This thesis aims to analyse how the commemoration of the battle of Berlin (1945) changed in the post-war Soviet Union and later, the Russian Federation. This analysis is made by examining specific...Show moreThis thesis aims to analyse how the commemoration of the battle of Berlin (1945) changed in the post-war Soviet Union and later, the Russian Federation. This analysis is made by examining specific monuments and other sites of commemoration, such as museums and parks. This thesis adds to pre-existing research into memory culture in the Soviet Union and the early years of the Russian Federation.Show less
This research examines the life and thoughts of Ivan Ilin during his life in Berlin between 1922 and 1938. The goal was to re-connect Ivan Ilin with his historical context. This was performed by...Show moreThis research examines the life and thoughts of Ivan Ilin during his life in Berlin between 1922 and 1938. The goal was to re-connect Ivan Ilin with his historical context. This was performed by comparing Ilin to his environment by analysing his reaction to the trends and ideas which developed in the Russian emigrant community in Berlin. By doing this, this thesis challenges the currently established vision on political ideas and legacy of Ivan Ilin.Show less
Within the limits of European cooperation, economies, and strategies, during the Cold War, lies the Berlin question and West Germany’s fate. The US from the start saw it as a vital condition that...Show moreWithin the limits of European cooperation, economies, and strategies, during the Cold War, lies the Berlin question and West Germany’s fate. The US from the start saw it as a vital condition that West Germany joins the Western allies in order to help its nation’s rebuilding and to upgrade Germany’s European role and diplomatic relations. Since the early days of Kennedy’s administration, a complex relationship between the West Germany and the US is distinguishable. It could be said that West Germany became the locomotive of implication of US policy in Europe. Kennedy used Germany’s question towards West’s favor. The FRG not only became a representative of American policy and American thinking but also played the role of the mediator amongst European nations which at the time were not as synchronized and responsive as they should towards the new situation, regarding European and national security and safety. However, it seems that the German administration, during the last two years of the Berlin Crisis brought great headaches to the US president and his team.Show less
This thesis makes the claim that the distinction made between positive and negative freedom (as well as between competing claims of freedom more generally) are not, and should not be about...Show moreThis thesis makes the claim that the distinction made between positive and negative freedom (as well as between competing claims of freedom more generally) are not, and should not be about disagreements as to what ‘real’ or ‘true’ freedom is, but are instead expressions of which freedoms align with certain philosopher’s broader ideas of justice. What I believe this means is that it is wrong to claim that only a purely negative or positive concept of freedom is the only coherent concept of liberty, and that instead the disagreement and the distinctions made are in fact done so on disagreements about which freedoms are valuable and why. The overall value of instances of freedom is in turn derived from our theories of justice and the ethical commitments which comprise these theories. Therefore I argue, referring to the work of Carter, that a complete and coherent concept of freedom must be both value-neutral in that it does not give superiority to any particular ethical claims made in regards to freedom, and as value-free in that we do not define freedom as only those instances which are also just. It is because of this that I will defend an altered version of MacCallum’s triadic formulation of liberty, which I believe is most successful at encompassing what it is we mean when we’re talking about freedom, by presenting freedom as a relationship between agent, preventing condition - as well as a fulfilment condition that I have added - and an action or behaviour. In this way my altered version of MacCallum’s concept sets the foundations for what I will argue is a value-neutral and value-free concept of freedom, which gives a structure for us to make sense of all intelligible expressions of freedom and gives a neutral base from which to introduce other commitments and values to argue for certain types of freedom over others.Show less
In this thesis the author analyses the events between November 9th, 1918 and January 15th 1919 in Germany and Berlin in particular. This period is characterised by political instability. The...Show moreIn this thesis the author analyses the events between November 9th, 1918 and January 15th 1919 in Germany and Berlin in particular. This period is characterised by political instability. The socialist movement had fractured during the First World War over the support of the war effort. Radical socialists were further emboldened by the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. The struggle between the three main factions of German socialism; the moderate MSPD, the independents of the USPD and the radical Spartakusbund, forms the core of this thesis. This thesis answers the question to what extent was the Spartacist Uprising a revolution to defend the November revolution or a counter revolution which would only damage the gains of the November revolution? By analysing primary sources such as newspapers, autobiographies and personal recollections the attitudes and opinions of these three parties the author traces the evolution these parties and their leaders underwent during the months November, December and January. Recent work by Mark Jones on the role of autosuggestion (self-generated beliefs allowing historical actors to truly and firmly believe that particular events were happening when they in fact were not) and the role and nature of revolutionary crowds provide additional perspectives how the main leaders of the three parties behaved during times of massive pressure.Show less
