This thesis investigates the political aspects of desertification in Spain. The research analyzes the strengths and shortcomings of water and soil policies targeting desertification in the period...Show moreThis thesis investigates the political aspects of desertification in Spain. The research analyzes the strengths and shortcomings of water and soil policies targeting desertification in the period 1900 to 2020. The ''Tragedy of the Commons'' is used as specific lens. The results show that economic gain in the agricultural sector strongly impacted desertification. Over time, environmentalism became for growing importance in policy making which positively impacted soil and water management affecting desertification. Nonetheless, desertification remains a significant issue in Spain, further policies are necessary to tackle desertification.Show less
The impact of Margaret Thatcher on the British political and economic landscape has been wide and far ranging. This influence is especially strong on the Conservative party, which was forever...Show moreThe impact of Margaret Thatcher on the British political and economic landscape has been wide and far ranging. This influence is especially strong on the Conservative party, which was forever changed by her party leadership. Since the election of Boris Johnson, the party has undergone some changes that have set it apart from the previous governments, particularly Cameron's. This thesis thus questions whether Boris Johnson's discourse still shows the influence of Thatcherite ideology on the party. It does so by first defining the key elements of Thatcherism, which is a broad concept that needs further investigation. Then, discourse analysis is employed on Johnson's key political speeches to uncover elements of Thatcherite discourse.Show less
Literature on European identity construction and the delineations involved is extensive. This paper’s theoretical approach intends to add to the epistemological debate by looking at case study...Show moreLiterature on European identity construction and the delineations involved is extensive. This paper’s theoretical approach intends to add to the epistemological debate by looking at case study examples of the European Union’s ‘new’ member states, referring to member states that acceded the union in or after 2004, which this paper argues exemplify the rejection of European identity, and analyse them from the culturally anthropological perspective of the binary concepts of cosmopolitanism and cultural relativism. Whether or not a European-wide identity exists has long been a contested topic. Rather than attempt to add to this extensive debate, the purpose of this paper will be to locate points of tension between what is increasingly being constructed by the EU as a universal ‘European identity’ on the one hand, and the existing strong national identities of two case study member states, Hungary and Poland, on the other. By identifying the points at which these clashes occur, this paper will argue that identity construction cannot simply be politicised in the manner in which the EU’s institutions have attempted.Show less
This paper addresses the influence of art movements which arose during the First World War on the existing collective memory of the war. In order to do this, a thorough exploration of what...Show moreThis paper addresses the influence of art movements which arose during the First World War on the existing collective memory of the war. In order to do this, a thorough exploration of what collective or cultural memory is and how it is formed was necessary. This knowledge can then be applied to various art movements to understand the correlation between art and remembering war. For this paper, three art movements were chosen as case studies to exemplify this connection: Futurism, Vorticism and Dadaism.Show less
