How have framings of climate change in European Parliamentary debates been used as a tool for attempted influence over the European Union’s long-term climate strategy in the aftermath of the 2015...Show moreHow have framings of climate change in European Parliamentary debates been used as a tool for attempted influence over the European Union’s long-term climate strategy in the aftermath of the 2015 Paris agreement? This single case study conducts a qualitative content analysis on the debates around, and the content of, the European Climate Law from 2021. The study tests the relevance and applicability of the Copenhagen school of securitisation theory, with the aim to contribute toward a deeper understanding of the European, and global, lack of effort to combat climate change. It can be concluded that framings of climate change in the European Parliamentary debates have been used as tools for attempted influence over the European Climate Law, in that the debates have been characterised by (unsuccessful) securitisation attempts.Show less
In the 20th and 21st centuries it can be witnessed that the portrayal of migration was linked with the economic situation of the receiving country. In an era of economic growth the migrants could...Show moreIn the 20th and 21st centuries it can be witnessed that the portrayal of migration was linked with the economic situation of the receiving country. In an era of economic growth the migrants could be utilized and be beneficial to the economy and in a period of economic decline the migrants could not be utilized and were therefore a ‘threat’ to the national economy. However, official economic statistics do not show that migrants do have a negative economic effect on the receiving country. This means that there is no clarity on the effects of migration. This lack of clarity will be explained by analyzing the influence of the media on the political sphere and the target audience in both the 1930s and the early 21st century, through the framework of securitization studies. The aim is to show that the negative portrayal of migration by the media will lead to the implementation of right-wing anti- immigrant rhetoric across the political spectrum and create a negative sentiment among the native population towards migrants.Show less
According to the Securitization Theory, a threat is a discursive construction that justifies extraordinary measures for the sake of security. Despite being claimed to be universally applicable, the...Show moreAccording to the Securitization Theory, a threat is a discursive construction that justifies extraordinary measures for the sake of security. Despite being claimed to be universally applicable, the theory has been subject to a large share criticism for being Euro-centric, and thus inapplicable beyond the liberal-democratic context of the 'West'. However, soon after the US launched the 'Global War on Terror' in 2001, the Chinese authorities initiated the so-called China's War on Terror against Muslim Uyghurs; part of this policy was to construct a discourse that classified the Chinese Muslims as an existential threat not only to China, but likewise to the rest of the international community. Through substantial discourse analysis, this thesis provides evidence of how China's main news outlet, Xinhua News, constructs a discourse of the Uyghurs as a threat to justify extraordinary Chinese policies directed at Islamic practices, and simultaneously underlines the argument that the ST is universally applicable.Show less
This thesis will examine Abe’s push to constitutional reinterpretation and how the political left reacted to his argument by focusing on the following question: did the Japanese left-wing political...Show moreThis thesis will examine Abe’s push to constitutional reinterpretation and how the political left reacted to his argument by focusing on the following question: did the Japanese left-wing political actors reconsider their view on Article 9 and Japan’s current defense attitude? If the extreme political left of Japan has altered their stance on Abe and his push for reinterpretation, it means that the whole debate on Japanese defense policy is changing altogether. Therefore, Shinzō Abe might have had an impact on how Article 9 and Japan’s defense posture are perceived by the political left-wing. This will be analyzed through the model of securitization, as defined by the Copenhagen School of Security Studies. By applying this framework, this thesis will show how Abe attempts to securitize the issue of Japan’s national identity through addressing Japan’s defense capabilities and how the left-wing responds by counter-securitizing the issue of pacifism within national identity. The second goal of the thesis is to present the validity of the Copenhagen School’s framework by showing its applicability to the case of Japan’s constitutional reinterpretation. First, we shall analyze the literature on both Shinzō Abe’s reinterpretation attempt and the securitization model. Secondly, we will examine the nature of Abe’s push to constitutional reinterpretation by analyzing a book he wrote before he became prime minister and a book he wrote while he was prime minister. In this way, we can establish whether his stance has changed on reinterpreting the constitution. Then we will explore if and how Abe’s attempt for reinterpretation has reshaped the views of the political left in Japan. The effect of Abe’s push to reinterpret the constitution on popular opinion will be exposed by analyzing the phenomenon of counter-securitization by Japanese left-wing activists. We will look at in what manner the attempt has affected the left-wing in their rhetoric by examining scholarly articles on the subject. If this is the case, we might conclude that the Japanese extreme left is currently in the middle of a shift towards middle left.Show less
The topic of this thesis revolves around the identity of the Indisch Dutch in the Dutch East Indies during the Second World War and the Bersiap period. This topic has been researched through the...Show moreThe topic of this thesis revolves around the identity of the Indisch Dutch in the Dutch East Indies during the Second World War and the Bersiap period. This topic has been researched through the perspective of societal security, as put forward by the approach of the Copenhagen School in the Critical Security Studies, combined with Rogers Brubakers’ theorization of identity. It combines ethnic identity and ‘securitization’ in such a way that there is being investigated if an identity can be shaped, or further developed, by the occupier to ‘securitize’ this group (i.e. to identify them as an existential threat to society).Show less
