Based on an extensive and critical literature review, this paper conducts a "horizontal" comparison of the image of the legendary Chinese poet Qu Yuan in the works of two significant modern Chinese...Show moreBased on an extensive and critical literature review, this paper conducts a "horizontal" comparison of the image of the legendary Chinese poet Qu Yuan in the works of two significant modern Chinese poets, Wen Yiduo and Guo Moruo. It re-examines how Qu Yuan was regarded as a "people's poet" by the public in the twentieth century and explores the different purposes behind Wen Yiduo's and Guo Moruo's praise of Qu Yuan. The article also highlights that their respective studies on Qu Yuan remain relevant today.Show less
This thesis examines China’s cultural (foreign) policies. Taking a sample of three different case studies, this thesis aims to find an answer to the question of how China is using cultural heritage...Show moreThis thesis examines China’s cultural (foreign) policies. Taking a sample of three different case studies, this thesis aims to find an answer to the question of how China is using cultural heritage as a means to becoming a modern imperial power. A possible reason for the Chinese government to do this is that the current global power dynamic is shifting eastwards, away from the U.S., and towards China. Over the three case studies, which all fall into a different type of imperialism, it becomes clear that the cultural heritage policies China employs are not just soft power, but indeed are cultural imperialism.Show less
This thesis explores the neomercantilist dynamics in the US-China chip war, a critical geoeconomic rivalry of the modern era where superpowers vie for dominance in semiconductor technology. By...Show moreThis thesis explores the neomercantilist dynamics in the US-China chip war, a critical geoeconomic rivalry of the modern era where superpowers vie for dominance in semiconductor technology. By analyzing the strategies and policies of both the United States and China, this study investigates the alignment of their actions with neomercantilist theory and assesses the implications for global economic and geopolitical dynamics. The research reveals that both nations employ neomercantilist strategies such as trade protectionism, industrial policy, strategic resource control, and technological nationalism to secure their economic and national security interests. The findings highlight the resurgence of protectionist policies reminiscent of the 19th century, challenging the post-Cold War principles of free trade and globalization. The thesis concludes by discussing the broader implications for the global semiconductor industry, international trade relations, and geopolitical stability, emphasizing the need for collaborative international frameworks to manage the intersection of trade, technology, and security.Show less
This research focuses on the relationship between political activism and civic service provision for Kyoto University’s Yoshida Dormitory. It does this by analyzing the impact of the civil lawsuit...Show moreThis research focuses on the relationship between political activism and civic service provision for Kyoto University’s Yoshida Dormitory. It does this by analyzing the impact of the civil lawsuit that Kyoto University has filed against Yoshida Dormitory. In summary, the Dormitory shows that we can no longer maintain the black-and-white distinction between the underground left-wing activist and the passive, non-political CSOs. Instead, the Dormitory is both: dynamic in pursuing multiple goals simultaneously and effective as a welfare-oriented group because it engages in advocacy. This is not a contradiction: the Dormitory’s inherent illegitimacy, the rebelliousness as a relic of the radical past, is vital to the welfare functions.Show less
This thesis critically explores the literary representations of passivity in the sentimental novel, and examines how passivity relates to agency by conducting a close reading of Samuel Richardson’s...Show moreThis thesis critically explores the literary representations of passivity in the sentimental novel, and examines how passivity relates to agency by conducting a close reading of Samuel Richardson’s Pamela and Clarissa. It reveals that the concepts of passivity and agency are not inherently contradictory by demonstrating that the heroines of Richardson’s novels are able to enact agency through their passivity.Show less
Since Martin Heidegger developed the notion of dwelling as a fundamental ontological concept that is based on the basic character of human being, this idea of dwelling has inspired a number of...Show moreSince Martin Heidegger developed the notion of dwelling as a fundamental ontological concept that is based on the basic character of human being, this idea of dwelling has inspired a number of architectural theorists in relation to the question of how we should build. However, it has been argued that such interpretations have often been flawed, and I think that in reality Heidegger’s conception of dwelling is too intangible to really comment on the act of building. This thesis will therefore explore inhabitation from a different angle – from an angle that investigates how we experience architecture, how architecture means something us and how architecture also changes us – in order to ask how we can come to an understanding of the experience of inhabitation from which it is possible to comment on the act of building. I will therefore not investigate inhabitation from a Heideggerian perspective – asking what it means to dwell – but rather approach inhabitation from a more phenomenological and hermeneutic perspective. I will argue that the experience of inhabitation depends upon the interaction between people and architecture; it is a melodic experience in which the possibilities for meaningful action that the architecture offers correspond with people’s intention of action, while at the same time the architecture amplifies experience through functioning as a medium. From this conception, I will argue that inhabitation must become an answer to building – not in the sense that existing models of inhabitation are reproduced, but rather that an understanding of the experience of inhabitation becomes guiding in the design process.Show less
This thesis investigates the canonical, western philosophical way of thinking about human origin. It claims that this traditional understanding of origin is focussed on birth: a moment that a new...Show moreThis thesis investigates the canonical, western philosophical way of thinking about human origin. It claims that this traditional understanding of origin is focussed on birth: a moment that a new person originates from the darkness, into the light. This instigates an image of human origin as one of separation, an image that is contradicted by the phenomenological acounts of the people that have actually enjoyed or endured this process of human origination in the midst of their very own bodies: pregnant women. Their accounts paint a very different picture of the start of human life. This thesis investigates this structurally overlooked perspective on origin, and will answer the question as to what and in which way the traditional, canonical philosophical realm benefits in accuracy and richness from a serious consideration of the phenomenological experience of pregnancy. Ultimately, we move from an understanding of human origin as a clearly defined moment of separation, to a continuum of becoming, marked by an ambiguous relationality.Show less
This paper explores one of philosophy's longest and most enduring puzzles: the puzzle of akrasia. Akrasia, or weakness of will as it is often called, has challenged our understanding of human...Show moreThis paper explores one of philosophy's longest and most enduring puzzles: the puzzle of akrasia. Akrasia, or weakness of will as it is often called, has challenged our understanding of human behaviour for over two millennia. Most literature treats akrasia as an isolated instance of a weak will. However, unlike most approaches, this thesis aims to reconceptualise akrasia as a character trait based on the tripartite relationship between its recurrence, self-deception, and self-control. The proposed view sees recurrent akratic behaviour as an essential factor in that process, which is often overlooked. Agents repeatedly fail to adhere to their better judgement, which supports the hypothesis of reconceptualising akrasia as a trait since it isn’t a one-time event but part of a person’s character. In this process of rethinking akrasia as a trait, self-deception is conscripted against the agent’s better judgment. This creates a bidirectional relationship between akrasia and self-deception, allowing the agents to deceive themselves and further reinforce both. Over time, as the juncture between akrasia and self- deception becomes stronger, it undermines the agent’s self-control. As the two manifest, the agent’s ability to develop and maintain self-control is hindered, reinforcing akratic behaviour.Show less
This paper explores the authenticity of social media influencers through Charles Taylor's framework and examines their power to influence. In Chapter 1, we argue that influencers cannot be...Show moreThis paper explores the authenticity of social media influencers through Charles Taylor's framework and examines their power to influence. In Chapter 1, we argue that influencers cannot be authentic as influencers live in a dual identity paradigm, often creating a completely different online self that is shaped for the purpose of an economic gain and status enhancement. We claim that influencers' identities are commodified - molded by market demands and audience preferences. In Chapter 2, we establish that influencers possess significant power due to their ability to shape opinions, trends, and purchasing decisions. Despite counter arguments suggesting influencers are mere subjects of external influences like the pressure of sponsoring brands and audience preferences, we demonstrate that their influential power is essential for the success of influencer marketing. This power is rooted in followers' perception of influencers as trustworthy and authentic, a belief that is strategically maintained for economic gain. The paper highlights several implications, such as the inadequacy of using authenticity as a moral framework for influencers and the potential ethical issues arising from their perceived authenticity. Additionally, we discuss the broader societal impacts of influencers' power, including the risk of disinformation and the erosion of genuine private life in the contemporary digitalised world. We conclude by acknowledging the limitations of our analysis and the need for further research to address the complexities of social media influence and the emerging virtual realm.Show less
This study focuses on the opinions in Indonesian print media between 1948 and 1954 regarding dansa, an Indonesian term used to refer to Western-style social dancing. This study aims to uncover the...Show moreThis study focuses on the opinions in Indonesian print media between 1948 and 1954 regarding dansa, an Indonesian term used to refer to Western-style social dancing. This study aims to uncover the complexities of the debate between the pro- and anti-dansa groups in the early 1950s using historical methods with sources that mainly consisted of magazines and newspapers. While the proponents of dansa were largely silent in the debate, in this research, I find a range of different opinions on dansa from its critics, from outright condemnation to cautious acceptance. The proponents started to voice their opinions after the discourse on dansa was transformed into organized actions whose outcomes were seen negatively by many. The various views on dansa in Indonesian print media reveal that the discourse on national culture, morality, religions, and anti-Western rhetorics are interconnected in the nation-building period of Indonesia in the early 1950s.Show less
