This research investigates the increasing importance of the Kazakh language in Kazakhstan, a process referred to as Kazakhization, and its implications for employment opportunities and economic...Show moreThis research investigates the increasing importance of the Kazakh language in Kazakhstan, a process referred to as Kazakhization, and its implications for employment opportunities and economic outcomes. The study highlights several key factors contributing to this linguistic shift, including governmental language policies, educational reforms, and the rising bilingual requirements in the job market. Concurrently, the study highlights that demographic shifts, particularly the decreasing proportion of ethnic Russians and the increasing share of ethnic Kazakhs, further bolster the use of Kazakh. Contrary to earlier findings that suggested a significant income gap between Russian and Kazakh speakers caused by language proficiency in Russian, this research demonstrates that income disparities are more influenced by demographic and socio-economic factors such as age and regional economic conditions rather than linguistic factors.Show less
In deze mastherthesis is de economische relatie tussen het garnizoen en de stad Den Haag tussen 1815 en 1830 gekwantificeerd. Door het belichten van het economische aspect van de relatie tussen...Show moreIn deze mastherthesis is de economische relatie tussen het garnizoen en de stad Den Haag tussen 1815 en 1830 gekwantificeerd. Door het belichten van het economische aspect van de relatie tussen krijgsmacht en de maatschappij is getracht om een bijdrage te leveren aan de New Military History en specifiek de armed forces and society approach. Duidelijk is geworden dat zowel de soldaat als de officier van het garnizoen een economische waarde had voor de stad. Bepalend voor het antwoord op de vraag hoe de Haagse economie heeft kunnen profiteren van het garnizoen was de samenstelling van de economie. De kern van de Haagse economie werd gevormd door de handels- en dienstensector, die gedomineerd werd door de kleding-, juweliers- en horecabranche. Dit onderzoek toont aan dat deze branches optimaal hebben kunnen profiteren van de meest omvangrijke uitgaven, namelijk de persoonlijke uitgaven van de manschappen en officieren (behoudens de uitgaven die vielen onder de collectieve bijdragen) in het garnizoen.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
Within South Korean society, living alone has long been stigmatized due to the prevalence of normative beliefs about the family and the life course. However, after the IMF crisis of 1997, social...Show moreWithin South Korean society, living alone has long been stigmatized due to the prevalence of normative beliefs about the family and the life course. However, after the IMF crisis of 1997, social structural issues led to a rapid increase in young people living alone. Despite this social change, the stereotype that people living alone are abnormal or incomplete continues to persist. This thesis looks at representations of young single-person households in South Korean documentaries broadcasted between 2020-2023. The most notable findings are that documentaries by the broadcaster KBS reinforce traditional family ideology or only subtly challenge it, whereas documentaries by the broadcaster MBC actively and directly challenge traditional family ideology. The documentaries of both broadcasters are unbalanced: the documentaries focus either on negative experiences of living alone or on positive experiences of living alone. Documentaries that focus on the latter are more likely to challenge traditional family ideology. Moreover, young single-person households in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, low-income young single-person households in difficult circumstances and young single-person households who live in ‘special’ co-living or communal housing are overrepresented.Show less