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 thesis discusses the concept of cultural identity in relation to three literary works. It argues that Kiran Desai’s novel, The Inheritance of Loss, highlights the postcolonial structure of its...Show moreThis thesis discusses the concept of cultural identity in relation to three literary works. It argues that Kiran Desai’s novel, The Inheritance of Loss, highlights the postcolonial structure of its characters’ identities, Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel, The Namesake, focuses on the concept of diaspora identities, as defined by Stuart Hall; her short stories collection, Interpreter of Maladies, on the other hand, centres around the interplay between social and personal identities, as put forward by Margarita Azmitia. Instead of portraying cultural identity as a monolithic construct, all three literary works make a case for the fact that cultural identity is ever-changing and dynamic.Show less
This MA Thesis explores the small Syriac Orthodox community of Istanbul. The micro study includes portraits of three Syriac Orthodox families who moved away from Mardin. They give insight into the...Show moreThis MA Thesis explores the small Syriac Orthodox community of Istanbul. The micro study includes portraits of three Syriac Orthodox families who moved away from Mardin. They give insight into the way the community members stay connected, the study searches how the social identity of the Syriac Orthodox community in Istanbul is being experienced. It considers how members see themselves and others from within their community, and how they see ‘the outsiders.’ Qualifications are given based on religious and cultural customs and on collective memory. The differences between generations are kept in mind and reveal why the identification process is changing throughout time.Show less
