This study examines the solidarity alliances of the Armenian, Assyrian and Kurdish communities in Diyarbakir, Turkey. Additionally, it poses the question, whether these alliances challenge a more...Show moreThis study examines the solidarity alliances of the Armenian, Assyrian and Kurdish communities in Diyarbakir, Turkey. Additionally, it poses the question, whether these alliances challenge a more exclusive national identity that is established in the official Turkish discourse. The alliances that are touched upon are the political environment of Diyarbakir; the celebration of Newroz; the commemoration of murder of Hrant Dink; and Armenian and Assyrian Genocide commemorations. I argue that the main manifestation of most of these solidarities is creation of more openness about the Genocides, in especially Kurdish discourse. The alliances depicted in this paper are each different and each form a different degree of challenge to the Turkish national identity. I conclude that the political environment of Diyarbakir forms the greatest threat, which can be perceived in the state’s crackdown of its established institutions and initiatives of cultural practices, as it does not fit the homogenous identity that the Turkish State ascribes to itself.Show less
This study examines the solidarity alliances of the Armenian, Assyrian and Kurdish communities in Diyarbakir, Turkey. Additionally, it poses the question, whether these alliances challenge a more...Show moreThis study examines the solidarity alliances of the Armenian, Assyrian and Kurdish communities in Diyarbakir, Turkey. Additionally, it poses the question, whether these alliances challenge a more exclusive national identity that is established in the official Turkish discourse. The alliances that are touched upon are the political environment of Diyarbakir; the celebration of Newroz; the commemoration of murder of Hrant Dink; and Armenian and Assyrian Genocide commemorations. I argue that the main manifestation of most of these solidarities is creation of more openness about the Genocides, in especially Kurdish discourse. The alliances depicted in this paper are each different and each form a different degree of challenge to the Turkish national identity. I conclude that the political environment of Diyarbakir forms the greatest threat, which can be perceived in the state’s crackdown of its established institutions and initiatives of cultural practices, as it does not fit the homogenous identity that the Turkish State ascribes to itself.Show less
This thesis focuses on the Ainu, the indigenous people of Hokkaido Japan, and how they were represented in visual sources from the early modern period. The analysis features twelve prints and...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the Ainu, the indigenous people of Hokkaido Japan, and how they were represented in visual sources from the early modern period. The analysis features twelve prints and scrolls that show the Ainu as inferior or 'other' to their Japanese neighbors. Furthermore, the sources involve the concepts of racial stereotyping and power conflicts.Show less
As Chinese domestic tourism to Tibet continues to grow, understanding the mechanisms and ‘effects’ of such ethnic tourism becomes increasingly important. The historical story of the marriage...Show moreAs Chinese domestic tourism to Tibet continues to grow, understanding the mechanisms and ‘effects’ of such ethnic tourism becomes increasingly important. The historical story of the marriage between the Chinese princess Wencheng and the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo is commonly known in China and employed by the Chinese government to legitimize their modern rule over Tibet. This study uses Critical Discourse Analysis to research a theater play of this story, and the presence of this story in Tibet’s many tourist sites. The results of the analysis reveal a process that shows how state-directed stories could become commonly regarded as ‘true’, with tourism as the primary vehicle to advance such a process. I argue that such a process can be found in other cases as well, and is not unique to the story of princess Wencheng.Show less
This thesis critically analyses the restoration of the Grand Synagogue of Edirne in Turkey, highlighting the politics of tolerance discourses in Turkey and their implications on the Turkish Jewish...Show moreThis thesis critically analyses the restoration of the Grand Synagogue of Edirne in Turkey, highlighting the politics of tolerance discourses in Turkey and their implications on the Turkish Jewish community as reflected through cultural heritage practices.Show less
Denialism in Turkey has been a phenomenon which has gained significant precedence since the Armenian genocide of 1915. The Turkish governments over the last century have been accountable for...Show moreDenialism in Turkey has been a phenomenon which has gained significant precedence since the Armenian genocide of 1915. The Turkish governments over the last century have been accountable for several crimes which have been inflicted amongst several minority groups within the country causing a grave loss to their identities, memories, property and possessions. Denial has played an intrinsic role within the violence which has been inflicted amongst people to diverge the scene from criminal acts to portray justification of their motives instead.Show less
This MA Thesis explores the small Syriac Orthodox community of Istanbul. The micro study includes portraits of three Syriac Orthodox families who moved away from Mardin. They give insight into the...Show moreThis MA Thesis explores the small Syriac Orthodox community of Istanbul. The micro study includes portraits of three Syriac Orthodox families who moved away from Mardin. They give insight into the way the community members stay connected, the study searches how the social identity of the Syriac Orthodox community in Istanbul is being experienced. It considers how members see themselves and others from within their community, and how they see ‘the outsiders.’ Qualifications are given based on religious and cultural customs and on collective memory. The differences between generations are kept in mind and reveal why the identification process is changing throughout time.Show less
De zainichi Koreaanse gemeenschap in Japan heeft een complexe en fluïde identiteit die met de jaren verandert. Representatie is een belangrijk onderdeel bij het vormen van een identiteit. Door...Show moreDe zainichi Koreaanse gemeenschap in Japan heeft een complexe en fluïde identiteit die met de jaren verandert. Representatie is een belangrijk onderdeel bij het vormen van een identiteit. Door onderzoek naar films met zainichi Koreaanse personages kan worden bepaald welke identiteit(en) belangrijk zijn in de zainichi Koreaanse gemeenschap.Show less
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, tensions between Estonians and ethnic Russians in Estonia have exacerbated due to the controversial language policy. Having Estonian as the only official...Show moreSince the collapse of the Soviet Union, tensions between Estonians and ethnic Russians in Estonia have exacerbated due to the controversial language policy. Having Estonian as the only official language is proven to be discriminatory towards Russians with low Estonian language skills. This manifests itself in employment and education outcomes that are vital for members of ethnic minorities to avoid being marginalised by society. This paper discusses the likeliehood of each of the pathways of segmented assimilation theory (upward, downward and upward mobility combined with biculturalism) occuring within different regions of Estonia.Show less
As Sweden’s government has begun accepting high numbers of immigrants, the resulting cultural tensions seems to be a secondary concern. Culture can be argued as the basis of a nation-state, and...Show moreAs Sweden’s government has begun accepting high numbers of immigrants, the resulting cultural tensions seems to be a secondary concern. Culture can be argued as the basis of a nation-state, and when culture is threatened the citizens tend to turn against ‘the other’, as they believe them to be the threat (Schwarz and Cauchon 13). The aim with this paper is to explore how various groups in the ethnically heterogeneous country are willing and able to interact, with a focus on how their identity contributes to this interaction. There are certain groups in Sweden that are becoming alienated due to the effect of their cultural identity, two of these groups are the Roma people and the Muslim community (Persson 8).Show less
In recent years, there has been a resurgence of attention towards the Tibetan oral epic Gesar in the People’s Republic of China (P.R.C.). On the surface, it appears that Gesar re-enters the sight...Show moreIn recent years, there has been a resurgence of attention towards the Tibetan oral epic Gesar in the People’s Republic of China (P.R.C.). On the surface, it appears that Gesar re-enters the sight of the general public in China after the Chinese application to UNESCO was successful in 2009, by which the Gesar epic tradition is accepted and inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Immediately following the recognition from UNESCO, the Chinese publication of, on, and about Gesar exponentially thrived. All these celebrations of Gesar sounded so merry and joyous that it almost seemed a natural gesture by UNESCO, without taking into account the role of the Chinese State Apparatuses. Therefore, it is necessary to contextualize this event within the long and winding six decades of history of Gesar study in China, which has always been impossible to separate from political intentions. Constituted and powered by a gigantic and complex socio-cultural and political mechanism, which has been in motion behind the scenes long before 2009, many of these seemingly natural and spontaneous progressions of the modern image or representation of Gesar as a collective whole have always been carefully crafted. The main goal of the thesis is to identify the national ideology governing Gesar, and to show how the three main active sectors, which consist of the government, academia, and the publishing world, interact, function as, and formulate themselves into what Althusser describes as Ideological State Apparatuses, in order to reterritorialize Tibet and Tibetan culture through representing Gesar. Lastly, the final chapter is dedicated to efforts made, no matter how feeble, scattered, or spontaneous, struggling to deterritorialize the Chinese representation supported and endorsed by the hegemonic Ideological State Apparatuses.Show less
Een analyse naar de berichtgeving over de zwarte Amerikaanse soldaat in de jaren zestig van de 20e eeuw. De analyse heeft betrekking op de New York Times, de (New) Pittsburgh Courier, Jet Magazine...Show moreEen analyse naar de berichtgeving over de zwarte Amerikaanse soldaat in de jaren zestig van de 20e eeuw. De analyse heeft betrekking op de New York Times, de (New) Pittsburgh Courier, Jet Magazine en Negro Digest.Show less
