In this study, I examine the relationship between the business operations of multinational corporations (MNCs) and their uptake of human rights. In contrast to other studies, I investigate why...Show moreIn this study, I examine the relationship between the business operations of multinational corporations (MNCs) and their uptake of human rights. In contrast to other studies, I investigate why some MNCs are doing better with respect to the uptake of human rights within their business operations in by exploring the role of (the threat of) corporate human rights litigation. I find the following: first, there is an association between the ranking of MNC according to the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark (CHRB) and the human rights lawsuits the MNCs faced. Second, based on a case study of three MNCs there appears that most MNCs adopted human rights measures during or after they were confronted with human rights litigation, pushing the uptake of human rights by MNCs. Lastly, there is a rising trend of foreign direct liability cases against MNCs for human rights violations. Based on a comparative case study, it appears that these cases oftentimes do not bring any judicial outcome due to procedural requirements that are in most cases difficult to fulfil by the plaintiff. However, it seems that in most instances a judicial verdict is not compulsory to push a company towards the uptake of human rights within their business operations.Show less
Current research in Peru reveals that basic civil rights, cultural heritage as well as living conditions of indigenous people are being harmed by the politics of social exclusion (Mahoney. Dandre,...Show moreCurrent research in Peru reveals that basic civil rights, cultural heritage as well as living conditions of indigenous people are being harmed by the politics of social exclusion (Mahoney. Dandre, Barrón). Partially, this situation is rooted in the colonial past of the country, where Spanish colonizers conducted discriminative policies towards indigenous society, placing them at the bottoms of the hierarchical pyramid (Barron). Nevertheless, many factors that are present in today’s Peru seem to facilitate indigenous social exclusion in the fields of education and political participation. Modern researchers recently developed an idea of the involvement of various cultural institutions in the state’s programs that aim to reduce social exclusion, which seems to be more than ever relevant (Sandell, Santos, Vonk). One of the currently developed ideas is the facilitation of social inclusion of minorities through the museum. However, unlike in political and economic spheres, cultural programs in that regard are very recent and there is a strong need for clarification to what extent it would be possible to efficiently involve them in a reduction of social exclusion in society. In relation to Peru, it could be more than ever relevant to look at ways of cooperation between museums and indigenous that could have the potential to benefit the process of indigenous inclusion in the community.Show less
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s human rights record is among the worst in the world and has been globally condemned — especially by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the...Show moreThe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s human rights record is among the worst in the world and has been globally condemned — especially by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the European Union and the United Nations. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the source of mysteries and fantasies on the international stage when it comes to the topic of human rights. This thesis is an attempt to give a critical outlook on the situation in order to understand the major issues raised by the case of North Korean human rights. It will try show what causes this biased perception of North Korean human rights that we have in Occident by setting a theoretical framework, giving an overview of the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and analysing some of the main sources used to deal with human rights in North Korea. This study will conclude by saying that human rights in North Korea are indeed unique in many aspects and that they are not to be taken lightly. But the view that Occidental countries have on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is twisted by a Western perspective that is the source of many fantasies and approximations regarding this country. Finally, we will see that the North Korean case echoes to a much broader problem in the international community.Show less
Over the years, China has engaged in a multiplicity of strategies to coerce Taiwan towards unification, and the Taiwanese towards assimilating under a singular Chinese identity. After the 2014...Show moreOver the years, China has engaged in a multiplicity of strategies to coerce Taiwan towards unification, and the Taiwanese towards assimilating under a singular Chinese identity. After the 2014 Sunflower Movement protests in Taiwan, China identified the Taiwanese youth as a target demographic for coercive measures. The state has rolled out a number of incentives to induce young, talented Taiwanese to migrate to China. Through a series of in-depth interviews with young Taiwanese migrants in China, this paper seeks to ascertain whether or not living in China for extended periods of time affects Taiwanese attitudes towards national identity and cross-strait unification. The paper finds that although Taiwanese are gratified with the personal development and career development time in China affords them, they do not change their attitudes towards national identity nor unification by virtue of living in China and interacting with Chinese people. They undertake several practices in order to negotiate their national identity that ultimately end up reinforcing it.Show less
The international community was startled by the 2016 US presidential election as it appeared disruptive for international order. The Republican candidate, Donald Trump, who was elected as President...Show moreThe international community was startled by the 2016 US presidential election as it appeared disruptive for international order. The Republican candidate, Donald Trump, who was elected as President, surprised friend and foe with his explicit rhetoric regarding the role of the US in world politics. The foreign policy ideas of the Democratic candidate, Hilary Clinton, are generally perceive as more in line with the status quo. Consequently, this research aims to analyze how the concept of American exceptionalism was framed to legitimization these foreign policies suggestions. The American exceptionalism narrative is in academia generally understood as an ongoing narrative in US identity that frames foreign policy discourse. Therefore, analyzing how the candidates frame this concept, allows to gain understanding in the development of this discourse. The exact research question this study addresses is: How was American exceptionalism framed differently by candidates to legitimize ideas of US foreign policy in the 2016 presidential campaign discourse? This study performs a quantitative discourse analysis of campaigns speeches by Trump and Clinton from the 2016 presidential election. In total 100 official speeches are studied, 50 from Trump’s campaign and 50 from Clinton’s campaign, ranging from three different time periods in the election. The concept of American exceptionalism is operationalized on two levels. The primary level concentrates on US identity in general and eventually entailed two frames: Superior (better) and Singular (unique). The secondary level emphasizes the role of the US in world politics and ultimately encompassed also two frames: Exemplarism (exemplar) and Expansionism (leader). Based on this operationalization, the findings signify that Trump refers more to the concept of American exceptionalism, and also increasingly during the election, but at the same time undermines it many times more than Clinton. How the candidates frame the concept to discuss particular foreign policy topics is surprisingly similar, as both utilizes the Expansionism frame for the topic of terrorism while generally preferring the Exemplarism frame for other foreign policy areas. All in all, Trump appears more explicit and outspoken in how he frames the concept, yet not per se very distinct compared to the framing by Clinton. This study therefore indicates homogeneity in the belief in American exceptionalism and how it is framed to legitimize foreign policy. Based on these findings limitations and avenues for future research are discussed.Show less
It is widely recognized that the climate is changing. Research is now done on the effects of climate change on human security. There is controversy about the relation between climate change and...Show moreIt is widely recognized that the climate is changing. Research is now done on the effects of climate change on human security. There is controversy about the relation between climate change and violent conflict. Supporters of the relation argue that climate change can cause violent conflict through resource scarcity and migration, but others argue that there is too much disagreement between studies to draw strong conclusions. This thesis examined the relation between climate change and violent conflict within Sub-Saharan Africa and bridged the gap between qualitative and quantitative research. The qualitative research showed that violent conflict is a complex phenomenon, that cannot be explained through one cause. The legacy of colonialism, ethnicity, neopatrimonialism and resources have all been identified as causes of violent conflict in Africa. The quantitative research showed a relation between the climatic variables and violent conflict. Lower levels of precipitation and higher levels of temperature were related to violent conflict in the continent. Furthermore, the effect of temperature on violent conflict was mediated by government effectiveness. It was concluded that climate change can indeed cause violent conflict, but never as a sole-cause. It is a threat multiplier, because it exacerbates the already existing causes to violent conflict, and therefore human security.Show less
This thesis examines the evolution of the relation between the Netherlands and Indonesia and in particular the development cooperation between these two countries. It is demonstrated that the...Show moreThis thesis examines the evolution of the relation between the Netherlands and Indonesia and in particular the development cooperation between these two countries. It is demonstrated that the Netherlands utilizes development cooperation in order to fulfil its moral obligation to help those in need and in order to create opportunities to realize its economic interests. The Dutch approach of development cooperation between the Netherlands and Indonesia has evolved from a predominantly multilateral one, as it wanted to be a neutral donor due to colonial sensitivity, to a bilateral approach through ODA support directly to the Indonesian government and distributed by the Dutch embassy in Jakarta. Dutch development cooperation has focused on several themes, such as education, water management, and good governance, mainly to create effectivity and efficiency as well as to utilize Dutch knowledge in and of these areas, and later also due to budgetary reasons. This thesis is set out to answer the following research question: How has Dutch development cooperation with Indonesia evolved and to what extent has Dutch official development assistance contributed to development in Indonesia in the period of 1998 to 2016? In order to answer this question, this thesis will first examine the evolution of Dutch development policies in general before turning to the practical impacts of Dutch development policies in Indonesia from 1998 to 2016.Show less
This research aims to look at the securitisation of migration during the refugee crisis. It looks at the role of the EU institutions in securitising the issue of migration, specifically from the...Show moreThis research aims to look at the securitisation of migration during the refugee crisis. It looks at the role of the EU institutions in securitising the issue of migration, specifically from the time period of 2015 to 2017, which is a time described as a ‘refugee crisis’ in the European Union. By looking at specific EU documents, reports and speeches alongside analysing the actual policies and practices that the EU took during this time, it is shown that securitisation of migration is happening in the practices and policies that the EU introduces. The securitisation of migration in actual speeches, however, is more nuanced and is embedded in the humanitarian principles that EU upholds.Show less
India has a mixed stance on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) norm due to its partial support to only pillars one and two and not pillar three. The first two pillars go hand in hand with the...Show moreIndia has a mixed stance on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) norm due to its partial support to only pillars one and two and not pillar three. The first two pillars go hand in hand with the country’s foreign policy on humanitarian assistance. The third pillar that states the responsibility of the international community to protect citizens from mass atrocities using militarily intervention is incompatible with Indian foreign policy’s longstanding commitment to sovereignty and non-intervention. To comprehend India’s stance on the R2P norm, this thesis traces India’s views on the earlier principle of humanitarian intervention. India’s past humanitarian interventions into its neighbours have taught the country that social change cannot be achieved through forced military intervention. While India has always been suspicious of western intentions behind intervention, the R2P norm is also a direct threat to India’s own sovereignty as it focuses on India’s domestic vulnerabilities such as its human rights situation. Combining Amitav Acharya’s theory of norm localisation and feedback, and Negron-Gonazales’ and Contarino’s theory on compatibility between strategic interests and local norms, this thesis argues that localization of the R2P norm has not been possible in India due to incompatibility of its strategic interests, domestic norms or both with the third pillar of the R2P norm. In order to localize and accept the norm, India has attempted to limit the definition of mass atrocities under the norm to ease the threat on India’s own sovereignty.Show less
This thesis analyses political speeches by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his second period of office from 2012 onwards, in order to uncover how he uses narratives of historical representations...Show moreThis thesis analyses political speeches by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his second period of office from 2012 onwards, in order to uncover how he uses narratives of historical representations to reach his policy goals. In light of the opposition to constitutional revision as proposed by Abe, researching how he deals and tries to manipulate discourse in this field allows for a better understanding of the future trajectory of Japan’s foreign policy. This is because constitutional revision would allow for Japan to have a more active role in security issues. At the moment Japan’s security position is still constricted by historical narratives based on constructed memories or political myths. While the push for constitutional revision is not new, the recent missile threats from North Korea together with pressure from the international community seem to be speeding up the process. These constitutional constrictions are also heavily bound by the post war relationship between the United States and Japan. Furthermore, because of historical narratives, the Japanese national identity remains a problematic issue in Japanese politics. Thus, the Japanese government has to cater to both Japanese citizens and the international community in its official communications. An analysis of political speeches may help us understand possible changes or disputes on memory as a result of political interests. This is because official representations of the past are strongly linked with identity and thus also with foreign policy. Therefore, through the use of poststructuralist discourse analysis, this paper aims to research how Abe positions himself in the discourse of war memories and his actions to accomplish constitutional revision from his second term onwards. Additionally, due to the importance of apology issuance for the stabilisation of Japan’s relations with neighbouring countries, such as China and Korea, this paper will briefly analyse Abe’s apologies and utterances of remorse during his speeches through Lind’s framework of apologetic apologies.Show less
The Earth’s natural systems have evolved over billions of years to support the life we live today. Yet, the Earth’s innate ability to sustain the ecosystem is taken for granted. This research...Show moreThe Earth’s natural systems have evolved over billions of years to support the life we live today. Yet, the Earth’s innate ability to sustain the ecosystem is taken for granted. This research addresses on arguably the most ubiquitous issue to penetrate all aspects of the human experience – climate change. The omnipresent nature of climate change presents the challenge of approaching the issue: where does one begin? The discursive history of climate change can reveal where the current position stands, and how it may proceed in the future. The transformations in the conceptualization of climate change, including its evolutionary discourse, reveals humankind’s normative relationship with the Earth. This research aims to explore the evolution of climate discourse on an international level through a qualitative discourse analysis. It compares two important landmarks in the climate regime: the Kyoto Protocol of 1998 and the Paris Agreements in 2015. Through a coding scheme based on three discourse strands—national climate security frame, international climate security frame, and human security frame—this research uncovers that there has been a significant increase in the prominence of human security frame and international climate security framing in the Paris Agreement since the Kyoto Protocol of 1998. This is due to the increased inclusivity of international cooperation and informed awareness of the pervasive impacts on human welfare. The findings of this study contribute towards the evermore relevant and urgent field of green diplomacy and its discursive practice in policies. It surfaces normative assumptions and ideas held by the international community towards the climate threat and their strategies to combat it.Show less
Cross-border terrorism has been on the rise in South Asia, thereby costing lives of thousands civilians and creating an immense security threat. This thesis examines the influence of the Kashmir...Show moreCross-border terrorism has been on the rise in South Asia, thereby costing lives of thousands civilians and creating an immense security threat. This thesis examines the influence of the Kashmir conflict on Pakistan's political role in the War on Terror. It argues that there exists a counterterrorist gap in the War on Terror due to the spill-over effects of the Kashmir conflict. This has resulted into Pakistan's ambiguous role in the post-9/11 period, which in turn explains the security threat.Show less
This thesis studies India's diplomatic relations with its western neighbours- namely- Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the context of increasing threats to its domestic and regional security, India has...Show moreThis thesis studies India's diplomatic relations with its western neighbours- namely- Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the context of increasing threats to its domestic and regional security, India has adopted a "soft power" approach in achieving its strategic interests. Through qualitative case selection, this thesis dwells into India's diplomatic approach especially through the study of water diplomacy in the case of Pakistan and public diplomacy in the case of Afghanistan. In this context, this thesis associate security concerns of the three countries with their national interests, particularly focusing on India. The underlying conclusion of this thesis is that while a hard power approach or use of coercion may serve as a base to further "soft power" approach, India needs to maintain a delicate balance between the two approaches for achieving regional stability and ensuring national security.Show less
On the 3rd of October 2015 a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital in Kunduz Afghanistan was bombed by the United States Airforce. MSF condemned the incident, stating that all warring parties...Show moreOn the 3rd of October 2015 a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital in Kunduz Afghanistan was bombed by the United States Airforce. MSF condemned the incident, stating that all warring parties were aware of the hospitals location before the incident. The United States state that the incident occurred due to a combination of human errors. Just War Theory discusses factors which are essential for modern day warfare as civilians and civilian objects must remain immune. This thesis looks at various issues of modern day warfare and the intentional and unintentional targetting of civilians using the MSF hospital bombings in Kundzu as a case study.Show less
In the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) numerous minerals are mined everyday by local workers. These local workers face severe abuses of human rights as (mass) rape, murder and...Show moreIn the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) numerous minerals are mined everyday by local workers. These local workers face severe abuses of human rights as (mass) rape, murder and the looting of villages. These violations are mainly funded by the sale of the minerals, which are used for the production of telephones, laptops and other electronic devices. Several initiatives exist with the purpose to improve the circumstances these civilians are facing. In the Netherlands a few interesting projects were initiated regarding this topic. This thesis will focus on the Dutch initiatives attempting to challenge practices of conflict minerals in the current world order on two levels: the Conflict Free Tin Initiative (CFTI) of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the social enterprise Fairphone. The thesis will aim to give an overview of different initiatives, narratives and perspectives on the conflict mineral case in Congo and will place this in the broader context of the theoretical debate on world order. The thesis will answer the following research question: To what extent are the structures of world order (debated by IR theories) being challenged by Dutch initiatives – specifically, governmental initiatives and the social enterprise Fairphone - regarding the conflict mineral case in Congo, and what implications do these cases have for the theoretical debate on world order?Show less
