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
The European microstates Andorra, Liechtenstein and the Holy See have only been partially integrated into the multi-level framework of the European Union (EU). What is puzzling to academics...Show moreThe European microstates Andorra, Liechtenstein and the Holy See have only been partially integrated into the multi-level framework of the European Union (EU). What is puzzling to academics specialized in European Integration is the stark contrast to the degree of integration into the European Union experienced by Malta and Luxembourg which have both fully integrated into the European community in comparison to these microstates. The resultant regulatory and political discrepancies between each of these microstates is investigated in this paper with an investigation into the possibility of further integration for the unincorporated microstates. The different routes to integration of economic, political, and diplomatic arrangements follow in line with the 2013 Association Framework agreement established by Brussels which this paper will use to conceptualize an analysis into wider microstate integration. This paper assumes that intergovernmental agreements between microstates and their EU member state neighbors reduce the incentives for integration into the European Union. Other assumptions rely on an investigation into the value that European microstates have in maintaining their sovereignty at the expense of gains through European integration. It also investigates economic development of these microstates to their degree of integration as a control variable, of which there is less of an impact than intergovernmental agreements. The findings of this paper highlight the importance that microstates show towards intergovernmental agreements over supranational integration.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
This thesis takes a comparative approach to understanding the impact of TAN populist executives on the asylum systems of Hungary and Italy following the 2015/16 migration crisis. The interlinking...Show moreThis thesis takes a comparative approach to understanding the impact of TAN populist executives on the asylum systems of Hungary and Italy following the 2015/16 migration crisis. The interlinking concepts of TAN populism, autocratization, and their relationship with judicial control and the asylum seeker are first expanded upon in the Literature Review. Then, the Theoretical Framework chapter delves into the applicability of the path dependence approach for understanding the links between these concepts and hypothesises that the degree to which a TAN populist executive can inflict Asylum System Assault (ASA) depends on its ability to reshape judicial control. This hypothesis is tested using a research design based on MSSD-I which is discussed in the Methodological Approach chapter. The comparative part of the thesis begins with a chapter on the case study of Hungary. In this case we see how the drafting of a new constitution by the Fidesz party in 2010 severely weakened judicial independence, allowing for a path dependent trajectory of further autocratization and, following the migration crisis, of ASA. In turn, this led to the structural death of asylum in the country by 2020. Meanwhile, the next chapter on the Italian case shows how an independent judiciary can act as a lifebuoy for migrant rights by stopping the successful implementation of key TAN populist executive ASA policies. This being the case both during the Conte I government, and in the current Meloni-led government.Show less
Street-level bureaucrats are characterized by severe workloads, conflicting demands, and limitations in resources such as time and money. Additionally, street-level bureaucrats have discretionary...Show moreStreet-level bureaucrats are characterized by severe workloads, conflicting demands, and limitations in resources such as time and money. Additionally, street-level bureaucrats have discretionary space that possibly allows for poor interpretation and judgement of a certain situation, due to stereotype-use. This thesis investigates how social class stereotypes are used in the interpretation of Dutch psychologists of depressive disorder symptoms during a client’s first intake. This is investigated through a qualitative vignette study. The analysis shows that social class stereotypes are activated differently per social class. Psychologists use social class stereotypes to explain the client’s situation when it regarded a client from a high social class. Social class stereotypes are used as a determinant for a client’s treatment when it regarded a client from a low social class. These findings support previous research on the workings of social class stereotypes, as well as the theoretical understanding of stereotypes in general.Show less
Gender equality is becoming a more important value day by day, which is also recognized by the United Nations itself. However, reaching gender equality is a difficult aspect. One measure to reach...Show moreGender equality is becoming a more important value day by day, which is also recognized by the United Nations itself. However, reaching gender equality is a difficult aspect. One measure to reach gender equality is by introducing gender quotas. Countries can implement legislated or voluntary quotas to have a more equal gender division in their national parliaments, which represents countries’ citizens. Most of the existing theory discusses that gender quotas are expected to influence the gender division positively. This thesis tests whether quotas in general, legislated quotas, and voluntary quotas do influence the gender division of a countries’ parliament. There have been performed 10 regressions to test the drafted hypotheses. Even though the correlation was expected to be positive, the results show the opposite. Found estimators representing the influence of (different kind of) gender quotas are unsignificant and remarkably low. However, the found effects are negative which goes against most of the existing theory. There is not a clear answer yet to the question if quotas influence the gender division, but if the negative results are correct, this need to be further researched. Therefore, more research and the inclusion of more variables would be beneficial.Show less
The effect of bureaucratic representation on organisational performance has for decades been a subject of interest for scholars. Many scholars have debated the merits and effects of passive and...Show moreThe effect of bureaucratic representation on organisational performance has for decades been a subject of interest for scholars. Many scholars have debated the merits and effects of passive and active representation. Drawing on the literature, this thesis aims to add to existing research by focusing on the influence of bureaucratic representation on student performance in Dutch secondary schools. It will focus specifically on the dimension of gender and aims to research whether the gender of a teacher has an effect on the performance of students of the same gender. The study includes two moderator variables. Both the stratification of management and the gender division of the entire educational staff could have an effect on the relationship between teachers and student performance. This study was conducted using a Large-N design that includes all Dutch secondary schools. Data on Dutch secondary schools, collected by the Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, was used to perform a multilevel regression analysis to test the hypotheses. This study reveals that only the moderator variable ‘number of educational staff’ has an impact on the relationship between teachers and student performance. There was no support for the other hypotheses.Show less
This thesis explores the reputation management strategies European Regulatory Agencies (ERAs) employ on social media to maintain their online reputation and the role of different audiences in...Show moreThis thesis explores the reputation management strategies European Regulatory Agencies (ERAs) employ on social media to maintain their online reputation and the role of different audiences in shaping their communication strategies. Reputation management is fundamental for public agencies, as they must justify their existence and respond to diverse stakeholders with varying expectations. Effective social media interactions can help sustain and promote technocratic legitimacy, facilitate connections, and interactions with stakeholders regarding European regulations and policies. This thesis adopts the organizational reputation framework proposed by Carpenter and Krause (2012), which considers assumptions related to an organization's capacities, intentions, and mission as core elements influencing communication strategies. As part of the EU regulatory state, EU regulatory agencies are expected to emphasize expertise, technical competence, and results-oriented qualities in their communicative strategies. This study examined the reputation management strategies employed by European Regulatory Agencies (ERAs) on social media, specifically focusing on the communication strategies used by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Healthcare Products (AEMPS) on Twitter.Show less
