Research master thesis | African Studies (research) (MA)
open access
2020-09-01T00:00:00Z
This thesis is an attempt to place the decline of the Marinid Empire in a wider perspective, in order to gain a better understanding of the causes of the decline. Although long considered to be a...Show moreThis thesis is an attempt to place the decline of the Marinid Empire in a wider perspective, in order to gain a better understanding of the causes of the decline. Although long considered to be a weak and ineffective polity in modern historiography, the Marinid Empire was perhaps one of the wealthiest polities of the medieval world. By controlling and facilitating the Trans-Saharan trade networks, the Marinids had access to the largest source of gold in their time, which enabled them to become an important regional polity. Their relative short reign and quick collapse however, cast a shadow over their legacy. But what caused their collapse? This thesis focused on the influence of the Black Death and its possible causative role in the decline of the Trans-Saharan gold trade. By doing so, a series of interesting correlations emerge that suggest that there is a causative relation between the arrival of the Black Death in West Africa, the decline of the Trans Saharan gold trade in the late 14th century and the Marinid decline itself.Show less
This thesis examines the use of Africanness and politics of belonging in Morocco's discourse on its readmission to the African Union in 2017. As Morocco's Africanness became more scrutinized during...Show moreThis thesis examines the use of Africanness and politics of belonging in Morocco's discourse on its readmission to the African Union in 2017. As Morocco's Africanness became more scrutinized during the country's 33-year-long absence from the African Union, the King launched a comprehensive Africa policy to assert its Africanness. To explore the role of Africanness and politics of belonging in Morocco's discourse on readmission, this thesis analyzes a royal speech and ethnographic data collected from fieldwork in Morocco. Morocco selectively claims its Africanness as part of its political project of belonging. In the process, the Kingdom legitimizes its membership in the African Union and its claims on the Western Sahara.Show less
My Thesis deals with the difference in the acculturation processes of Syrians in exile in Morocco and the Netherlands. The main analysis is based on interviews which have been conducted in Morocco...Show moreMy Thesis deals with the difference in the acculturation processes of Syrians in exile in Morocco and the Netherlands. The main analysis is based on interviews which have been conducted in Morocco and the Netherlands with Syrians who sought refuge in the respective countries to compare the personal experiences while taking into consideration different policy matters, legal questions, and cultural differences. These interviews were then analysed through the theoretical framework of acculturation to answer the research question. Acculturation as theoretical framework is composed of four different strategies for intercultural contact. The core of the acculturation strategies is based on how much of the cultural heritage an individual is willing or forced to leave behind to achieve the desired acculturation strategy. The first presented strategy is termed separation, which applies when an individual holds on to the heritage culture and avoids intercultural contact. Secondly, the assimilation strategy applies when the individual seeks daily contact with new cultures and does not maintain the culture of origin. The third strategy is called marginalization which applies when the maintenance of the original culture does not apply and desire to maintain relations with others is missing. The final and most desired acculturation strategy is termed integration and applies when an individual seeks intercultural contact but also maintains the culture of origin. Morocco and The Netherlands were chosen because of a great difference in geopolitics which influence the process of acculturation for the Syrians residing in these two countries.Show less
Irregular migration to the European Union is not a new phenomenon. For decades, migrants have crossed the external borders of the Union illegally, hoping to find a better life. With the abolishment...Show moreIrregular migration to the European Union is not a new phenomenon. For decades, migrants have crossed the external borders of the Union illegally, hoping to find a better life. With the abolishment of internal border controls in the European Union, the necessity for increased protection of the external borders arose. This became especially clear when after the Arab Spring uprisings an unprecedented amount of people made their way to Europe, culminating in the 2015 European migration crisis. The response of the EU and its Member States entailed policies of deterrence and entry-prevention. Furthermore, agreements were made with third countries in order to stem the migration flows. These agreements effectively externalised migration control beyond the borders of Europe. In this comparative case study, the bilateral migration control agreements between Italy and Libya, and between Spain and Morocco are analysed, with the aim of assessing the impact of these agreements on the human rights of migrants residing in North Africa. The study suggests that through the bilateral agreements, externalisation of migration control is facilitated, which in turn has resulted in a crackdown on irregular migration, with severe consequences for the perception and treatment of irregular migrants in North Africa.Show less
This thesis discusses natural resource exploitation in the Western-Sahara through 3 themes: international organization, Morocco's elite & international capital.
The European Union (EU) is an incomparable actor in international relations. Due to its unique nature, many academics have attempted to define and establish a typology to describe how the EU acts...Show moreThe European Union (EU) is an incomparable actor in international relations. Due to its unique nature, many academics have attempted to define and establish a typology to describe how the EU acts at the world stage. One of the EU’s stronger tools to influence its surrounding countries is its market. Through the carrot of market access and stick of market exclusion, the EU is able to pursue a foreign affairs agenda. This study focusses on the discourse between the EU and its southern neighbour, Morocco, regarding the inclusion of non-trade issues (NTI) in trade agreements. The analysis traces the development of NTIs, by exploring and comparing their role in the two trade deals that have been concluded in the broader context of EU-Morocco relations. The discourse between EU officials and the Moroccan Kingdom is analysed to identify the frame that was employed vis-à-vis NTIs. The analysis demonstrates that both the EU and Morocco employ NTIs. However, the instrumentalisation of NTIs has also proven to be flexible, as they are employed to achieve divergent objectives. On the one hand, the EU portrays itself as a benign organisation that is willing to assist Morocco in its development. On the other hand, Morocco has demonstrated that it drives a hard bargain, as it employs a more business-like discourse in its relationship with the EU than the EU.Show less
The Neolithic is a period in the history of mankind that is characterized by the emergence of pottery, domesticated animals and domesticated plants. Researchers believe that the Neolithic has its...Show moreThe Neolithic is a period in the history of mankind that is characterized by the emergence of pottery, domesticated animals and domesticated plants. Researchers believe that the Neolithic has its origins in the Fertile Crescent, which is based on the oldest recorded dates of domesticated plants and animals found there. From this point, the ‘Neolithic package’ has spread across the globe. As of 2019, there are a large number of academic debates revolving around the route of dispersal of the ‘Neolithic package’ from its earliest starting point. One of these debates revolves around the way in which agriculture has reached Northwest Africa, or more specifically, Morocco. Since agriculture is one of the primary components of the ‘Neolithic package’, the author will put a large emphasis on this topic in this research. The spread and emergence of agriculture will be researched through archaeobotanical research, with an emphasis on macrobotany. Macrobotany is a subfield within botany and revolves around investigating plant macrofossils to learn more about topics such as: past environments, past traderoutes, past diets and so on. Plant macrofossils are generally not transported very far from time of sediment deposition, thus enabling accurate descriptions of past environments and vegetation types. This thesis will use archaeobotanical data generated from a Neolithic site in Oued-Beth, which is a site in the vicinity of Rabat and Meknes. The main objective of this thesis is to use this archaeobotanical data within the existing framework created by past archaeobotanical research in Morocco, in order to better understand the process of Neolithisation in Morocco.Show less
This thesis explores how the dynamics of Spanish-Moroccan relations are playing themselves out at the level of the subject in the Ceuta and Melilla border fences. These dynamics are studied through...Show moreThis thesis explores how the dynamics of Spanish-Moroccan relations are playing themselves out at the level of the subject in the Ceuta and Melilla border fences. These dynamics are studied through the irregular trade happening at the border and the women who engage in it, the porteadoras. To answer this question, I draw on the Foucauldian concepts of (international) biopolitics and docile bodies. These concepts facilitate an exploration of the border dynamics produced by its international biopolitics and the power-relations marked by gender and economic factors are influencing and shaping the lives of the Moroccan porteadoras. I argue that the biopolitics of the border work on those who from the inside have put into place a legislation system to economically benefit the enclaves and the bordering provinces. In these dynamics of power and economy, the bodies of the porteadoras become to an extent “docile” due to the mechanism of the biopolitical border alongside their condition as women and their lack of economic resources.Show less
This thesis sheds light on Moroccan governance actors’ perspectives on the multi-level governance of boat people in the Western Mediterranean. The central argument is that the inclusion of third...Show moreThis thesis sheds light on Moroccan governance actors’ perspectives on the multi-level governance of boat people in the Western Mediterranean. The central argument is that the inclusion of third countries’ perspectives on EU’s external border and migration policy is crucial to enhance the understanding of governance realities. The research question is: How did the Moroccan state and civil society react to the increasingly multi-leveled and externalized EU migration governance from 1992 to 2013, in the context of irregular migration by boat? During a field study in Morocco, eleven interviews were conducted with (former) officials, national and international NGO´s. In a chronological analysis, migration and external border policies by the EU, Morocco and Spain are assessed and contrasted with statements from Moroccan stakeholders. Furthermore, this paper examines the agency of Moroccan governance actors in implementation and negotiation processes. The main findings are discussed in relation to the ‘gap hypothesis’, ‘mobility regimes’ and migration as a ‘bargaining chip’ in negotiations.Show less
