With the persistent human rights violations experienced by formerly colonized ethnic groups, the current human rights regimes need urgent review as they themselves may inadvertently contribute to...Show moreWith the persistent human rights violations experienced by formerly colonized ethnic groups, the current human rights regimes need urgent review as they themselves may inadvertently contribute to violence and human suffering. Contemporary human rights, in theory, ensure all individuals have an equal opportunity to claims their entitlements, assuming inherent systemic equality amongst all individuals and groups. However, through an analysis of the rights claims put forth by eight Tanzanian and Nigerian ethnic groups, this thesis finds that human rights fail to inclusively account for and protect the rights claims of formerly colonized groups and individuals. That is, human rights’ restrictive individualistic focus, colonial roots, and imposition of Western norms on non-Western societies have perpetuated the violence and human suffering amongst certain Tanzanian and Nigerian ethnic groups. Hence, human rights frameworks should be reconstructed in a manner that acknowledges existing structural barriers to equality and reduces its focus on individualism through improved collective rights provisions. Such reforms may enhance the recognition of an ethnic group, promote social justice, and address systemic inequalities.Show less
This thesis discusses the concept of cultural identity in relation to three literary works. It argues that Kiran Desai’s novel, The Inheritance of Loss, highlights the postcolonial structure of its...Show moreThis thesis discusses the concept of cultural identity in relation to three literary works. It argues that Kiran Desai’s novel, The Inheritance of Loss, highlights the postcolonial structure of its characters’ identities, Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel, The Namesake, focuses on the concept of diaspora identities, as defined by Stuart Hall; her short stories collection, Interpreter of Maladies, on the other hand, centres around the interplay between social and personal identities, as put forward by Margarita Azmitia. Instead of portraying cultural identity as a monolithic construct, all three literary works make a case for the fact that cultural identity is ever-changing and dynamic.Show less
The Republic of Buryatia in the Russian Federation is resident to the Buryats, an ethnic minority. A large part of the population practice Buddhism. The thesis investigates how religion and...Show moreThe Republic of Buryatia in the Russian Federation is resident to the Buryats, an ethnic minority. A large part of the population practice Buddhism. The thesis investigates how religion and language can explain the construction of Buryat cultural identity. Most scholarly research emphasise on the importance of religion for the construction of Buryat cultural identity. However, their arguments are not fully explaining why this is the case. Therefore, Stuart Hall’s theory of cultural identity is applied to the case of Buryatia. The theory contains two models: one expresses that cultural identity is ‘fixed’ and the other claims that it is a ‘process’. These two models are applied using Buryat historical contexts. The thesis concludes that both language and religion are important to the construction of Buryat identity. Language is important because it functions as a system of representation, for it creates and ascribes ‘meaning’ in the cultural ‘space’. This is what entails the construction of cultural identity. Furthermore, religion carries, exchanges and creates meaning; therefore it functions as a language in itself. Hence, the language of religion is important for the construction and maintenance of Buryat cultural identity.Show less
Recently, a change has been noticeable in the artworks of Thai artists. Appropriations from Japanese, European and American cultures have become more common and Thai artists seem to be more...Show moreRecently, a change has been noticeable in the artworks of Thai artists. Appropriations from Japanese, European and American cultures have become more common and Thai artists seem to be more critical about their cultural identity. Thai cultural symbols and elements, as large standing Buddha's or characters from the Ramakien, are placed next to Disney figures and Batman, and artists are singing the Thai national anthem in other countries. Much is happening which has not been possible in the last decades. In this thesis an attempt was made to understand this current development. The Thai cultural identity, or the alleged 'Thainess', has been investigated and several possibilities of understanding Thainess were created. This concept is based on the effects of the nation-state, identity and the sense of belonging which all proved to be highly influential for Thai artists and their sense of Thainess. The contemporary artists Kata Sangkhae, Jirapat Tatsanasomboon and Rirkrit Tiravanija have shown that there are various ways to represent a sense of Thainess in artworks. However, not Thainess seemed to be the most important factor for Thai artists and the creation of their artworks, rather the individual positioning of the artists themselves. Cultural identities are fluid constructs and open to changes. The positioning and the context of the artist are most probably much more influential than their sense of Thainess. The three artists have therefore all different positions concerning Thainess and are also fundamentally different from each other, from critical to protective. But all three artists prove that the tension between the local and the global is something that they are aware of.Show less
Over the past decades there have been new theories and methods applied to research in archaeology. This research is an attempt to apply some of these new ideas to the archaeological site, Lepcis...Show moreOver the past decades there have been new theories and methods applied to research in archaeology. This research is an attempt to apply some of these new ideas to the archaeological site, Lepcis Magna. The theory of Space Syntax will be applied to create new data that can be analyzed and interpreted. Recently, there have been multiple studies on identity that have been examined and researched more extensively in relation to the field of archaeology. A combination of space syntax theory and identity studies will be applied in order to have a deeper understanding of past cultural identity of the people of Lepcis Magna between the late first century BC to the Severan period. It has been documented that the inhabitants of Lepcis Magna had a strong Punic background during their incorporation into the Roman Empire. In previous publications on the city, the people are often described as rejecting the Romanization process. New approaches to identity studies on the provincial cities throughout the Roman Empire have attempted to step back from Romanization theory and reexamine the culture and identity of the people. A conscious effort will be made to try and examine the material from an unbiased Romanization point of view. There will also be an evaluation of the space syntax methods to see if it is feasible to approach the study of identity through the examination of space. One will attempt to analyze and interpret areas of high connectivity that will be determined by the analysis applied. Within the areas of high connectivity one will determine if there is a specific identity being projected. It will be from the interpretations that one might discover a collective cultural identity of the people. This research aims to gain a better understanding of past identities of the people of Lepcis Magna through the application of Space Syntax theory.Show less
