Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
under embargo until 2025-08-31
2025-08-31T00:00:00Z
This thesis discusses the first study of stone tools in the Darién region of eastern Panama and northwestern Colombia by examining the collection of objects from the sites of San Antonio and Santa...Show moreThis thesis discusses the first study of stone tools in the Darién region of eastern Panama and northwestern Colombia by examining the collection of objects from the sites of San Antonio and Santa Maria la Antigua del Darién. No prior archaeological analysis of lithic material has been conducted in the region while the study of the stone tools has been pushed by a limited number of scholars and investigations in adjacent Panama. As such, the clean canvas of the Darién region allows for a renegotiation of the theoretical, conceptual and methodological approaches to lithic investigations in the region. To renegotiate the approach to the study of lithic material, the thesis introduces several case studies illustrating the state of affairs in Panama as well as the entire lack of work of this kind conducted in northwestern Colombia. Through these case studies the key aspects of typological-driven approaches in Panama are identified and inform the formulation of a methodological approach to renegotiating the conceptualisation of the material category from the perspective of Darién. In subjecting the materials from San Antonio and Santa Maria to the same typological analytical approaches, key issues are identified while additionally forming the first discussion of lithics from the Darién. By renegotiating the key issues of lithic analysis in Panama, the aspects of nonlithic material for similar tool tasks as well as the extensive presence of expedient, multiuse and redesigned are identified as core aspects in creating a new conceptualisation and methodological framework for studying stone tools. As such, the thesis proposes the concept of strategic expedience as a hypothesis for the discussion of lithic in Darién and adjacent areas as well as proposing a task and assemblage-based approach to the study of tools that goes beyond the confines of typology and incorporates the site or regional level as the key unit of analysing tool task rather than focusing on form. In this, the thesis identifies the ‘clean canvas’ of the Darién as a unique opportunity to push archaeological discourse through broader hypothecation and refocus on the creation of archaeological narratives rather than hunting for intrinsic Truths in the archaeological record.Show less
The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Honduras has increased more than eight-fold over the past decade, yet assistance from governmental and non-governmental organizations has been...Show moreThe number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Honduras has increased more than eight-fold over the past decade, yet assistance from governmental and non-governmental organizations has been lacking. By contrast, Colombia’s internal displacement crisis has been handled much more comprehensively through numerous IDP support projects. The present thesis investigates whether these Colombian IDP support projects could also be implemented in Honduras to alleviate the crisis there. Specifically, two such projects were used as case studies, with their applicability to the Honduran context being assessed using Williams and Dzhekova’s (2014) Framework for evaluating transferability and applicability of policy initiatives. The analysis found that while many elements of Colombian IDP support projects are transferable to Honduras, the country faces certain challenges to a larger extent than Colombia, affecting project transferability negatively. These challenges include the comparatively weak institutionalization of indigenous administrations, higher corruption and potential for instability in political institutions, lower levels of education and community strength among IDPs, and fewer skilled staff in local state institutions. This thesis thus recommends adaptation of the project elements affected by these challenges to increase the chances of success for IDP support projects in Honduras.Show less
Indigenous Peoples have been historically Othered in society but also through the use of the media. This phenomenon is based on historic asymmetries of power that are still present in the modern...Show moreIndigenous Peoples have been historically Othered in society but also through the use of the media. This phenomenon is based on historic asymmetries of power that are still present in the modern day. One contemporary example of this is that of the participation of Indigenous Peoples in Colombia, in particular the Minga, during the protests in 2021 known as the Paro Nacional. Though this period had a wide participation of vast groups of society protesting (students, feminist groups, workers unions, and other marginalised groups), the way the Minga was covered in the media was distinct in highlighting the danger they posed compared to these other groups. Thus, this research focuses on answering why were the Indigenous grouping (the Minga) portrayed as dangerous when they protested in the Paro Nacional of 2021? The central argument proposed is that this is due to the media’s power alongside the government in wanting to maintain the colonial subjectivities of Indigenous people that were posing a threat to social order during these unusually disruptive protests. To do so the research uses a multidisciplinary methodology of historical primary source analysis and frame analysis, from the cultural studies discipline, to shed light on the Othering narratives present in the chosen sources in the Colombian media during the Paro Nacional of 2021. This research not only proves important for the local Colombian context but is also relevant globally as the Othering of minorities through the media can limit the effectiveness of social justice anywhere.Show less
This thesis will examine the link between women’s civil society organizations (CSOs) and women at the negotiation table in the Havana Peace Process between the Colombian government and the FARC...Show moreThis thesis will examine the link between women’s civil society organizations (CSOs) and women at the negotiation table in the Havana Peace Process between the Colombian government and the FARC guerilla group. Although women are often ignored in peace processes, previous studies have shown a positive relation between the inclusion of women and the outcome of these negotiations. Jana Krause theorizes that female participation in peace negotiations is linked to the durability of peace because female negotiators sustain linkages with women’s CSOs. Through process tracing, this thesis will test whether Krause’s theory can be used to explain the outcome of the Havana Peace Negotiations between the Colombian government and the FARC, taking place from 2012 until 2016. The results will show that women’s organizations were instrumental in getting women in the negotiating teams, and in turn, these women with formal power in the negotiations ensured the participation of women’s CSOs through consultations. This has contributed to the inclusivity of the content of the peace accord but has not necessarily produced any positive effect on the implementation of the agreement, thereby partially supporting Krause’s theory.Show less
This thesis examines the influence the 2016 regulation of medicinal cannabis in Colombia has had for the small and medium sized farmers. By looking at this recent change in public policy regarding...Show moreThis thesis examines the influence the 2016 regulation of medicinal cannabis in Colombia has had for the small and medium sized farmers. By looking at this recent change in public policy regarding marihuana cultivation through a socioeconomics analysis, a well-rounded situation is sketched. The thesis shows the various hurdles that still have to be taken in order for the regulation to truly benefit those who are most in need of it.Show less
In late 2019, Chile and Colombia witnessed mass protests of historic dimensions that united different generations, ideologies, and sectors of civil society in their dissatisfaction with their...Show moreIn late 2019, Chile and Colombia witnessed mass protests of historic dimensions that united different generations, ideologies, and sectors of civil society in their dissatisfaction with their governments, the current neoliberal model, its socio-economic policies and malaises like inequality, poverty, and violence. The mostly peaceful and brutally repressed protests vary in their immediate political outcomes. While the Chilean case can be considered a success story, which achieved the start of a constitutional reform process, Colombia’s protests did not induce any significant political transformation. Why do protests with similar characteristics lead to different short-term political outcomes? Applying a comparative case study of the most-similar cases of the 2019-2020 mass protests in Chile and Colombia, this study argues that classic explanations regarding endogenous and exogenous variables of social movements fall short of explaining these different outcomes. Instead, this article suggests that short-term protest “success” and “failure” can be better explained by a society’s history of repression and its consequences for collective experience with protest mobilization. This proposed hypothesis is based on a theoretical framework combining social movement literature and research on the repression-mobilization relationship and is examined in a document analysis of material from a wide array of sources on the protests.Show less
Cultural productions are a reflection of the social context(s) they navigate and are influenced by the different power dynamics in place. This paper seeks to establish how the sexualization and...Show moreCultural productions are a reflection of the social context(s) they navigate and are influenced by the different power dynamics in place. This paper seeks to establish how the sexualization and racialization of the black body manifest in the different spaces the Afro-Colombian dance Mapalé and its dancers frequently and permanently occupy in the Colombian city of Cartagena de Indias. It is argued that social segregation and colonial aesthetic standards both reflect colonial race relations and simultaneously perpetuate colonial stereotypes and the consumption of ‘the other’. The decolonial option provides the theoretical framework for the positioning of the Mercado Cultural del Caribe (MCC) within modernity/coloniality, thereby allowing a critical reflection on the MCC’s ambitions and values in the promotion of Mapalé.Show less
This research focuses on the portrayal and re-invention of Colombia chosen by the Netflix show Narcos as well as the implications this representation has in the collective memory and culture...Show moreThis research focuses on the portrayal and re-invention of Colombia chosen by the Netflix show Narcos as well as the implications this representation has in the collective memory and culture building process. Using two different methods, this research looks at the underlying discourses and cinematographic elements that show features of exoticism and Latinamericanism. Under the light of the methodology and theory, the analysis explores the way in which the representation of Colombia is made by contrasting it with the United States by looking at different elements.Show less
This thesis examines the role of social media in the Paro Nacional movement in Colombia in 2019-2020. Through a study of relevant literature, news articles, and a quantitative and qualitative...Show moreThis thesis examines the role of social media in the Paro Nacional movement in Colombia in 2019-2020. Through a study of relevant literature, news articles, and a quantitative and qualitative investigation of social media use, this analysis of social movement structures and the Paro Nacional movement leads to the identification of three functions of social media.Show less
Following the hypotheses that comparing different attempts at generating peace within a given intrastate conflict is a useful endeavour and secondly that contemporary academic research on peace...Show moreFollowing the hypotheses that comparing different attempts at generating peace within a given intrastate conflict is a useful endeavour and secondly that contemporary academic research on peace agreements fails to adequately assess the process leading to the fabrication of negative peace, this research will consist of two sections. Firstly, it shall introduce the new phases-of-peace model. A theoretical framework which goes beyond the reach of the overarching theories of peace and takes into account the full range of events which precede the signing of a peace agreement. Secondly it will apply this model to the Colombian case in order to extract valuable lessons by comparing the Pastrana and Santos peace negotiations. The ultimate aim of this research is to utilize the phases-of-peace model to highlight which factors changed between the negotiations and what role they played in the outcome of the negotiations.Show less
