With the rising numbers of migrant workers in South Korea, it is important to look into the policies and laws that regulate this migration and labour. This thesis will put the focus on Filipino low...Show moreWith the rising numbers of migrant workers in South Korea, it is important to look into the policies and laws that regulate this migration and labour. This thesis will put the focus on Filipino low-skilled migrants under the Employment Permit System where the question is: What shaped the South Korean migrant policies and how does this affect the rights and lives of Filipino low-skilled migrant workers? By looking at the Employment Permit System, the policies that are effective under it, activist groups, the realities of (Filipino) migrants and their situation in their home country, a picture is painted of the current consequences and challenges that the EPS poses. It became clear through this research that the EPS was lacking in labour and human rights for migrants and granted a lot of power for the employer. The policy was brought on as the Ministry of Justice wanted the migrant workers to leave the country after 3 years to preserve the South Korean social cohesion, increasing the discrimination. The case of the Filipino worker is a particular dire one as the Filipino government sends many of their citizens to work abroad, to the extent of a large monetary dependency on remittances. This urgency further skirted the migrants’ rights for economic gain, leaving them vulnerable for exploitation. It is thus important to not only look at the migrant policy of one country (in this case South Korea), but also the home country’s situation to pose effective solutions against the discrimination and exploitation of migrant workers.Show less
Male objectification has been an overlooked topic in the Gender Studies. The aim of this study was to fill in a gap in the South Korean Gender Studies about male objectification in South Korean...Show moreMale objectification has been an overlooked topic in the Gender Studies. The aim of this study was to fill in a gap in the South Korean Gender Studies about male objectification in South Korean television commercials. The study examines the appearances of the male objectification depending on the audiences of the television commercials. Firstly, it shows the current debate going on in the Gender Studies about model objectification and how the study fits in this debate. Secondly, it cooperates frameworks such as Goffman’s Gender Advertisements to create a visual analysis. This visual analysis is being used to examine the appearances of the male objectification in television commercials. Additionally, the study debates whether the existing frameworks in the Gender Studies are applicable to measure the objectification in male models because these frameworks tend to focus on female objectification. It argues that the appearances of male objectification change depending on the audiences and that the frameworks being used in this study need to be revised in order to be up to date.Show less
