Many feminist economists have spent their careers conducting research and theorising about the role of care work in the economy. Some, like Silvia Federici, have taken a Marxist approach to the...Show moreMany feminist economists have spent their careers conducting research and theorising about the role of care work in the economy. Some, like Silvia Federici, have taken a Marxist approach to the analysis of the capitalist economy, and have placed the focus on the role and positioning of social reproduction in the economy. This requires a departure from Marx’s writings, which often left social reproduction on the sidelines. This thesis focuses on the care work aspect of social reproduction, meaning it explores not human reproduction under a capitalist productive society but rather the less objectively defined concept of care. It delves into how capitalism relies on the perpetuation of cultural beliefs surrounding aspects such as gender and productivity to continue existing. This way, it explores the concept of care work, its role in society and how it is (or is not) accounted for in both public and corporate policy. The central argument is that established relations of power and cultural beliefs perpetuate one another under capitalism. This thesis expands the understanding of care work beyond productivity and reflects on human values and wellbeing under capitalism. This will be done through an analysis of existing academic and non- academic literature on the topic, as well as the analysis of cultural artefacts connected to the theme. This thesis contributes to this debate by focusing on care work that involves non-productive members of society such as some disabled people and sees care work as a crucial aspect of human existence.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Film- en literatuurwetenschap (BA)
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Even though disabled characters in TV and film are more pervasive than the average consumer would think, many characters with disabilities are still depicted in a rather negative light. David...Show moreEven though disabled characters in TV and film are more pervasive than the average consumer would think, many characters with disabilities are still depicted in a rather negative light. David Mitchell and Sharon Snyder have termed this "narrative prosthesis" to signify that disabled characters or often solely used as plot devices. I have decided to analyse the portrayal of Avatar: the Last Airbenders´ disabled characters to see whether they too are only used to further the narrative. Next to contextualising the series alongside the depiction of other characters in other enterntainment media and discussing several of the series' characters individually I put special emphasis on the character Toph as I claim that animation can aid in a positive representation of disabled characters.Show less
This thesis researches the legal status of people with mental illnesses in the fifteenth century Low Countries, based on an analysis of both normative sources (bylaws) and sources of practice ...Show moreThis thesis researches the legal status of people with mental illnesses in the fifteenth century Low Countries, based on an analysis of both normative sources (bylaws) and sources of practice (court cases). It looks at two specific areas, namely guardianship procedures and inheritance law. The research focusses on an urban setting, using two case studies (Leiden and Leuven). The findings are placed in a comparative context by comparing them with results for other cities in the Low Countries, as well as the findings of other medievalists for different countries (England, France and Italy).Show less
