This thesis explores the themes of family, loss and belonging in Wes Anderson's Rushmore (1998), The Darjeeling Limited (2007), and Moonrise Kingdom (2012). The thesis connects objects and places...Show moreThis thesis explores the themes of family, loss and belonging in Wes Anderson's Rushmore (1998), The Darjeeling Limited (2007), and Moonrise Kingdom (2012). The thesis connects objects and places within these films to the abovementioned themes, and shows parallels between the use of objects in these films and the way in which objects are used in George Eliot's novel The Mill on the Floss (1860) - objects have a multiplicity of functions in both. Key to Anderson's films are relations between characters, and objects and places in the films signify these bonds. In the end, the characters in the films find a place to belong in the other.Show less
This paper attempts to shed light on the path to the identity, values, feeling of belonging, and stereotypes of the second-generation Chinese Dutch by researching and discussing their identity with...Show moreThis paper attempts to shed light on the path to the identity, values, feeling of belonging, and stereotypes of the second-generation Chinese Dutch by researching and discussing their identity with the question: How do the second-generation Chinese Dutch identify and adapt the Chinese ethnic identity within the Dutch context?”. It argues that the second-generation Chinese Dutch perceive the Chinese identity as a crucial part of them since it corresponds to their physical appearance and culture. Their Chinese identity is also fluid and changes through particular periods and situations as they belong partially to both groups and can thus behave accordingly. Moreover, Chinese language and family further determine the feeling of belonging towards the Chinese identity based on the mastery of the language and the active role that their family has in contributing to their language and cultural building. The finding of the study indicates the importance of sufficient handling of discrimination and mental support at school that should be given to the Chinese or other Asian-looking ethnic minority children during their crucial developmental stage, as all participants mentioned that they had experienced at least mild discrimination before.Show less
During the last decade, Europe has faced what is considered to be the largest migration wave since the Second World War. It affected and continues to influence national and international socio...Show moreDuring the last decade, Europe has faced what is considered to be the largest migration wave since the Second World War. It affected and continues to influence national and international socio-political decisions and policies for European and Western countries. The migration wave peaked in 2015, with more than a million refugees, including Syrian refugees, seeking asylum. The main reason for Syrian migration was the Syrian revolution, sparked by the demonstrations that started in 2011. Pro-democratic protests called for freedom, aiming to end the oppressive regime under the Assad family that has exhausted the country for around five decades. The unforeseen result of these protests was a brutal war. The Syrian conflict and the Syrian diaspora have been framed in European news and media coverage as the “refugee crisis.” It has been framed as a crisis not only due to the severity of the situation but also based on a tradition of “Othering,” as the refugees generally come from a Muslim majority. While there is a common agreement on the passivity, generalization, and dehumanization at work in media coverage of the refugees, art, and literature often try to provide alternative narratives. Using critical analysis as a research method, this research investigates the representation politics of refugees in two case studies: a book by Wendy Pearlman, and an exhibition by Carlos Motta, focusing on the concept of belonging and its politics. Furthermore, I employ post-coloniality discourse that enables a critical reading of political and cultural power relations, including history, race, and queerness. The analysis of the cultural objects will show that these art-works have provided a personal space for refugees to tell their stories, which symbolizes a positive step away from the mainstream media representation. However, these representations do not automatically also generate a critical examination of the belonging crisis of refugees, especially while the art-works do not establish a dialogue with the “Other.”Show less
This thesis investigates a representation of Iraqi identity through artistic practice, by focusing on the works of Iraqi visual artist Sadik Kwais Alfraji. Through an extensive analysis of thirteen...Show moreThis thesis investigates a representation of Iraqi identity through artistic practice, by focusing on the works of Iraqi visual artist Sadik Kwais Alfraji. Through an extensive analysis of thirteen artworks produced between 1982 and 2014, the thesis explores how the artist conceives his Iraqi-ness and fashions it within his creations. By combining a narrativist approach to the study of identity, relying on the writings of Stuart Hall and Margaret Somers, with multiple interviews conducted with Alfraji, this work demonstrates how the artist’s Iraqi identity results from an interplay of “inside and outside” of Iraq, both in literal and metaphorical terms. Moreover, by examining how crucial themes, such as war an freedom, are portrayed within Alfraji’s artworks, this thesis shows how the artist’s self-understanding and sense of belonging are deeply influenced by the history of his homeland.Show less
This thesis analyses the double trauma of loss of belonging and exclusion from US society after the events of 9/11 as experienced by the characters of the novel Once in a Promised Land by Laila...Show moreThis thesis analyses the double trauma of loss of belonging and exclusion from US society after the events of 9/11 as experienced by the characters of the novel Once in a Promised Land by Laila Halaby. Building on the theory of Orientalism provided by Edward Said, edited with the work of Fadda-Conrey, the chapters discuss each trauma separately. Doing so creates an overview of the double trauma experienced by the main characters of Salwa and Jassim.Show less
Being multi-ethnic seems to be something of a contradiction. How can someone be Japanese, yet not be Japanese at the same time? The fact that multi-ethnics have access to two or more cultures,...Show moreBeing multi-ethnic seems to be something of a contradiction. How can someone be Japanese, yet not be Japanese at the same time? The fact that multi-ethnics have access to two or more cultures, languages, and consequently two or more sets of values can influence how they identify themselves according to the situation, resulting in multiple possible identities. This study will explore multi-ethnic identities from the perspective of multi-ethnic Japanese individuals themselves. The focus lies on tracking down and exploring multi-ethnic adolescents’ experiences of being Othered in Japan and look at the key elements that need to be examined when analyzing multi-ethnic identity. How do multi-ethnics manage feeling a constant mismatch between how they identify themselves and how others identify them? How do they then find a means to feel ‘normal’, like they belong? These are the main questions that I will focus on answering in this thesis.Show less
