Bachelor thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (BSc)
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This thesis takes a look at colourblindness, a phenomenon that is often heralded as being one solution for racism and, by specifically focusing on colourblindness in everyday formal and informal...Show moreThis thesis takes a look at colourblindness, a phenomenon that is often heralded as being one solution for racism and, by specifically focusing on colourblindness in everyday formal and informal talk, looks at how colourblindness guarantees the unhindered continued existence of structural racism. The thesis also takes a closer look at the effects of colourblindness on different social actors.Show less
This thesis examines the hard line drug policy adopted by the government of the far-right, former Brazilian president Jair Bolsnaro. A 2021 report published by the International Drug Policy...Show moreThis thesis examines the hard line drug policy adopted by the government of the far-right, former Brazilian president Jair Bolsnaro. A 2021 report published by the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) investigated the national drug policies of 30 countries and ranked Brazil in last place in relation to the compatibility of its drug policies with UN recommendations. Drawing upon the arguments of scholars involved within the academic debate surrounding the “War on Drugs,” this thesis addresses the ideological motivations behind Bolsonaro’s drug policy through an analysis of semi-structured interviews carried out with four Brazilian drug policy experts. Ultimately, the conclusions of this research are that the hard line drug policies of the Jair Bolsonaro government were motivated by a desire to maintain a system of control and domination over racial minorities. Additionally, the adoption of policies to legally and economically strengthen the drug rehabilitation institutions run by Bolsonaro’s evangelical allies can be understood as a political ploy to increase the societal influence and power of his supporters.Show less
This thesis offers a close reading of Yaa Gyasi’s historical fiction novel Homegoing, which is set from roughly the eighteenth century until the end of the twentieth century. It explores identity...Show moreThis thesis offers a close reading of Yaa Gyasi’s historical fiction novel Homegoing, which is set from roughly the eighteenth century until the end of the twentieth century. It explores identity theories of double consciousness, the white gaze, and generational trauma to examine how historical events have affected the identity of the characters in the American narrative. This essay also underscores how the novel depicts the effects of systemic racism on African American identity. It concludes that the characters' struggle with identification is tied to the loss of their ancestry, which forces them to forge a new culture and identity. Marcus, the final character of the novel, heals the trauma inflicted on his lineage by returning to his ancestral home.Show less
In February 2022, the worst humanitarian and refugee crisis since 1940 unfolded in Europe, following the Russian war against Ukraine (OECD International Migration Outlook 2022, 4). In 2015 already,...Show moreIn February 2022, the worst humanitarian and refugee crisis since 1940 unfolded in Europe, following the Russian war against Ukraine (OECD International Migration Outlook 2022, 4). In 2015 already, Europe had faced a sharp increase in demands for asylum, following the Syrian civil war. Immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers have been generally marginalized in recent years in Europe, through an ‘us and them’ rhetoric. The welcoming of Ukrainian refugees however, demonstrated a never seen before impetus for support and integration, proving the European ability to set up effective and quick responses to humanitarian crisis. Why then, were such means never deployed before? Why did European member-states never demonstrate a similar level of cohesion before? And what does that say about the ways in which the European Commission sets its migration policies? This thesis will shed light on the European Commission’s setting of policy- responses on migration, through a comparative study of the Syrian and Ukrainian migration crises, to explore the potential ‘double-standard’ on refugees.Show less
This thesis offers a close reading of Yaa Gyasi’s historical fiction novel Homegoing, which is set from roughly the eighteenth century until the end of the twentieth century. It explores identity...Show moreThis thesis offers a close reading of Yaa Gyasi’s historical fiction novel Homegoing, which is set from roughly the eighteenth century until the end of the twentieth century. It explores identity theories of double consciousness, the white gaze, and generational trauma to examine how historical events have affected the identity of the characters in the American narrative. This essay also underscores how the novel depicts the effects of systemic racism on African American identity. It concludes that the characters' struggle with identification is tied to the loss of their ancestry, which forces them to forge a new culture and identity. Marcus, the final character of the novel, heals the trauma inflicted on his lineage by returning to his ancestral home.Show less
This thesis offers a close reading of Yaa Gyasi’s historical fiction novel Homegoing, which is set from roughly the eighteenth century until the end of the twentieth century. It explores identity...Show moreThis thesis offers a close reading of Yaa Gyasi’s historical fiction novel Homegoing, which is set from roughly the eighteenth century until the end of the twentieth century. It explores identity theories of double consciousness, the white gaze, and generational trauma to examine how historical events have affected the identity of the characters in the American narrative. This essay also underscores how the novel depicts the effects of systemic racism on African American identity. It concludes that the characters' struggle with identification is tied to the loss of their ancestry, which forces them to forge a new culture and identity. Marcus, the final character of the novel, heals the trauma inflicted on his lineage by returning to his ancestral home.Show less
This thesis offers a close reading of Yaa Gyasi’s historical fiction novel Homegoing, which is set from roughly the eighteenth century until the end of the twentieth century. It explores identity...Show moreThis thesis offers a close reading of Yaa Gyasi’s historical fiction novel Homegoing, which is set from roughly the eighteenth century until the end of the twentieth century. It explores identity theories of double consciousness, the white gaze, and generational trauma to examine how historical events have affected the identity of the characters in the American narrative. This essay also underscores how the novel depicts the effects of systemic racism on African American identity. It concludes that the characters' struggle with identification is tied to the loss of their ancestry, which forces them to forge a new culture and identity. Marcus, the final character of the novel, heals the trauma inflicted on his lineage by returning to his ancestral home.Show less
In 1989, a rape of a white woman in Central Park became one of the most publicized cases in American history. This thesis focuses on the Central Park Five and how the New York Times and the...Show moreIn 1989, a rape of a white woman in Central Park became one of the most publicized cases in American history. This thesis focuses on the Central Park Five and how the New York Times and the Washington Post described and presented the boys in the media storm. In what way did the New York Times and the Washington Post frame the Central Park Five around the trial, meaning before, during, and after the exoneration in 2002 and the settlement with the city of New York in 2014? Previous research concerning this case study has primarily focused on details of the case and other aspects. This research uses framing theory and the White Racial Frame to show patterns of racial frames in the two newspapers. The research shows that while the racial narratives were prevalent around the trial, they became less visible after decades had passed. This thesis demonstrates that how the boys were depicted was highly influenced by their time. With the years going by, the frame changed as well. In the end, the men were viewed positively instead of demonized.Show less
Confederate symbols are still used by many Southerners these days. The use of these symbols are researched and discussed by many scholars before. However none have used the theory of cultural...Show moreConfederate symbols are still used by many Southerners these days. The use of these symbols are researched and discussed by many scholars before. However none have used the theory of cultural memory to describe these cultural activities. In this thesis, with the help of Cultural memory theories, the use of Confederate symbols will be explained with the help of three different case studies.Show less
After Al Smith became the Democratic standard-bearer at the Democratic National Convention of 1928, Raskob was entrusted with the important position of chair of the Democratic National Committee ...Show moreAfter Al Smith became the Democratic standard-bearer at the Democratic National Convention of 1928, Raskob was entrusted with the important position of chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Having a Catholic presidential nominee was unprecedented in the white, Protestant politics of the 1920s United States, and Smith doubled down on this by granting the Catholic capitalist Raskob an influential position in the Democratic Party. This led to a storm of anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant bigotry that began raging in the Southern and Western states, once Democratic strongholds. But their Catholicism was not the only unprecedented aspect of this political team, as Smith and Raskob were both also adamantly opposed to Prohibition. Raskob even was a board member of the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment (AAPA) in 1928 and played a crucial role in affecting Smith’s views on this issue, as this thesis argues and proves. Smith and Raskob shared the belief that it was anti-Catholic bigotry and opposition to immigrant communities that had been heavily influential in creating the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the one that banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors within the country. Their ideas proved to be correct. In fact, when the Eighteenth Amendment was enforced through the famous Volstead Act of 1920, Catholic, immigrant, African-American, and lower-class communities in urban areas were disproportionately targeted. These ethnic and religious aspects of American Prohibition helped shape and cement the alliance of Smith and Raskob and impacted both Republican and Democratic voting blocs greatly when Smith ran for president in 1928.Show less
Current global movements have emphasized the institutionalized problem of colourism that structurally disadvantage people of colour. In Indonesia, the Melanesians, a marginalized group of dark...Show moreCurrent global movements have emphasized the institutionalized problem of colourism that structurally disadvantage people of colour. In Indonesia, the Melanesians, a marginalized group of dark-skinned people from East-Indonesia, find themselves in a Southeast Asian society that embraces a beauty standard of fair skin. This exposes the already marginalized group to a society that encourages colourism. This thesis attempts to research to what extent colourism within the beauty standards contributes to the marginalization of their position within Indonesian society over the last two decades. Furthermore, this thesis analyses the establishment of colourism within the Southeast Asian beauty standard, as well as why the Melanesians have been in a marginalized position since the Indonesian dependence.Show less
The thesis examines the shift in exclusion mechanisms used by British slaveholders in order to prove that modern racism originated from transatlantic slavery and more specifically: British America....Show moreThe thesis examines the shift in exclusion mechanisms used by British slaveholders in order to prove that modern racism originated from transatlantic slavery and more specifically: British America. It does this by comparing the dominant exclusion factors over time. We can see a shift from religious arguments to a transition period, wherein religious and racial arguments mix with one another to form truly racial justifications for black enslavement in the end. The thesis also compares British American and Iberian exclusion mechanisms to pinpoint the location of origin to British America and to explore the different forms of racial prejudice in both worlds.Show less
In this thesis, the background of the modern War on Drugs in the United States is explained. Guided by the research question: ‘’How did the American Elites in the United States use the existential...Show moreIn this thesis, the background of the modern War on Drugs in the United States is explained. Guided by the research question: ‘’How did the American Elites in the United States use the existential threat of drugs to securitize racial minorities between 1873 and 1938?’’, this thesis is written. By analyzing 12 articles of the New York Times, guided by the principles of the social constructivism and securitization, the thesis tries to prove racist motives in the War on Drugs. Between 1875 and 1937, three populations have been subject of racism, with drugs as an excuse to hide these racist motives. By linking opiates to the Chinese population, the American Elites found an excuse to discriminate the Chinese population by means of drugs legislation between 1875 and 1900. Shortly after, crack cocaine was heavily illegalised, since it could be linked to the Black population using it. From the 1920's on, Mexicans and Marijuana were closely framed together, before Marijuana legislation passed in Congress. This thesis proves that a collaboration between the New York Times and powerful actors in the United States resulted rather in a war on race instead of a War on Drugs.Show less
By analysing incidents in Italian football stadiums since 2000, this thesis explores whether the approach of the Italian authorities to combat racism has been effective over the past two decades....Show moreBy analysing incidents in Italian football stadiums since 2000, this thesis explores whether the approach of the Italian authorities to combat racism has been effective over the past two decades. Furthermore, the research identifies what form of racism is most common in Italian football and which supporter groups have been involved in most of the racist incidents in the 21th century. The goal of this study is to determine if the Italian Football Federation and the Italian authorities have dealt with racism in Italian football between 2000 and 2018 effectively.Show less
This thesis explores how two novels lead the white liberal reader to recognize institutional racism in the American context. The main argument is that these novels, The Sellout by Paul Beatty (2015...Show moreThis thesis explores how two novels lead the white liberal reader to recognize institutional racism in the American context. The main argument is that these novels, The Sellout by Paul Beatty (2015) and Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2013), redefine racism and how it functions in society for a white liberal audience. These novels guide the reader to compare two different definitions of racism, and how they operate in American society.Show less
Where do the European Court of Justice and national tribunals draw the line between freedom of speech and the protection of minorities? How is social coherence in democratic societies pursued if...Show moreWhere do the European Court of Justice and national tribunals draw the line between freedom of speech and the protection of minorities? How is social coherence in democratic societies pursued if linguistic insults drive a wedge between citizens? Recent attempts to ban hate speech, court cases on Holocaust denials, and the condemnation of comedy expressions reveal the vibrant intersection of freedom of expression and hate speech. With the aim of providing an outlook on the juridical, political, and ideological future of EU member-states, this thesis investigates some of the implications of attempts to legally enforce speech. Focusing on the prosecution of Geert Wilders since 2014, I argue that the victim of hate speech is always influenced by a historicity that exceeds the present, regardless of context. Furthermore, I will state that the roots of insults lie in the antagonisms of modern democratic societies that encapsulate latent enmity and a lack of tolerance. I therefore propose to address hurt through public debate and not law, since the latter is a mere regulatory instrument of human behavior. Finally, the criminalization of speech narrows the space for debate and ignores and reinforces societal antagonisms: the deep-rooted cause of distrust and conflict that is once to blossom.Show less