While Mayotte was suddenly thrust into the spotlight in late April 2023, following a large-scale police operation, the Indian Ocean Island remains overlooked and under-researched. Non-sovereign...Show moreWhile Mayotte was suddenly thrust into the spotlight in late April 2023, following a large-scale police operation, the Indian Ocean Island remains overlooked and under-researched. Non-sovereign territories in general are an oft-left aside topic within current nation-state-centred debates and discussions. Even as regionalisation efforts and cross-border cooperation have been gaining traction, these endeavours remain based on different nation-states working together. The study of non-sovereign territories is crucial and needs to be considered carefully within decolonisation studies. Mayotte offers an intriguing case among non-sovereign overseas territories, as it actively chose to remain a French possession and continually petitioned for decades to obtain the most binding legal status - right as several other French overseas territories campaign for independence from the Hexagon. However, as the youngest French départment, Mayotte continues to face many crises and struggles to fit in with the national narrative, compared to the other overseas territories. Following discourse and visual analysis aesthetic, I argue that while Mayotte is indeed subjected to hierarchical relationships within overarching international, national and regional systems, elements of discourse ultimately display a more nuanced position and unveil a richer and more complex reality. Engaging with different sources, the case of Mayotte also sheds light on the limitations of assimilation.Show less
This thesis examines to what extent public opinion about Syrian and Ukrainian refugees is either perpetuated or challenged by media discourse in Dutch newspaper media. Currently existing studies...Show moreThis thesis examines to what extent public opinion about Syrian and Ukrainian refugees is either perpetuated or challenged by media discourse in Dutch newspaper media. Currently existing studies mainly focus on the reception and perceptions of refugees coming from the Global South. By specifically focusing on war refugees, and adding the comparative component of Ukrainian refugees, this thesis aimed to identify whether disparities that are apparent in public opinions, are also tracible in the Dutch newspapers NRC, De Telegraaf, and De Volkskrant. Dutch public opinion shows a greater support of the reception of Ukrainian refugees, than any other group of war refugees. To examine whether the latter is apparent in media discourse, this study combines two methods: Corpus Linguistics (Content Analysis) and the Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA) in Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Corpus Linguistics shows the presence of three prominent themes in word usage in articles regarding both comparative cases: pronouns, locations, and times and quantities. These three themes served as a foundational base for the CDA. CDA shows a prominence of the ‘us versus them’ dichotomy in media discourse, mainly through the use of ‘othering’ language. Additionally, the presence of discussions of repatriation in case of Syrian refugees, perpetuates the disparity in support of reception of both groups of war refugees. With the contribution of academic literature, the content analysis, and critical discourse analysis, this paper concludes that Dutch media discourse perpetuates public opinions regarding Syrian and Ukrainian refugees. However, it is important to note that due to contextual factors, it is important to be aware of the nuances that might apply.Show less
The significance of strategic autonomy, a notion that concerns the European Union’s (EU) global role and its ability to act autonomously, has increased, largely due to Russia’s war against Ukraine....Show moreThe significance of strategic autonomy, a notion that concerns the European Union’s (EU) global role and its ability to act autonomously, has increased, largely due to Russia’s war against Ukraine. Because of its allusion to the EU’s global role, strategic autonomy also pertains to its power, prompting this paper to explore the notion of strategic autonomy with regard to the EU’s power. However, due to its sui generis nature, characterising the EU’s power is notoriously challenging. Firstly, Galtung’s (1973) distinction between power-over-others and power-over-oneself is employed to demonstrate that strategic autonomy primarily concerns the latter, in contrast to Helwig (2022) who implicitly argues that it involves the former. Secondly, this thesis argues that strategic autonomy is an effort to achieve actorness, a notion that establishes criteria for an actor’s ability to act, in turn facilitating the projection of power. Third, in regard to its power-over-others, the concept indicates an objective by the EU to increase its hard power, or punitive power in Galtung’s (1973) terms. Through the pursuit of power-over-itself and actorness, strategic autonomy represents a clear direction in terms of the EU’s global role, namely the quest of escaping its enigmatic character and becoming a ‘normal’ international actor.Show less
The prevalence of right-wing extremism (RWE) in the United States and Europe has risen in recent decades with the aid of online spaces. Online or “virtual communities” continue to attract...Show moreThe prevalence of right-wing extremism (RWE) in the United States and Europe has risen in recent decades with the aid of online spaces. Online or “virtual communities” continue to attract individuals from around the world by providing an environment where otherwise disconnected peoples may form a community. This paper looks at the white nationalist aspect of RWE which places an emphasis on racial categorization and nationalism as its ideological foundations. On the white nationalist forum Stormfront.org a thriving international community has formed in what initially appears to be contrary to the nationalistic and culturally homogentisic inclinations of white nationalism. This research asks how the Stormfront community’s discourse incorporates international members into the WN movement. Through a poststructuralist discourse analysis this paper finds that unifying racial perspective legitimizing the construction of a white identity frames locally perceived issues as part of global and increasingly existential threats. This paper emphasizes the impacts of globalization on white nationalist perspectives as they adapt their movement to a globalized environment. The parallelization theory of globalization is implemented to explain the parallel and often contradictory perspectives maintained by the community.Show less
The Occupy movement remains one of the defining aspects of political life in the early 2010s as a global social movement attempting to address the concerns of post-2008 politics. Drawing...Show moreThe Occupy movement remains one of the defining aspects of political life in the early 2010s as a global social movement attempting to address the concerns of post-2008 politics. Drawing inspiration from preceding movements and inspiring movements to come, its insistence on not articulating concrete demands as well as its dependence on pre-figurative politics was met simultaneously with amazement by activists and confusion by those attempting to grasp the movement. Through its global diffusion, beginning with Occupy Wall Street in New York and spreading all over the world, Occupy became a global phenomenon, entering the realm of international relations, with individual movements acting as agents that influence local and international politics, and the overall movement serving as connector between local actors on a global scale. Social movement theory often models mobilisation as happening either directly, through contact with activists, or indirectly, through equivalences in structure, demographic, or culture to other activists. The mobilisation and global diffusion of the Occupy movement however challenged both of these models, with local movements often self-mobilising and demonstrating a high level of heterogeneity in demographic make-up, social position, or movement culture. This thesis sets out to address this challenge by analysing the narratives put forward by Occupy movements as movement-building relays which aid the self-mobilisation of new activists. It argues that the common element between movements, as well as the potential for its global diffusion through self-mobilisation is not to be found in the narratives’ content, but rather in their structural aspects serving as movement-building relays. For this, 27 documents published by local Occupy movements were analysed in a structural-narratological approach. The thesis identifies relevant movement-building relays in the temporal, spatial, actantial, and social structures of the Occupy Wall Street narrative and traces their diffusion to the narratives of other local movements within the Occupy movement. Through this analysis, the thesis offers a novel approach to the study of contemporary global social movements whose diffusion is more often based on self-mobilisation and who demonstrate high levels of heterogeneity. Through the study of the Occupy movement, it thus seeks to provide a framework for which contemporary global social movements can be understood better.Show less
Subnational climate diplomacy is a concept that has been gaining attention in the field of International Relations in recent years. It refers to the way in which state and local governments are...Show moreSubnational climate diplomacy is a concept that has been gaining attention in the field of International Relations in recent years. It refers to the way in which state and local governments are increasingly taking part in international negotiations and cooperation to advance global climate objectives. This signifies a sizable shift in the traditional approach to state-to-state diplomacy. However, the value of subnational climate diplomacy to the global fight against climate change is currently almost exclusively measured in terms of clearly quantifiable outputs, which largely overlooks its less directly quantifiable contributions and broader social, economic and political impacts. Therefore, this thesis analyzes how subnational climate diplomacy can contribute to transformative change through more indirect impacts. The indirect impacts that are measured are ‘rescaling’ and ‘entrenchment,’ based on the frameworks developed by authors van der Ven, Bernstein and Hoffmann (2017) and Setzer (2017). These two concepts serve to guide the analysis undertaken in this thesis, which aims to answer the following research question: How can subnational climate diplomacy contribute to transformative change through rescaling and entrenchment? To answer this question, the thesis includes a detailed case study of the international climate agenda of the U.S. state of California. The analysis of California's international climate agenda shows how the state’s subnational climate diplomacy is contributing to a rescaling of climate governance. By establishing international linkages along both the vertical and the horizontal axis, California is triggering a rescaling of climate governance on the subnational, national and international/supranational level. Additionally, California’s subnational climate diplomacy is fostering entrenchment by generating effects in climate governance that are durable and difficult to reverse. Overall, this study emphasizes that subnational climate diplomacy can contribute to transformative change in global climate governance, not only through producing directly quantifiable emission reductions, but also through rescaling climate governance and entrenching durable change.Show less
This thesis explores the layers of meaning of resistance represented in protest art inspired by the Woman, life, freedom movement that erupted in Iran in 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini in the...Show moreThis thesis explores the layers of meaning of resistance represented in protest art inspired by the Woman, life, freedom movement that erupted in Iran in 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini in the hands of the morality police. This thesis engages with themes such as performativity, martyrdom, and intersectionality.Show less
This thesis explores the connection between physical place and identity in Indigenous cultures across Turtle Island (North America), with a focus on how this connection can be preserved in virtual...Show moreThis thesis explores the connection between physical place and identity in Indigenous cultures across Turtle Island (North America), with a focus on how this connection can be preserved in virtual worlds. Indigenous sacred sites hold deep cultural and spiritual significance but have been affected by historical separations enforced by colonial powers. To help mitigate some of these harms, emerging digital platforms and virtual worlds offer a unique avenue for cultural expression and reconnection to land. By studying the experiences within two Indigenous-owned platforms, Our Worlds and AbTeC Island, this research investigates how these platforms construct and reimagine sacred sites digitally. Analysing the interaction between users and platform elements, the study uncovers the opportunities and hurdles they present for cultural preservation. This exploration also extends to the potential role of these virtual sites as proxies for reclaiming colonised lands in instances where their physical return is unfeasible. In this pursuit, the research engages with the primary research question: “How do Indigenous communities in the North American continent utilise virtual reality worlds to recreate sacred sites and challenge notions of land ownership?”. In addition, to address the scholarly tensions that exist around the benefits and detriments of technology use for marginalised communities, the study also probes a secondary query: “How may virtual worlds benefit Indigenous communities in the North American continent despite the neoliberalist infrastructure of these technologies?”. Through this investigation, the study contributes to a broader understanding of the intersection between Indigenous cultural connections to place, emergent digital media, and geopolitical dynamics in two North American nation states that share the same Indigenous lands, underscoring the potential for virtual spaces to reshape the narrative of cultural preservation and land reclamation.Show less
This research examines political narrative construction in Cross-Strait relations by analyzing Taiwanese and Chinese military videos on social media. Written amidst intensifying Cross-Strait...Show moreThis research examines political narrative construction in Cross-Strait relations by analyzing Taiwanese and Chinese military videos on social media. Written amidst intensifying Cross-Strait tensions, this thesis seeks to understand how such moving images can contribute to shaping narratives, specifically the interplay between military displays and their online representation. Through a comprehensive application of Multimodal Discourse Analysis and Social Semiotic Analysis, this study qualitatively deconstructs these videos, paying close attention to how language, power, and ideology intertwine within the scope of international relations. The findings suggest that these videos create distinct yet intertwined narratives of national strength and military readiness. While China’s narrative underscores the ‘Chinese Dream’ and ‘national reunification’, Taiwan’s narrative leans more towards its unique identity, self-determination and democratic values. Hence, this thesis highlights the fundamental role of social media in influencing diplomatic perceptions. It also provides new insights by analyzing Taiwan's strategic self-promotion, enhancing our comprehension of the island’s role in international relations. Lastly, this research reveals the rising influence of military diplomacy in the Cross-Strait context, paving the way for future research in this direction.Show less
This thesis explores what the process of making a theatre performance, as a method of research, could add to our understanding of complex issues in the field of International Relations....Show moreThis thesis explores what the process of making a theatre performance, as a method of research, could add to our understanding of complex issues in the field of International Relations. Specifically, it engages with the question of how our theories about what world politics is, give shape to our world and our understanding of it. Through the making of an absurdist theatre performance it makes us aware that our theoretical positions are precarious. It does so by exploring the philosophical underpinnings of three divergent theories in International Relations Theory: Liberalism, Poststructuralism and Relational Cosmology and how they shape our possibilities for thinking and being in the world.Show less
This thesis explores the aims of Israeli-Palestinian musical coproducers while contributing to conflict transformation. Inspired by the growing number of collaborative and multicultural artistic...Show moreThis thesis explores the aims of Israeli-Palestinian musical coproducers while contributing to conflict transformation. Inspired by the growing number of collaborative and multicultural artistic initiatives in conflict contexts, this thesis will seek to establish starting empirical evidence of musicians' intentions in disputes. Through the conceptual lens of conflict transformation, it will focus on the intractable Israeli-Palestinian conflict, using the first account of the Dugri Duo to investigate the musicians’ aims. These aims’ plausibility will be checked by analysing if they resonate with other musical coproducers’ work. It conducts an exploratory study aiming to examine the claims made by the theoretical literature and possibly provide fresh insights. The research will start with three hypotheses drawn from the literature: musicians aim to challenge conflictual narratives, leverage trauma, and inspire to educate their audience. By engaging in an interview and a qualitative content analysis of the most relevant musical coproducers in Israel-Palestine, the thesis will investigate the plausibility of these hypotheses, leaving spaces for new revelations.Show less
This thesis examines the evolution of China's soft power strategies by comparing the nation branding elements of the Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremonies in 2008 and 2022. The research question...Show moreThis thesis examines the evolution of China's soft power strategies by comparing the nation branding elements of the Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremonies in 2008 and 2022. The research question explores the differences and similarities between the two ceremonies to shed light on China's changing position in the global system and its approach to projecting soft power. The analysis employs semiotic analysis and explores themes such as the past-future dichotomy and the appeal to norms and values.The study finds that the 2008 ceremony was part of China's "Olympic coming-out party" and focused on establishing the country as a rising power on the international stage. It emphasized China's development, heritage, and cultural identity, primarily for viewers unfamiliar with the country. In contrast, the 2022 ceremony demonstrated China's response to foreign criticisms and aimed to align itself with Western-centric norms and values. It showcased China's commitment to the international community and inclusivity by incorporating non-ethnically Chinese elements into the ceremony. The findings suggest that China's evolving soft power strategies align with its changing role in the global order. China's rise to a dominant player in the international system allows it to express its vision for the future and create a nation brand that portrays itself as modern, outward-looking, inclusive, and peace-promoting. However, China's exclusive nationalism and the Western-centric Olympic values of harmony and unity create a tension that challenges the believability of its nation branding attempts.Show less
The African diaspora has a historical connection to the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and has faced political and social discrimination throughout its existence. As a result, individuals within this...Show moreThe African diaspora has a historical connection to the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and has faced political and social discrimination throughout its existence. As a result, individuals within this diaspora have developed a transnational Black consciousness, wherein they confront their identity while grappling with the pressure to conform to Eurocentric norms regardless of territory. This complexity is further heightened by the experience of hybridity, as diaspora members navigate the challenges of adapting to new environments while striving to maintain their ancestral roots. The trauma endured by the diaspora has served as a wellspring of inspiration for expressing their narratives through various cultural mediums, including theatre, music, literature, and visual arts. The objective of this research is to shed light on the deep importance of visual art as a medium through which the African diaspora can express their experiences, question dominant narratives, and assert their autonomy, both within their local contexts and on a global scale. By examining the artworks of Rosana Paulino from Brazil and Arnaldo Roche Rabell from Puerto Rico through the lenses of postcolonialism and semiology, we can delve into the intricate dynamics of power, identity, and resilience that arise from the creative expressions of the African diaspora.Show less
