China's rich cultural heritage, deeply rooted in Confucian principles and traditional family values, has historically shaped societal norms and expectations. However, as the nation embraces...Show moreChina's rich cultural heritage, deeply rooted in Confucian principles and traditional family values, has historically shaped societal norms and expectations. However, as the nation embraces globalization and modernization, the discourse on sexuality is also changing. New and diverse sexual identities are becoming increasingly more visible in the mainstream Chinese heterosexual society. The once hidden queer community is also gradually emerging from the shadows, often using art as a vessel to express its sexuality (Cowley et al., 2016) and assert its presence as a legitimate component of the broader Chinese social context. Amongst the queer artists that are actively reshaping narratives around homosexuality is Mu Cao, China’s first openly gay poet. His avant-garde writing provides a unique take on the portrayal of the homosexual experience, serving as a reflection of the societal attitudes towards LGBTQ+ identities within various socioeconomic strata in the Chinese contemporary context. As a matter of fact, Mu Cao is also a dagongren, one of the hundreds of millions of migrant workers who left rural China to work in a metropolis; his oeuvre provides an unfiltered reality that combines his struggles as a member of both the LGBTQ+ and migrant workers communities, thus offering a nuanced exploration of the intersectionality within his lived experiences. By examining Mu Cao's cultural production within the socio-cultural context of contemporary China, I ask: How does Mu Cao’s writing portray the homosexual experience in contemporary China. Through an analysis of both Mu Cao’s poetry and short stories, this research seeks to shed light on the intersection of personal identity, social norms and modern struggles that are portrayed in his work.Show less
“Technology is the engine that powers superpowers.” As China has risen to contest American hegemony in Asia, the US has sought to slow down its development in the increasingly securitized...Show more“Technology is the engine that powers superpowers.” As China has risen to contest American hegemony in Asia, the US has sought to slow down its development in the increasingly securitized technology sector and prepares to wrestle for the control of the contested Indo-Pacific region. In this context, China’s Digital Silk Road (DSR) is seen by many experts as its attempt to achieve both self-sufficiency and a leading global position in technology and digital norm-setting. Washington, on its side, has pressured allied states to reject Chinese technology investments on the grounds of risks for both the security of recipient countries and their relations with the US. Literature on the DSR has often been limited to a descriptive role of its projects, while others have argued it provides and expands a model of digital authoritarianism for developing countries. This thesis aims to bridge the gap in understanding between the DSR and American perceptions of its geopolitical position in the Indo-Pacific through an analysis of the latter’s pressures on a regional actor to reject the Chinese investments in the digital sphere – Malaysia. By analyzing Malaysia’s responses to Washington’s diplomatic offensive, this thesis argues that current US engagement is ineffective in swaying middle powers from welcoming deeper technological cooperation with Beijing. Based on the current interests of Malaysia and other countries in the region, economic considerations would constitute a much more efficient framework of action for the US, while appeals to political ties and national security are less likely to yield the results Washington seeks.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
open access
This thesis examines the relationship between humans and dogs in ancient Egypt. The study focuses on three key aspects: the symbolism of dogs in art and hieroglyphs, their practical roles in daily...Show moreThis thesis examines the relationship between humans and dogs in ancient Egypt. The study focuses on three key aspects: the symbolism of dogs in art and hieroglyphs, their practical roles in daily life, and the broader societal and cultural context of this relationship. Through a comprehensive analysis of archaeological and textual sources, the research reveals how dogs were depicted and valued in ancient Egyptian society. The findings shed new light on how the human-dog relationship provides insights into the broader social and cultural structures of ancient Egypt. The conclusion reflects on this relationship and its significance within the Egyptian civilization, while the included images offer visual support for the discussed themes.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
open access
This thesis examines the language, style and in particular the vocabulary of the Greek author Xenophon through an analysis of his vocabulary in two passages from his book Cyropaedia, aiming to gain...Show moreThis thesis examines the language, style and in particular the vocabulary of the Greek author Xenophon through an analysis of his vocabulary in two passages from his book Cyropaedia, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of Xenophon’s unique language, style and vocabulary. To this day Xenophon is renowned for his distinctive language, vocabulary and style. Previous scholarly research has provided various explanations for the peculiarities of his language, while much has been uncovered about his linguistic traits, there are still new insights to be discovered in Xenophon’s vocabulary today. The aim of this study is to contribute to the understanding of Xenophon's vocabulary by analysing the attestation-patterns and usage of words in his works and exploring how style and context influence this. In this thesis I want to find the answer to the question: What are the characteristics and attestation-patterns of Xenophon’s language, style and in particular vocabulary and how does he vary his choice of language, style and words in different text-types?Show less
Vrouwelijke onderzoeksjournalisten zijn ondervertegenwoordigd, wat kan worden geweten aan carrièreobstakels op en buiten de werkvloer. Bestaand onderzoek is vooral buitenlands van aard en richt...Show moreVrouwelijke onderzoeksjournalisten zijn ondervertegenwoordigd, wat kan worden geweten aan carrièreobstakels op en buiten de werkvloer. Bestaand onderzoek is vooral buitenlands van aard en richt zich op (vrouwelijke) journalisten, niet specifiek op onderzoeksjournalisten, terwijl zij extra belemmerd kunnen worden door hun taak de macht te controleren. Dit onderzoek richt zich op vrouwelijke onderzoeksjournalisten bij de Nederlandse Publieke Omroep. Aan de hand van diepte-interviews met twaalf vrouwelijke onderzoeksjournalisten waarin theorie over boundary work en life history centraal stond, zijn drie categorieën en verschillende dimensies geïdentificeerd waarmee hun carrières getypeerd kunnen worden. De categorie 'Invulling van onderzoeksjournalistieke professie' laat verdeeldheid zien over hoe participanten zich definiëren in hun werk. Daarnaast komen vier werkgerelateerde dimensies naar voren: 'Ambitie om researcher of verslaggever/maker te worden of niet’; ‘Werkzaam bij een radio- of televisieprogramma’; ‘Een vaste basis of niet’; en ‘De mate van ervaring in de (onderzoeks)journalistiek’. Uit de categorie 'Persoonlijke en sociale invloeden' blijken drie dimensies: ‘Mondig karakter’, ‘Verschil tussen mannen en vrouwen’ en ‘Moederschap’. Dit onderzoek draagt bij aan meer kennis en bewustzijn over de carrières van vrouwelijke onderzoeksjournalisten en de obstakels die zij ervaren. Dit kan bijdragen aan veiligere en representatievere redacties.Show less
De metafoor is een effectief stijlmiddel omdat het veel persuasieve kracht kent. Zo kan een metafoor de overtuigingskracht vergroten door bijvoorbeeld een concreet en levendig beeld van zaken te...Show moreDe metafoor is een effectief stijlmiddel omdat het veel persuasieve kracht kent. Zo kan een metafoor de overtuigingskracht vergroten door bijvoorbeeld een concreet en levendig beeld van zaken te schetsen. Echter, de persuasieve werking van metaforen wordt betwist: diverse studies vonden conflicterende resultaten. Een mogelijke verklaring hiervoor is dat er in de onderzoeksopzet van deze studies geen rekening is gehouden met een belangrijke variabele: de directheid van de metafoor. Dit betreft de linguïstische dimensie. Deze houdt verband met de manier waarop de metafoor is vormgegeven. Dit kan direct (‘A is als (een) B’) of indirect (‘A is (een) B’) zijn. Deze studie onderzocht daarom de invloed van de directheid van de metafoor op overtuigingskracht. De onderzoeksvraag die dan ook centraal stond was: “In hoeverre wordt de overtuigingskracht van reisadvertenties beïnvloed door het gebruik van directe en indirecte metaforen?” De invloed van directheid is getoetst met behulp van het communicatief activiteitstype reisadvertenties. Reisadvertenties zijn rijk aan metaforen. De kenmerken van een metafoor komen dan ook goed van pas in reisadvertenties, waar overtuiging het primaire tekstdoel is en vaak onbekende vakantiebestemmingen concreet omschreven moeten worden. Dit onderzoek draagt tevens bij aan de studie naar reisadvertenties. Er is voor dit tekstgenre nog weinig experimenteel onderzoek gedaan op het gebied van overtuigingskracht. De onderzoeksvraag is beantwoord aan de hand van een (online) experiment met een 2 x 2 mixed factorial design. Metafoor (zonder metafoor vs. met metafoor) en Directheid (direct vs. indirect) vormden de onafhankelijke variabelen. Er is onderzocht of deze invloed hadden op natuurlijkheid en overtuigingskracht. Uit de resultaten bleek dat reisadvertenties zonder metafoor natuurlijker waren dan reisadvertenties met metafoor (p = .008). Er werd geen verschil in overtuigingskracht gevonden (p = .50). Het effect van de directheid van de metafoor was noch significant voor natuurlijkheid (p = .11) noch voor overtuigingskracht (p = .11). Aanvullend onderzoek is nodig om vast te stellen of er inderdaad geen effect van Directheid op natuurlijkheid en overtuigingskracht is, aangezien er een trend werd waargenomen in de data. Vervolgstudies kunnen zich tevens richten op de interactie tussen interpretatieve diversiteit en directheid van de metafoor of tussen semantische rijkheid en directheid van de metafoor. Daarnaast kan toekomstig onderzoek visuele metaforen aan het onderzoeksdesign toevoegen, aangezien in dit onderzoek enkel de invloed van verbale metaforen is getoetst.Show less
This thesis will study the influence of different colonial ruling by Japan on the modernising of prison systems in its colonies. The period of enlightenment saw the change from flogging based...Show moreThis thesis will study the influence of different colonial ruling by Japan on the modernising of prison systems in its colonies. The period of enlightenment saw the change from flogging based punishment to penal servitude. As imperial power started to venture around the world, modern thought was able to reach as far as East Asia and thus Japan. After a victory over China, it came in the possession of Taiwan, its first colony and not much later Korea too became part of the Japanese empire. Both of the newly acquired colonies were put through modernising reforms on prisons constructing new modern buildings and adjusting the treatment to be more humane and implementing prison labour but were not the same in the end. This thesis argues that there are multiple reasons for the differences such as the national unity of Korea that caused resistance and subsequently military oppression. Although Taiwan had a less modernised prison system, they also had less problems within the prisons as resistance was less frequent. This would mean that the way of ruling did not in so far influence the modernisation of prisons, as it did the treatment of prisoners.Show less
This thesis examines the evolution of zombie symbolism in George Romero's Living Dead series (1968-2009), reflecting post-World War II neoliberal capitalist societal changes and shifting cultural...Show moreThis thesis examines the evolution of zombie symbolism in George Romero's Living Dead series (1968-2009), reflecting post-World War II neoliberal capitalist societal changes and shifting cultural fears and values regarding power, class, and race in the United States. Initially depicted as mindless, flesh-eating monsters, Romero’s zombies gradually evolve into complex, sympathetic beings, contrasting with the devolution of human survivors into unsympathetic creatures driven by one-dimensional desires. This contrast critiques neoliberal societal and economic developments over the decades, providing a unique perspective on American culture and its embrace of developing capitalist ideology. Utilizing Nietzsche's concept of transvaluation, the thesis explores how Romero's zombies transcend their traditional roles to become adaptive symbols that critique contemporary American societal issues, including racism, consumerism, class inequality, and human coexistence.Show less
This thesis examines the role of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Gateway by adopting an economic statecraft perspective. This analysis leads to the conclusion that these two...Show moreThis thesis examines the role of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Gateway by adopting an economic statecraft perspective. This analysis leads to the conclusion that these two connectivity initiatives are significantly contributing to the proliferation of protectionism and supranational capitalism within the European Union. Consequently, they are influencing the broader Liberal International Economic Order. By utilizing a qualitative methodological approach, I argue for the emergence of a new political-economic paradigm, which I term neo-ordoliberalism.Show less
In the world of Sinophone cinema, Malaysia has played a significant role in its creation and production though its pioneering contributions have often been underestimated in past decades. The early...Show moreIn the world of Sinophone cinema, Malaysia has played a significant role in its creation and production though its pioneering contributions have often been underestimated in past decades. The early 2000s saw a resurgence of Sinophone Malaysian cinema with the Malaysian New Wave, led by independent filmmakers, which subsequently spurred a rise in Sinophone Malaysian film productions throughout the 2010s. This thesis examines multiple sounds of Sinophone Malaysian independent cinema in the 2010s, focusing on its linguistic and sonic elements in relation to the identity of Malaysian Chinese. It provides a close reading of four recent films by Malaysian Chinese filmmakers: “The Story of Southern Islet” (2020) directed by Chong Keat-aun, “Absent Without Leave” (2016) and “Boluomi” (2019) by Lau Kek-huat, and “Malu” (2020) by Edmund Yeo. The analysis centers on the role of multilingualism, creolized languages, accents, and sounds in constructing Malaysian Chinese identities, and representing diverse, sliding positions of minoritarian voices, as well as the ongoing tension between diaspora and anti-diaspora. In doing so, this thesis affirms the subjectivity of Sinophone Malaysian cinema and argues for its significance in studying the intersection between Sinophone cinema and Malaysian cinema.Show less
This thesis asks the question of how we can understand the nature of ‘kyōka’ (lit. "crazy poems") in the centuries before they became a clearly established genre in early modern Japan. This is not...Show moreThis thesis asks the question of how we can understand the nature of ‘kyōka’ (lit. "crazy poems") in the centuries before they became a clearly established genre in early modern Japan. This is not so much done through a poet’s self-identification of a poem's genre as rather by attempting to chart the relative levels of ‘ga’ (refinement) and ‘zoku’ (‘vulgarity’) characteristics in the poems, and in this way create a new approach to the study of early kyōka. It is pointed out that ga and zoku are not equal categories, but rather that the degree of ‘infiltration’ of zoku determines how a poem can be understood. This approach is then used to look at the ‘Craftsmen’s Poetry Contest in Seventy-one Rounds’ (Shichijūichiban shokunin utaawase) from 1502. Situated in a genre of poem contests developed at the royal court, it ostensibly encompasses poems that sit firmly in a court tradition far removed from the early modern kyōka setting, yet shows remarkable zoku characteristics, and the question is raised whether this poem collection (and possibly others) can be considered 'kyōka hiding in plain sight'.Show less
Zhenmushou (鎮墓獸) are ritual protective tomb sculptures which can be found in multiple notable European museums that house Chinese art. The function, presentation and the impact of these sculptures ...Show moreZhenmushou (鎮墓獸) are ritual protective tomb sculptures which can be found in multiple notable European museums that house Chinese art. The function, presentation and the impact of these sculptures – and that of pre-modern Chinese mortuary objects – on viewer’s perception of China as an object in the 21st century within European museums has, however, not been previously studied in Western scholarship. This study therefore aims to do so by examining the changing functions of zhenmushou over time and place. Firstly, sources and theories on zhenmushou within the context of the Chu state (楚国; 702-221 B.C.E) during the Warring State Period (戰國時期; 481 -221 B.C.E.) were analyzed. The original role of zhenmushou was afterwards put in perspective with its current function within four French and British museums by studying the museums’ display and narrative. Subsequently, critical heritage theory regarding decolonisation, orientalism and provenance theory was applied to deconstruct the narrative and display, and reveal underlying power mechanisms within the discussed museums. Lastly, possible alternative ways of display are briefly discussed. Overall, this study shows that despite the seemingly static materiality, objects displayed in museums do not have a permanent meaning, but are shaped by their context. The function of zhenmushou varied substantially over context and time, and continues to change in museums through new encounters, the juxtapositions with other objects, changed descriptions and other modifications in their environment.Show less
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
closed access
This thesis examines the role of Arabic language sources in Athanasius Kircher's Obeliscus Pamphilius. This thesis views these quotations within the context of the development of Egyptology as a...Show moreThis thesis examines the role of Arabic language sources in Athanasius Kircher's Obeliscus Pamphilius. This thesis views these quotations within the context of the development of Egyptology as a scientific discipline. It examines the classically inspired discipline of renaissance Egyptology and the influence it had on Kirhcer's views on ancient Egypt. After an excursus on the Pamphilian obelisk, the thesis examines medieval Arabic writing on ancient Egypt. Finally, the use of the Arabic sources in Obeliscus Pamphilius is explored through a number of case-studies.Show less
