This thesis is an investigation into the ontological basis of pessimism. I develop a Nietzschean interpretive framework of pessimism, based on a distinction Nietzsche makes between two types of...Show moreThis thesis is an investigation into the ontological basis of pessimism. I develop a Nietzschean interpretive framework of pessimism, based on a distinction Nietzsche makes between two types of pessimism in The Gay Science 370: romantic and Dionysian pessimism. According to Nietzsche, this distinction is based on a dynamic articulated using the language of physiology. This dynamic is either expanding or degenerating. The thesis relates this distinction to Schopenhauer's and Nietzsche's notions of a 'world of appearance' to test if their ontology testifies to a romantic or Dionysian pessimism. Their ontologies are interpreted as either a transfiguration of romantic or Dionysian pessimism. I then develop a reading of Schopenhauer’s pessimistic philosophy. I argue that Schopenhauer’s notion of representation or appearance is central to his metaphysics. I then interpret his punctum pruriens of philosophy as a priori pessimism permeating the whole of Schopenhauer’s philosophy resulting in an ethics of renunciation. I then lay out Nietzsche’s critique of Schopenhauer in the Genealogy, based on the aforementioned physiological dynamic. In the last chapter, I investigate Nietzsche’s world of appearance, characterized as semblance or ‘Schein’. I relate this to Nietzsche’s aesthetics and art as a transfiguration of Dionysian pessimism. However, the question is whether Nietzsche’s philosophy itself is the transfiguration of Dionysian pessimism. I then explain how Nietzsche does this by means of a project of life affirmation through the notions of perspectivism and the will to power.Show less
In the thesis, the research focus was the use of representations of King Saint Stephen (r. 1000/1001-1038), the founder of the Hungarian Kingdom and member of the dynasty of Árpád, by the dynasties...Show moreIn the thesis, the research focus was the use of representations of King Saint Stephen (r. 1000/1001-1038), the founder of the Hungarian Kingdom and member of the dynasty of Árpád, by the dynasties of the Hungarian Angevins and the Hunyadi to legitimize their own rule. Representations were divided into five categories - namely textual, visual, material, heraldic, and performative representation. A comparison was made between the two dynasties of the Hungarian Angevins and the Hunyadi, which lead to the conclusion that under king Matthias Hunyadi (r. 1458-1490), Stephen was represented more effectively and in new forms. This was in spite of the Hungarian Angevins being pioneers in the representation of Stephen, since they had had a greater urgency to legitimize themselves using representation after the previous Árpádian dynasty had ended in 1301. The thesis used a broad selection of source-types - (illuminated) chronicles, frescoes, coins, seals, altarpieces, and church interiors and exteriors - to trace the forms that were given to the representations of Stephen.Show less
Roughly from the beginning of the common era and the late fourth century, the area that now makes up the Netherlands functioned as a frontier zone of the Roman Empire. Its border was the Rhine,...Show moreRoughly from the beginning of the common era and the late fourth century, the area that now makes up the Netherlands functioned as a frontier zone of the Roman Empire. Its border was the Rhine, with the South of the river the territories under Roman rule, while the area to the North was part of an area called Germania by the Romans. The current North-Western Netherlands, consisting of the provinces of Noord-Holland, Friesland and partly Groningen, was the living area of a Germanic people or tribe named the Frisii. For a long time, local peoples at the borders of the Roman Empire have been regarded as a matter of secondary importance in not only the archaeology of the Roman Period but also in the museum context. While various reasoning lay at the basis of this, a crucial factor is the early 19th century concept of romanisation, which disregarded autonomy, authority, and self-identification of those who have been ascribed to the Germanic peoples over ‘being Roman’. In this thesis, as a focused case in the context of the previously mentioned, an exploration is made of the representation of the Frisii. Two questions stand central in this: ▪ How are the Frisii represented in museums in the North-Western Netherlands? ▪ Why are the Frisii (not) represented? These main research questions are subsequently divided into a set of sub-questions, focussing on various aspects of the representations. The study was conducted by analysing three different museums: The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (RMO) in Leiden, Huis van Hilde museum (HvH) in Castricum, and Archeologisch Museum Baduhenna (AMB) in Heiloo. As the living area of the Frisii has been ascribed to both the western and northern Netherlands and the study focuses on the western area, the Fries Museum (FM) in Leeuwarden was chosen as a comparative case study location. These locations were subjected to a thorough investigation, consisting of exhibition and (online) content analyses. Literature research on the background contexts and interviews with professionals from some of the organisations were conducted additionally. The reasoning for the latter was to better understand the motives behind (not)representing the Frisii and the here for chosen methods. As the study indicated, the representation of the Frisii at these locations varied in presentation methods and communicated narratives, underlining different approaches to Roman history, including Roman-centred, presented perspectives versus more autonomous ones. Various motives to represent the Frisii were identified, including the formation of regional identity and the substantiation of national history frames. In this, various forms of archaeological representations, didactic and non-didactic, are used to bring forth the presented narratives. In addition to these (re)presentations, a disarray of terminology was identified and discussed. This study explores all the issues previously mentioned and hopes to create a starting point for critically analysing the representation of local or ‘Germanic’ peoples in the Dutch Museum context, working towards the (re)presentation of a more inclusive Roman history of the Netherlands to the museum public.Show less
Master thesis | European Politics and Society: Vaclav Havel Joint Master Programme
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In recent years, rising concerns about the spread of fake-news and misinformation across liberal democracies have gained academic prominence, particularly in light of the January 6th Insurrection...Show moreIn recent years, rising concerns about the spread of fake-news and misinformation across liberal democracies have gained academic prominence, particularly in light of the January 6th Insurrection and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a seldom explored aspect is whether people’s lack of responsiveness to facts, or fact-insensitivity, has disparate effects across electoral systems. To fill this gap, I build on Stephanopoulos’s (2014) alignment approach of democracy to empirically test whether fact-insensitiveness exacerbates misalignment effects across majoritarian, proportional, or mixed electoral systems. Methodologically, I conduct a Large-N analysis to test the strength of the relationship between the degree of fact-insensitiveness and electoral alignment in lower house constituencies in 16 democracies (N=2722). Additionally, I bound the scope of inference by taking into account cultural and psychological proximity in the country selection process (Schulz, Bahrami-Rad, J. P. Beauchamp, et al. 2019; Muthukrishna et al. 2020). To evaluate this, I employ a dataset that combines original vaccination data with existing data on COVID-19 disorder events, and electoral outcomes. The results show that electoral systems have significantly different electoral outcomes in terms of alignment, however, there are no statistically significant differences among them with regards of fact-insensitivity. In turn, this denies any normative gains or losses when selecting an electoral system in contexts of varying degrees of fact-insensitiveness.Show less
With the adoption of the European Union Global Strategy in 2016 the EU renewed its quest for attaining strategic autonomy. However, the EU document did not specify what would constitute European...Show moreWith the adoption of the European Union Global Strategy in 2016 the EU renewed its quest for attaining strategic autonomy. However, the EU document did not specify what would constitute European strategic autonomy (ESA), so, as is the case with the EU’s external policies, the national perspectives of Member States are its obvious basis. Historically, the Netherlands has been an obstructionist when it came to European security and defence integration due to its Atlanticist position, begging the question: how is European strategic autonomy represented in Dutch politics? To understand the Dutch perspective and positioning regarding ESA, this thesis drew from the field of Critical Geopolitics, conducting an interpretive-explanatory research employing discourse analysis by analysing statements made by party representatives in the Tweede Kamer during the period of 2016-2021. Three distinct schools of thought underpinning the representations of ESA in the Dutch debate. The Sovereigntists are Eurosceptics who present ESA as an attempt to establish a European army and a threat to national sovereignty. The Europeanists actively champion ESA and envision it as an emancipatory project to make the EU able to act independently of the US because it is an increasingly unreliable ally. The Atlanticists present ESA as an opportunity to take responsibility within NATO and improve burden-sharing with the US. This thesis found that the Dutch debate regarding European security policy has substantially Europeanised. While the Atlanticists are still cautious, they no longer take an active obstructionist position, instead adopting Europeanist talking-points from the 90s. Considering this Europeanist momentum, there is potential for the Netherlands to become an active and serious promotor of ambitious European security commitments.Show less
This thesis focuses on the Ainu, the indigenous people of Hokkaido Japan, and how they were represented in visual sources from the early modern period. The analysis features twelve prints and...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the Ainu, the indigenous people of Hokkaido Japan, and how they were represented in visual sources from the early modern period. The analysis features twelve prints and scrolls that show the Ainu as inferior or 'other' to their Japanese neighbors. Furthermore, the sources involve the concepts of racial stereotyping and power conflicts.Show less
This thesis revolves around the representation of exile in Chinese exile literature, specifically the fiction of Ma Jian: how is exile represented in Ma Jian’s fiction? The aim of the project is to...Show moreThis thesis revolves around the representation of exile in Chinese exile literature, specifically the fiction of Ma Jian: how is exile represented in Ma Jian’s fiction? The aim of the project is to primarily shed a light on the ‘personal’ engagement of exile by Ma Jian, as exile is neither a mechanical nor a predictable affair, as it crucially involves individual choices and strategies by the author in question. Secondly, to show the importance and significance exile still has nowadays, as characterized and interrelated with the given socio-political, economic, and cultural context.Show less
This article investigates how Moravian missionaries influenced the abolitionist debate in the Netherlands through the imaging they put forth in their periodical Berigten uit de Heidenwereld. The...Show moreThis article investigates how Moravian missionaries influenced the abolitionist debate in the Netherlands through the imaging they put forth in their periodical Berigten uit de Heidenwereld. The author aims to go beyond the strict dichotomy between pro- and antislavery camps, by elaborating on the moderate character of Dutch abolitionism, which led to a large overlap between radical abolitionists, gradualists and obstructionists. By studying the archives of the Moravian Brotherhood, colonial administrators, and published documents, the article reveals that the missionaries contributed to the negative imaging of the slaves, and denied and demonized the slaves’ right to agency and autonomy, and therefore sustained the discourse that justified the continued curbing of physical freedom during the period of Staatstoezicht.Show less
This research focuses on the portrayal and re-invention of Colombia chosen by the Netflix show Narcos as well as the implications this representation has in the collective memory and culture...Show moreThis research focuses on the portrayal and re-invention of Colombia chosen by the Netflix show Narcos as well as the implications this representation has in the collective memory and culture building process. Using two different methods, this research looks at the underlying discourses and cinematographic elements that show features of exoticism and Latinamericanism. Under the light of the methodology and theory, the analysis explores the way in which the representation of Colombia is made by contrasting it with the United States by looking at different elements.Show less
This thesis analyzes the social and academic value of fanfiction concerned with LGBTQ+ representation in Young Adult Literature. Since the heteronormative discourse looks upon LGBTQ+ as a...Show moreThis thesis analyzes the social and academic value of fanfiction concerned with LGBTQ+ representation in Young Adult Literature. Since the heteronormative discourse looks upon LGBTQ+ as a controversial theme, LGBTQ+ identities and storylines in media such as literature are often stereotyped and negative. Young Adult Literature finds itself in a position where it can provide positive LGBTQ+ representation because of its tendency towards realism. However, existing power structures still prevent this genre from fully reaching its potential. This potential can be realized through fanfiction, an open discourse available on the internet. On fanfiction platforms, people with LGBTQ+ identities write the narratives they need based on official media stories, such as literature and movies. This thesis offers two comparative analyses. First, I will compare the non-LGBTQ+ Young Adult novels The Hunger games: Catching Fire and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, with a selection of corresponding LGBTQ+ fanfiction. In the second part, I present a comparison between the LGBTQ+ Young Adult novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and a selection of corresponding LGBTQ+ fanfiction. Both of these analyses research the interpretations by fanfiction writers of the Young Adult novels on which they are grafted, highlighting their specific needs with regard to LGBTQ+ representation.Show less
A study of Mao’s representation in various forms in Chinese history, focusing on a historical timeframe from the 1949 until the early 1990s. With a reflection on the historical, social and cultural...Show moreA study of Mao’s representation in various forms in Chinese history, focusing on a historical timeframe from the 1949 until the early 1990s. With a reflection on the historical, social and cultural context behind, this study investigates Mao’s iconicity by analyzing the tropes and the meanings of Mao’s representations in history, including the Mao posters, the Mao badges and Political Pop arworks. One the one hand, I dissect the different ideologies behind the Chinese contexts and explore the ways they interact with the depiction of Mao in Chinese history. On the other hand, I believe that the form of representation often has a noteworthy effect on what is being represented. Therefore, I delve into the discussion of each artistic medium, in order to see their roles in the development of Mao’s iconicity. With this thesis, I explore the historical evolvement of Mao's icon from a propagandist subject to a popular symbol in Chinese culture.Show less
A study on the representation of refugees in European literature, from which four modes of infrahuman representation appeared. "Dit zijn de namen" by Tommy Wieringa is used as a case study.
Elections provide the primary mechanism through which representatives are authorized to act. This dissertation asks which conditions the authorization must satisfy in order to have legitimate,...Show moreElections provide the primary mechanism through which representatives are authorized to act. This dissertation asks which conditions the authorization must satisfy in order to have legitimate, properly authorized representatives. In particular, it asks which design of the electoral system – the set of rules concerned with the aggregation of votes – best satisfies minimum conditions for authorizing legitimate representatives. The answer to this question lies at the interface of normative democratic theory and electoral design. It is, furthermore, both a response to and an extension of The Concept of Constituency by Andrew Rehfeld. Rehfeld is the first author to show that electoral design defines and shapes the electoral constituency, that group of people who authorize a representative. The objective electoral constituency – i.e., the group of voters who are eligible to vote for a particular representative – should be distinguished from the subjective electoral constituency – i.e., the group of voters who voted for a particular representative. This dissertation responds to Rehfeld by arguing that the purpose of authorizing legitimate representatives requires electoral design to define objective constituencies not as randomly and permanently assigned groups but rather as a single nation-wide group. This dissertation extends Rehfeld’s work by analyzing how three key components of electoral design – the electoral formula (plurality/majority/proportional), the ballot structure (categorical/ordinal vote) and the district magnitude (number of seats per objective constituency/district) – shape the formation of subjective constituencies that are successful in electing a representative of their choice. The analysis shows that, rather than a U.S.-like system with single-seat plurality/majority districts, the Dutch system of proportional representation with a nation-wide objective constituency is the most justifiable for the purpose of authorizing legitimate representatives.Show less
In the past, scholars have associated negative representation of the Middle East and its people in Disney's movie Aladdin with political tensions between the U.S. and the Middle East. However, with...Show moreIn the past, scholars have associated negative representation of the Middle East and its people in Disney's movie Aladdin with political tensions between the U.S. and the Middle East. However, with the release of a new, less problematic version of Aladdin but continued tensions between the U.S. and the Middle East, this research poses the question “How can we understand the changing representation of the Middle East in Hollywood movies?” This research uses semiotics, as well as parts of Daniel Bar-Tal's model on stereotype formation to examine what factors influence representation of the Middle East in movies. It finds that representation in movies is dependent on a variety of factors such as politics, economic situation and societal channels.Show less
This thesis researches the representation of East Asian characters and culture in two popular American movie productions that are based on novels; Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) and Crazy Rich Asians ...Show moreThis thesis researches the representation of East Asian characters and culture in two popular American movie productions that are based on novels; Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) and Crazy Rich Asians (2018). To do so, it will examine the use of Asian stereotypes and gender stereotypes in these movies, and will investigate whether the East Asian characters in the productions are three-dimensional. In the end, this thesis will argue that while in Memoirs of a Geisha, East Asian characters are generally portrayed in a stereotypical manner and women are sexualized, Crazy Rich Asians exposes and combats existing stereotypes through exaggeration and clashes between various ethnic Chinese characters, and offers three-dimensional East Asian characters. .Show less
This thesis considers the meaning and significance of portraying minorities in film. After a short discussion of existing Zainichi cinema, literature on film and gender and intersectionality, the...Show moreThis thesis considers the meaning and significance of portraying minorities in film. After a short discussion of existing Zainichi cinema, literature on film and gender and intersectionality, the thesis zooms in on Yakiniku Dragon (2018) and the way the film deals with Zainichi identity through the exploration of a few scenes and the analysis of Yakiniku Dragon’s script. Yakiniku Dragon’s underlying gender portrayals has implications for the way Zainichi experiences are perceived and has implications for Zainichi women in particular. The analysis of Yakiniku Dragon’s imagery and script sheds light on how gendered labor divisions and a different attribution of themes to different genders excludes Zainichi Korean women’s voices and experiences from Zainichi nationalism or empowerment discourses.Show less
The alteration of representation in young readers’ editions of Nathaniel Philbrick's "In the Heart of the Sea" and Mary Lee Shetterly's "Hidden Figures".
Korean society has made great strides forward in gender representation in the last decade, yet mainstream media often encourages stereotypes and binary gender roles. However, the genre conventions...Show moreKorean society has made great strides forward in gender representation in the last decade, yet mainstream media often encourages stereotypes and binary gender roles. However, the genre conventions of historical fusion and fantasy combine elements of imagination and otherness that can engage in discussion on gender and represent gender in an alternative, more open, way. It addresses a contemporary issue yet is not bounded by the restrictions of today’s society. To analyze the potential positive representation of the genres, this thesis analyzes the Korean historical fantasy fusion drama Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (hereafter Moon Lovers) (2016). In order to study the alternative representations within mainstream media, this thesis looks at how the series’ representation of gender is in line with gender normativity. The leading research question is: Does Moon Lovers break gender normativity? The study was conducted through film analysis and guided by gender theory. In conclusion, Moon Lovers does not break with gender normativity. However, the potential of the genres to represent gender in an alternative way still require further study.Show less
