The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 marked a turning point for Eastern European nations, triggering a wave of democratic revolutions. This shift from communist governance to democracy was...Show moreThe collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 marked a turning point for Eastern European nations, triggering a wave of democratic revolutions. This shift from communist governance to democracy was marked by numerous obstacles, notably the influence wielded by former communist elites, commonly referred to as the nomenklatura. This thesis examines the impact of the nomenklatura on the post-communist political environments and privatization processes of Bulgaria and Poland between 1989 and 2001. Both countries, influenced to varying extents by Soviet ideology, embarked on divergent paths toward democracy and economic liberalization. The thesis investigates how the nomenklatura, entrenched in positions of power, sought to maintain their political relevance and exploit state resources. Through a multidisciplinary analysis drawing from academic literature and primary sources, the study evaluates the strategies employed by the nomenklatura to adapt to democratic structures, their influence on post-communist political systems, and their role in the privatization of public resources. The results provide a deeper understanding of the lasting impact of the nomenklatura on Bulgaria and Poland's political and economic trajectories during the pivotal transitional period. This analysis offers valuable perspectives on the challenges encountered during democratization and economic reform in post-communist societies.Show less
This thesis discusses the human security of women in Okinawa, as they live alongside US military bases, through a critical feminist analysis of Japan-US security agreements. Ultimately, this thesis...Show moreThis thesis discusses the human security of women in Okinawa, as they live alongside US military bases, through a critical feminist analysis of Japan-US security agreements. Ultimately, this thesis concludes that the security of women in Okinawa is deemed secondary to both Japan's national interests and the US' national interests, and, thus, the security agreements between these two countries pose an active risk to the everyday security of women in Okinawa.Show less
This study examines how the obsession with education affects the total fertility rate in South Korea. Among many factors, educational expenses weigh heavy when it comes to deciding to have another...Show moreThis study examines how the obsession with education affects the total fertility rate in South Korea. Among many factors, educational expenses weigh heavy when it comes to deciding to have another child. This study shows how education has been a means of social mobility throughout Korea’s history, how traces of this are still visible in contemporary South Korea, and how educational developments during the last century have caused private educational expenses to rise significantly. The results show that the societal preoccupation with status and education brings about excessive educational expenditures, causing parents to hold off on having a child or to give up on having another child completely, and thus lowering the total fertility rate.Show less
The adoption of UNSC Resolution 2375 and 2397 in 2017 marked the intended beginning of the end for North Korea’s lucrative labour exports, to dissuade the country from continuing its nuclear...Show moreThe adoption of UNSC Resolution 2375 and 2397 in 2017 marked the intended beginning of the end for North Korea’s lucrative labour exports, to dissuade the country from continuing its nuclear weapons programmes. However, incongruent outcomes after the repatriation deadline (December 22, 2019) pose the question of how effective sanctions targeting overseas labour have been in practice. Two empirical case studies analyse disruptions and continuities in North Korean overseas labour in (1) Russia as a whole by using visa issuance statistics, and (2) in the restaurant sector, using online review data, to gain insight into the sanctions’ effects. The findings of the first study suggest that Russia has altered its way of registering DPRK workers, rather than banning the phenomenon. Similarly, the second study shows that onethird of the North Korean overseas restaurants with online reviews is still operational far beyond the deadline. These are concentrated in China, Russia and Laos, while more distant countries have mostly closed the restaurants in connection with the sanctions. Overall, despite tangible effects, and keeping in mind hindrances posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the effectiveness of the sanctions is most substantially undermined by China and Russia.Show less
Today, mainland China makes up a large part of the videogame industry, with successful titles not only catering the Chinese gaming audience, the largest in the world, but also gaining international...Show moreToday, mainland China makes up a large part of the videogame industry, with successful titles not only catering the Chinese gaming audience, the largest in the world, but also gaining international popularity (Yong and Downing 2008, 515–29). However, former research has shown that inequal gender dynamics in the videogame industry lead to a predominantly male environment, that portrays women in sexist stereotypes (Vysotsky and Allaway 2018, 101). Chinese videogames are no exception to this; in a South China Morning Post (SCMP) interview with a female game concept artist based in Chengdu, there was a strong belief there is “a tacit agreement that female characters in games are supposed to be ‘pretty’ and ‘sexy’ (Shen 2020).” For instance, when designing a new character, the instructions read: “It needs to give people an urge to masturbate (Shen 2020).” This research aims to find the link between gender representations in videogames and traditional Chinese cultural values, comparing and analysing mainland Chinese, Taiwanese, and Chinese diaspora games, which are Chinese games made in a different environment than the homeland. The choice for analysing both mainland Chinese, Taiwanese and diaspora games, based on the respective differences between both societies which makes a comparison possible, requires an explanation that has historical roots.Show less
