Advanced master thesis | Political Science (Advanced Master)
closed access
The crisis in Darfur is one of the world’s most significant conflicts. In the last decades, frequent drought and increasing demographic pressures are part of the forces that have pushed the region...Show moreThe crisis in Darfur is one of the world’s most significant conflicts. In the last decades, frequent drought and increasing demographic pressures are part of the forces that have pushed the region into a spiral of violence leading to a major humanitarian disaster. According to the Environmental Degradation and Conflict in Darfur Report (2009), carried out by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), Darfur illustrates the linkage between poverty, environmental degradation and conflict. However, Darfur cannot be understood merely as a conflict over resources. It is also driven by governmental deficiencies and purposeful mismanagement. The purpose of this paper is therefore to contribute to the study of the role of environmental resources in conflicts and in particular, their contribution toward the perpetuation of violence. Under what conditions does resource scarcity contribute to the perpetuation of violence?Show less
Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) is like soccer: there are supporters and opponents. Supporters credit BMD with providing full security against rogue states. Opponents fear a renewed arms race with...Show moreBallistic Missile Defense (BMD) is like soccer: there are supporters and opponents. Supporters credit BMD with providing full security against rogue states. Opponents fear a renewed arms race with Russia or China. There is another analogy: playing in the major league is awarding. Land-based and seabased missile defense each are attractive options, offering pros and cons to foreign policy makers, while military planners have to make tough decisions on how to allocate scarce defense resources in the face of austerity. A small or medium-sized state like the Netherlands has only a few policy options: emulate the policy of the hegemon, strive for national or European innovative solutions or (continue to) do nothing at all. Neoclassical realism holds that the state is not a black box in the anarchy of international relations, but that the foreign policy elite makes resource allocation decisions on the basis of its own perception of the external vulnerability of the state. State institutions, domestic influence groups and party politics in turn influence both threat perception and resource allocation. Resource allocation should ideally support the best foreign policy option to counter the perceived threat. Of course, external state actors, industrial and transnational organizations influence the foreign policy elite as well. Against this backdrop, the author uses the theoretical framework of neoclassical realism to research and describe the influence that domestic influence groups can exert on policy decisions regarding the Netherlands’ BMD capabilities. After a brief introduction into neoclassical realism, the external vulnerability is described in terms of the existing ballistic missile threat posed by Iran. The threat perception is approached form the eye of the beholder: regional actors, NATO as our primary security alliance and of course domestic actors. Then the primary BMD resources available to the Netherlands are described: operational capabilities, technological innovation and defense industrial base. External factors and domestic interest groups that affect resource allocation decisions, such as the international defense industry and national civic societal actors, are analyzed. The dominant foreign policy mantra that the Netherlands’ international reputation is at stake after incessant defense budget cuts and relinquishing our NATO commitments is also taken into account as a factor of influence. Finally, four adaptive strategies are researched as BMD policy options: blindly emulate US policy (with high investment costs), join European innovation policies (with high political and investment costs), do nothing (which eventually leads to a free rider status) or a mixed innovative emulation strategy (which attains foreign policy objectives appropriate for a small or medium power while at the same time promoting Dutch industrial interests). Research indicates that very few domestic actors actually oppose the Dutch role in BMD. The author concludes that the Netherlands cannot afford to lose its leading position in European BMD capabilities. Our reputation is firmly based on our Patriot capability, and for a long time we have punched above our weight. Our credibility is at risk – and maritime BMD is one of the very few niche capabilities that we hold as bargaining chip to promote our interests in international relations. The stakes are high – but so are the potential rewards.Show less
Advanced master thesis | Political Science (Advanced Master)
closed access
The interaction of security and defence policy in United Kingdom has a distinct relationship. The relationship in this study was checked in the post-war stages of Iraq. The research found...Show moreThe interaction of security and defence policy in United Kingdom has a distinct relationship. The relationship in this study was checked in the post-war stages of Iraq. The research found interesting results on the interaction of policy and press. The nature of British press determines to a level the type of interaction between the two components. A combination of Hallin and Robinson’s theoretical framework was used to describe the interaction between news reporting and British defence and security policy in 2008. The empirical analysis found that the interaction in the entire period of analysis was in the level of policy dissent between the sub-systems and more specifically the political elite. The research also sought to find circumstances under which press attention to an issue such as defence and security policy would be amplified.Show less
Advanced master thesis | Political Science (Advanced Master)
closed access
Recent research of internal conflict has changed the conception of civil war from the clash of two major actors along clearly defined political cleavages because of both theoretical considerations...Show moreRecent research of internal conflict has changed the conception of civil war from the clash of two major actors along clearly defined political cleavages because of both theoretical considerations and observations of civil wars in the post-Cold War era. On one hand, micro-level inquiries of civil wars concentrate on the importance of local issues in civil war environments and call attention to the fact that such local considerations are usually more important in participation and picking sides than past research assumed. On the other hand, the binary perception of civil wars also challenged by the increase in the number of symmetrical non-conventional (SNC) civil wars, fought mainly in multiethnic states and by actors with balanced, yetmutually low military capabilities. I argue that in this type of warfare actors feel less compelled to realign along the main cleavage of the conflict as it has been shown by research on the fluidity of groupallegiance in such wars. By looking at the cases of the Armenian community during Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war and the Baggara tribes of South Darfur in the Darfur conflict since 2003 I argue that SNC wars provide a good chance for pursuing neutral strategies. I argue that these neutral strategies are shaped by the values of two variables: the cohesion of the political leadership of the group and the relation between local intercommunal and supralocal national cleavages.Show less
Political Tolerance can be seen as allowing persons of your least-liked group to poses political rights. This research is about political tolerance in relaltion to party identification. Previous...Show morePolitical Tolerance can be seen as allowing persons of your least-liked group to poses political rights. This research is about political tolerance in relaltion to party identification. Previous American research suggested that conservatives are less likely to act tolerant than conservatives. The results show that people who feel an attachment to a political party are significantly more likely to be tolerant than people who do not feel any attachment to a political party. Their is no difference in tolerance among respondents who feel attached with right or left parties or progressive or conservative parties in the Netherlands.Show less
Advanced master thesis | Political Science (Advanced Master)
closed access
The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), now a nascent political grouping of powerful emerging market economies, began as little more than an economic idea. A report...Show moreThe BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), now a nascent political grouping of powerful emerging market economies, began as little more than an economic idea. A report published by a prominent financial firm coined the term “BRICS” because of their similar economic sizes and future market potential. The report never considered the possibility of these countries forming a grouping. When the global financial crisis began 2007, the BRICS saw an opportunity for cooperation. Naturally, their greatest common interests were to reform this failing financial system. This study examines the factors that explain BRICS cooperation to understand how they contribute to their contemporary degree of cooperation.Show less
This thesis sets up a model for political tolerance among minority groups in the Netherlands, which consists of two dimensions. The first determines whether the group has been a victim of...Show moreThis thesis sets up a model for political tolerance among minority groups in the Netherlands, which consists of two dimensions. The first determines whether the group has been a victim of discrimination and because of their struggles the individuals have grown more tolerant towards others. The other dimension is the division between bridging and bonding networks, with the latter making people less tolerant. This research confirms the second assumption, but not the first.Show less
Om gedragsproblemen effectief te kunnen behandelen is het noodzakelijk om te begrijpen waardoor gedragsproblemen ontstaan, waardoor zij in stand worden gehouden en de vraag of er een verband is...Show moreOm gedragsproblemen effectief te kunnen behandelen is het noodzakelijk om te begrijpen waardoor gedragsproblemen ontstaan, waardoor zij in stand worden gehouden en de vraag of er een verband is tussen factoren. Uit zowel longitudinaal onderzoek, onderzoek bij jonge kinderen tot 7 jaar als onderzoek bij adolescenten is een verband gevonden tussen frustratie en het ontwikkelen van externaliserend probleemgedrag. Ook in het huidige onderzoek is gekeken naar een belangrijke executieve functie, namelijk de frustratietolerantie. Het doel van dit onderzoek is onderzoeken of er een verband is tussen probleemgedrag en de mogelijk onderliggende constructen hot executieve functie, een sterk ontwikkeld Behavioral Activation System en een zwak ontwikkeld Behavioral Inhibition System. Dit is onderzocht bij de populatie kinderen in de leeftijd van 6 tot 12 jaar. In totaal deden 192 kinderen mee aan het onderzoek, waarvan 15 kinderen op het grensgebied van gedragsproblemen zaten en 13 kinderen een gedragsprobleem hadden. Er is een oudervragenlijst (SDQ), een zelfrapportage (BISBAS) en een computertaak afgenomen (Delay Frustration van de ANT) om het verwachte bovenstaande verband te kunnen onderzoeken. Uit de analyses bleek dat er geen samenhang was tussen gedragsproblemen en zowel het Behavioral Activation System als het Behavioral Inhibition System. Er is wel een lage samenhang gevonden tussen frustratietolerantie en gedragsproblemen, deze samenhang is slechts trendsignificant, dus voorzichtigheid is geboden bij de interpretatie.Show less
Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)
under embargo until 2027-01-01
2027-01-01T00:00:00Z
Number sense is considered the start-up kit for learning mathematics and a lack of number sense causes serious numerical impairments. The present study describes two 9-years-old identical twins who...Show moreNumber sense is considered the start-up kit for learning mathematics and a lack of number sense causes serious numerical impairments. The present study describes two 9-years-old identical twins who experience severe difficulties with counting, comparing quantities and arithmetic. Test results showed that they had severe dyscalculia and that at least N probably suffers from the Gerstmann syndrome. The twins were given an intensive intervention to remediate their numerical problems. During 3 months, they played the Linear number board game and the Number Race twice a week during 15-20 minutes. Results showed little progress in the games for J, but almost no progress for N. No improvement was made on tasks concerning magnitude comparison, dots estimation, addition, subtraction, and number line estimation. The persistent number sense problem presumes brain damage. Possible candidates for brain lesions are the horizontal segment of the intraparietal sulcus (HIPS), the posterior superior parietal lobule (PSPL), or a small region of subcortical parietal white matter where fiber bundles related to symptoms of Gerstmann’s syndrome come together. Future research should indicate the exact location.Show less
