The thesis analyzes the political involvement of notable Nigerian Pentecostal Pastors during the 2015 Nigerian elections by focusing on the output of their social media pages. It highlights how...Show moreThe thesis analyzes the political involvement of notable Nigerian Pentecostal Pastors during the 2015 Nigerian elections by focusing on the output of their social media pages. It highlights how pastors appeared hesitant to make political statements online, despite their significant involvement in-person. This was likely related to the risk of a viral backlash to any political posts online.Show less
A seat in the United Nations Security Council is more attractive and prestigious than ever among the organisation’s member states. This thesis investigates the importance of credibility connected...Show moreA seat in the United Nations Security Council is more attractive and prestigious than ever among the organisation’s member states. This thesis investigates the importance of credibility connected to a running candidate’s campaign message in a contested security council election. By adopting a qualitative comparative analysis between the three candidates from the highly competitive Western European and Others Group election of 2020 - Canada, Ireland and Norway – this thesis aims to increase our knowledge of the determinant factors for successful campaigns. The results suggests that proven consistency and positive political engagement and results related to the communicated priorities in the campaign message – at least in relation to those of its competitors – can play a decisive role in the outcome of contested elections. However, the thesis cannot exclude any other possible determinants nor point out any single factor that is more decisive than the others. Nevertheless, the results open up for further research on political commitment as a determinant factor, with special focus on campaign messages.Show less
Elections provide the primary mechanism through which representatives are authorized to act. This dissertation asks which conditions the authorization must satisfy in order to have legitimate,...Show moreElections provide the primary mechanism through which representatives are authorized to act. This dissertation asks which conditions the authorization must satisfy in order to have legitimate, properly authorized representatives. In particular, it asks which design of the electoral system – the set of rules concerned with the aggregation of votes – best satisfies minimum conditions for authorizing legitimate representatives. The answer to this question lies at the interface of normative democratic theory and electoral design. It is, furthermore, both a response to and an extension of The Concept of Constituency by Andrew Rehfeld. Rehfeld is the first author to show that electoral design defines and shapes the electoral constituency, that group of people who authorize a representative. The objective electoral constituency – i.e., the group of voters who are eligible to vote for a particular representative – should be distinguished from the subjective electoral constituency – i.e., the group of voters who voted for a particular representative. This dissertation responds to Rehfeld by arguing that the purpose of authorizing legitimate representatives requires electoral design to define objective constituencies not as randomly and permanently assigned groups but rather as a single nation-wide group. This dissertation extends Rehfeld’s work by analyzing how three key components of electoral design – the electoral formula (plurality/majority/proportional), the ballot structure (categorical/ordinal vote) and the district magnitude (number of seats per objective constituency/district) – shape the formation of subjective constituencies that are successful in electing a representative of their choice. The analysis shows that, rather than a U.S.-like system with single-seat plurality/majority districts, the Dutch system of proportional representation with a nation-wide objective constituency is the most justifiable for the purpose of authorizing legitimate representatives.Show less
Study of the democratic developments in Suriname for the period 1987-2015. The primary sources for this thesis are interviews conducted by the author himself. Important subjects within the thesis...Show moreStudy of the democratic developments in Suriname for the period 1987-2015. The primary sources for this thesis are interviews conducted by the author himself. Important subjects within the thesis are: 1. The relationship between politicians and civilians in Suriname. 2. The relationship and balance of power between several institutions (media, electoral system, judiciary and religious organisations). 3. How strong was the presence of political opposition and political alternatives.Show less
In this thesis, I will defend the epistemic and moral value of democratic government, and oppose claims that there are legitimate grounds to replace democratic elections or restrict universal and...Show moreIn this thesis, I will defend the epistemic and moral value of democratic government, and oppose claims that there are legitimate grounds to replace democratic elections or restrict universal and equal suffrage to ensure the epistemic value of political decision-making. If one takes the principles normative authority and legitimacy into account, then any restriction on equal voting rights on the grounds of elitism will result neither in a rule of government that is intrinsically better nor a rule of government that is superior in producing better outcomes than a democratic system.Show less
The politics of indigenous people in such a diverse and extended territory like India, and the meaning of holding an indigenous identity, are facts of primary importance to a country that poses its...Show moreThe politics of indigenous people in such a diverse and extended territory like India, and the meaning of holding an indigenous identity, are facts of primary importance to a country that poses its basis on principles of equality, democracy and inclusiveness. The following thesis will therefore analyse and investigate the indigenous policies carried out, in specific, in the northeast territory of India. To do so, two main approach will be taken, which will analyse two elements that seem to characterise this geographic region: instability and location. The first term is linked to the recent Indian Lok Sabha Elections of 2019. The second is related to the international border in which indigenous tribes of this area are living.Show less
This thesis will try to shed light upon the interactions of the state with the public in the landscape of a changing state-society relationship and the consolidation of a dominant hegemonic power,...Show moreThis thesis will try to shed light upon the interactions of the state with the public in the landscape of a changing state-society relationship and the consolidation of a dominant hegemonic power, in order to find answers to these contemporary questions and establish an understanding of the contemporary political and social landscape – and their interrelatedness – in the Turkish state. Therefore, this thesis will combine concepts from societal and political studies – namely Public Sphere, Identity Politics and Modes of Governance – to point out their interconnectedness and, perhaps, mutually enforcing nature. Through in-depth analyses of the context, the AKP’s campaign and of electoral behaviour during the 2002, 2007 and 2015 parliamentary and – in the case of 2007 – presidential elections, this essay will cover the question what strategies are being used by Erdogan and the AKP to alter the public sphere and utilize the changed societal sentiments for their own cause. Ultimately, this thesis serves to establish a comprehensive theoretical framework and case study analysis on the contemporary political situation in Turkey in times of elections and to add another facet to the research on the interconnectedness of social transformation and state policies.Show less
This thesis focuses on the 2018 local elections in Taiwan; although the elections were aimed at electing officials at a local level, the relation between Taiwan and China has been heavily discussed...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the 2018 local elections in Taiwan; although the elections were aimed at electing officials at a local level, the relation between Taiwan and China has been heavily discussed. This thesis analyses the way in which the Liberty Times and the United Daily News, as mouthpieces of respectively the DPP and the KMT, have created a discourse on cross-strait relations. In doing so, an analysis is made of Fake News, a topic discussed mostly by the DPP, and the 1992 consensus, a topic mostly discussed by the KMT. This thesis argues that the discourse as created by the DPP-side is less stable compared to the KMT-side, as a result of the traditional viewpoints that both parties adhere to. The image of the DPP as protector of Taiwanese freedom and democracy forces the DPP to a position where they have to paint China as an aggressor, using the issue of Chinese Fake News as one of its tools. In doing so, the DPP itself uses assumptions and exaggerations, thereby becoming a producer of fake news as well. Although the KMT also makes use of assumptions and exaggerations, the fact that the KMT portrays itself as a party aimed at economic progress makes it possible to take a more neutral stance.Show less
This thesis looks at the theories behind internal migration and their application to instances of internal displacement. It looks sepcifically at the case of the Kenyan electoral violence in 2007...Show moreThis thesis looks at the theories behind internal migration and their application to instances of internal displacement. It looks sepcifically at the case of the Kenyan electoral violence in 2007 and early 2008 and the ways in which internally displaced persons (IDPs) were affected. To determine such effects, the thesis observes Kenya's history with the interaction between ethnicity and politics and considers how the population is mobilised based on ethnic affiliations. It analyses how specific push and pull factors for displacement fall into several theories of migration causes, while simultaneously considering the roles of both the domestic and international community and their responses to the crisis. It argues throughout how the disadvantage of IDPs is maintained through the discourse on internal displacement. In identifying the effects on IDPs as belonging to the realm of politics, culture, and economics, the thesis identifies long-standing factors such as ethnicity and land grievances as well as economic wellbeing and the discourse of displacement as the main effects on IDPs.Show less
Citizen journalism is a relatively new term, especially in many non-western parts of the world. It is best known to make it easier for people to share information and stories with the rest of the...Show moreCitizen journalism is a relatively new term, especially in many non-western parts of the world. It is best known to make it easier for people to share information and stories with the rest of the world through online platforms. The negative sides of citizen journalism are however sometimes hard to overlook, especially in situations where citizen journalism may completely replace the mainstream media. This can be seen to have happened during the 2007 Kenyan presidential election crisis, when the elections took a violent turn.Show less
This thesis explores how Jakarta's Merdeka Square acts as a contested public space where both state institutions and society groups have contended with the idea of a pluralistic Indonesian society...Show moreThis thesis explores how Jakarta's Merdeka Square acts as a contested public space where both state institutions and society groups have contended with the idea of a pluralistic Indonesian society during the months preceding the 2017 Jakarta Gubernatorial Election.Show less
This thesis uses the Just World Hypothesis and theories of charismatic leadership in order to explore the similarities and differences in the electoral campaigns of Richard Nixon in 1968 and Donald...Show moreThis thesis uses the Just World Hypothesis and theories of charismatic leadership in order to explore the similarities and differences in the electoral campaigns of Richard Nixon in 1968 and Donald Trump in 2016, focusing especially on the self-made man narrative, the use of media and the use of scapegoats.Show less
The main aim of this thesis is to explore the implications of democracy promotion on ensuring free and fair elections in hybrid regimes. Despite the recent wave of democratization, some countries...Show moreThe main aim of this thesis is to explore the implications of democracy promotion on ensuring free and fair elections in hybrid regimes. Despite the recent wave of democratization, some countries have plunged back into authoritarianism. These regimes combine both democratic and authoritarian principles. Resultantly, they are referred to as hybrid regimes. The most common democratic feature that these hybrid regimes adapt are multiparty elections. However, elections in hybrid regimes are characterized by rigging of elections and serious human rights violations. Consequently, the international community has renewed its democracy promotion efforts. Similarly, the European Union (EU) has strengthened its democracy promotion in hybrid regimes with a focus on elections. This thesis seeks to answer the research question: What are the implications of the European Union’s democracy promotion on elections in Zimbabwe and Cambodia? The research question shall be answered through a comparative case study on the implications of the EU's democracy promotion on elections held in Zimbabwe and Cambodia from 2000 to 2013. Both case studies shall examine how internal factors (local factors within the countries) and external factors (weaknesses inherent in the EU's democracy promotion) influence the EU's efforts to ensure free and fair elections in hybrid regimes.Show less
The main research question of this bachelor thesis is: is European integration of importance as policy issue in the Dutch parliamentary elections of 2010 and 2012? It is hypothesized that European...Show moreThe main research question of this bachelor thesis is: is European integration of importance as policy issue in the Dutch parliamentary elections of 2010 and 2012? It is hypothesized that European integration was of greater relevance in the 2012 elections than in the 2010 elections and that this effect is mainly due to the effect of Eurosceptic parties on the salience of this topic. To research this topic, data from the Dutch Parliamentary Election Studies (DPES) of 2010 and 2012 have been used. The political parties compared in this analysis are the CDA, PvdA, VVD, SP, D66 and the PVV. In this analysis, no differences have been found between the 2010 and 2012 elections. The chances of respondents voting based on the European integration topic was larger for voters on the Eurosceptic parties in this analysis: the PVV and the SP. The main conclusion based on this analysis is that there is a good chance that European integration is of greater importance to voters of Eurosceptic parties than for voters of non-Eurosceptic parties. Other important findings were that political parties need to be researched separately to better incorporate issue salience in the model and that absolute distance measures need to be used when calculating the distance between self and party placement.Show less
Various scholars have addressed the role of past institutions in current developments. Many of those studies have focused on cases in the same geographical regions: Europe and South America. These...Show moreVarious scholars have addressed the role of past institutions in current developments. Many of those studies have focused on cases in the same geographical regions: Europe and South America. These studies concluded that institutional legacies regularly have a distinct influence on current events, providing constraints and opportunities. This study tests this theory in a region that has been underrepresented in the literature: Asia. By conducting a case study of Taiwan, this research assesses continuities in electoral institutions from the authoritarian era into the process of democratic consolidation. Based on the findings of this examination, this study concludes that the institutional legacies in the political society of Taiwan have had an identifiable but ambiguous impact in the process of democratic consolidation.Show less
