Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
Birthday cafés in Seoul consist of a multi-layered circulation of goods that is mediated through a fascinating type of gift economy in which there are varying types of distributer-recipient...Show moreBirthday cafés in Seoul consist of a multi-layered circulation of goods that is mediated through a fascinating type of gift economy in which there are varying types of distributer-recipient relations. Within these economies I focus on value in the sociological sense and value in the economic sense, as I explore to what extent the sociological understanding of value informs the economic sense of value and vice versa. Furthermore, I discuss the prominent role that the value of creativity plays and how this interacts with both the sociological understanding of value as well as the economic one. With this focus, I aim to tease out the tangled network of values that make up the economy of a birthday café in Seoul.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
The displacement of the Betawi after Indonesia’s independence is an example of how processes of evictions in urban cities led to the essentialization of the indigenous culture and a loss of...Show moreThe displacement of the Betawi after Indonesia’s independence is an example of how processes of evictions in urban cities led to the essentialization of the indigenous culture and a loss of heritage. Urban displacement of Indigenous peoples can cause spatial dispersion, which can break their community’s cohesion apart, which in turn can result in a loss of knowledge and identity, together with the possibility of the emergence of smaller local communities. This ethnographic research raises questions concerning the perseverance of the Betawi within Jakarta after their evictions and uses a multimodal approach to explore how they adapt to their new environments, if they experience a sense of displacement, and how they express their heritage. This written text and documentary film are in dialogue with each other. Where the film shows how the Betawi express and perform their cultural heritage, the written text describes the attributes of the moment they express their cultural heritage. Together, they argue that urban displacement negatively impacts the identity of the Betawi since they lost their collective legitimacy for a common identity. The story of the Betawi foregrounds the broader issues of displacement, community, and culture in a postcolonial and urbanized country.Show less
The United Nations' foundational principles, delineated in the Charter of the United Nations, remain the driving political and ideological force in its decision-making, formation, and performance....Show moreThe United Nations' foundational principles, delineated in the Charter of the United Nations, remain the driving political and ideological force in its decision-making, formation, and performance. This research will show that, because the Organization is built on a liberal internationalist morality, it prioritizes liberal ethics to the detriment of a communal morality. Currently, the principles governing the institutions are mostly generalized principles of conduct aimed at fostering economic freedom and to maintain security – a morality mostly based on voluntarism, mutual gains, and negative freedom – but these principles do not speak of an intrinsic motivation towards an (additional) morality based on fellowship, solidarity, equality, and global well-being. A communal moral dimension is absent in the Charter, and this in turns prevents the United Nations from becoming a community instead of an aggregate of member-states. As I will showcase later following the Akan philosophy, such intrinsic motivation is internal to the practices of a community, and the universalisation of the liberal morality currently is insensitive to the international context of the United Nations. Since the Organization has thus yet to become a holistic community, it is unable to take up grand collective responsibility in their striving towards global well-being and development. Akan philosophy specifically and African communitarianism in general will be put forward as candidates to manifest this additional morality, one which will be able to facilitate the formation of a community, to strengthen the bond between member-states and United Nations, and to address social responsibility within a framework of relationality and interconnectedness. African communitarianism could help bridge the gap that currently exists between the theoretical appeal and the actual implementation of the Organization’s collective responsibility. A synthesis between liberal internationalist and African communitarian principles could fashion the United Nations as a community, one in which concepts of freedom and voluntarism would be coupled with values of solidarity and relationality, and where the individual member-states are motivated to adhere to their social responsibilities.Show less
The Nowell Codex is popularly known as a book of monsters. It was a fascination with the monstrous which conceivably motivated the medieval compilers to assemble the codex's current constituent...Show moreThe Nowell Codex is popularly known as a book of monsters. It was a fascination with the monstrous which conceivably motivated the medieval compilers to assemble the codex's current constituent parts. This thesis argues for another unifying theme, that of 'community', which connects all of the Old English texts. As such, each text is subjected to a close reading centred around communal affairs such as the Germanic warband, kingship and hospitality in order to highlight their central importance to the understanding of the individual texts and the codex as a whole. Taken together, these close readings strengthen the main claim of the thesis that community represented a crucial driving force behind the compilation of the Nowell Codex.Show less
This thesis explores the social landscape of nineteenth century Melaka. It surveys the various communities present and their historical roots in the region, as well the relations of these groups...Show moreThis thesis explores the social landscape of nineteenth century Melaka. It surveys the various communities present and their historical roots in the region, as well the relations of these groups with each other and the colonial regime.Show less
The political, social and ecclesiastical anxiety and fragility of colonial New England was manipulated by two opposing groups‒the Radicals and the Conservatives‒both of whom helped cause, and...Show moreThe political, social and ecclesiastical anxiety and fragility of colonial New England was manipulated by two opposing groups‒the Radicals and the Conservatives‒both of whom helped cause, and exploited, the 1692 witchcraft crisis in Salem, Massachusetts. I identify the “Radicals” as a group of mostly young, female and poor individuals both instigating and reveling in the breakdown of an oppressive community. They were experimenting with a world turned upside-down, a grand social experiment both echoing and inverting the Puritan experiment Salem was built upon. The very society that oppressed them, Puritan New England, had set a precedent for dissent and the formation of a new, radical, society. I will argue the opposing group, the “Conservatives,” consisted of older, mostly male figures trying desperately to maintain the establishment. I will argue that their interpretation of the actions of the possessed was proposed with specific intent and was formative in the continuation of the crisis. The crisis was, therefore, not an inadvertent consequence of their fractured society, but a fulfilment of the desires of each group.Show less
Post-Apartheid South Africa is in a transitional justice period. Transitional justice refers to a period where judicial and non-judicial reformation steps are taken after massive human rights...Show morePost-Apartheid South Africa is in a transitional justice period. Transitional justice refers to a period where judicial and non-judicial reformation steps are taken after massive human rights abuses. Social reform is the country’s top priority in order to balance unequal power relations. South African museums are non-judicial spaces where the unequal power dynamics of the past and the present are being renegotiated. Within this context, established museums have to reform and new museums are being built to include previously marginalised groups. The museums of South Africa are adapting to meet the needs and fantasies of both South Africans and foreign tourists. The needs of the population are met by the museum’s ability to contribute to shaping identity, but also the museum’s peripheral function as an economic mechanism. Museums of South Africa function in a loaded context that needs to address inequalities that span across the board. What strategies do museums apply in order to contribute to the shaping of identity and social development in post-Apartheid South Africa?Show less
At the time of writing almost five years have passed since Japan's triple disaster on March 11th 2011, when an earthquake triggered a tsunami which in turn triggered a nuclear crisis. With the...Show moreAt the time of writing almost five years have passed since Japan's triple disaster on March 11th 2011, when an earthquake triggered a tsunami which in turn triggered a nuclear crisis. With the initial shock having passed, how are people looking back at it? How have the tragic events that transpired settled into history, into national consciousness, into victims’ personal memories? Although on the grander national and global scales 3.11 is all but forgotten and being digested in the background, for most of the victims this disaster is still affecting daily life in numerous ways. The question this thesis focuses on is: What exactly has been disrupted through this disaster on a social level; how do communities and individuals that have been abruptly uprooted by a nuclear disaster cope; how do they reconstruct their collective and individual memories and identities; and how do they reframe nuclear energy, something that initially brought them prosperity but eventually led to them losing their homes indefinitely. This thesis analyzes the case of a specific uprooted nuclear host community, using documentary films as source material. The following discussion shows that a firmly rooted and once proud community has all but fallen apart, and their entire shared narrative, central to their collective identity, is shattered. Individual cases prove that there are many different ways in which memory is bound to either a place, people, or objects. Where the highest importance is placed is an individual issue that depends on the person and the context, and how flexible they deem their own identity. As a result some evacuees move on and some remain with the core community, hoping to return to their hometown someday, even though it seems unlikely to be possible within their lifetime. Further links between individuals and collective memory are discussed.Show less
Reality show Dad, Where Are We Going has been a tremendous success in China. Through the lens of the show and the entertaining experience starring celebrity fathers and children, a lot of heritage...Show moreReality show Dad, Where Are We Going has been a tremendous success in China. Through the lens of the show and the entertaining experience starring celebrity fathers and children, a lot of heritage sites and historical and cultural villages, as well as local tradition, culture, and life of the local community, have been exposed under the gaze of camera and the whole nation. Looking into the story of Xin-Ye, one listed national historical and cultural village that became the second filming location of Season 2, the show as a media power is taking the role of unearthing, displaying, labelling and defining the heritage and cultural uniqueness of a place. Overnight fame and a tourism boom are brought to the villagers and gentrification is triggered. Tourist development as a filming location of the show has, however, also shaded new meanings and values on Xin-Ye and the heritage of the locals. Xin-Ye becomes a destination of parent-child tours. Moreover, in the process of turning heritage into assets for local branding and cultural commodity, local villagers are increasingly losing their voice in the representation of Xin-Ye’s heritage as well as their rights of owning, managing, using their heritage and self-determination on how to benefit from their living environment.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
Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
closed access
The last decade has seen the emergence a body literature advocating an archaeological approach which is conscious of, and actively includes, the individuals and groups who are entangled in the...Show moreThe last decade has seen the emergence a body literature advocating an archaeological approach which is conscious of, and actively includes, the individuals and groups who are entangled in the processes of archaeological research and are connected to and draw meaning from the material remains of the past. This archaeological approach, widely known as Community Archaeology, has been promoted by many, who envision a socially responsible discipline and multivocal understanding of the past. Archaeological discourse in Greece, however, seems to remain fairly silent on the issue, despite growing indifference, suspicion, and even resentment and resistance by the Greek public towards the field. The context to why this had become the case lay with the construction of an idealized nation built upon the “golden age” of its classical past and a formation of homogenous perception of national identity which have subsequently led to the exclusion of entire periods of time, namely that of the Post-Medieval period and it’s alternating and overlapping Ottoman, Venetian, and Frankish rule, as well the arginalization of those whose lives and histories have straddle the borders of ethnic, national, linguistic and religious identities. Further the historical conservative nature of the development of the field of Greek archaeology coupled with archaeological practice in service to the state, and monopolized solely by archaeological values has served to distance the public from the past and its materials. The tides they are a changing however, and research in Greek prehistoric archaeology, the emergence of regional survey projects in Greece and developments in post-medieval research has made significant strides in shedding Greek Archaeologies long held approaches rooted in nineteenth century ideologies and classicism. Furthermore, the tensions building between public and archaeological officials are not going unnoticed and some authors are starting to highlight that it is time for archaeological practice in Greece to think about for whom their work is for. In search of a tangible manifestation of the academic murmurings an examination of the museum sphere was undertaken, looking at three different self-ascribed museum types: Archaeological, Byzantine, and Folk, in three different locations in Greece: Athens, Thessaloniki, and Nafplio. Based on the knowledge of the recent renovation and redisplay of a few I was curious to see what museological methods had been implemented and further the incorporation of local communities or other relevant stakeholder groups in either the newly renovated exhibits or current temporary exhibits of the time, indicating perhaps a shift in museum practice not yet analysed.Show less
This thesis is based on primary field work that has been conducted on the Island of Saba in the Lesser Antilles. The physical construction of the first modern exhibition on Saba’s history was...Show moreThis thesis is based on primary field work that has been conducted on the Island of Saba in the Lesser Antilles. The physical construction of the first modern exhibition on Saba’s history was carried out on the island in January 2013. This exhibition has been brought into fruition through co-operation between the author and a team from the Archaeology Faculty at Leiden University. The exhibition attempted to raise an awareness of the history of the island and recent archaeological research within the local community and tourists alike. The outcome of the field work has resulted in documentation of the project and the process of putting the exhibition together within this study. Further primary research took an interview-based approach in an attempt to understand the local community’s connection with the exhibition’s content, their interest in the island’s past and if they feel a need for it to be displayed on the island. It forms an initial analysis of the community’s opinion on these issues and an understanding of present community identity and their identification with the island’s history. This author’s research is supported and built upon through secondary sources that explore the concepts of identity and the community within the museum world. The aim of this study is to form an understanding of the past and present museum work on Saba, the need for further museum projects on the island and the community’s interest, involvement and identification with the history and archaeology of their island.Show less
