Understanding the early formation of attitudes towards emerging technologies, such as quantum science & technology (QS&T), is essential for aligning the effect of science communication in...Show moreUnderstanding the early formation of attitudes towards emerging technologies, such as quantum science & technology (QS&T), is essential for aligning the effect of science communication in practice with its intentions. This study explores the application of natural language processing (NLP) techniques to investigate the influence of news articles on social media comments regarding QS&T. We curated a dataset of 217 articles and 14, 391 top-level comments from Reddit. Employing GPT-4, a semi-automated annotation method was developed to label comments for sentiment and engagement towards QS&T, achieving a Cohen’s kappa of 0.82 when pooling over multiple labelling repetitions and comparing with human annotations. We then used support-vector regression to determine if news article embeddings could be used to predict comment sentiment and engagement. After experimenting with various embedding strategies, including Sentence-BERT and RoBERTa models, no significant correlations were found between article content and comment sentiment or engagement towards QS&T. Further interdisciplinary work in empirical communication research and NLP is suggested to explore alternative representations for news articles and their ability to predict perceptions in news comments.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Film- en literatuurwetenschap (BA)
closed access
This thesis examines the film Everything Everywhere All At Once, by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert from 2022, in relation to Albert Camus’ absurdism from the 1940s. My research question is: how can...Show moreThis thesis examines the film Everything Everywhere All At Once, by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert from 2022, in relation to Albert Camus’ absurdism from the 1940s. My research question is: how can the contemporary blockbuster EEAaO, as an update of Camus’s ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’, be read as a critique of current social media practices? Camus’ first approach of absurdism is discussed in his essay ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’, in which he compares the absurdity of life with the situation that Sisyphus is in. According to Camus, Sisyphus is able to cope with the absurd, because he is conscious of his absurd existence. This argument can also be found in the film, specifically the use of the multiverse. Evelyn, the protagonist, wants to escape to other universes, in which her life is seemingly better. However, at the end of the film, she realizes that her high life expectations cannot be realized and she reaches a level of acceptance of her current life. This acceptance can be seen as a critique regarding the contemporary use of social media, which I referred to as ‘neo-absurdism’. The film is thus able to offer critique towards our use of social media.Show less
The thesis analyzes the political involvement of notable Nigerian Pentecostal Pastors during the 2015 Nigerian elections by focusing on the output of their social media pages. It highlights how...Show moreThe thesis analyzes the political involvement of notable Nigerian Pentecostal Pastors during the 2015 Nigerian elections by focusing on the output of their social media pages. It highlights how pastors appeared hesitant to make political statements online, despite their significant involvement in-person. This was likely related to the risk of a viral backlash to any political posts online.Show less
Executive master thesis | International Relations and Diplomacy (MSc)
open access
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is certainly not the first instance in which humor emerged as a by-product of political turmoil. In times of extreme societal change, people must adapt physically and...Show moreRussia’s invasion of Ukraine is certainly not the first instance in which humor emerged as a by-product of political turmoil. In times of extreme societal change, people must adapt physically and mentally to survive. Yet, because these adjustments are not immediate, one reaction that can help people acclimate to new circumstances is humor. In answering the research question “What were the functions of digital Ukrainian humor in the first year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine?”, this thesis finds that coping, cohesion, and criticism have emerged in as humor’s primary uses. Specifically, humor functions to create a buffer between old and new realities, define in- and out-groups, and form a medium for commentary. Yet, beyond this, through thematic discourse analysis, the thesis at hand also identifies the sub-categories of humor functions which help explain the means through which humor can meet the stress-relieving, superiority-affirming, or incongruity-resolving needs of groups and individuals in political turmoil. In turn, the thesis reaffirms that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could be labeled a ‘TikTok War’, as the social media became the primary platform for the sharing of Ukrainian humor. In studying visual data, the research contributes to spotlighting the integral role of images as tools of political influence in the digital age and as artifacts the study of which enhances scholars’ holistic understanding of the ramifications of Russia’s invasion. With these findings, humor can be appreciated as a highly nuanced and conscious part of Ukrainian resistance and social resilience.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
While there is a growing body of research on the effects of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the onset of intrastate conflict, the effects of social media access have not been...Show moreWhile there is a growing body of research on the effects of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the onset of intrastate conflict, the effects of social media access have not been analyzed thoroughly based on a large N, cross-country study. In this study, the impact of social media access on the onset of intrastate conflict is assessed, using country-year data (2000-2020) for 173 countries. It was hypothesized that social media access leads to an increase in the onset of intrastate conflict, ceteris paribus. Additionally, it was also hypothesized that the effect of social media access on the onset of intrastate conflict is stronger in more ethnically homogenous countries. These hypotheses were tested using a binomial logistic regression model. The main results of the analysis indicate there is only a significant correlation between Internet access and the onset of non-ethnic intrastate conflict. These results suggest that intrastate conflict is too broad of a category and should be disaggregated into smaller subgroups to develop more accurate empirical analyses. This research advances not only the study of intrastate conflict onset but also the academic discussion on the effects of social media access.Show less
Social media and videoblogging, or vlogging, are taking over the internet and North Korea is joining this trend. While doing so, the state is reaching out to the international community through...Show moreSocial media and videoblogging, or vlogging, are taking over the internet and North Korea is joining this trend. While doing so, the state is reaching out to the international community through relatable media content and soft power tools. One of the examples, in which North Korea reached out to the international viewer, is the Youtube channel ‘Echo of Truth’. This research aims to answer the question as to how soft power tools are applied in the videos of ‘Echo of Truth’. By using a qualitative visual discourse analysis, it analyzes the videos of ‘Echo of Truth’ to answer this question. This thesis argues that soft power tools, such as cultural and culinary diplomacy, are applied in the videos in order to make these videos more relatable to the international audience. However, not all the videos were found to have used these soft power techniques as traditional propaganda videos were still uploaded to the channel. The sheer differences found in the channel’s videos raised the question of a power dilemma the channel seemed to be facing.Show less
This research explores the development of alt-right microcelebrities within the digital mainstream to highlight the emerging new repertoire of far-right radicalization in a fast-evolving digital...Show moreThis research explores the development of alt-right microcelebrities within the digital mainstream to highlight the emerging new repertoire of far-right radicalization in a fast-evolving digital ecosystem. This paper takes an ethnographic approach to analyzing a single established alt-right microcelebrity, Tim Gionet, known by his internet handle @BakedAlaska. This paper utilizes Senft’s theory of microcelebrity to explore 'How has Tim Gionet, a far-right personality established himself in the digital mainstream through the cultivation of a microcelebrity persona?'. Gionet cultivates unique identity markers to attract a broad audience, through methods of self-branding and marketing strategies. Furthermore, Gionet uses trolling, a digital, performative mocking technique, in his streams to attract attention from his audience, which is maintained through mechanisms of strategic intimacy. Therefore, Gionet is able to develop a para-social relationship with his audience using mechanisms of microcelebrity to establish himself as an influencer within the mainstream community of the Alt-Right.Show less
Social media platforms have become critical components of rebel groups’ communication channels. While discussions on rebels’ social media presence usually centre around issues of violence and...Show moreSocial media platforms have become critical components of rebel groups’ communication channels. While discussions on rebels’ social media presence usually centre around issues of violence and disruption, mounting evidence exists pinpointing the non-violent tactics rebel actors employ online. Interested in how social media use contributes to the ability of established rebel groups to project, cultivate, and negotiate favourable online personas internationally, this research project offers an exploratory case study analysis of the 5-day long #AskHamas Twitter campaign that Islamic resistance movement for Palestinian liberation Ḥarakat al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah - commonly known as Hamas, conducted in March 2015. A mixed method approach combining social network analysis and empathic close-text reading was employed to reconstruct the international reception of the online event. Framing the Twitter campaign conceptually as an instance of public relations (PR) management, findings substantiate that the #AskHamas Twitter event allowed Hamas to establishing direct, and relevant relations with its targeted Western audience. At the same time, evidence pinpoints the ultimate dependency of online campaigns on the willingness of targeted audience to engage seriously. In case of #AskHamas, meaningful exchange with Hamas was obstructed by deliberate trolling, mocking and ridiculing on parts of participating. Evidence collected in this study implicates the urgency to overcome violence-fixation in Western understandings of rebel actors, and the necessity to contextualise identified rebel online communication practices to their socially mediated context of creation and dissemination.Show less
Tourist destination Bali is internationally known for its dynamic culture and the resilience it has shown over the years with the increase of mass tourism from all corners of the globe. The...Show moreTourist destination Bali is internationally known for its dynamic culture and the resilience it has shown over the years with the increase of mass tourism from all corners of the globe. The Balinese people are often praised for their ability to adapt perfectly and at the same time not losing grip over their own cultural identity, despite the demanding environment due to the large influx of foreigners. The relatively new, yet popular philosophy of Tri Hita Karana (aspiring harmonious relationships) lies at the basis of the versatile attitude towards tourism of the Balinese people. The now omnipresent and most famous brands Facebook, Twitter, Instagram have worked their way into everyday life and have become a vast medium for the spread of information, entertainment and various other forms of content and are therefore widely represented in the tourist industry. It is through these social media networks that representations about a certain tourist destination are created and shared with a mass audience. Tourists often seek authentic experiences of traditional culture that are intensively promoted by government institutions, local tourist offices and other social media platforms such as travel blogs made by tourists from all over the world. “How does social media contribute to the construction of (staged) authenticity within Balinese culture and what is the significance of this in light of the Balinese philosophy Tri Hita Karana?”. The answer is best seen in the creation of the Kecak dance and the developments of the Tirta Empul temple. While the Kecak dance has been created as entertainment for tourists, it is very often presented as a traditional, cultural and historic performance, which becomes evident through the Instagram and travel blogs of tourists. The Balinese are thus effectively staging the dance as something authentic to their culture. However, it serves as good example of the Balinese Tri Hita Karana, by adapting in order to create a harmonious relationship between tourists and Balinese. Thus, one could in turn suggest that the Kecak dance can be seen as something authentic Balinese. The Tirta Empul temple is subject to the same process of harmonization, where tourists are allowed to enter and partake in the temple’s rituals. However, this temple is something inherently authentic, traditional, cultural, historic and sacred to Bali from the start, making the acceptance of unknowing tourists, who prioritize the aesthetic over substantive meaning, into this place a source of de-authentication. This also becomes clear when looking at the Instagram posts and travel blogs. Nevertheless, the same process of Tri Hita Karana that allows these tourists in this place, can be argued to turn such adaptation to foreigners into something authentically Balinese.Show less
This thesis describes the discourse of empowerment of women in Egypt, on the social media platform Facebook. The research question is: how do women in Egypt portray 'women's empowerment' on social...Show moreThis thesis describes the discourse of empowerment of women in Egypt, on the social media platform Facebook. The research question is: how do women in Egypt portray 'women's empowerment' on social media under conditions of political repression, patriarchy, and neoliberalism?Show less
