths are dispelled, namely the confusion between Sesame Credit and SCS and the use of big data. Then, a more comprehensive overview of the SCS is created and the actual real-life implementation in local pilots is examined. The final chapters then turn to an interpretation of the SCS. The key finding is that while the SCS has the potential to turn into this feared Orwellian nightmare, this does not appear to be the intended goal of the system. Instead, the main focus is on improving the population’s “suzhi” (or: quality) in order to improve economic and social regulation and make China a more “trustworthy” place.Show less
