Research master thesis | Literary Studies (research) (MA)
open access
Digital games provide a fruitful comparison to ideologies due to their resemblance to ideologies as an organizing structures entered into; as well as due to their serving as a systematic test case...Show moreDigital games provide a fruitful comparison to ideologies due to their resemblance to ideologies as an organizing structures entered into; as well as due to their serving as a systematic test case for alternatively organized (ideological) worlds. They do so perhaps more than linear narrative media, as game-play presents both fictional worlds, systems and spect-actors whom are present as participatory agents. By addressing the structural parallels between ideology and digital games as organizations of quasi-natural conventions, I argue in this thesis that games have the capacity to model, propose and reflect on ideologies. Comparing roughly twenty years of scholarship on ideological play, ludology, narratology, game design, proceduralism and play-centred studies, I argue that games dynamically present stylized simulations of a possible world, occurring to the subject of play in a here-and-now that at once grants autonomy while doing so in a paradoxically rigid structure of affordances, constraints and desires. That subject of play, meanwhile, is split between played subject (the presented avatar and the game’s content); the playing subject as demanded by the ludic power structure of rules; and the interpreting subject that is tasked to understand and inform the process of game-play. Through close analyses of Cart Life, the Stanley Parable and Spec Ops: the Line I argue for game-play as a dialectical process, beyond academic scholarship that posits either games as procedural systems of interpellation or play as mythical unrestrained creativity. An understanding of game-play as dialectical process akin to the relation between subjects and ideological power structures furthermore demands a recognition of the critical potential of game-play. Through theatrical techniques of enstrangement, game-play may reveal uncritical familiarity with the quasi-natural conventions of ideology – be they generic, social or political.Show less
This thesis focuses on the Ottoman-Russian diplomatic encounters which took place in Livadia, Crimea in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The welcoming delegations constituted an imperial...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the Ottoman-Russian diplomatic encounters which took place in Livadia, Crimea in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The welcoming delegations constituted an imperial tradition and these diplomatic encounters not only attest the dynastic rivalry of dominance over Black Sea region but also refer to the interactions between the two empires. By revealing the ways in which the bureaucratic encounters reflected the Ottoman-Russian political rivalry, this thesis contributes to the discussion on how the Ottoman Empire’s bureaucratic cadre perceived the Russian Empire and the diplomatic encounters. This research analyzes the implications of the Livadia reports as expressions of foreign relations and their value with respect to the transforming bureaucratic system in the late Ottoman Empire. The thesis also examines the imperial rivalry and symbolism which arises from the Livadia reports in relation to political issues at stake between the two empires. In addition, this thesis identifies two bilateral concerns underlying the imperial rivalry and symbolism; naval concerns and concerns over minorities.Show less
This thesis discusses rehabilitation for the mentally ill in Japan. Though not completely new to Japan, rehabilitation as a method is only slowly progressing despite several researches that have...Show moreThis thesis discusses rehabilitation for the mentally ill in Japan. Though not completely new to Japan, rehabilitation as a method is only slowly progressing despite several researches that have shown positive results come from rehabilitation. A light is shown on the current situation from the viewpoint of the government, the patients and the family in order to clarify the reason for this slow progress of rehabilitation in Japan.Show less
Une des sources utilisées par Jean de La Fontaine pour ses Fables, est le recueil de fables Cento Favole Morali (1570) de l'auteur vénitien Giovan Mario Verdizzotti. Il y a quatre fables de La...Show moreUne des sources utilisées par Jean de La Fontaine pour ses Fables, est le recueil de fables Cento Favole Morali (1570) de l'auteur vénitien Giovan Mario Verdizzotti. Il y a quatre fables de La Fontaine pour lesquelles nous avons pu établir qu’elles ont été inspirées par Verdizzotti : Le Coq et le Renard (II, 15), Le Loup devenu Berger (III, 3), L’Aigle et le Hibou (V, 18) et Le Cochet, le Chat et le Souriceau (VI, 5). Ces fables font toutes partie du premier recueil, Fables choisies mises en vers (livres I à VI). Nous nous sommes proposée de faire une analyse comparative des deux versions de chaque fable. En comparant les textes, il est possible de mieux apprécier l'originalité de La Fontaine, qui réside justement, dans la réécriture.Show less
‘The Great Forgetting’ is about the process of consolidation of French republicanism in the early, formative years of the French Third Republic and the regime’s accordant search for the republic’s...Show more‘The Great Forgetting’ is about the process of consolidation of French republicanism in the early, formative years of the French Third Republic and the regime’s accordant search for the republic’s legitimacy in the aftermath of l’année terrible - the year of 1871, during which France had to deal with the loss of the Franco-Prussian war, the fall of the Second Empire, the creation of the Third Republic, the siege of Paris by the Prussians, the defeat and humiliating peace terms, the Paris Commune, and new ideas about the nation. This process can otherwise be described as the creation of a history and accordant commemorative tradition of a Republic by its government that had to account for its legitimacy in the aftermath of a violent past. The whole will be analysed by considering the Père-Lachaise cemetery in Paris as a locus for national symbolism of the French Third Republic. This thesis argues that the cemetery can be considered as a stage for performing politics used by the governments of the Third Republic and its abovementioned opponents as a place to create their definition of France from 26 March 1871 onward. While describing this mnemonic battle on Père-Lachaise about the place of l’année terrible in the history of the Third Republic, this thesis analyses why it was that a ‘Communard memory’ of this period prevailed over any other constructed collective memory in relation to issues of legitimacy of and in the early Third Republic.Show less
This research analyzes the socioeconomic impact of the implementation of a gas plant in progress in the Nzema region, a territory located in the South-Western Ghana which has around 250,000...Show moreThis research analyzes the socioeconomic impact of the implementation of a gas plant in progress in the Nzema region, a territory located in the South-Western Ghana which has around 250,000 inhabitants. In recent years the oil and gas found in the area have been a significant event in this locality consisting of the State acquisition of part of district territories in the area to launch some energy projects which promises to be revolutionary for the population. Work on the construction of the gas plant has already started in 2011 by means of the Ghana National Gas Company and of the Sinopec, a Chinese company hired by the Ghanaian government. To date, some of the local people in the area have been struggling with the lack of or insufficient compensation for their crops and they are still looking for alternative means of livelihood. Most are demanding corporate social responsibility from the gas companies or at least the opportunity to contribute in a more significant way in the implementation of the project since the main job opportunity in the gas plant is to work as unskilled workers. Directly or indirectly all of the people from surrounding area are strongly affected by the gas plant, and their ways of looking at the project are many and varied.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Oude culturen van de mediterrane wereld (Bachelor)
closed access
n Oude Rijks elitegraven komen scènes voor uit het dagelijks leven. Deze kunnen onderverdeeld worden in allerlei hoofd- en subthema's, zoals akkerbouw en offers, zie bijlage 1. Deze scriptie gaat...Show moren Oude Rijks elitegraven komen scènes voor uit het dagelijks leven. Deze kunnen onderverdeeld worden in allerlei hoofd- en subthema's, zoals akkerbouw en offers, zie bijlage 1. Deze scriptie gaat over de hoofdthema's Offers en Funerair en grotendeels over het subthema Offerritueel. Ik bekijk waar het sakh-ritueel moet worden ingedeeld. Hierin wordt de overledene tot akh gemaakt. Vaak staan er registers met allerlei rituelen van het offermaal tussen het sakh-ritueel. Maar ook komt het apart voor. Ik ga uitzoeken of het sakh-ritueel onderdeel is van het offerritueel of niet. Daarbij komt ook de vraag hoe belangrijk de sakh-scènes waren voor de oude Egyptenaren. Door middel van de MastaBase-cd kan ik gemakkelijk data opzoeken voor mijn scriptie. Op deze cd staan namelijk alle bekende Oude Rijks elitegraven met informatie over hoofd- en subthema's. Ook alle teksten staan hier in geprogrammeerd.Show less
Voltaire parle dans son livre « Lettres philosophiques » de plusieurs aspects de la culture anglaise, entre autres du domaine des lettres. C’est le sujet de ce mémoire. La question centrale est ...Show moreVoltaire parle dans son livre « Lettres philosophiques » de plusieurs aspects de la culture anglaise, entre autres du domaine des lettres. C’est le sujet de ce mémoire. La question centrale est "Quels sont les objectifs de Voltaire dans ses lettres sur la littérature anglaise ?". D’abord est expliqué pourquoi Voltaire est allé en Angleterre. Dans ce pays il a découvert la littérature par le théâtre et par le contact qu’il avait avec des auteurs anglais. Ensuite sont démontrés les buts que Voltaire avait avec ces lettres. Tout d’abord, il voulait faire connaître aux Français la littérature anglaise. Voltaire a fait cela en évoquant de grands auteurs et les ouvrages clés de la littérature anglaise. Il a utilisé plusieurs procédés stylistiques pour les mettre en valeur. Dans son livre, il voulait aussi faire passer ses idées, qui sont liées à la société et le domaine des lettres. Il estime que la position sociale des écrivains est meilleure en Angleterre. Pourtant, il aime mieux les institutions en faveur des sciences et des beaux arts de la France. Pour finir, il critique la religion dans ses lettres, surtout dans ses traductions.Show less
Minority languages worldwide are threatened with extinction as speakers shift to the majority language. The Ryukyuan languages spoken on the Ryukyu Islands, the most southern part of Japan,are no...Show moreMinority languages worldwide are threatened with extinction as speakers shift to the majority language. The Ryukyuan languages spoken on the Ryukyu Islands, the most southern part of Japan,are no exception. This thesis aims to foresee and advice on the future of one of these languages: uchināguchi, spoken on the largest island of the archipelago. Through interviews and (participant) observation the motives and goals of those learning the language in Tokyo are categorized and compared to those studying uchināguchi on the island itself. Applying theories from the field of language planning and sociolinguistics, the conclusion aims to help teachers and students alike, shaping the future of this particular minority language.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Film- en literatuurwetenschap (BA)
closed access
Hoe gaat de hertaling van Max Havelaar door Gijsbert van Es om met het idee van Multatuli om een boek te schrijven waarin de afstand tussen de lezer en het werk klein is? En op wat voor manier...Show moreHoe gaat de hertaling van Max Havelaar door Gijsbert van Es om met het idee van Multatuli om een boek te schrijven waarin de afstand tussen de lezer en het werk klein is? En op wat voor manier draagt dit idee bij of doet dit af aan de lezerservaring van de hertaling? De antwoorden op deze vragen geven een mogelijke oplossing voor de probleemstelling van de scriptie, die draait om de paradox waarbij het idee om de hertaling te maken zodat het boek weer gelezen zal worden, botst met de waarde die ik toeken aan Max Havelaar. Voor mij daalt namelijk de waarde van het werk doordat de verschillende literaire technieken en de taal aangepast worden, terwijl deze aspecten een voor mij gewenste afstand tussen werk en lezer in stand houden. Allereerst kan geconstateerd worden dat het Gijsbert van Es gelukt is om de Max Havelaar te hertalen en daarbij de afstand tussen het werk en de lezer kleiner te maken. Dit heeft hij gedaan door veranderingen aan te brengen die ervoor zorgen dat het werk toegankelijk is, in tegenstelling tot het originele werk dat vanwege de taal en de tijdsafstand in de huidige context minder toegankelijk is. Tevens laat hij een lezershouding doorschemeren die gemakkelijk te volgen is. Dit doet echter af aan de lezerservaring van de hertaling. De lezer wordt niet langer gestimuleerd om zelf aan de gang te gaan met het werk: de suggestie dat het werk een antikoloniale stem uitbrengt wordt bijvoorbeeld op allerlei manieren bevestigd waardoor er geen andere lezing mogelijk is. Hierdoor daalt de esthetische waarde van het werk, want de verwachtingen van de lezers worden bevestigd.Show less
