This dissertation starts by defending that if the conceptual engineer is serious about the new contemporary project of conceptual engineering, the conceptual engineer aims to (at least) change the...Show moreThis dissertation starts by defending that if the conceptual engineer is serious about the new contemporary project of conceptual engineering, the conceptual engineer aims to (at least) change the semantic meaning or the psychological structure of concepts used by most people in a standing language. I continue by arguing that based on this ‘serious’ definition of the conceptual engineer, the new field of conceptual engineering has three practical and normative challenges to overcome before the method can be what its primary participants want it to be. The first problem that is discussed is the widely recognised implementation problem. I discuss various proposed solutions to this problem but conclude that they do not solve the problem. The second significant challenge is what I call the evaluation dilemma. In short, this is the dilemma that the conceptual engineer faces if the engineer could implement conceptual change but has to consider based on what parameters a concept ought to be evaluated. I defend that the first horn of the dilemma that the engineer can take is considering all things about a concept. I argue that this is practically impossible. The second horn of the dilemma will only consider one or a small set of parameters to evaluate a concept. However, my argument is that this will likely lead to more unintended problems than the initial amelioration would solve. Finally, I discuss what I call two motivation problems for the conceptual engineer. The first motivation problem is the problem of accounting for the biassed motivations of the conceptual engineer. I argue that the subjective motivations of the engineer are problematic and that such motivations are likely to lead to the wrong-kind-of-reason-problem. The second motivation problem contends that if the conceptual engineer is successful in his project, one or a small group of engineers has conceptual power over large groups of people. I argue that the conceptual engineer owes us a justification for the motivation to gain such power. In short, based on the serious definition of the conceptual engineer, the new field of conceptual engineering has both practical and normative challenges to overcome before the method can be what its primary participants want it to be.Show less
In 1989, a rape of a white woman in Central Park became one of the most publicized cases in American history. This thesis focuses on the Central Park Five and how the New York Times and the...Show moreIn 1989, a rape of a white woman in Central Park became one of the most publicized cases in American history. This thesis focuses on the Central Park Five and how the New York Times and the Washington Post described and presented the boys in the media storm. In what way did the New York Times and the Washington Post frame the Central Park Five around the trial, meaning before, during, and after the exoneration in 2002 and the settlement with the city of New York in 2014? Previous research concerning this case study has primarily focused on details of the case and other aspects. This research uses framing theory and the White Racial Frame to show patterns of racial frames in the two newspapers. The research shows that while the racial narratives were prevalent around the trial, they became less visible after decades had passed. This thesis demonstrates that how the boys were depicted was highly influenced by their time. With the years going by, the frame changed as well. In the end, the men were viewed positively instead of demonized.Show less
Somalis have been living in Kenya since the colonial era. They were brought to Nairobi by British administrators in the 1800s to be a part of the labour force. Under colonial rule, Somalis were...Show moreSomalis have been living in Kenya since the colonial era. They were brought to Nairobi by British administrators in the 1800s to be a part of the labour force. Under colonial rule, Somalis were considered to be perceived as racially ambiguous, and this perception remained after the departure of the British from Kenya. The Kenyan state has historically treated the ethnic Somali group in Kenya as “other” by having Kenyan-Somalis continuously prove their citizenship in the form of mass detainments, or through screening processes. This can have an effect on how Kenyan-Somalis feel in Kenya. This leads to the research question: “What are the feelings of citizenship and belonging in Kenyan-Somali women in Nairobi and how are they expressed?” The researcher recruited three experts in this field and Kenyan-Somali women who reside in Nairobi. Participants were gathered through snowball sampling. Moreover, the date was collected in the form of semi-structured interviews which would then be analysed thematically in order to see what their feelings of citizenship and belonging are. The feelings were assessed through three sub-questions. The results indicate that the participants do claim a sense of belonging in Nairobi. This could be associated due to the change in the constitution of 2010 in Kenya. This research also utilised the Allen et al (2021) sense of belonging model, and demonstrated that a sense of belonging has almost been completely achieved. Despite this, perceptions of belonging have not been fully completed. Policies should assess which areas make Kenyan-Somalis feel like they do not belong in Kenya, due to the fact that migration is a recurring theme in society.Show less
In deze masterscriptie wordt getracht een bijdrage te leveren aan het verdragenrechtelijke debat omtrent de verdragen met 'onderdanen'. Door de ‘familie’ van Bourgondisch-Nederlandse...Show moreIn deze masterscriptie wordt getracht een bijdrage te leveren aan het verdragenrechtelijke debat omtrent de verdragen met 'onderdanen'. Door de ‘familie’ van Bourgondisch-Nederlandse vredesverdragen van de 15de eeuw te koppelen aan het debat omtrent de Vlaamse Opstand, kan onderzocht worden in hoeverre er een verschil was tussen deze vredesverdragen met ‘onderdanen’ en verdragen tussen vorsten onderling.Show less
Sinds Donald J. Trumps presidentschap, een periode waarin Trump regelmatig de media bekritiseerde, hebben onderzoeken uitgewezen dat Republikeinen aanzienlijk minder vertrouwen hebben in...Show moreSinds Donald J. Trumps presidentschap, een periode waarin Trump regelmatig de media bekritiseerde, hebben onderzoeken uitgewezen dat Republikeinen aanzienlijk minder vertrouwen hebben in factcheckmedia dan Democraten (Jennings & Stroud, 2021; Porter et al. 2019; Walter et al., 2019). De vraag is echter of dat enkel aan Trump ligt; blootstelling aan factcheckkritiek online kan er ook aan bijdragen dat mediaconsumenten wantrouwiger worden naar de media (Houston et al., 2011). In dit onderzoek is daarom in kaart gebracht welke vormen van factcheckkritiek voorkomen in Facebookreacties onder factcheckberichten over presidentskandidaten uit 2016 en 2020. Hierbij werd ook bekeken of er verschillende vormen van factcheckkritiek voorkwamen in 2016 en in 2020, of mediaconsumenten andere kritiek leveren op pro-Democratische en pro-Republikeinse factchecks en of deze commentaren onderbouwd en zonder onbeleefd taalgebruik worden geformuleerd – twee belangrijke pijlers voor constructieve kritiek. Zeven verschillende vormen van kritiek werden geïdentificeerd: 1) Kritiek op eenzijdige berichtgeving, 2) Kritiek op inaccuraatheid, 3) Kritiek op onvolledigheid, 4) Kritiek op onbetrouwbaarheid, 5) Kritiek op irrelevante inhoud, 6) Kritiek op incompetentie en 7) Persoonlijke aanval zonder duidelijk standpunt. Deze kritieken zijn over het algemeen te relateren aan eerder onderzoek naar mediakritiek, maar factcheckkritiek heeft ook eigen, unieke eigenschappen. Er werden bovendien verschillen opgemerkt tussen factchecks uit 2016 en 2020 en tussen pro-Democratische en proRepublikeinse factchecks, die onder andere aantonen dat Trump gedurende zijn presidentschap heeft beïnvloed hoe mediaconsumenten kritiek geven op factcheckmedia. Daarnaast bleek dat enkel Kritiek op inaccuraatheid en Kritiek op onvolledigheid prominent aanwezig waren in commentaren met onderbouwing en zonder onbeleefd taalgebruik. Mogelijke oorzaken en implicaties van deze bevindingen worden besproken.Show less
Sexualized violence perpetrated by terrorist organizations is a prevalent issue that has continuously been identified as a pressing issue and even a “disturbing trend” in international terrorism....Show moreSexualized violence perpetrated by terrorist organizations is a prevalent issue that has continuously been identified as a pressing issue and even a “disturbing trend” in international terrorism. However, the conflation of concepts explaining or defining sexual terror exacerbated by the issue of no universally agreed definition of terrorism blurs explanations of sexualized violence. Furthermore, academic debates do not differ in the instrumentality of their explanations referring to sexualized violence as a tool, weapon, strategy, or tactic, putting sexualized violence at a means-end framework and categorizing it merely as a method to achieve a particular goal while neglecting the act’s social construction and the human factor. This thesis attempted to move beyond the instrumentality lens by utilizing practice theory to investigate patterns of sexualized violence perpetrated by Islamist terrorist organizations using the cases of Boko Haram's targeting of Christian students and the IS' brutal campaign against the Yezidis. The comparison of the two cases demonstrates that the practice of sexualized violence perpetrated by Islamist terrorist organizations is neither singular nor extraordinary. Instead, it presents itself as reoccurring pattern even among different communities of practice, thus, indicating a continuum in the practice of sexualized violence. Hence, by utilizing practice theory, the thesis argues for a more multi-dimensional analysis of sexualized violence, including previously neglected parameters of context, patterns, and discourses inciting and justifying the abuse.Show less
During the late twentieth century, international volunteering has become one of the fastest growing trends in traveling. The rise of the voluntourism sector has been accompanied by a rise of...Show moreDuring the late twentieth century, international volunteering has become one of the fastest growing trends in traveling. The rise of the voluntourism sector has been accompanied by a rise of research on this matter. Yet, compared to volunteers and volunteer tourism organizations (VTOs), host communities receive the least attention in studies on voluntourism. This research has been devoted to bring forward the local, Ghanaian perspective on Western volunteers in community development projects. Results from semi-structured interviews with community members of Tinkong, Ghana, indicate that support from outside, including from Western volunteers, is considered necessary for Ghanaian communities to further develop. At the same time, true contact between volunteers and hosts mostly lacks, which forms a profound barrier to the establishment of cross-cultural interaction. Besides, the way participants speak of Western engagements reveals that their judgement is not just based on the kind of work that Western NGOs or private organizations do, but that it also strongly relates to factors that go beyond the impact of volunteers themselves, such as Ghana’s political situation. More longitudinal research on voluntourism helps in working towards the holistic, multi-disciplinary understanding of the topic that is needed.Show less
The objective of this research is to analyze the terms "salafism" and "wahhabism" in modern Russia. The question could be formulated thus: What does "salafism" and "wahhabism" mean to politicians,...Show moreThe objective of this research is to analyze the terms "salafism" and "wahhabism" in modern Russia. The question could be formulated thus: What does "salafism" and "wahhabism" mean to politicians, academics, and official Muslim clergy in Russia; How did their understanding/perception evolve in the recent history?Show less
Image building within and about China-Africa relations play as major role in the way this growing international engagement is understood. Despite recognition for its important role in high level...Show moreImage building within and about China-Africa relations play as major role in the way this growing international engagement is understood. Despite recognition for its important role in high level dialogue and policy creation, non-media platforms, such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, are often overlooked as an important image-building medium. Therefore, by questioning how Chinese and African officials frame their own relationship through official FOCAC-discourse, this thesis seeks to add to contemporary framing theory on China-Africa relations. Three case studies on written and visual framing processes within important FOCAC policy documents, photographs and speeches highlight the multiplicity of frameworks that contribute to the creation of a relational self-image. These analyses reveal how images of China-Africa relations are built on co-existing, but contrasting discourses, and how different framing mechanisms influence each other to shape a multiplicity of images.Show less
Based on NGO websites, media coverage and different governmental institutions, this paper investigates the recent recurrence of the term Migun wianbu to describe U.S. camp-town prostitutes. The...Show moreBased on NGO websites, media coverage and different governmental institutions, this paper investigates the recent recurrence of the term Migun wianbu to describe U.S. camp-town prostitutes. The term wianbu holds connections to the highly politicised comfort women (wianbu) issue. I argue in this paper that based on similarities of the two cases, it is fair to describe camp town prostitutes as comfort women. In the research I conclude that NGOs have started using the term in recent years to gain awareness for the cause, as to get justice for the lawsuit levelled against the government regarding the government’s involvement in the issue. Conservative media outlets are seen as hesitant to then also use the term wianbu, opting rather for the more neutral kijich’on yŏsŏng (camp town women), whereas more progressive media use Migun wianbu with some regularity.Show less
A central tenet of the standard account of moral enhancement qua algorithmic technology is that it has the potential to solve the mega-problems of our time, such as global poverty or the climate...Show moreA central tenet of the standard account of moral enhancement qua algorithmic technology is that it has the potential to solve the mega-problems of our time, such as global poverty or the climate crisis. Thereby, it is simply assumed that the enhanced moral competence of individual agents will directly translate into solutions to our major moral problems. This paper sheds light on this key assumption and argues for a more sophisticated outlook on the potential effects of algorithmic moral enhancement. In particular, it is shown that our major moral problems are essentially political problems which are characterised by various kinds of dilemmas. The author shows that due to this peculiar nature of these problems, three distinct challenges arise when it comes to translating moral competence into political solutions. These challenges will have to be met by future proposals of algorithmic moral enhancement.Show less
