This thesis aims to find an answer to the question: “How is Korea’s religious pluralism represented in Korean popular media?” This topic has only been looked at in literary research. Because of...Show moreThis thesis aims to find an answer to the question: “How is Korea’s religious pluralism represented in Korean popular media?” This topic has only been looked at in literary research. Because of this, this thesis makes use of other means to research this subject, with a particular focus on South Korean television dramas. This is done by analysis of multiple scenes from South Korean drama television shows. These scenes each had an element that fit into the broader category of religious pluralism. The categories used in this research are: religious people using parts of other religions/belief systems, non-religious people using parts of religions/belief systems, and religions/belief systems coexisting side by side. The research shows that while all three of these types of scenes are represented, the most represented type of scene in this analysis is of non-religious people using parts of religions/belief systems.Show less
The 2014 Spitzenkandidaten procedure for nominating a candidate for the European Commission Presidency sought to render the (s)election process more democratically legitimate. However, despite its...Show moreThe 2014 Spitzenkandidaten procedure for nominating a candidate for the European Commission Presidency sought to render the (s)election process more democratically legitimate. However, despite its successful emergence, 2019 saw the repudiation of the Spitzenkandidaten. Adopting a multi-method approach that speaks to current literature on the EU’s perceived democratic deficit, this thesis highlights that from pluralist, libertarian, social democratic, and deliberative democracy perspectives the 2014 Spitzenkandidaten improved the democratic legitimacy of the Commission Presidency, reducing the EU’s democratic deficit. This thesis further finds that the repudiation of the Spitzenkandidaten in 2019 constituted a retraction of this democratic legitimacy from three of the four philosophical perspectives, expanding the democratic deficit accordingly. Utilising the insights of MEPs further enhances these findings, grounding them in theoretical and practical terms. As one of the initial studies that have analysed the impact of the Spitzenkandidaten following its repudiation in 2019, this research holds significant potential to inform our understanding of the current shape of contemporary European democracy and the EU’s democratic deficit.Show less
The thesis examines the Chinese concept of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind (CSFM) and how it fits into the Gramscian theory of international hegemony both theoretically and practically. To...Show moreThe thesis examines the Chinese concept of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind (CSFM) and how it fits into the Gramscian theory of international hegemony both theoretically and practically. To do this, the thesis examines various theories of hegemony and finds them to rely on universalism, the production of consent, and homogeneity. This runs contrary to the pluralistic CSFM. Theoretically, the two concepts do not match. The practical side relies on the examination of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) documents and the Beijing Declaration from the First South-South Human Rights Forum. The thesis here finds that these two are linked to CSFM. However, due to the theoretical issues in CSFM, such as pluralism and the lack of an ability to absorb counter-hegemonic ideas, CSFM fails as a challenger for world hegemony and to the Gramscian approach to hegemony. It might instead be better suited as a regional hegemonic idea due to a shared common sense in the East Asia region.Show less
This Thesis is a defense for Compulsory Voting. I the light of reasonable pluralism, societies need a moral compromise. In order to faccilitate the forming of a moral compromise widespread...Show moreThis Thesis is a defense for Compulsory Voting. I the light of reasonable pluralism, societies need a moral compromise. In order to faccilitate the forming of a moral compromise widespread political participation is necessary. Compulsory voting faccilitates participation and is thus justifiable.Show less
