The goal of this thesis is to focus on the Greek women of Istanbul and how all these political events influenced their lives, while also providing an analysis of their language choices and their...Show moreThe goal of this thesis is to focus on the Greek women of Istanbul and how all these political events influenced their lives, while also providing an analysis of their language choices and their status in the society of Istanbul. The analyses will be based on a set of letters of written by Sophia to her daughter Elpida who moved from Istanbul to Netherlands in 1954. In addition to these letters, other sources of data include interviews of five Istanbul Greek women, information from the Society of Greeks of Istanbul and books that have collected testimonies, newspaper articles and report of the Greek consul and speeches of Turkish officials. It can be concluded from all these source materials that the Greek women of Istanbul were unequivocally influenced by the political events of 1940’s, 1950’s and 1960’s in distinctive ways.Show less
An International Studies bachelor thesis on the role of the ‘Ecuador’ mural (1952), by Oswaldo Guayasamín, in representing minorities in twentieth-century Ecuador.
Democratization of previously closed states is often lauded; however, it is an unstable process at the same time. This is also the case for Myanmar, especially for the Rohingya minority group that...Show moreDemocratization of previously closed states is often lauded; however, it is an unstable process at the same time. This is also the case for Myanmar, especially for the Rohingya minority group that reside in the Northern Rakhine state. In the fall of 2017, they were the victims of the biggest persecution of a minority group in the world in which 700.000 people fled over the border to Bangladesh, and an unknown number became internally displaced. This heavy persecution interferes with the period of democratization, something that is striking considering the emphasize on values such as freedom and equality in democracy. In my thesis, the research question will be: Does democratization help in protecting minority rights in Myanmar? It is argued that the absence of power sharing arrangements in Myanmar politics led to the persecution of the Rohingya minority. After the research, it could be concluded that the power sharing arrangements are not completely missing, yet, even the arrangements that are in place are not applicable to the Rohingya. The Rohingya minority became victim of persecution because there were no power sharing arrangements for them in specific that could give them a voice in politics and a political identity in order to mitigate the ethnic tensions.Show less
A comparative study comparing regional and minority language policies in Spain, Italy and the European Union. Particular focus on language policies in Italian and Spanish regions, regarding French,...Show moreA comparative study comparing regional and minority language policies in Spain, Italy and the European Union. Particular focus on language policies in Italian and Spanish regions, regarding French, German, Galician, Catalan and Basque. Topics include historical Spanish and Italian language policies, European language policies and frameworks.Show less
Between 1975-9 the Khmer Rouge led a genocidal regime in Cambodia, targeting minorities - including the Cham Muslim population - in particular. Using transcripts from the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, this...Show moreBetween 1975-9 the Khmer Rouge led a genocidal regime in Cambodia, targeting minorities - including the Cham Muslim population - in particular. Using transcripts from the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, this thesis argues that cultural arguments to explain gender-based violence only hold ground up to a certain point. Beyond this, it is more useful to view gender-based violence as a product of its genocidal conflict. This latter argument is made by comparing the Khmer Rouge period to East Timor and Islamic State.Show less
This paper explores the divisive impact of official collective memory upon the position of the Kurdish minority in the Turkish society. Contextualized in the recent upsurge of violence in Turkey,...Show moreThis paper explores the divisive impact of official collective memory upon the position of the Kurdish minority in the Turkish society. Contextualized in the recent upsurge of violence in Turkey, this paper emphasises the role of memory in constructing conflict. Turkish official collective memory cultivates anxiety concerning the ‘other’ through emphasising religious or ethnic differences with the majority, ethnic Turks. The impact of Turkish official collective memory does not go unchallenged, Halil Altindere, a Turkish Kurdish artist presents a counter-memory to the state in his critical artwork «Welcome to the Land of the Lost ». Altindere’s artwork in the form of postage stamps, depicts the missing faces and names of twelve victims of the 17,000 missing under state custody in the 1990s. Unrecognised and unremembered, Altindere undermines official collective memory by depicting state violence to the Turkish audience. This paper outlines how Altindere’s work diverges from official collective memory, by calling for commemoration, recognition, and acceptance of minorities in Turkish society. Altindere’s protest against official collective memory engages the Turkish public, by questioning their anxiety in their identity and the ‘other’.Show less
This paper looks at whether something more than the system of individual rights is required to uphold justice for the members of immigrant minority groups in liberal democracies and states. Chapter...Show moreThis paper looks at whether something more than the system of individual rights is required to uphold justice for the members of immigrant minority groups in liberal democracies and states. Chapter 1 of the paper looks at whether group membership in general provides value for individuals, because if it does not then there is no need for extra protection, as it is not desirable. On the basis that groups and group membership is valuable in some way, chapter 2 examines whether any extra protection is required, and if so what forms it could exist in. The overall argument of the paper is that while group membership is on the whole valuable for individuals, no extra system of group rights is required to ensure that justice is upheld for the members of minority groups. Groups cannot make claims as separate entities, as the only entitlements they are able to claim are on behalf of their individual members. The existing system of individual rights and universal standards of justice is sufficient as it stands.Show less
In Leiden heeft de nieuwe coalitie die ontstond na de gemeenteraadsverkiezingen van 2010 een kort coalitieakkoord in het leven geroepen, wat breekt met de geschiedenis van lange coalitieakkoorden...Show moreIn Leiden heeft de nieuwe coalitie die ontstond na de gemeenteraadsverkiezingen van 2010 een kort coalitieakkoord in het leven geroepen, wat breekt met de geschiedenis van lange coalitieakkoorden die de gemeenteraad van leiden heeft. Dit korte akkoord had als doel om de scheidslijn coalitie/oppositie te doen verminderen. Na het maken van een grote dataset met alle raadsbesluiten, moties en amendementen vanaf 2006, is het mogelijk om een wetenschappelijk oordeel te geven over deze poging. Dit onderzoek laat door kwantitatieve methoden, die meerdere aspecten van de coalitie-oppositiescheidslijn belichten, zien dat er inderdaad een correlatie bestaat tussen een kort coalitieakkoord en een vermindering van de scheidslijn van de coalitie. Op het spoor gezet door andere literatuur blijkt dat waarschijnlijk een andere factor ook veel effect heeft op de scheidslijn coalitie-oppositie: de ideologische diversiteit van de partijen in de coalitie.Show less
