Whilst the principle of European solidarity has been promoted as one of the key parts of European identity, it remains a debated topic, due to the implications it has for Member States, for example...Show moreWhilst the principle of European solidarity has been promoted as one of the key parts of European identity, it remains a debated topic, due to the implications it has for Member States, for example in terms of giving up sovereignty. The prospect of European integration at different speeds has been seen in a negative light by the European Union, despite there being significant historical and structural differences amongst the Member States, which have not been resolved through EU membership. During the 2015 refugee crisis, solidarity became a hot topic once again, due to the overburden experienced in the arrival Member States of Greece and Italy. However, despite being a frequently evoked term, only the mandatory aspect of solidarity has been defined by the EU, who shuns the idea of a flexible solidarity. Whilst refusing the xenophobic ideals of the countries behind this new perception of solidarity, this thesis engages in a critique of the concept of mandatory solidarity, in light of different historical pasts, and experience with migration across Member States.Show less
In an even more globalised world, the role of international institutions has become both increasingly important and controversial. The rise of global governance also has an impact for governance at...Show moreIn an even more globalised world, the role of international institutions has become both increasingly important and controversial. The rise of global governance also has an impact for governance at the domestic level as many issues are decided, at least partly, at the international level. The question is, then, how great is this influence of international institutions at the domestic level? This thesis will explore this topic by doing a case study analysis that focuses on a specific issue, the Irish abortion law. The case study will focus on three instances in which Irish women sued the Irish state in the international courts for the suffering that the strict abortion law had caused them. The research question that will be used is ‘How did international institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union influence the abortion law in Ireland?’. This thesis’ hypothesis is that the executive power of international institutions at the domestic level is limited. Instead, the influence that international institutions have mainly flows from their ability to set international norms and standards. Through a qualitative document analysis of official court documents, court rulings, reports, and news articles, the impact of international institutions on the Irish abortion has been explored. Previous research on the practical impact of UN treaties and the concept of ‘soft power’ have been used as the foundation for the research. The main research findings are that the international institutions’ impact at the domestic level varies per domestic issue and context. Further, the hypothesis was correct in that the international institution’s involvement in the issue was considered legitimate due to its use of soft power. The final conclusion was that for the Irish abortion law specifically, an interplay of both international and domestic factors were needed for a change to be brought about.Show less
The way in which a group of individuals can develop a collective memory has fascinated scholars for decades and gave birth to different definitions and conceptualisations of memory. From the...Show moreThe way in which a group of individuals can develop a collective memory has fascinated scholars for decades and gave birth to different definitions and conceptualisations of memory. From the studies conducted on memory, one notion stands out for its particular and captivating character: cultural memory, a form of collective memory that embraces ongoing societal and historical changes. Cultural memory has proven to be powerful and influential in various domains of human life. This thesis aims at investigating the influence of cultural memory on the shaping of social movements, a yet little explored field. Through a thorough analysis of two case studies – Germany and Italy – this research will shed light on the ways in which remembering and forgetting past experiences intertwine with the development of social movements.Show less
This thesis discusses the Danish ‘master narrative’ of World War Two, of the Nazi occupation with the Danes mainly being characterized as resistant, and as rescuers of the majority of the Danish...Show moreThis thesis discusses the Danish ‘master narrative’ of World War Two, of the Nazi occupation with the Danes mainly being characterized as resistant, and as rescuers of the majority of the Danish Jewish population, and that they had been able to hold onto to their values of democracy, freedom, and equality. This thesis will focus on the change that took place from this 'master narrative' towards a more critical one, on the part that Denmark had played in the Holocaust, with its own restrictive refugee policy of the 1930s and 40s, and the cooperation of Danish businesses with the Nazis, to name two such critical aspects. Since the cultural memory of these events had an impact on the perception of society today, it is important to know exactly what happened, and to analyse the background based on which the Danish historical narrative was constructed then, as well as the background for the more critical historical narrative today. Thus, this research has as its main focus the circumstances of occupation-time Denmark, and how the narrative of the characterization of occupied Denmark, as well as how Denmark relates to the Holocaust has changed over time.Show less
This thesis explores why populist parties in Europe, and within the Netherlands in particular, have grown significantly in the last decades. This thesis will argue that key to this populist trend...Show moreThis thesis explores why populist parties in Europe, and within the Netherlands in particular, have grown significantly in the last decades. This thesis will argue that key to this populist trend has been the development of the capital/labour ratio.Show less
Politics in the United Kingdom (UK) has historically been dominated by the two largest political parties, with minor parties having struggled due to various political and institutional barriers....Show morePolitics in the United Kingdom (UK) has historically been dominated by the two largest political parties, with minor parties having struggled due to various political and institutional barriers. This thesis analyses the major barriers which minor parties face in the UK, namely the Single Member Plurality (SMP) electoral system, the lack of state funding and unequal media representation. These barriers will be analysed by examining the Green Party of England and Wales, a party which has seen its support increase a great deal in recent decades, yet has failed to experience much success in national elections. This thesis concludes by analysing the different strategies which the party has utilised in reaction to the barriers which they face.Show less
This thesis examines how contemporary Spanish “Recovery of Historical Memory” have acted as “pressure groups” in their quest to gain recognition for approximately 30.000 Republicans that died of...Show moreThis thesis examines how contemporary Spanish “Recovery of Historical Memory” have acted as “pressure groups” in their quest to gain recognition for approximately 30.000 Republicans that died of Francoist violence and who are buried in hundreds of mass graves throughout Spain until today. In order to do so, this work performs a case study analysis of two Spanish “Recovery of Historical Memory” organizations, ARMH and Foro, and examines what activities these associations have carried out between their emergence in 2000 and 2007, when Spain implemented a Historical Memory law. The information in this thesis is based on secondary literature, primary sources, Spanish blogposts by members of both ARMH and Foro on their official websites respectively and interviews that the author has conducted with association members from ARMH in Spanish. The main argument that will be put forth, is that there have been four ways through which the associations have acted as “pressure groups” and have tried to gain public recognition for the Republican dead: (1) via the use of media campaigns, (2) by organizing protests, (3) by means of popular participation in national politics and (4) via collaboration with international organizations. In addition to this, this thesis argues that ARMH has been the most successful in influencing the Spanish government, by pressuring Madrid through their collaboration with international organizations. Moreover, this thesis contributes to two main bodies of scholarly literature: “pressure groups” and “Recovery of Historical Memory” literature since it provides new insights in how “Recovery of Historical Memory” organizations act as “pressure groups”, and it diversifies the existing scholarship that deals with these “Recovery of Historical Memory” organizations by considering both ARMH and Foro.Show less
In August 2010, The European Union (EU) withdrew its preferential trade agreement GSP+ from the island nation of Sri Lanka that was recovering from a long drawn civil war. The grounds for the...Show moreIn August 2010, The European Union (EU) withdrew its preferential trade agreement GSP+ from the island nation of Sri Lanka that was recovering from a long drawn civil war. The grounds for the withdrawal was cited to be Sri Lankan Government's poor human rights record in the latter stages of the war which had garnered international outcry. The ad hoc withdrawal of the scheme which was yoked to the Sri Lankan economy was damaging to the Sri Lankan economy and in particular its Ready-Made-Garment (RMG) industry that is central to povery alleviation in rural sectors of the country. In addition to the Sri Lankan Government was defiant of the EU's verdict and is believed to have made very little change. It is for this reason scholars argue that while the Human Rights concerns of the conflict were pressing, the objective of the EU withdrawal was unclear granted it achieved very little of its desired effect. Other writers have described it as 'democracy building' and 'economic terrorism' on the part of the EU. The objective of this research is to assess the effectiveness of the EU's withdrawal of GSP+ from the Sri Lankan economy and draw a conclusion on which side of the scholarly debate is more plausible.Show less
