This thesis investigates the problem of Affinity Bias in recruitment processes, particularly in Dutch public organizations. Affinity Bias refers to the tendency for recruiters to favor candidates...Show moreThis thesis investigates the problem of Affinity Bias in recruitment processes, particularly in Dutch public organizations. Affinity Bias refers to the tendency for recruiters to favor candidates with similar backgrounds or characteristics, resulting in hiring decisions based on personal preferences rather than qualifications, skills, and experience. This bias can have a detrimental effect on diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace. The thesis aims to identify Affinity Bias’s manifestation in recruitment and selection processes and its impact on Dutch Public Organizations. The theoretical model proposed in this paper builds on existing literature on Diversity and Inclusion, Recruitment and Selection Processes, Social Identity Theory, and Affinity Bias. The inductive research design applies interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore how public sector recruiters make sense of their experiences through Semi-Structured Interviews. This thesis aims to contribute to the existing literature on Affinity Bias and its interrelation with the Social Identity Theory, as well as provide empirical evidence on the presence of affinity bias in Dutch public organizations, extending existing knowledge by exploring a model in a new context and a different population, and providing practical implications for public organizations in the Netherlands and beyond.Show less
This paper explores ways in which diaspora communities play a role in the spread of terrorism to Western countries. This is done by answering the following research question “In what ways do...Show moreThis paper explores ways in which diaspora communities play a role in the spread of terrorism to Western countries. This is done by answering the following research question “In what ways do diaspora communities play a role in the propagation of terrorism within Western countries?”. This question is researched through the use of a secondary qualitative content analysis. In order to explore and answer the question in depth the distinction of various chapter topics is made. Chapter 1, takes a closer look at the case study of the Paris Attacks in 2015, to analyse the involvement of diaspora groups in the context of a terrorist attack. While combining it with the problem of migration which identifies some indirect roles that diaspora communities play in the propagation of terrorism. Chapter 2, focuses on social media and recruitment and their impact on diaspora communities, by exploring the vulnerability they create for such communities. Lastly Chapter 3, focuses on the interactions of diaspora communities with Western countries. It further looks at diasporas’ (migrants) lack of ability to properly integrate in their host countries (Western countries), leading to diasporas playing a more important role in the spread of terrorism. This chapter also looks at the specific behaviours that diasporas display which impact the role they play, such as the intentional funding and support of terrorist groups. All these chapters are used to come to the conclusion that there are many indirect and direct pushing factors which lead the diasporas to play a role in the propagation of terrorism in Western countries.Show less
Although jihadist organisations envisage a society segregated by roles between the sexes, they increasingly turn to women in pursuit of their goals. This is a double-edged sword for jihadist...Show moreAlthough jihadist organisations envisage a society segregated by roles between the sexes, they increasingly turn to women in pursuit of their goals. This is a double-edged sword for jihadist organisations: while female recruits increase the pool of followers, the discrepancy between their patriarchal ideology and women’s enlistment may have implications for their legitimacy. Whereas explanations have been offered as to how jihadists resort to patriarchal gender beliefs to legitimise their exclusion of women, questions remain regarding how jihadist groups use gender to legitimise their inclusion of women. Increased understanding of this gender component may yield insight into the organisational structure of jihadist organisations and their future direction regarding female recruits. Exploring the case of ISIS, this thesis analyses the extent to which the group adopted a gender perspective in legitimising its recruitment of women between 2015 and 2017. By conducting a critical discourse analysis, three gendered narratives are identified that ISIS employed in justifying its recruitment of women, depicting women as builders of the Ummah, as representatives of Islam and as guardians of the Caliphate. Rather than women challenging its patriarchal hegemony, the narratives illustrate how ISIS used this structure to create a set of gendered incentives and thereby attributed women (violent) agency.Show less
This study focuses on the role that psychological ownership of the organization, organizational identification, and their predictors, play in the willingness of volunteers (i.e., unpaid workers) to...Show moreThis study focuses on the role that psychological ownership of the organization, organizational identification, and their predictors, play in the willingness of volunteers (i.e., unpaid workers) to promote the membership of the non-profit organization and stay a volunteer with the non-profit organization. Also, it is examined whether openness to diversity helps in increasing the willingness of volunteers to promote the membership of the non-profit organization to persons who belong to groups that are currently underrepresented within the organization. We conducted a survey study and the sample of the research included volunteers with different types of volunteer jobs and organizations (n = 84). The data were analyzed with multiple regression analyses, mediation regression analyses, and moderation regression analyses. The main results showed that among volunteers the identification with the organization, but not the psychological ownership of the organization, had a direct and positive relation with respectively willingness to promote and intent to remain. Furthermore, it was found that among volunteers having control within the organization relates directly and positively to psychological ownership of the organization, while self-investment relates directly and positively to identication with the organization and to the intent to remain a volunteer via organizational identification. Finally, it was found that among volunteers openness to diversity as a moderator strengthens the effect of organizational identification on the willingness to promote the membership of the organization to persons who belong to groups that are currently underrepresented within the organization. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings, and limitations of the current study and suggestions for further research, are discussed.Show less
With terrorist attacks still on the rise and several terrorist organizations marginalized, ‘lone wolf terrorism’ and ‘leaderless jihad’ are becoming one of the main strategies adopted by al-Qaeda....Show moreWith terrorist attacks still on the rise and several terrorist organizations marginalized, ‘lone wolf terrorism’ and ‘leaderless jihad’ are becoming one of the main strategies adopted by al-Qaeda. Instead of living and training physically with al-Qaeda, more and more individuals are radicalized in their own country. With an average age of 26, al-Qaeda related lone-wolf terrorists are increasingly recruited online. The accelerating use of the Internet to radicalize and mobilize youth has become crucial for al-Qaeda. Not only does al-Qaeda launch, use and engage with several Jihadist websites, forums and social media, the use of gamification to engage with aspiring jihadists and to encourage violence is one of their newest strategies. And a very savvy one as well (Brachman & Levine, 2011). Where gamification is primarily used online, al-Qaeda uses gamification language offline as well. However, little to no research has been conducted considering the use of gamification language in al-Qaeda’s magazine Inspire. Even though al-Qaeda’s power has been weakened ever since the death of Osama bin Laden, a recent UN report of 2019 still warns that “Al-Qaeda senior leaders are strengthening the network’s global command structure and continuing to encourage attacks against the West” (US Intelligence Community, 2019, p.12). This research examines this question using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and gamification theory. Through this multimodal approach, this thesis analyses how al-Qaeda uses power relations through gamification language in order to create social identities and radicalize and recruit lone wolf terrorists.Show less
Advanced master thesis | Political Science (Advanced Master)
open access
Wartime rape has been part of the armed conflicts from time immemorial. In today’s conflicts, armed groups use rape against the civilian population as a weapon, a tactic, strategy, and a means to...Show moreWartime rape has been part of the armed conflicts from time immemorial. In today’s conflicts, armed groups use rape against the civilian population as a weapon, a tactic, strategy, and a means to exterminating the enemy. Wartime rape is a difficult phenomenon to explain, generalize and ultimately stop given the variance of factors and actors involved. When civil war became the primary form of warfare around the world in the 1990s, wartime rape became one the essential components of prosecuting warfare. The aim of this thesis is to explain the high prevalence of wartime rape in the Great Lakes region of Africa. Drawing on contemporary theories used to explain the rationale behind wartime rape (gender inequality, ethnic hatred, genocidal rape and strategic rape), this thesis argues that the subordinate position of women, ethnic cleavage, the occurrence of genocide and forcible recruitment implying hierarchy increase the level of wartime rape. Using a mixed method, the first stage compromises a statistical analysis exposing the general trends, which are surprisingly contrary to expectation. The subsequent case studies – Rwanda and the DRC – argue that the high level of wartime rape in the Great Lakes region is the result of a spill over effect and all its related implications and complications.Show less
