This master thesis looks at the relationship between weaponized interdependence and global security. Powerful states in a network create a weapon of their interdependence to make a situation...Show moreThis master thesis looks at the relationship between weaponized interdependence and global security. Powerful states in a network create a weapon of their interdependence to make a situation beneficial while exploiting or leveraging other states. Many researchers have written about the topic of interdependence, but there has not been a lot of academic attention to weaponized interdependence yet. The thesis builds on relevant literature to create five hypotheses that are favourable for weaponized interdependence having a negative influence on global security. The study is conducted using statistical analysis with data retrieved from various publicly available datasets, being converted into panel data. 211 countries are observed over a time frame from 1990 to 2007. This is done with Random Effects models for Linear and Logistic Regressions. The analysis finds no consistently significant results for the five hypotheses. There are some effects that have shown to be significant. However, these are either contradictory with the hypotheses or with the other variables, resulting in not being able to provide a concise answer to the research question.Show less
This study examines the role of the personality trait Honesty-Humility in predicting cooperation, competition, and peace in social dilemmas, using a novel economic game called the Co-Peace Game....Show moreThis study examines the role of the personality trait Honesty-Humility in predicting cooperation, competition, and peace in social dilemmas, using a novel economic game called the Co-Peace Game. While cooperation has been extensively studied, this research delves into the less explored aspects of competition and peace. We hypothesised that Honesty-Humility would have a positive relation with cooperation and a negative relation with competition, while predicting a reluctance to invest in the peace pool. We used an experimental economic game study design, participants (N =198) played eight rounds of the Co-Peace Game. A regression analysis was used to test our hypotheses. As expected, individuals with higher Honesty–Humility tendencies, cooperated more compared to individuals with lower Honesty–Humility tendencies. Surprisingly, results did not find a significant relation between Honesty-Humility with competition or peace. The research emphasises the complexity of personality traits in influencing social behaviours and offers valuable insights for future research.Show less
This thesis aims to discuss how modern-day sanctions came to be. It argues that sanctions are a direct result of World War One Entente economic and financial policies towards the central powers,...Show moreThis thesis aims to discuss how modern-day sanctions came to be. It argues that sanctions are a direct result of World War One Entente economic and financial policies towards the central powers, which were then repurposed to be used in peace time after the war as an instrument to enforce the will of the newly established League of Nations.Show less
This research is about the local significance of the Pacification of Ghent in Utrecht between 1576 and 1581. It argues that the Pacification was the crucial treaty for the participation of the...Show moreThis research is about the local significance of the Pacification of Ghent in Utrecht between 1576 and 1581. It argues that the Pacification was the crucial treaty for the participation of the States and city of Utrecht in the Dutch Revolt because of its lack of coherency and clarity. This thesis explores the competing narratives about the meaning of this peace. The analysis focusses on the interests of different groups in city and the reinterpretations of the peace terms in the Pacification within the rapidly developing circumstances of the Dutch Revolt. The main argument is that the act of oblivion in the Pacification was the tacit driving force behind the competition of narratives about legitimacy. The Pacification successfully offered a tabula rasa for the previous decade and became the most important reference for peace negotiation between 1576 and 1581. The “originalist” narrative tried to stay with the Pacification terms as intended when it was signed in 1576; the “clarifying” narrative argued that the cherry-picked peace violations of the royal party – together with the changed circumstances – necessitated an elaboration of the original peace treaty; the “abnegation” narrative used these cherry-picked peace violations of the royal party to highlight the obsolesce of the treaty and framed the treaty’s failure as a reason to abjure king Philip. This last narrative flipped the Pacification on its head; the new continuity with the present was not based on the treaty’s terms but on its violation and frame of belonging to the past.Show less
This thesis aims to answer the question: “How can states balance their peace-justice dilemma’s in the Russia-Ukraine conflict?” It will take a qualitative case study approach using primary and...Show moreThis thesis aims to answer the question: “How can states balance their peace-justice dilemma’s in the Russia-Ukraine conflict?” It will take a qualitative case study approach using primary and secondary data and analyze how various levels of state intervention impact the peacejustice dilemmas states face when intervening in a conflict. This thesis will provide a comprehensive review of the existing literature on the topic and create a theoretical framework from which to analyze the case. This research finds that although various levels of state intervention can have a certain degree of impact on a state’s peace-justice dilemma, there is no “perfect” solution to the dilemma as it remains present to some degree.Show less
The thesis attempts a theoretical approach to the peace process of President Juan Manuel Santos with the FARC (revolutionary armed forces of Colombia) guerrilla. The FARC guerrilla is the oldest in...Show moreThe thesis attempts a theoretical approach to the peace process of President Juan Manuel Santos with the FARC (revolutionary armed forces of Colombia) guerrilla. The FARC guerrilla is the oldest in the continent, and different international actors participated in the peace process. The thesis delves into various aspects of the Colombian conflict that are crucial for the proper understanding of the peace process with FARC. In order to study the peace process of President Santos and the FARC, this thesis compares previous peace processes with the guerrilla movement and especially investigates the role and influence of kidnappings on the peace processes as Kidnappings play an important role, not only in recent peace negotiations with the guerrilla but also in the intensification of the conflict.Show less
