This thesis investigated how Chinese language and culture education as supported by the Confucius Institutes is perceived by secondairy education students in the Netherlands and assesses whether...Show moreThis thesis investigated how Chinese language and culture education as supported by the Confucius Institutes is perceived by secondairy education students in the Netherlands and assesses whether these students experience Chinese influence on their education by conducting interviews. The analysis from the interviews concludes that students have a generally positive experience with learning Chinese, that there is a lot of attention paid to culture education, and that students do not appear to experience any Chinese influence on their education.Show less
To answer the question posed by the title of this thesis, which is "In what ways is China's rising influence in the Lebanese economy and society altering the identity formation of the militant...Show moreTo answer the question posed by the title of this thesis, which is "In what ways is China's rising influence in the Lebanese economy and society altering the identity formation of the militant group Hezbollah?," this thesis employs a social-constructivist method. Accordingly, it concentrates on the overlap and interaction between domestic society and foreign policy, which is defined in the overall aims of this seminar. In recent years, China has established commercial links with a number of the nations in the region, and the One Belt, One Road program is intended to foster further collaboration in the future(Gresh, 2016). OBOR is focused on securing a stable energy supply for China's rapid economic development and comprises a wide range of investment projects that might be advantageous to the region (Horesh, 2016). China participates in the politics of neighboring countries on a very seldom basis and has no intention of unseating the United States. Despite the fact that the emergence of an increasing Chinese influence is easily recognised, the implications of this influence on identity and culture are rarely mentioned in constructivist literature on the Middle East and Lebanon. That is because the body of constructivist analytic literature is still relatively limited when compared to the neoliberal approach, which is the predominant school of thought in the field of international relations. It was discovered that this is the case in each and every one of the domains that were examined, including constructivism and IR theory, constructivism in the Middle East, and China and the Middle East. Constructivist research in the subject of International Relations theories has garnered the attention of an ever-expanding corpus of published work since the 1990s. This thesis will build on the work accomplished by Raymond Hinnebusch, David Campbell, and Alexander Wendt adopting constructivism as perspective, and therefore will primarily involve Joseph Alagha and Pol Bassedas in the research on the identity formation of Hezbollah. There is still a great deal of ambiguity regarding the connection between international politics and the role that the influence of China plays in the process of identity creation inside Hezbollah. With the use of Hezbollah as a case study, the purpose of this study will be to make a contribution to the existing body of knowledge in an effort to address a knowledge gap relating to expanding Chinese participation and identity creation in the Middle East.Show less
The thesis provides a comparative analysis of the evolving regulatory frameworks in China's fintech sector, with a specific focus on Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lending and crowdfunding. It explores how...Show moreThe thesis provides a comparative analysis of the evolving regulatory frameworks in China's fintech sector, with a specific focus on Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lending and crowdfunding. It explores how these frameworks have adapted to technological innovations and assesses their impact on the development and stability of the fintech sector. The study reveals a transition from initial regulatory leniency to increased oversight in P2P lending and details the evolving regulatory environment of crowdfunding. By examining these sectors, the thesis sheds light on the interplay between regulation, technological innovation, and the broader economic and political context, contributing to both academic research and practical policy-making in the fintech field.Show less
South Korea, Japan, and China are struggling with loneliness in their respective societies. As prolonged feelings of loneliness can have large and lasting consequences for one’s health, it should...Show moreSouth Korea, Japan, and China are struggling with loneliness in their respective societies. As prolonged feelings of loneliness can have large and lasting consequences for one’s health, it should be avoided at all costs. People found solace in watching livestreams; the streams are very personal and it feels like the hosts are in the room with you. In South Korea, mukbangs became popular as more and more people are living in single-person households and therefore more frequently eat alone as well. VTubers made it possible for Japanese people to interact with anime characters, giving life to large communities as a growing number of people are looking at technology to fulfill their social needs. Nǚ zhǔ bō streams provided young Chinese men that are unable to find real girlfriends a virtual girlfriend experience. Livestreaming is a breeding ground for parasocial relationships, as the relationship between streamer and viewer feels very intimate and real. Ideally would viewers find comfort in the company not of the streamers, but in the community as a whole, in which actual meaningful relationships can be formed.Show less
This thesis explores the dynamics of Sino-Polish relations within the context of the Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), commonly known as '16+1' or later...Show moreThis thesis explores the dynamics of Sino-Polish relations within the context of the Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), commonly known as '16+1' or later as '17+1.' Initiated in 2012, this regional cooperation platform aims to enhance cross-regional collaboration, emphasizing principles of 'win-win cooperation' and 'mutual benefit.' Focusing on Poland's participation in the 16+1 framework from its inception until 2022, the study investigates the motivations behind the Polish government's involvement and examines the observed developments in their engagement. While existing literature delves into Polish perceptions of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and bilateral relations with China, there is a notable gap regarding recent research on the motivations of the Polish government within the 16+1 framework. This thesis addresses this gap by analyzing official 16+1 publications, providing insights into the evolving motivations and developments shaping Poland's participation. The research question guiding this exploration is: What motivations and developments have influenced Poland's participation in the 16+1 framework, and how do these factors manifest in the Polish government's engagement within the 16+1 cooperation? Through a comprehensive case study, this thesis contributes to a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted dynamics between Poland and China within the broader context of the Belt and Road Initiative.Show less
Education is one of the most important determinants of an individual livelihood. Not only does education contribute to the development of a nation, but it also fosters democracy through the...Show moreEducation is one of the most important determinants of an individual livelihood. Not only does education contribute to the development of a nation, but it also fosters democracy through the teachings of democratic values in schools and exposure to the benefits of civic engagement. Furthermore, the education system of a country is reflective of its ideology and can serve as a tool for the government to shape the view of its citizens. Literature on the relationship between democracy on education is vast, but most are based on quantitative measures. Thus, this research conducts a qualitative study in analysing the effect of the level of democracy on the inclusion of democratic values in the fundamental education law of each country. Employing a diverse case selection, qualitative content analysis method, and a deductive coding frame, this thesis finds that the effect of democracy on democratic values in education law has varying effects. A clear division based on the level of democracy is visible for democratic goals in the education law, but is less visible regarding participation, freedom, and equality. The findings of this thesis contribute to narrowing the literature gap and allow further understanding of the impact of democracy on daily life and human development.Show less
Countries in Southeast Asia in the 21st century are both dependent on China when it comes to economic affairs such as trade, but also infrastructure investment. At the same time, these countries...Show moreCountries in Southeast Asia in the 21st century are both dependent on China when it comes to economic affairs such as trade, but also infrastructure investment. At the same time, these countries are in conflict with China, about the South China Sea, in which China claims a bigger part of this sea than Southeast Asia would like. This thesis discusses the following research question: Why do Southeast Asian countries maintain Chinese infrastructure investments despite the territorial dispute about the South China Sea?Show less
This thesis examines disinformation in Taiwan during the 2020 presidential election and the 2022 local elections. It argues that the Chinese government employs disinformation as a form of...Show moreThis thesis examines disinformation in Taiwan during the 2020 presidential election and the 2022 local elections. It argues that the Chinese government employs disinformation as a form of psychological warfare. Therefore, the thesis seeks to answer: “How is disinformation that is disseminated through content farms in Taiwan as a form of psychological warfare developing since the Taiwanese presidential election in 2020?” Using the 'content farm' Mission as a case study, the thesis finds there is a consistent bias against the Democratic People's Party (DPP) and favourable towards the Kuomintang (KMT), but (1) a slight decrease in terms of ‘lure’ and (2) a slight rise in the positive attention given to the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The thesis thus highlights the continuous development of China's state-led disinformation campaigns and its implications for democratic elections worldwide.Show less
In a world where authoritarian regimes have become increasingly pervasive, digital surveillance has become a primary tool for maintaining control over citizens. Despite the public's awareness of...Show moreIn a world where authoritarian regimes have become increasingly pervasive, digital surveillance has become a primary tool for maintaining control over citizens. Despite the public's awareness of digital surveillance and its potential to limit freedom of expression and assembly, citizens of authoritarian regimes continue to organize and participate in public demonstrations in order to express their grievances. This paper therefore examines the extent to which digital surveillance influences citizens’ participation in public protests in authoritarian regimes, and how citizens cope with the limits imposed by such technologies. Combining existing scholarship with an examination of the case of China and the development of its ‘Golden Shield’, this study contends that digital surveillance succeeds in reducing public participation in demonstrations through creating a ‘chilling effect’ and causing widespread fear of physical retribution. It finds that citizens make use of a variety of strategies to mitigate the risk of digital surveillance through employing creative methods of censorship circumvention and evasion, although the longevity of such methods remains unclear. Process tracing is used to evaluate the key causal mechanisms associated with the developed “Digital Panopticon” theory. The paper concludes by discussing the wider socio-political implications of the findings.Show less
As the liberal international order recedes, China has emerged as the principal challenger of global governance institutions that promote human rights. While China used to act as an ostensible norm...Show moreAs the liberal international order recedes, China has emerged as the principal challenger of global governance institutions that promote human rights. While China used to act as an ostensible norm taker in the sphere of human rights, it is increasingly asserting its own authoritarian human rights norms ‘with Chinese characteristics’ on the global stage. Using Chinese ‘tianxia’ theory and realism, this thesis endeavours to uncover how China is working to subvert international human rights governance with a case study of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC); the preeminent global forum for safeguarding human rights. A discourse analysis of China’s ‘counter- institutionalisation’ of the HRC, reveals a strategic effort to block criticism, prevent independent monitoring, and change established conceptions about the very meaning of human rights. The robustness of the HRC’s mandate thus appears to be under growing duress. How other states respond to China’s affront may determine the direction of global human rights governance for decades to come.Show less
Relations between China and the global West have been deteriorating significantly in previous years, which has led to the closure of many of the Confucius Institutes - Chinese language and culture...Show moreRelations between China and the global West have been deteriorating significantly in previous years, which has led to the closure of many of the Confucius Institutes - Chinese language and culture institutes - worldwide. These institutes have received a lot of criticism from the West, but is this criticism and the closures it has caused justified? This is researched in this thesis by comparing the criticism towards the Confucius Institute with criticism and actions of the German equivalent, the Goethe Institute.This leads to the conclusion that criticism towards the Confucius Institute is generally quite extreme.Show less
