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
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
De opkomst van internet, en sociale media in het bijzonder, heeft ervoor gezorgd dat de scheiding tussen nieuwsbron, -producent en -consument minder scherp is afgebakend dan in de tijd voor het...Show moreDe opkomst van internet, en sociale media in het bijzonder, heeft ervoor gezorgd dat de scheiding tussen nieuwsbron, -producent en -consument minder scherp is afgebakend dan in de tijd voor het internet. Sociale media vormen kanalen waarmee niet alleen journalisten van traditionele media, maar ook niet-journalisten via sociale media een groot publiek kunnen bereiken. Daardoor is de rol van de journalist veranderd. Journalisten hebben geen monopolie meer op gatekeeping van informatie. Zij onderscheiden zich nu niet meer van niet-journalisten door poortwachters te zijn, maar door een zo waarheidsgetrouw, objectief en volledig mogelijk nieuwsverhaal te produceren. Om dat te kunnen doen, moeten zij de informatie waaruit het nieuwsverhaal bestaat zo goed mogelijk verifiëren. Dat proces is niet vastomlijnd, maar heeft als doel het verspreiden van onjuiste informatie te voorkomen. Daarnaast zijn sociale media een extra bron van potentieel nieuwswaardige informatie voor journalisten. User Generated Content (UGC), beeld- en geluidsopnames afkomstig van niet-journalisten op Sociale Media, helpen bij snelle verslaggeving, zowel in het verificatieproces als bij de productie van artikelen. Dit onderzoek bouwt voort op het onderzoek van Brandtzaeg et al. (2016). Zij onderzochten het gebruik van sociale media in verslaggeving door journalisten van verschillende West-Europese media. Journalisten in dat onderzoek hanteren verschillende criteria bij de selectie van informatie en verschillende methoden om die informatie te verifiëren. Dit onderzoek richt zich op de rol van Nederlandse journalisten die nieuws publiceren via een professionele mediaorganisatie. De onderzoeksvraag van dit paper luidt: Hoe selecteren, verifiëren, gebruiken en verantwoorden journalisten van landelijke nieuwsmedia in Nederland User Generated Content? Voor het selecteren van sociale media is Twitter, door de toegankelijkheid en handzaamheid, bijna zonder uitzondering het standaard medium waar journalisten UGC zoeken voor in hun nieuwsartikelen. Dat is in overeenstemming met Brandtzaeg et al. (2016). Daarnaast is Google zo alomtegenwoordig in het verificatieproces van Nederlandse journalisten. Andere sociale media worden ook gebruikt, maar pas als tweede keus en/of als de journalist een specifieke reden ziet een bepaald medium te gebruiken. Daarnaast kwamen de gevarieerde kunde, en kennis van verificatiestrategieën en tools van de verschillende journalisten overeen met de bevindingen van Brandtzaeg et al. (2016). Ondanks de consensus onder alle geïnterviewde journalisten van verschillende media dat alleen geverifieerde UGC gepubliceerd kan worden, lijkt de tendens: hoe belangrijker een mediaorganisatie beeld acht, hoe sneller een journalist UGC publiceert.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
Social media holds promise for museums to enhance visitor participation, engagement with potential visitors via participatory communication and in building an online community to which to refer to....Show moreSocial media holds promise for museums to enhance visitor participation, engagement with potential visitors via participatory communication and in building an online community to which to refer to. However, the integration of social media within museums practices, particularly in Italy, has been a rather cautious transition as museums are concerned with the ways social media may deteriorate traditional organizational forms of authority that cultural institutions have held. The aim of the present paper is to investigate the extent to which Italian museums can use social media to engage with a younger audience. In doing so, this study has conducted a case study analysis of Musei Civici Veneziani, by interviewing the web-content manager of the institution. Findings demonstrate that Musei Civici Veneziani continues to use a one-to-one communication model, whereby social media platforms are used solely to inform users about practical matters. The use of a one-to-one communication model, rather than a many-to-many one by Musei Civici Veneziani is due to fear of jeopardizing their role as a cultural authority. However, the present paper aims to showcase the opportunities of adopting a peer-to-peer participatory communication model as a way to effectively engage with younger audiences which allows them to become active members within the museum.Show less
This thesis analyses the construction of Hong Kong national identity in online discussions about the high speed rail connecting Hong Kong to Mainland China and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai sea bridge in...Show moreThis thesis analyses the construction of Hong Kong national identity in online discussions about the high speed rail connecting Hong Kong to Mainland China and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai sea bridge in localist Facebook groups. The paper argues that the Hong Kong identity constructed in these discussions is indeed nationalist, i.e. based on the belief that the members of the nation share a common origin, and is built on the following themes: antiMainland Chinese sentiment, anti-CCP thought, and the importance of money as identity constructing entity in Hong Kong society. As a result, the construction of Hong Kong national identity by Hong Kong localists relies heavily on Othering Mainland Chinese, while there are few references to Hong Kongese cultural characteristics. The contributions of this paper are that it argues for the possibility of a Hong Kong identity to be seen as national identity and how this national identity is constructed by localists.Show less
This thesis explores the inverse relationship between Fake News and Deep Reading, considering that the former is growing and the latter is declining. Of its two aims, the first is to explain why...Show moreThis thesis explores the inverse relationship between Fake News and Deep Reading, considering that the former is growing and the latter is declining. Of its two aims, the first is to explain why these trends might be occurring. The second and more important aim is to explore whether reversing the Deep Reading trend - in other words, not only stemming the loss of this skill but promoting it and increasing its prevalence in society - would lead to a subsequent reverse in the Fake News trend, reducing its influence, and, subsequently, its volume.Show less
Academic research on the influence of Social Networking Sites on democratization-processes in autocratic regimes in Africa is often centered on the bottom-up, citizen-driven possibilities of social...Show moreAcademic research on the influence of Social Networking Sites on democratization-processes in autocratic regimes in Africa is often centered on the bottom-up, citizen-driven possibilities of social media, arguing that these factors enforce processes of mobilization and free information-access, ultimately resulting in a form of democratization. Drawing conclusions from the Arab Spring, the prediction was made that Zimbabwe could follow the same course of action. So far however, decisive democratic change there has not yet been observed. This study brings forward the argument that the absence of this democratic change can be explained through the presence of four conditions, namely a digital divide, the particulars of Zimbabwean political society, the online/offline-aspect in Zimbabwean socio-politics and the Zimbabwean media-landscape. Building on primary data and secondary literature, this thesis aims to bring nuance to the discussion concerning the interplay between communication-technologies and socio-political developments, in the specific case of Zimbabwe but also in a larger African- and global context.Show less
The internet and Social Media seem to have created new ways by which individuals communicate and foster new ideas. In this thesis I will explore how these changes may have impacted upon how...Show moreThe internet and Social Media seem to have created new ways by which individuals communicate and foster new ideas. In this thesis I will explore how these changes may have impacted upon how individuals and groups form and express political ideals. I will analyse how this has affected political agency. Are the ideals formed and expressed online a more accurate portrayal of the wide spectrum of opinion held within a constituency because the internet and social media seems to allow for a wider range of input? Or, does the emergence of so many voices online create difficulty for discerning consensus?Show less
With 300 million monthly active users, Twitter is a global social media platform embedded in everyday communication and information diffusion. As a result, it has attracted a wide range of...Show moreWith 300 million monthly active users, Twitter is a global social media platform embedded in everyday communication and information diffusion. As a result, it has attracted a wide range of scholarly disciplines, studying its data, resulting in hundreds of studies that utilized Twitter’s data. This thesis will focus on the challenges and potential of using Twitter data for Humanities. As every social media platform has its unique dynamics, Twitters structure will be explored to see how it relates to the research questions applied to it. The process of increasing policy-orientated measures, will be described to illustrate how Twitter data is a valuable, and therefore limited accessible form of information. A number of studies is analyzed to explore potential methods and the results. Finally, a case study will be executed to demonstrate both the challenges and potential for humanities students. The focus will be on how Twitter’s 140 character long tweets can eventually be used to attribute to the greater stories written about human society and culture.Show less
Sociale netwerken zijn nog steeds de snelst groeiende en meest populaire internet fenomenen onder jongeren. Het is daarom aannemelijk dat ook de meeste consumptie van nieuws wat betreft jongeren...Show moreSociale netwerken zijn nog steeds de snelst groeiende en meest populaire internet fenomenen onder jongeren. Het is daarom aannemelijk dat ook de meeste consumptie van nieuws wat betreft jongeren tegenwoordig plaatsvindt via sociale media. Volgens het meest recente onderzoek van Pew Internet Research zit 88% van de Amerikaanse jongeren op Facebook, 59% op Instagram en 36% op Twitter (Pew Research Center, 2016). Om aan te geven hoe hard deze ontwikkeling is gegaan de afgelopen jaren: toen Pew in 2005 begon met dit onderzoek was slechts 7% van de Amerikaanse jongeren actief op één van deze platformen. Het is inmiddels duidelijk dat het idee dat platformen als Twitter en Facebook enkel gebruikt worden voor sociale doeleinden, achterhaald is. Natuurlijk is het nog steeds een platform voor zelfontplooiing, maar steeds meer jongeren, en met name studenten, zien al geruime tijd in dat het ook een educatieve functie kan hebben (Robyler et al., 2010). Zodoende is er de afgelopen jaren als het ware een verandering ontstaan in de manier waarop men naar social media kijkt. Waar het begon als een platform voor sociale doeleinden, begint het zich steeds vaker te ontplooien als een medium met een educatieve functie waar men ook steeds meer nieuws kan consumeren. In dit onderzoek wordt onderzocht hoe Nederlandse studenten social media gebruiken voor nieuwsvergaring, en in hoeverre er binnen verschillende groepen studenten verschillen zijn op te merken.Show less
As the Internet facilitates not only the passive consumption but also the active creation of media content, the lines between the two categories blur continuously. At the same time new content is...Show moreAs the Internet facilitates not only the passive consumption but also the active creation of media content, the lines between the two categories blur continuously. At the same time new content is created and shared with unprecedented speed and available in abundance. Among the many industries deeply affected by this development is publishing: Readers are now creating their own book reviews on YouTube. The thesis at hand examines how this BookTube phenomenon affects cultural and social contexts of reading. BookTube constitutes a dynamic new agent in the field of trade publishing due to its specific resources in social and symbolic capital. It functions as an amplifier for authors and publishers while disrupting established forms of book reviewing in traditional media. Furthermore, BookTube exemplifies that online platforms have a particular relevance to the generation of ‘digital natives’ in terms of reading and consuming habits and the forming of its attitude towards books.Show less
De functie van sociale media bij breaking news van televisie is onderzocht in een casus toegespitst op het verslag van de NOS en RTL Nieuws omtrent MH17. De rol van sociale media is onderzocht op...Show moreDe functie van sociale media bij breaking news van televisie is onderzocht in een casus toegespitst op het verslag van de NOS en RTL Nieuws omtrent MH17. De rol van sociale media is onderzocht op basis van de functies die worden gegeven uit eerder onderzoek (Broersma & Graham, 2012) en geconstrueerde functies gebaseerd op een onderzoek dat breaking news definieert (Berkowitz, 1992). Daaruit is gebleken dat bestaande functies voor het analyseren van sociale media niet toereikend zijn. De geconstrueerde functies die herleid zijn uit een definiërend onderzoek met betrekking tot breaking news zijn in deze casus wel bruikbaar bij het analyseren van sociale media bij breaking news op televisie.Show less
This study aim at providing an answer to the core research question “What is the role of Twitter in the conduct of public diplomacy in The Netherlands?” On the basis of qualitative interviews with...Show moreThis study aim at providing an answer to the core research question “What is the role of Twitter in the conduct of public diplomacy in The Netherlands?” On the basis of qualitative interviews with foreign diplomats and experts on public diplomacy in The Netherlands, it was discovered that they use Twitter as a tool for providing the local communities with information about the advocated countries and their foreign policies. The foreign officials also employ Twitter to address certain members of the Dutch general public, attract their attention to specific topics and engage in discussions with them to enhance their perceptions of the represented states. The conducted content analysis of the Tweets posted by diplomats from the Embassy of Ecuador, the Embassy of Poland, the Embassy of Sweden, and the Embassy of the USA to the Netherlands also demonstrated that they post direct Tweets and personal messages concerning important topics to engage with the foreign publics. However, it is also found that only a small number of them use the language of the local community members, namely Dutch, to disseminate information about their foreign policies. Some of the interviewees explained that they translate only content that is relevant to the Dutch audiences in Dutch. Nevertheless, to engage in more debates with the local communities and enhance their understanding and image of the represented countries, it is recommended that foreign diplomats should provide all messages on Twitter in the language of the host state. Thus, they can use it as an effective tool for accomplishing their public diplomacy goals.Show less
This master thesis looks at the impact of participation in Social Networking Sites (SNSs) by voters on their voting decisions during the Dutch parliamentary elections in 2012. Both the use and...Show moreThis master thesis looks at the impact of participation in Social Networking Sites (SNSs) by voters on their voting decisions during the Dutch parliamentary elections in 2012. Both the use and activity on SNSs are compared with the decision to participate in the elections and the moment a voter had decided for a party and person. The quantative analysis of a survey among train travelers and SNS users showed interesting results, but could not support the hypotheses that increased use relates to increased electoral participation. On the other hand, SNS use showed a strong significant positive correlation with the delayed choice for a party and person. SNS activity showed a strong significant positive correlation with a delayed choice for a person only. But, in the presence of stronger influences with multiple control variables the significance of the correlation disappeared, while the coefficient still remained positive. Other political communication variables like traditional media and face-to-face discussions did not show significant relationships with delayed decisions. Some of these results are interesting because they suggest that the use of SNSs has a certain impact on the decision making process of citizens during elections. A more extensive research may reveil the impact on a wider scale and must focus on specific causes of the impact, like content and specific political communication.Show less
