The unequal distribution of environmental goods and bads intensifies inequalities. What is further needed to understand the extent of environmental injustices is the element of coloniality, and,...Show moreThe unequal distribution of environmental goods and bads intensifies inequalities. What is further needed to understand the extent of environmental injustices is the element of coloniality, and, subsequently, decoloniality. In Latin America, scholars have noted indigenous groups make use of decolonial thought and praxis to advocate for their rights. While countries like Bolivia and Ecuador have advanced in implementing a pluristate – wherein indigenous livelihoods and epistemologies are recognized by the state – Brazil is described as incohesive and regressive when regarding indigenous rights. In the Amazon specifically, where natural resources attract business and development projects, indigenous groups have severely suffered from environmental injustices. This research focuses on studying how and to what extent is decoloniality employed to advance environmental justice for indigenous groups in the Amazon. In specific, the research focuses on the Munduruku people of the Tapajós Valley. In analyzing letters, demands, and public statements by the Munduruku, this study was able to infer strategies of decoloniality used to attain justice. Self-determination efforts are made through local governance structures, opposition to central government, and mobilization amongst themselves. Likewise, the Munduruku make use of their epistemologies, knowledge, and connection to their ancestors to press for epistemic justice. Finally, the Munduruku assert that justice for them is also justice for nature, breaking down the hierarchical notion of human/nature. Thus, this study showed that through decolonial strategies, the Munduruku empower themselves, their narrative, and their fight towards attaining a pluristate. With this in mind, this research showcases the need to further integrate indigenous knowledge within national frameworks and the need to confront the underlying structures of oppression that maintain groups like the Munduruku in environmental injustice.Show less
Every day, thousands of people go to bed hungry, die of malnutrition, or do not know where their next meal is going to come from. Food security is a central topic of the United Nations Sustainable...Show moreEvery day, thousands of people go to bed hungry, die of malnutrition, or do not know where their next meal is going to come from. Food security is a central topic of the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda, but despite international attention to this topic, there is no sufficient improvement. In particular, Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) are identified as potential actors to fill financial gaps of food security projects in developing countries. However, the existing literature has failed to carefully assess which aspects of MDB finance are most effective in improving food security. Thus, this research paper aims to answer the research question “Which aspects of MDB finance are most suited to improve food security in developing countries and why?”. Using a quantitative approach, a cross-country, longitudinal analysis is applied to assess the effect different aspects of MDB finance have on national levels of food security. The results indicate that MDBs should focus on a higher number of projects per country rather than highly financed projects, as well as prioritize financial instruments of grants and technical assistance. However, no genuine effect of MDB finance on levels of food security could be established due to no statistical significance. Thus, the findings must be treated with caution. It is, therefore, crucial to further investigate the different aspects of MDB finance and their effects on levels of food security, to be able to make meaningful recommendations to the MDBs.Show less
Land grabbing is a form of dispossession whereby an actor with large-scale capital acquires a vast area of land and, in the process, alienates the former local rulers of the land. Agricultural land...Show moreLand grabbing is a form of dispossession whereby an actor with large-scale capital acquires a vast area of land and, in the process, alienates the former local rulers of the land. Agricultural land grabs exploded during the 2007/08 global financial crisis and the concurrent commodity, food, and energy crises. A pervasive phenomenon ever since, land grabs are directly associated with negative micro-economic, environmental, and social outcomes. Although global structural causes to land grabbing are well known, there is a stark lack of research on its national-level determinants. Therefore, this thesis investigates the relationship between countries’ private property security and the magnitude of land grabbing they experience through a large-N, cross-sectional research design. The main hypothesis, captured by the idea of ‘institution shopping’, is that large-scale capital investors will prefer countries with secure property rights regimes, leading to higher land grabbing magnitude. The methodology utilised is a multivariate ordinary least squares regression model which uses all transnational agricultural land grabs recorded in the Land Matrix database from 2008 to 2017 for Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. Beyond private property security, four other predictors are included in the model: forest land cover, percentage of external debt, an indicator of food insecurity, and an indicator of financial market development. The model finds no correlation between private property security and land grabbing magnitude. Moreover, only the control for food insecurity finds evidence of statistical correlation. Due to the complexity of the phenomenon and issues of data incompleteness, the national-level determinants behind land grabbing cannot be determined with the model tested in this thesis.Show less
Since 2014, Europe has faced an explosive increase in migrants, leading Europe into a migration crisis. Political parties in European countries have responded differently to this influx of people....Show moreSince 2014, Europe has faced an explosive increase in migrants, leading Europe into a migration crisis. Political parties in European countries have responded differently to this influx of people. This study aims to clarify the relationship between the agenda of these political parties and the European migration crisis. Based on qualitative research, a content analysis was used to study the differences between left-wing, right-wing and centre-parties and how the European migration crisis has impacted these points of view. The analysis shows that political parties with different ideologies about migration react differently to the crisis. The European migration crisis has little to no effect on the agenda of left-wing parties and right-wing parties, but a major effect on the agendas of centre-parties.Show less
This thesis looks into the effects of horizontal inequalities on civilian victimisation during civil wars. The contribution of this paper is two-fold. First, it gave an extensive overview of...Show moreThis thesis looks into the effects of horizontal inequalities on civilian victimisation during civil wars. The contribution of this paper is two-fold. First, it gave an extensive overview of relevant research from numerous fields, which were subsequently combined into one overarching theoretical framework. Secondly, a preliminary empirical analysis was conducted using multiple linear regression (OLS) models to test the resulting expectations - that horizontal inequalities (economic and political) are likely positively related to civilian victimisation during civil wars. The analysis came back with mixed results, and at best limited and indirect support for the expected positive link between horizontal inequality and civilian victimisation.Show less
This thesis examines the dynamics of the military-industrial complex and its impact on defense procurement and foreign relations within the European Union. Analyzing the Dutch submarine order and...Show moreThis thesis examines the dynamics of the military-industrial complex and its impact on defense procurement and foreign relations within the European Union. Analyzing the Dutch submarine order and Rheinmetall's industrial expansion into Ukraine, it explores the interplay between government policies, corporate interests, and international security. Utilizing realism and corporatism, the study highlights how states and industries navigate defense procurement to achieve national security and economic goals. Realism emphasizes state interests and competition, which is utilized by the military-industrial complex to their advantage. Corporatism focuses on collaborative interactions between government and industry which can be used by governments to get the best offer. The findings reveal that defense procurement is influenced by government priorities, key players, corporate strategies, and lobbying. Overall, this research provides insights into the military-industrial complex's role in shaping EU defense policies and international relations.Show less
Environmental protection is an increasingly salient topic for contemporary society, especially in the context of the climate crisis. People all around the world are engaging in environmental...Show moreEnvironmental protection is an increasingly salient topic for contemporary society, especially in the context of the climate crisis. People all around the world are engaging in environmental activism, yet environmentalism research has disproportionately centered on the West. Considering how most countries on the front lines of climate change are non-Western, this gap must be rectified. Southeast Asia (SEA) is a region severely overlooked in this regard, particularly in terms of what environmentalism actually brings here. There is insufficient knowledge on how SEA states respond to environmental activism, despite the relevance for its citizens and environmental sector practitioners, who witness some of the worst repercussions of environmental degradation. Therefore, this paper aims to expand our understanding of state responses to SEA environmentalism and contentious political action by investigating Vietnam and the Philippines. A comparative study was conducted on these two cases, which employed qualitative content analysis on texts like news articles to study responses to environmentalism. Findings reveal that both countries display a variety of responses, but are most inclined to repress. However, they differ considerably in how they approach each response type in terms of methods, actors involved, and consistency. It is proposed that each country’s distinct response pattern is linked to its respective regime type, as suggested by existing literature on contentious political action. Beyond the popular notion that non-democracies are more likely to repress contentious claim-making, this study illustrates how hybrid regimes can be more covert and lethal in their repression than other regimes. From these findings, this paper stresses the importance of local socio-political contexts for those engaged in environmental protection and advocacy. Additionally, this investigation hopes to spur similar research on other SEA countries and expand the political science literature on this region.Show less
The ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ Movement that started in 2022 in Iran brought another wave of women’s rights movement. The involvement of Iranian diaspora communities in cyberspace successfully...Show moreThe ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ Movement that started in 2022 in Iran brought another wave of women’s rights movement. The involvement of Iranian diaspora communities in cyberspace successfully transformed this movement into the online sphere. This paper seeks to answer the following research questions: How do Iranian diaspora communities construct identity through cyberfeminism in the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement? The paper aims to explore the effectiveness of cyberfeminism and more importantly, it aims to identity the role of X and diasporic websites in constructing Iranian diaspora’s identity through an inductive approach. Frame theory is utilized as a lens to examine how Iranian diasporas frame themselves in the cyberspace and make connections between those inside and outside Iran. This paper finds three framing strategies, namely: identification of common enemies, victimization, and empowerment of women that contribute to forming a collective identity within diasporas.Show less
