Social media has become an integral component of public agencies and digital diplomacy. Prior scholars have emphasised the significance of social media in International relations (IR), discussing...Show moreSocial media has become an integral component of public agencies and digital diplomacy. Prior scholars have emphasised the significance of social media in International relations (IR), discussing its advantages and difficulties. Nevertheless, in terms of public administration, there is a gap in their management, namely, in understanding how to use different platforms and the significance of social media content in engaging with the public. This research delves into the field of digital Diplomacy, examining the strategic use of social media content by the European Union’s diplomatic missions based in Athens, focusing on engagement with the public. The mixed-method study examined how diplomatic missions use social media content to engage with the public by analyzing original posts on Twitter/X and Facebook and conducting semi-structured interviews with experts and diplomats from EU Ministries of Foreign Affairs (MFAs) and embassies. The findings revealed that the EU embassies tend to employ posts that promote the countries’ image and interests’ indicators of Symbolic representation. In addition,they demonstrate a preference for Transparency by regularly sharing content that aligns with the policies, daily agenda and activity of the MFAs or embassies. The analysis using the Engagement Index (EI) results is noteworthy as it signifies an enhanced public connection with Coproduction content. Finally, the study reveals the strategic use of the platforms and the content for effective public engagement. Future researchers can delve into new directions by exploring other platforms or focusing on public reaction via sentimental analysis. In summary, this research emphasizes the importance of social media in diplomatic missions' external communication and advances the field by implementing the framework in digital diplomacy, particularly in the EU.Show less
Since the so-called migration crisis of 2015/2016, European governments have innovated in their migration management policies leading to the adoption of a new dissemination channel for Migration...Show moreSince the so-called migration crisis of 2015/2016, European governments have innovated in their migration management policies leading to the adoption of a new dissemination channel for Migration-Information Campaigns (MICs) which is social media. The literature shows that social media properties can significantly influence government digital communication including MICs. Nevertheless, social media adoption for MICs broadcasting and social media features’ impacts are two academically underexplored phenomena. Consequently, this thesis attempts to answer the following question: “How do social media properties impact the establishment and management of digital Migration-Information Campaigns run by public administrations?” where the properties are conceptualized into six affordances: visibility, communicability, interactivity, anonymity, persistence and editability. To do so, we carried out a qualitative and exploratory multiple-case research based on semi-structured interviews with European public servants and partner organizations involved in MICs development. The results of this research suggest that the distinct affordances of social media do have significant influences on MICs formulation and management depending on how they are perceived in terms of opportunities and constraints of actions. Some additional insights on safety matters, attaining the right audience and paid advertising use were brought up through multiple affordances. The findings invite policymakers to create proper social media guidelines for MICs, allocate adequate resources and re-evaluate their MICs for several improvements.Show less
This study has delved into the nuanced dynamics of active representation within the context of gender and individual bureaucratic behavior. It employed a qualitative cross-sectional observational...Show moreThis study has delved into the nuanced dynamics of active representation within the context of gender and individual bureaucratic behavior. It employed a qualitative cross-sectional observational case study among local officials in the municipality of Amsterdam, using semi- structured interviews to investigate two key research questions: "How does active representation manifest itself?" and "Does gender affect active representation at the level of individual bureaucrats?" To address these questions, Lim's (2006) concepts of direct and indirect sources of substantive effects of passive representation are used as a framework for the analysis on active representation. It appeared that gender slightly affects the behaviour among civil servants when representing clients of the same gender.Show less
This thesis contributes to industrial policy by studying conditionality – the conditions attached to state aid – and linking this to the concepts of state capacity and political salience. First,...Show moreThis thesis contributes to industrial policy by studying conditionality – the conditions attached to state aid – and linking this to the concepts of state capacity and political salience. First, this thesis addresses conditionality issues in the context of climate change, as the literature to date has focused on other development challenges such as industrial upgrading. Second, this thesis contributes to the literature by focusing on the study of conditionality in relation to advanced industrialised economies, as the existing literature is mainly focused on developing countries. In particular, this thesis aims to highlight the types of conditions that are relevant in this case compared to those identified in the literature. Third, the thesis emphasises the importance of the politics of conditionality, or the political will to activate existing state capacity. The thesis shows that an advanced economy such as the Netherlands has the state capacity to impose a policy of strong conditionality on business. In the studied case, however, this capacity has been activated by political salience, which has created a social coalition in support of this policy to impose strong conditionality.Show less
This paper explores the nature of the EU Common Security and Defense Policy and its influence on the path to European strategic autonomy, which has increasingly become salient in EU politics in the...Show moreThis paper explores the nature of the EU Common Security and Defense Policy and its influence on the path to European strategic autonomy, which has increasingly become salient in EU politics in the past few years. Not only because of military escalation in the East or the instability in the European Neighbourhood with regard to migration, but upheaval in the structures we thought to be invincible as well: America and NATO, and Brexit. Unexpected changes don’t necessarily lead to instability when autonomy is guaranteed. How can this be achieved for the EU? After analysing said influence in four dimensions of European strategic autonomy, the reader is presented with the conclusion that the CSDP has only had a relatively small influence, and many problems with its DNA prevent the Union from taking the steps required to become self-sufficient in an increasingly hostile environment.Show less
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are a salient characteristic observed across democratic systems. Perceived to strengthen citizen representation and improve policy outcomes, as such member...Show moreCivil Society Organizations (CSOs) are a salient characteristic observed across democratic systems. Perceived to strengthen citizen representation and improve policy outcomes, as such member involvement and organisational capacity are key attributes. In order to achieve this role, CSOs must possess the capability to influence decision-making processes. This thesis investigates the realisation of these attributes at the national level of European Union member states through quantitative analysis. The outcomes highlight noteworthy variations across EU member states. In Eastern countries, member involvement emerges as a catalyst for achieving heightened access to decision-making. Conversely, for CSOs in Western and Scandinavian nations, neither member involvement nor organisational capacity significantly corresponds to access within the decision-making realm.Show less
In just over 10 years, the UK, a Western, democratic, industrialised nation has experienced two economic crises that have been unrivalled in the last 100 years of economic history; the 2008...Show moreIn just over 10 years, the UK, a Western, democratic, industrialised nation has experienced two economic crises that have been unrivalled in the last 100 years of economic history; the 2008 Financial Crisis and the 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic. The 2008 financial crisis is often discussed in terms of the extremity of its impact on the British economy, specifically in its status of inflicting the largest accumulative financial loss since the Post-War period. This is an accolade it has held until the crisis induced by the Covid-19 pandemic. Both crises were unexpected and far-reaching in their consequences, resulting in the British Government introducing unparalleled policies to protect the health of its population and economy. This thesis seeks to explore welfare policy responses to economic crises in the United Kingdom. An extensive literature review is presented, covering the present academic discussion around welfare and crisis management. This thesis uses a most-similar research design to compare two crisis situations in the same country, to assess the success of the policies based on the two measurements of generosity and coverage. The focus will be on the design, implementation and outcome of the reactive employment policies in two distinct cases.Show less
This thesis applies collective action theory from a historical institutionalist perspective. With applying collective action theory on an international level, the boundaries of collective action...Show moreThis thesis applies collective action theory from a historical institutionalist perspective. With applying collective action theory on an international level, the boundaries of collective action theory are pushed further than before. Collective action theory from a historical perspective is used to investigate the scope of regime complexity intergovernmental organizations experience and the development of state membership of intergovernmental organizations.Show less
This study uses the Technology Enactment Framework (TEF) to explore how the Customs administrations of Türkiye and the Netherlands design and implement AI technology in their automated detection...Show moreThis study uses the Technology Enactment Framework (TEF) to explore how the Customs administrations of Türkiye and the Netherlands design and implement AI technology in their automated detection pilot projects to facilitate legal trade and detect illicit trade at border crossing points. It also displays what organizational elements can be learnt from the two cases to add to the limited literature in AI applications in the public sector. At the end of the research, AI Technology Enactment Flowcharts for the two administrations, a Comparison Table and a Proposed Extended AI TEF for Customs were developed. Validating the TEF, the research also identified AI-technology specific organizational forms, institutional arrangements and project processes facilitating or impeding the pilot projects in the two customs administrations.Show less
Since the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its increased use in the public sector, there has been a two-fold debate in practice and academia about the relationship between transparency and...Show moreSince the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its increased use in the public sector, there has been a two-fold debate in practice and academia about the relationship between transparency and trust. On the one hand, transparency can create an open government culture and improve trust; on the other hand, transparency confuses citizens and leads to delegitimization of government. This research contributes to the debate by examining the effect of algorithmic decision-making transparency on institutional trust and procedural fairness's role in this relationship through a quantitative vignette study focusing on enforcing parking fines. The study distinguishes itself from others by measuring institutional trust by three dimensions (competence, benevolence, and honesty) and transparency by two dimensions (accessibility and explainability). The results reveal that: (1) accessibility increases institutional trust and trust in the competence and benevolence of the institution; (2) explainability increases institutional trust and trust in the competence of the institution; (3) procedural fairness negatively affects the relationship between accessibility and institutional trust and between accessibility and trust in the competence of the institution; (3) procedural fairness positively affects the relationship between explainability and trust in the benevolence of the institution. These results imply that institutional trust is multidimensional and can be influenced differently but that access and explainability of decision-making increase trust. Furthermore, local governments can make greater use of the Dutch algorithm registry to provide citizens with access and explanations of decision-making to enhance trust in the institution.Show less
Governments worldwide have been increasingly making Open Government Data (OGD) available. Arguments for OGD include improvements to transparency, accountability, policymaking, innovation, and...Show moreGovernments worldwide have been increasingly making Open Government Data (OGD) available. Arguments for OGD include improvements to transparency, accountability, policymaking, innovation, and economic growth while reducing corruption and the negative effects of New Public Management’s outsourcing. However, research shows that not all published OGD are open according to the eight Sebastopol principles of open data. This research uses the ordinary citizen test, based on the Sebastopol principles, to determine the extent of openness of OGD published by Dutch provinces. This research uses the metadata of all published datasets on the Dutch national data portal. The findings show that around 30% of the assessed datasets qualify as open. The most common barrier to the openness of OGD published by Dutch provinces is that datasets are only available in proprietary formats. The OGD of Dutch provinces not qualifying as open can have implications for the perceived benefits of publishing OGD in the Netherlands.Show less
The European Commission has recently initiated a comprehensive Green Deal with the objective of enhancing the environmental sustainability of agriculture, promoting nature inclusivity, and...Show moreThe European Commission has recently initiated a comprehensive Green Deal with the objective of enhancing the environmental sustainability of agriculture, promoting nature inclusivity, and facilitating the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. However, much controversy has been surrounding the formulation of its Farm to Fork (F2) Strategy policy objectives due to incompatible perspectives regarding the envisioned future sustainable food system between the involved actors and the European Commission. This, therefore, raises the question of what is the role of expert knowledge in the realm of EU policymaking? Moreover, what factors influence the Commission’s utilisation of expert knowledge? The utilisation of expert knowledge has been a topic of academic debate in the social sciences. The scholarly discourse pertaining to the role of expert knowledge in the realm of public policymaking processes, and in particular in the EU context, is abundant in theoretical frameworks; however, it also lacks consistency in defining and explaining the role of expert knowledge in public policymaking. This study aims to address the gap in existing literature by improving the understanding of knowledge utilisation and its features in the context of a new EU policy case. The research question seeks to determine the Commission’s utilisation of expert knowledge in the preparation of the Farm to Fork Strategy and explain whether the combination of internal and external dynamics account for the anticipated type of knowledge utilisation. The study focuses on a single case to achieve the theoretical objectives of demonstrating a causal relationship and examining whether the causal process occurred as anticipated. The study focuses on the timeframe from 2016 to 2021, coinciding with the first mandate of the EU Platform on Food Losses and Waste (FLW) and its efforts towards food waste policies, which were subsequently integrated into the F2F Strategy.Show less