In In Defense of Anarchism, Robert Paul Wolff claims that a legitimate authority cannot exist, as any authority will necessarily prevent its subject’s autonomy. Jospeh Raz, in contrast, argues that...Show moreIn In Defense of Anarchism, Robert Paul Wolff claims that a legitimate authority cannot exist, as any authority will necessarily prevent its subject’s autonomy. Jospeh Raz, in contrast, argues that a legitimate authority can exist and should support its subjects’ autonomy. In the argumentation to defend their conclusions, both focus on formulating their conceptions of (legitimate) authority. In this paper, I argue that the difference in their conceptions of autonomy is the basis of the disagreement in Wolff’s and Raz’s conclusions. After a comparison of the two conceptions and the role autonomy plays in the authors’ argumentations, I conclude that Raz’s conclusion is the more plausible of the two.Show less
According to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, hydropower projects sustain economic growth and provide energy security, thus allowing the nation to become less dependent on fossil...Show moreAccording to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, hydropower projects sustain economic growth and provide energy security, thus allowing the nation to become less dependent on fossil fuels. As Chinese dams are being developed at a high pace on the Mekong river, a closer analysis is needed to find out who is behind this development. This thesis explores the Chinese state’s interestsin the field of hydropower development on the Mekong river, looking specifically at the key actors involved and how their power is exerted. Drawing on literature that moves away from state-based analyses, James N. Rosenau’s framework of spheres of authority will be used as a foundation to identify key actors and their authority in the application of hydropower plants on the Mekong. The argument that China indeed needs to be seen as a set of multiple actors with their own goals is tested by means of two case studies on dam construction, one in China and one in Laos. It is found that, in accordance with the hypothesis, one should not stare blindly at China as a monolithic state, but observe several actors within hydropower development that have different goals.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
open access
In this thesis, the use of the English language in a Dutch neo-Pentecostal congregation is explored. The use of English is connected to the church's desire to be 'modern', in relation to other ...Show moreIn this thesis, the use of the English language in a Dutch neo-Pentecostal congregation is explored. The use of English is connected to the church's desire to be 'modern', in relation to other 'traditional' churches. In addition, it enables a mediation of authority from global Pentecostal preachers, to local pastors in the NetherlandsShow less
