The spatial and temporal scale and complexity of the ancient Silk Road has been transformed into a brand that supports a range of development and modernization projects taking pace across Eurasia....Show moreThe spatial and temporal scale and complexity of the ancient Silk Road has been transformed into a brand that supports a range of development and modernization projects taking pace across Eurasia. Many nation-states are tapping into their Silk Road past for the purposes of modernization, development, and creation of national identities. This process is critically explored examining the “authorized heritage discourse” of the Silk Road – those parts that are highlighted in particular, and dominate over others, according to top-down principles of “value” and “knowledge”. The alleged benefits of the authorized Silk Road discourse are contrasted through an examination of the lands that they purport to represent. Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) is an area where urban sites have been transformed according to the top-down values of the authorized Silk Road discourse. However, it is argued that many of the local residents of these cities do not find benefit in these transformations, and instead reveal some of the core issues of the contemporary usage of the Silk Road. Two of these issues are highlighted in particular: gentrification and spatial cleansing. These have affected entire communities, which are assimilated into the Chinese nation through changing modes of identity formation. Meanwhile, cities are given of a false veneer of benefit that masks the new processes of exploitation that are taking place.Show less
This thesis describes in a broad manner India's current bilateral and multilateral collaborations with Central Asian countries on the topics of Energy, Trade and Security Cooperation. Subsequently...Show moreThis thesis describes in a broad manner India's current bilateral and multilateral collaborations with Central Asian countries on the topics of Energy, Trade and Security Cooperation. Subsequently it analyses the reasons and factors that underlie the current situation of India's strategic position in Central Asia, which requires taking into account the (political) actions of other regional actors like Russia and China. Through a re-appreciation of Morgenthau's theory on International Relations, this thesis will argue why India's minor strategic position has both historical and contemporary political reasons.Show less
This thesis covers the connection between the influence of the South Korean media wave (Hallyu) on the sociopolitical relationship between China and South Korea. Through government strategies and...Show moreThis thesis covers the connection between the influence of the South Korean media wave (Hallyu) on the sociopolitical relationship between China and South Korea. Through government strategies and promotion of cultural products the Hallyu has gained international popularity. A section devoted to the particular strategies that apply to the penetration into China clarifies that this phenomenon is capable of reaching out to a difficult to reach audience. The case study of a popular Korean drama series will exemplify how and why the Hallyu took off in China. Furthermore, perspective will be given to the receiving side of the phenomenon. The Chinese audience has different opinions on the influence of the Korean wave. It appears to not just be embraced, there are also critics who are skeptical towards the phenomenon. The connection between this skepticism and the sociopolitical field will be considered regarding the relationship between China and the Korean peninsula. The implications of the Korean wave on this relationship show to be relevant towards the behavior of the North East Asian region on a political field.Show less
This thesis will discuss whether the way in which American political scientists and International Relations scholars have represented the ‘’rise’’ of China can be seen as being anti-Chinese. The ‘...Show moreThis thesis will discuss whether the way in which American political scientists and International Relations scholars have represented the ‘’rise’’ of China can be seen as being anti-Chinese. The ‘’rise’’ of China has been subject of ongoing discussion with a main focus on China’s move from being a developing country to an increasingly powerful state (Narayanan 647, 654). It led to a heated debate among American political scientists and I.R. scholars, since many perceived China as possible a threat to the stability of the international order and the United States’ power position. Especially realist scholars predicted large conflict between the US and China in the future. However, thereafter other political scientist and I.R. scholars stepped forward to counter these arguments. A different standpoint asks for a different strategy in approaching China, nevertheless no consensus on what foreign policy the US should follow could be reached. The debate on what China would do in the future and what it would mean for the international order is not just one of the past. In fact, it is still going on. The question is whether these debates actually have brought forward some accurate predictions that could be used when designing the foreign policy of the US, or that some theories already have proved to be faulty and therefore can be disregarded. In addition, I will have a look at whether there is a certain ‘’anti-Chineseness’’ present when theorising China’s future and the potential threat the country could become.Show less
Internal migration in China has created a serious problem that has been identified by many scholars and policy makers for decades. The Chinese government attempts to restrict migration flow through...Show moreInternal migration in China has created a serious problem that has been identified by many scholars and policy makers for decades. The Chinese government attempts to restrict migration flow through a policy called ‘hukou’ that in its simplest form ties individuals to accessing public services only in one registered location meaning agricultural hukou type people can find moving to urban areas extremely difficult; ultimately creating a dualistic society within China and the policy has led to massive displacement and discrimination of one fifth of the population. Given the controversial and discriminatory nature of hukou, this paper will analyse why the Chinese government would choose to continue to implement such a policy and how through hukou’s implementation, the Chinese leadership is able to maintain domestic stability and have it contribute to their continued legitimacy through success in the fields of economic prosperity, social stability and national unity. The paper will examine both the economic and political benefits of hukou and the reasons why this may affect the decision to reform the policy.Show less
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), an invention of the West, is on the rise in China. This research paper examines the specific Chinese cultural elements that have influenced the mechanisms and...Show moreCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR), an invention of the West, is on the rise in China. This research paper examines the specific Chinese cultural elements that have influenced the mechanisms and implementation of CSR in China, and more specifically in Wenzhou. The cultural elements that will be discussed in this thesis are Confucianism and communism, as these have had a large impact on Chinese society and culture. A study of the stakeholder and social dimensions of private companies in Wenzhou showed connections between Chinese cultural factors and how CSR policies were adopted. The Chinese CSR policies did not differ radically from Western ones, but principles of Confucianism and communism could still be found in the CSR policies and outcomes of these private companies, in some cases more explicitly than in others. This Chinese form of CSR provides both advantages and challenges for the further development of CSR in China, and can serve as an example of non- Western CSR.Show less
This thesis explored the role of the Chinese business community during two periods of heightened tension in Sino-Japanese relations, the 2005 history textbook controversy and the 2012 Diaoyu...Show moreThis thesis explored the role of the Chinese business community during two periods of heightened tension in Sino-Japanese relations, the 2005 history textbook controversy and the 2012 Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands dispute. Sino-Japanese relations are often described as having ‘warm’ economic relations, but ‘cold’ political relations. While some scholars argued these relations can coexist without influencing each other, recent studies show that political tensions between China and Japan can also impact economic relations. Because of this, this thesis expected the Chinese business community to attempt to influence the government during periods of heightened Sino-Japanese tension. After an analysis of the voice of governmental actors and the business community in government publications and media sources published around the time of the 2005 and 2012 anti-Japanese protests, this thesis concludes that 1) Chinese businesses attach considerable importance to Sino-Japanese political disputes and in some cases attach more importance to these disputes than financial gain, 2) There is no clear evidence that public attempts to influence the government were made during these two periods.Show less
Hoewel academici met name de huidige Chinese consumptiemaatschappij vanuit een Foucaultiaanse invalshoek, is het ook mogelijk om dit te doen vanuit een Gramsciaanse invalshoek. In deze scriptie...Show moreHoewel academici met name de huidige Chinese consumptiemaatschappij vanuit een Foucaultiaanse invalshoek, is het ook mogelijk om dit te doen vanuit een Gramsciaanse invalshoek. In deze scriptie betoog ik waarom dit laatste zinvol is.Show less
A Bite of China is a food-themed documentary that was broadcast on the China Central Television(CCTV) on May 14, 2014. It has soon become popular among both domestic and International audiences....Show moreA Bite of China is a food-themed documentary that was broadcast on the China Central Television(CCTV) on May 14, 2014. It has soon become popular among both domestic and International audiences. However, the show is not considered to be just food-related, but a way to present China's history and culture through the country's cuisine. The popularity of A Bite of China has spurred my curiosity to investigate the factors that contribute to the attractiveness of the series. Food serves as a window through which both domestic and international audiences get to understand China's culinary culture. According to the statements of Director Chen Xiaoqing, the main motivation to create the series is to show China's culinary culture to the whole world in order to promote Chinese culture. Since it is challenging to collect and analyze the audiences' feedback about the show, l will focus on the producers' perspectives to investigate the production and presentation of A Bite of China. In this thesis, the concept of soft power which proposed by American scholar Joseph.S.Nye will be applied in the analysis of the show. The connection between China's soft power and the presentation of the show will be built to some extent.Show less
The textual discourse on women's education between 1989 and 1925 in China went through major changes. First of all women's magazines became a new genre within the textual discourse. Many...Show moreThe textual discourse on women's education between 1989 and 1925 in China went through major changes. First of all women's magazines became a new genre within the textual discourse. Many trailblazers, for instance Xue Shaohui, Liang Qiachao and others helped set up girl's schools. The definition of the “New Woman” changed from meaning educated to become a better wife and mother to educated and cosmopolitan for one's own sake. By using three case studies, I show how in the New Culture era female education became more important as well as more widespread. These case studies show how important female education was to the textual discourse and suggest that the textual discourse helped to educate women during 1989-1925 in China.Show less
In 2011, the new Obama administration made the official decision to rebalance America’s foreign policy. This policy has come to be known as the pivot or rebalance and signaled that the center of...Show moreIn 2011, the new Obama administration made the official decision to rebalance America’s foreign policy. This policy has come to be known as the pivot or rebalance and signaled that the center of the political and economic history of the 21st century is moving eastwards, with a re-newed focus towards the Asia-Pacific. With this shift Washington not only wants to benefit from the global geopolitical dynamics and economic growth, but it is also a result of China’s rising economic and military power. The South China Sea (SCS) is a place which is on the way to becoming the most contested body of water in the world with ongoing territorial disputes.Show less
The topic on LGBT rights in China is a very sensitive one. The Chinese government’s policy towards homosexuality is believed to be “three no’s”: “No approval; no disapproval; no promotion.” While...Show moreThe topic on LGBT rights in China is a very sensitive one. The Chinese government’s policy towards homosexuality is believed to be “three no’s”: “No approval; no disapproval; no promotion.” While the Chinese Ministry of Health no longer has homosexuality on its list of mental illnesses since 2001, it is still not openly discussed in China and not an issue that the Chinese governments deems as something that needs to be discussed at a national level. This paper will endeavour to answer the following question: How can gay and lesbian NGOs in China attempt to encourage the Chinese government to safeguard the rights of gays and lesbians through the law-making process? This paper will use as an example environmental NGOs to examine what kind of strategies and resources they have utilized to engage into political territory, and how gay and lesbian NGOs can use the same strategies and resources to do the same. Because the issues gay and lesbian NGOs engage themselves in, it will be difficult for them to persuade the Chinese government to form policies regarding the protective rights of gays and lesbians in China, unless they are able to convince government officials to sponsor them and argue that protecting the rights of homosexuals will be more beneficial for the government than if they do not.Show less
The purpose of this thesis is to find out if China’s efforts to assimilate Tibet by implementing a strict tourism policy are genuinely intended to value local culture or if the introduction of...Show moreThe purpose of this thesis is to find out if China’s efforts to assimilate Tibet by implementing a strict tourism policy are genuinely intended to value local culture or if the introduction of tourism in Tibet merely is a government tool to provide the urban middle-class Han Chinese with a ‘natural theme park’ regardless of the environmental and/or cultural impact. The latter hypothesis is generally being supported by western critics, the former being a widely accepted statement in China (excluding its autonomous regions) and pro-Chinese elsewhere. As is the case with many Chinese state policies, their true intentions are debatable which I aspire to settle. To assess this, I have critically examined both theories in relation to projects and practices in the Tibetan tourism industry led by the Chinese government. Tourism nowadays comprises a spectrum of categories. Not every type of tourism is applicable to Tibet or simply has not set foot on Tibetan soil, so it is important to determine which tourism types are to be found, which ones are popular and which ones have potential. Therefore, categorizing the types of tourism in Tibet, which will be judged by the popularity among domestic tourists, have provided a basis in terms of scope. Other essential aspects, such as target audience, decisions by the Chinese government of when to invest in tourism projects and with what reasons, have been looked at extensively. Tourism-oriented projects and tourism-related implementations of roughly the last thirty years have been analyzed separately as case-studies, within the frame of three prominent types of domestic tourism in Tibet, Nature-based tourism, Active tourism and Cultural Tourism, in order to redefine the aforementioned aspects. This study found out that there is a significant inconsistency in government claims regarding Tibetan tourism policies. Although profound conclusions are beyond the bounds of possibility, a clear trend in rephrasing and/or radical change of reasoning in why the state invests in multimillion dollar Tibetan tourism projects may indicate China’s true intentions of exploiting the Tibetan land. Furthermore, this thesis increases our understanding of the term ‘invented tourism’, tourism-related implementations in Tibet and the general focus of the Chinese government in regard to tourism project investment.Show less
