The ongoing debate in Canadian and Australian societies about the meaning of multiculturalism and the associated discussion of belonging, citizenship and national culture cannot be divorced from...Show moreThe ongoing debate in Canadian and Australian societies about the meaning of multiculturalism and the associated discussion of belonging, citizenship and national culture cannot be divorced from the consideration of a major social element in both societies: the original inhabitants of the territories prior to their colonization by the European settlers. This group of people, which over the course of the national histories of these two countries was reduced to the status of minority on its own ancestral land , has since the early 1960s demonstrated increased agency by mounting a campaign of political, cultural, economic and social mobilization to reclaim its rights, most notably through the recognition of sovereignty, and to re-negotiate its relationship with the settler majority societies. The outcome of this mobilization is often portrayed in an interesting account that shows Canada to have gone further than Australia in the accommodation of indigenous rights and the righting of the historical injustices towards them. This thesis will be an attempt to reassess the veracity of this portrayal through a comparative study of the struggle for indigenous rights in both countries.Show less
This is a comparative study of the political discourse of Trump and Xi. In this thesis, I aim to argue that despite all the ideological and political differences, both of them are essentially...Show moreThis is a comparative study of the political discourse of Trump and Xi. In this thesis, I aim to argue that despite all the ideological and political differences, both of them are essentially demonstrating the sense of exceptionalism. I will start by introducing the concept of exceptionalism and how it functions under American and Chinese contexts, followed by offering historical contexts for both Xi and Trump to explain how they are ‘exceptional’ comparing to other presidents in history and what their versions of excep- tionalism entail. By conducting a critical discourse analysis of their speeches, I aim to demonstrate the similarities and differences in their own version of exceptionalism. Through this thesis, I hope to contribute to the existing knowledge of Sino-American relationship and discuss possible future implicationsShow less
The modern construction of US-Mexico Border started after the Mexican War in 1848. Throughout the years, there has been a trend of border reinforcement. However, the grassroots activists would...Show moreThe modern construction of US-Mexico Border started after the Mexican War in 1848. Throughout the years, there has been a trend of border reinforcement. However, the grassroots activists would always resist the border construction. The aim of this study is to explore the grassroots activism at the border and whether or not it is able to soften the hard politically-constructed border between the United States and Mexico. In order to do the research, the case study methodology was carried out and the case of Friends of Friendship Park was chosen. Besides, an interview was conducted with one of the activists to have a better understanding of their work. The results show that grassroots activism has effectively softened the border through constant advocacy, conflict, transgression and cooperation. The author recommends further study of border construction and activism at other border regions are considered.Show less
The Roaring Twenties signified a new beginning in which Americans had more individual freedom than ever. However, this freedom was very fragmanted throughout society in terms of sex and race. Both...Show moreThe Roaring Twenties signified a new beginning in which Americans had more individual freedom than ever. However, this freedom was very fragmanted throughout society in terms of sex and race. Both white and black women have mobilised throughout the Roaring Twenties in order to elevate their status in society. However, white supremacy has influenced both movements in a different manner. This thesis analyses these differences in terms of mobilisation potential, movement organisation, action orientation and multi-organisational fields, following the theoretical framework established by Klandermans (1993), through the analysis of key figures of both the white women's rights movement and the black women's rights movement.Show less
This thesis examines the following research question; How have Hillary Clinton and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez used Twitter as an online tool for women’s empowerment and feminist expression in order...Show moreThis thesis examines the following research question; How have Hillary Clinton and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez used Twitter as an online tool for women’s empowerment and feminist expression in order to connect with their target audience during their political campaigns? It does so by a mixed approach of content analysis and critical discourse analysis.Show less
The immigration reforms of the Trump administration have had significant impacts on the rights of undocumented people. Due to this, social movement organisations have been trying to ensure more...Show moreThe immigration reforms of the Trump administration have had significant impacts on the rights of undocumented people. Due to this, social movement organisations have been trying to ensure more rights for undocumented people and create a more trusting and safe environment. This thesis will show the impact social movement organisations have had in Austin, Texas by analysing several social movement organisations active in Austin.Show less
Within only one year after the terrorist attacks in New York City in 2001, an estimated 100.000 Muslims, predominantly non-white Arabs, had been personally affected by the American government’s ...Show moreWithin only one year after the terrorist attacks in New York City in 2001, an estimated 100.000 Muslims, predominantly non-white Arabs, had been personally affected by the American government’s “domestic legislative, administrative, and judicial measures”. This institutionalization of Islamophobia against Muslim Americans by government policies has been accentuated by media coverage depicting Muslims as one monolithic and essentialist religious group which has resonated in public perceptions. On top of this, miseducation of the public about Middle Eastern and Islamic history and the reality of Islamic practices in America have magnified the perception of mosques and Islamic centers as enclosed breeding grounds for Islamic radicalism. However, increasingly marginalized in American society, Muslims have turned to their local mosques and Islamic centers for protection, evolving their role as simple worship places into educational, gathering, and social spaces, giving these centers a central role in their lives. Hence, this thesis argues that as 9/11 triggered a spike of Islamophobia accompanied by racially motivated aggression, Islamic centers and organizations took it upon themselves to mobilize their communities against the sources of prejudice faced by Muslim Americans, refocusing their efforts on education, interfaith encounters, and community building while calling for increased integration efforts. Using interviews with the leadership of several Islamic centers, this thesis highlights the change in the approach on how to tackle Islamophobia that came with 9/11, as well as the perceived effectiveness of these initiatives.Show less
This thesis intends to establish a link between the generation of Millennials (born between 1980 and 2000) and the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The aim of this document is to...Show moreThis thesis intends to establish a link between the generation of Millennials (born between 1980 and 2000) and the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The aim of this document is to answer the following research question: To what extent do Millennials value the fact that a company has a robust CSR strategy and implements social initiatives when applying for a job? After having pointed out Carroll's Responsibility Pyramid and explained that a revisitation of the theory, which rather focuses on the ethical and environmental aspects of CSR, is needed, the questionnaire is presented. The number of overall people who have been surveyed is 242. As part of the analysis, the data that has been produced by the questionnaire is shown. The results showed that generally, Millennials tend to show a genuine interest towards CSR, especially during the process of job application. However, when specifically looking into the answers of the American Millennials population, it seemed as they would be rather interested in their personal achievements.Show less
On the 14th of February, 2018, the United States was confronted with yet another school shooting. This time it was at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Nicolas Cruz killed...Show moreOn the 14th of February, 2018, the United States was confronted with yet another school shooting. This time it was at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Nicolas Cruz killed 17 people and injured another 14 people with an assault rifle he legally obtained. As mass shootings are a common occurrence in the United States, reactions to one are often predictable and changes regarding gun control are lacking. However, in recent years new actors, in the form of social media, have come to play a role in the aftermath of mass shootings. In the case of the Parkland shooting, social media played a role in crisis communication and in creating both an online and offline activist movement called the Never Again movement. Through different activist efforts, this movement is trying to achieve the implementation of sensible gun laws. By analysing the current gun debate and gun problem in the United States, and by researching the role of social media in the Never Again movement, this thesis will be able to assess the impact of social media on the Parkland shooting and its aftermath.Show less
Although media attention has drastically decreased, feminicides are still a major problem in the Mexican city Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. It is widely accepted that the misogynistic killings started...Show moreAlthough media attention has drastically decreased, feminicides are still a major problem in the Mexican city Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. It is widely accepted that the misogynistic killings started in 1993, one year before the North American Free Trade Agreement entered into force, but still no consensus on the number of victims is reached and many cases remain unsolved. This thesis examines the role of grassroots activism in pressuring the Mexican government to take responsibility, recognize the crimes, and implement solutions to the feminicides occurring in the Mexican border town Ciudad Juárez. An understanding of the causes and contributing factors is crucial to determine the role and responsibility of the government. By applying social movement theory and framing theory to the social movement Ni Una Más and various small-scale grassroots organizations, the effects of grassroots activism on the government’s attitude and policies regarding feminicide and gender-based violence have been investigated in this thesis. Even though feminicides are still regularly occurring nowadays, and the Mexican authorities thus ultimately failed to eradicate the problem, social movements and grassroots activism have proven to play a decisive role in raising national and international awareness, pressuring the government to take effective measures to solve the problem, and striving for justice and security for the women of Ciudad Juárez.Show less
This thesis looks at the usage of music and seeks to determine possible political consequences of collective action by social movements such as Black Lives Matter. The aim of the study is to...Show moreThis thesis looks at the usage of music and seeks to determine possible political consequences of collective action by social movements such as Black Lives Matter. The aim of the study is to establish if music can ultimately increase political consequences for social movements.Show less
Under international law, states assume obligations to respect, protect, and to fulfil human rights (OHCHR). This thesis will demonstrate that the state can fail to carry out these tasks, and that...Show moreUnder international law, states assume obligations to respect, protect, and to fulfil human rights (OHCHR). This thesis will demonstrate that the state can fail to carry out these tasks, and that in these situations businesses can step up to enforce human rights, thus filling regulatory gaps. This topic will be approached by first providing a definition of CSR, and explaining the relevance of the concept. Following this, the thesis will discuss different eras in the history of state versus business power, proposing that there has been a shift from an era of extensive state power towards a relative erosion of state capacities, accompanied by an increase in the power of corporations. While it will be proposed that this erosion of state capacities has opened up new possibilities for companies to adopt political responsibilities (Schrempf-Stirling 2), the thesis will also seek to understand why companies would make use of these possibilities. In order to analyze firms’ motivations to expand their influence to the political sphere to promote human rights, the thesis will introduce a theoretical framework which will identify three different CSR theories. To examine the applicability of these theories, the thesis will perform three case studies in the context of the United States: 1) Open Carry, 2) Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act or the ‘House Bill 2’, also known as the ‘bathroom bill’, and 3) Executive Order 13769 or the so-called ‘Muslim ban’ or ‘travel ban’. Through these steps, the objective of the thesis is to determine 1) whether businesses have indeed expanded their capacities to the political realm in the context of human rights promotion, thus filling regulatory gaps as suggested by CSR scholarship, 2) how they have done so, and 3) what the underlying motivations behind companies’ CSR practices are. The findings are expected to support the twofold hypothesis that 1) businesses can become the key enforcers of human rights by expanding their power to the political arena, and 2) businesses have philanthropic and ethical responsibilities besides their economic responsibility of profit-maximization, which contribute to explaining their CSR activities.Show less
