This thesis aims at analysing the foreign policy paradigm shift that happened in India in the post-liberalisation period, by focusing on the transformation of the non-alignment strategy towards a...Show moreThis thesis aims at analysing the foreign policy paradigm shift that happened in India in the post-liberalisation period, by focusing on the transformation of the non-alignment strategy towards a multi-alignment strategy in order for India to preserve and further its economic interests, but also its maritime and energy security through various strategic partnerships and joint military action with the example of the Look East/Act East Policy, or the Indo-US nuclear deal.Show less
This thesis gives an overview of programs used by the Government of India, from independence until today, to improve conditions in the country's slums and critically analyzes the contents of India...Show moreThis thesis gives an overview of programs used by the Government of India, from independence until today, to improve conditions in the country's slums and critically analyzes the contents of India's current urban poverty alleviation and slum improvement program, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Housing for All). The aim of this analysis not only is to determine how well India's slum improvement policies help to improve the conditions in slums, but specifically how well these policies address the determinants of health in slums. The thesis argues that although in theory slum improvement programs can have a positive influence on determinants of health and well-being, in India, implementation of programs has been fraught with challenges and it is unlikely this will change anytime soon. A lack of political will seems to be one major reason for the absence of large-scale improvements in living conditions in India's slums.Show less
Glas was in de vroegmoderne tijd een populair voorwerp in Europa. Het heeft bijgedragen aan de wetenschappelijke revolutie en de renaissance. Glas werd ook veel gebruikt als exportproduct naar Azië...Show moreGlas was in de vroegmoderne tijd een populair voorwerp in Europa. Het heeft bijgedragen aan de wetenschappelijke revolutie en de renaissance. Glas werd ook veel gebruikt als exportproduct naar Azië. Waar ging het dan naar toe? En was het in Azië ook een gewild product? In deze scriptie zoek ik naar antwoorden op deze vragen.Show less
This thesis studies India's diplomatic relations with its western neighbours- namely- Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the context of increasing threats to its domestic and regional security, India has...Show moreThis thesis studies India's diplomatic relations with its western neighbours- namely- Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the context of increasing threats to its domestic and regional security, India has adopted a "soft power" approach in achieving its strategic interests. Through qualitative case selection, this thesis dwells into India's diplomatic approach especially through the study of water diplomacy in the case of Pakistan and public diplomacy in the case of Afghanistan. In this context, this thesis associate security concerns of the three countries with their national interests, particularly focusing on India. The underlying conclusion of this thesis is that while a hard power approach or use of coercion may serve as a base to further "soft power" approach, India needs to maintain a delicate balance between the two approaches for achieving regional stability and ensuring national security.Show less
People’s physical appearances and beauty ‘from the outside’ have been part of a variety of cultural discourses for a long time in history. Though, in more recent times, human bodies have...Show morePeople’s physical appearances and beauty ‘from the outside’ have been part of a variety of cultural discourses for a long time in history. Though, in more recent times, human bodies have increasingly fell subject to the democratization of social norms and values, and as a result the body has become a reflection of symbolic meanings (Baghel et al., 2014). In culturally-diverse India, the image of beauty has been changing continuously but it is argued that one perspective on Indian physical beauty has remained quite stable (or at least appears to exist in contemporary India): the aspiration of having lighter skin colors (Kumar, 2002; Glenn, 2008). Even though many researchers recognized that racial categorizations based on skin colors have been reduced in different parts of the world, there still appears to be a correlation between beauty, skin color and social identity among some people in the Indian society today (Glenn, 2008). In examining to what extent skin lightening practices and aspirations have shifted from India to the Netherlands in a transnational context, the goal is to find out the perceived sense of racial consciousness of first-generation Indian migrants living in diaspora in the Netherlands. Grounded in the theories of Social Constructivism by Berger and Luckmann and Racial Identity theory by Helms, this thesis concludes that 1. Migration to the Netherlands has not changed the racial awareness of first-generation Indian migrants consciously 2. Skin color does play a role - though marginal - in migrant’s Indian intracultural environment in terms of marriages, but it is not significant in their Dutch intercultural environment. 3. Most of the first-generation Indian migrants living in the Netherlands do not use fairness creams, and if they do, it is for medical reasons rather than to match cultural and aspirational expectations.Show less
This thesis describes in a broad manner India's current bilateral and multilateral collaborations with Central Asian countries on the topics of Energy, Trade and Security Cooperation. Subsequently...Show moreThis thesis describes in a broad manner India's current bilateral and multilateral collaborations with Central Asian countries on the topics of Energy, Trade and Security Cooperation. Subsequently it analyses the reasons and factors that underlie the current situation of India's strategic position in Central Asia, which requires taking into account the (political) actions of other regional actors like Russia and China. Through a re-appreciation of Morgenthau's theory on International Relations, this thesis will argue why India's minor strategic position has both historical and contemporary political reasons.Show less
The position of the LGBT community in India is undergoing a stressful period. This thesis attempts to analyse and research whether this has always been the case. Historical and spiritual views are...Show moreThe position of the LGBT community in India is undergoing a stressful period. This thesis attempts to analyse and research whether this has always been the case. Historical and spiritual views are used to create a platform on how the homosexuality was perceived in India. Connecting this delicate matter to the erotic art and architecture of the Khajuraho monuments in Madhya Pradesh and adding philosophical, ancient and religious statements about homosexuality, creates a fresh view on the development of perceiving homosexuality in India.Show less
The diverse and intense usage of the Ganga has caused a big pollution problem to the river. Because the local communities interact with the river on a daily basis, they should be able to reduce the...Show moreThe diverse and intense usage of the Ganga has caused a big pollution problem to the river. Because the local communities interact with the river on a daily basis, they should be able to reduce the pollution.Show less
Dit werkstuk kijkt naar de politiek-commerciële relaties van Indische heersers en handelaren met de VOC in 17e eeuws zuid en centraal Coromandel. Er word hierbij onder andere gekeken naar de...Show moreDit werkstuk kijkt naar de politiek-commerciële relaties van Indische heersers en handelaren met de VOC in 17e eeuws zuid en centraal Coromandel. Er word hierbij onder andere gekeken naar de redenen tot samenwerking en de machtsverhouding in de relaties. De belangrijkste handelspartners van de VOC, Achyutappa en Chinanna, dienen als casestudy. Het onderzoek toont aan dat de relatie tussen de VOC en de handelaren na verloop van tijd veranderd van een individuele samenwerking naar een institutionele samenwerking. Maar de handelaren behielden hun onafhankelijkheid tegenover de VOC, wat duidelijk naar voren komt uit de carrières van Achyutappa en Chinanna. De relatie met de heersers veranderde ook gedurende de periode. De VOC was nauwelijks in staat haar handelsposten te verdedigen zonder de gunst van de vorst. Na verloop van tijd kon de VOC meer privileges afdwingen door middel van geweld, hoewel enkel als de vorst andere militaire problemen had. Geld lijkt de belangrijkste reden voor samenwerking voor zowel handelaren als heersers, en de VOC wist nooit dominant te worden in de regionale politiek of handel.Show less
The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) growing economic power has been frequently linked with its growing political and military power. Academic articles and Indian newspapers interpret China’s...Show moreThe People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) growing economic power has been frequently linked with its growing political and military power. Academic articles and Indian newspapers interpret China’s Maritime Silk Road (MSR) policy in threatening and in a non-threatening ways. The dominant discourse interprets the MSR from realist (strategic competition) and liberalist (economic cooperation) perspectives. However, the picture is not as clear-cut as it seems: the literature lacks a constructivist and poststructuralist approach. This paper attempts to fill this gap and considers the study of media representations as an important tool for understanding international relations and the promotion of foreign policy in India. It uses a poststructuralist discourse analysis as a method in the case study on the ‘China threat’ and MSR discourse in four online Indian newspapers. In line with French poststructuralist Foucault, it demonstrates the importance of discourse, identity, knowledge and power. The discursive construction of China as Other in the Indian media is based on historical identity formations. Identity is at the heart the ‘China threat’ discursive foundations: the ‘String of Pearls’ (SOP), India’s neighborhood, China-Pakistan relations and the ongoing Sino-Indian border dispute. In representing the ‘truth’ about the MSR as a future threat to India, the Indian media fails to address China’s participation in global anti-piracy missions. The ‘China threat’ discourse is produced and reproduced for India to domestically implement a strong strategic IOR policy, to invest in the army, and transnationally to deepen diplomatic ties with neighboring IOR countries and to establish a security alignment with the US and Japan.Show less
The thesis discusses to what extent do popular media contribute to the reduction of stigmatisation and discrimination against homosexuals in post-colonial India? The hypothesis is: development and...Show moreThe thesis discusses to what extent do popular media contribute to the reduction of stigmatisation and discrimination against homosexuals in post-colonial India? The hypothesis is: development and expansion of media improves public awareness of the taboo topic of homosexuality which will in turn reduce the stigmatisation. The first chapter describes the socio-legal context of homosexuality in India, explaining the foundations for stigmatisation and discrimination against homosexuals and identifies who the main discriminators are. The second chapter uses Appadurai’s theory of scapes and in particular mediascape to help establish the influence such a scape has in reducing stigmatisation and discrimination against homosexuals in postcolonial India. This chapter draws similarities and conclusions from anthologies, auto biographies and biographies, newspaper articles and magazines, Bollywood films and Indian television. The final chapter is focussed on a case study of a growing influential homosexual social group in Mumbai named Gay Bombay that uses the media as a powerful tool in creating a safe haven for homosexuals since the late 1990s. The results have shown that homosexuality is a taboo topic with the current law criminalising the act. The extent of which media influence public opinion has grown with increased globalisation and the introduction of the internet. Some popular media outlets portray non-glamourized depictions of homosexuals more often than ever before but the stereotypical portrayal of the group is still common. It is definite that the public’s perception is directly influenced by media presentations and so if the media has the ability to promote a positive image of homosexuality one questions why they do not. Word of mouth belief is identified as one of the main problems that prevent change in opinion. Changing several million people’s opinions on such a taboo topic is a distant dream for homosexuals, especially whilst the law is still in place. One questions whether India has the political will to repeal its anti-homosexual legislation even if the media increases positive awareness of homosexuality.Show less
Throughout history, globalization has become an intrinsic phenomenon in the development of world cultures and societies, connecting and driving the world communities ever closer together. An active...Show moreThroughout history, globalization has become an intrinsic phenomenon in the development of world cultures and societies, connecting and driving the world communities ever closer together. An active role in this process has been played by language. The speed at which an international language, such as English, is spreading around the globe is becoming more and more evident in the daily life of every individual. The widespread use of this language as a lingua franca at an international level can be directly related to the strong political and economic imprint that the United Kingdom and the United States of America have had throughout the past centuries. During the course of the Era of Colonialism and Imperialism, western languages were forced upon countries and cultures by military coercion in order to facilitate the exploitation of colonies and be able to economically support the European markets. The spread of western languages in colonized countries gave way to language imperialism, a term coined by the famous scholar Robert Phillipson in 1992. The status of the English language however, has shifted from a colonial imposed language towards the role of being an internationally spoken language, which is now mainly considered as related to science, technology, modernity, and for poor people as a chance to escape poverty and oppression. For this reason, the question is posed of whether English still represents an example of language imperialism within non-native English speaking countries. English as a language has become so powerful and widespread that Matthew Parris described it, as “a seismic event in our species history” because no other language has ever predominated over others and approached universality (Watson 260). The dominance of one language is of special concern within the context of local languages and minority language groups as well as within the education systems of multilingual countries. India represents a suitable example when talking about this matter, in that the country has made significant use of English domestically and internationally promoting its importance at every social level. McKay sees the position of English in the world, as “a result of a series of interwoven factors and a complex process brought about by those who actively promote the language and those who consciously choose to learn it” (24). Thus, it can be stated that the most effective way to spread English is through education; however, also the most precarious one. Multilingual countries such as India see English language of paradoxical nature. On the one hand it is considered as a language of progress on the other hand it is a “language killer” of local languages. Hence, it is of great importance that language policies in the education system are implemented in order to safeguard the status of minority languages, preventing them from vanishing while also ensuring language rights to minority groups. The main goal of this paper is that of analysing the role of the English language as a global and imperial language in India, by assessing the impact of its influence in the lives of the students from minority groups, despite the conflicts that arose as a consequence of the implementation of the Three Language Formula by the Indian State. An analysis about language rights and language policies will be provided to gain a better understanding of the importance of exclusive linguistic rights, which are not yet implemented in the Indian constitution. Furthermore, the school system in India will be described by comparing statistical data about school enrolment, literacy rates as well as the diffusion of the English language among Indian schools as an increasing medium of instruction and the effect English language teaching has on students. Lastly, a case study of the Indian state Karnataka will be described in order to illustrate the problems related to the implementation of language policies leading towards debates over language choices in the education system. This will be done in order to draw the conclusion that even though India is known and proudly presents itself as a multilingual country embedded with highly diverse cultures, a homogenization of languages will be difficult to avoid within an increasingly globalizing and modernizing world. Arjun Appadurai brings about a significant truth, when he states that: “at the heart of globalization is the tension between cultural homogenization and cultural heterogenization” (Appadurai 295).Show less
Bachelor thesis | South and Southeast Asian Studies (BA)
closed access
The Hindu-Muslims relations are different in India and on Bali. The reason why this is, is the fact that ideologies in these areas when it comes to Hindus and Muslims dealing with each other differ...Show moreThe Hindu-Muslims relations are different in India and on Bali. The reason why this is, is the fact that ideologies in these areas when it comes to Hindus and Muslims dealing with each other differ. While in India the difference between the two groups are empathized and the inequality between the two religious groups is clear, on Bali it is the similarities between Hindus and Muslims that are stressed and there is no clear inequality between the two religious groups. Why the ideologies are different can be accounted for by the history of the two areas. In India, there was a time when Muslims invaded the country and ruled over them for more than three hundred years. It assumed by the Hindus in India that the Muslims in their country are descendants from the invaders and because of it they are enemies. On Bali, Muslims and Hindus have learned to live in harmony. They feel like they belong to one group. The economy on the island is dependent on an harmonious relationship between the two religious groups.Show less
