Bachelor thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (BSc)
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This thesis examines how activism, based on the development of the Rights of Nature movement, influences the relationship between Dutch people and the North Sea as a food source. It investigates...Show moreThis thesis examines how activism, based on the development of the Rights of Nature movement, influences the relationship between Dutch people and the North Sea as a food source. It investigates the effects of the Rights of Nature on the sea’s utilization and the responses of Dutch people to the development of the Rights of Nature for the North Sea. It highlights the need for a shift toward more sustainable practices and a new balance between ecological preservation and socio-economic considerations, contributing to understanding the dynamics between the Dutch people and the North Sea in the framework of the Rights of Nature.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (BSc)
closed access
How do humans navigate sharing scarce space with animal others and what has that meant and still means for those animal others? In urbanising North-western Europe, humans are dominating...Show moreHow do humans navigate sharing scarce space with animal others and what has that meant and still means for those animal others? In urbanising North-western Europe, humans are dominating increasingly more space, meaning that ‘uninhabited’, ‘undisturbed’ areas are slowly disappearing. This has repercussions for the animals this space is shared with. Throughout time, the place attributed to animals, and who they are allowed to be in this space, has changed alongside humans’ changing socio-economic realities. I will illustrate this idea through the example of two animals that have changed in attributed value in opposite directions: the wolf from villain to ecosystem engineer, and the pigeon from war hero to city vermin. These animals have made this transition across relatively similar time periods in the same area of the world, making them a great duo to serve as protagonists to the story of many others. By telling the story of the pigeon and the wolf I aim to encourage reflection on how humans project their own values and worldview on animals, and how that influences what life animals are able to live. In a world of ecological simplifications, knowing our influence on animal lives is crucial in decision and policy making.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (BSc)
closed access
Human activity's imprint on the earth has marked the Anthropocene. Due largely to Western imperial expansion, this time period has been defined by industrialization and capitalism which we are now...Show moreHuman activity's imprint on the earth has marked the Anthropocene. Due largely to Western imperial expansion, this time period has been defined by industrialization and capitalism which we are now dealing with the consequences of in the climate crisis. Indigenous Peoples have especially experienced irreparable damage to their societies and environments, amounting to what scholars suggest is cultural and environmental genocide or ecocide. This thesis will investigate the profound impacts corporations, governments, and nation-states have had on communities holding opposite ontological multispecies views, and how those have seeped into the foundational narratives these societies pass down. Métis scholar Max Liboiron is careful to remind settlers that the future actors of environmental movements must act in “solidarity without a universal We” (Liboiron 2021: 24). This statement recognizes the continued need for an intersectional approach to assess the biological and social damage inflicted on whole communities. Applying this framework will reduce the ongoing violence against Indigenous Peoples and Land and “promote healing by uncovering links between trauma to the environment and [...] situated (racialized/gendered) bodies” (Harrison 2019: 3). Using an analysis of literature and stories, the project seeks to illustrate the environmental injustices caused and spotlight decolonization efforts for preventing extinction. I will highlight the voices of Indigenous scholars in North America especially, and their methods for living through this destruction and moving forward to answer the question; how can changing narratives serve as tools for self-preservation and prosperity against threats of continued genocide, ecocide and assimilation? This exploration will detail methods of mobilizing grief for political aims like those of storytelling and cartography.Show less
