This thesis investigates the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) response to Kais Saied's 2021 Coup d'État and the consequent backdrop of Tunisia's decade-long struggle for a democratic system....Show moreThis thesis investigates the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) response to Kais Saied's 2021 Coup d'État and the consequent backdrop of Tunisia's decade-long struggle for a democratic system. After presenting the historical and sociological roots of the UGTT, its role in the aftermath of the Arab Spring in Tunisia, and its participation in civil society and the democratisation process, it presents the recent events from 2021 until today. Employing a classoriented and social movement-based approach, this research dwells into the UGTT nature looking at both internal and external bondages. Hence, by analyzing a different array of sources, this thesis aims to fill a gap both in terms of time, being a recent event which is still unfolding, and of theory, believing that a theoretical framework both based on social movements and workers' theory could benefit the present literature. Furthermore, the research considers whether the actions of the UGTT signify a lost decade of seemingly successful democratization, or if the contemporary situation represents merely a temporary setback in Tunisia's pursuit of democracy, perhaps even an ulterior push in that direction. Finally, this thesis highlights the UGTT's role in Tunisia as a model for understanding global labour union involvement in political transformations.Show less
A qualitative, process tracing analysis of the impact of state repression on social movements tactics based on a case study of the ANC during apartheid in South Africa.
In this thesis the extent to which collective memory was central to the Chile’s Estallido Social in 2019 is examined. By using a meso-level analysis of collective memory, an analysis is presented...Show moreIn this thesis the extent to which collective memory was central to the Chile’s Estallido Social in 2019 is examined. By using a meso-level analysis of collective memory, an analysis is presented which uses social media posts and a historical perspective of the causes of the social awakening. A literature review is presented on the fields of collective memory and social movement to identify a gap in the literature. This gap is an emerging field that combines both collective memory and social movements. This thesis adds is a contribution to this emerging field and does so by analysing the aforementioned Chilean case study. The analysis concludes that the extent to which collective memory was central to the Estallido Social is great.Show less
The Black Lives Matter movement in the United States and the End SARS movement in Nigeria were both perceived as a threat to their respective governments. Protesters of both movements were met...Show moreThe Black Lives Matter movement in the United States and the End SARS movement in Nigeria were both perceived as a threat to their respective governments. Protesters of both movements were met excessive force during the 2020 protests. Protesters of the End SARS movement in Nigeria were met with excessive force from the very beginning of the protests, whilst demonstrators of the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States were met with excessive force in a much later stadium of the protests. The goal of this thesis is to explain how a variation in threat perception of social movements against police brutality result in different government responses. This study is a qualitative research, making use of a comparative case study approach. By applying Walt’s Threat Perception Theory, the researcher argues that four factors determine the level of threat of social movements. Namely, aggregate power, geographic proximity, offensive capabilities, and aggressive intentions. The paper found that although a movement’s aggregate power and geographic proximity are sufficient factors for a movement to be perceived as threatening, some governments will not engage in repressive behavior until there is an increase in the movement’s aggressive intentions. This disparity in threat perception explains the difference in government response. This research demonstrates that Walt’s threat perception theory, although being a state-centric approach, is applicable to protests and social movements as well.Show less
This thesis seeks to answer the question, “how has the Counter-Jihad Movement (CJM) maintained their ideology online?” The purpose of this is to explore the means in which the movement and their...Show moreThis thesis seeks to answer the question, “how has the Counter-Jihad Movement (CJM) maintained their ideology online?” The purpose of this is to explore the means in which the movement and their associated digital platforms preserve their beliefs and values. The narrative adopted by the CJM exploits topics that are considered divisive amongst the public like terrorism, security, immigration, and the position of Muslim citizens to help affirm their relevancy. Additionally, the CJM engages in normalizing their rhetoric so as to lose the general reputation of being extremist and racist, and thus gain more widespread support. This topic was chosen considering the position of social media and its increasing influence in social movements (SMs) and the current societal and political relevance of the CJM. To understand the counter-jihad discourse, framing theory will be employed —namely the three core framing tasks, diagnostic, prognostic, and motivational framing.Show less
Burkina Faso is a West African state that continues to experience political troubles that stem from previous colonial rule. For four years in the 1980s there was a possibility that Burkina Faso...Show moreBurkina Faso is a West African state that continues to experience political troubles that stem from previous colonial rule. For four years in the 1980s there was a possibility that Burkina Faso could develop into a country capable of benefiting the majority of the population. However, following the assassination of Thomas Sankara, this hope did not extend beyond the four years he was in power. The recent uprisings, starting in 2014, have re-ignited past hopes of what Burkina Faso could have been and what it could yet be. The philosophies and actions of Frantz Fanon and Thomas Sankara remain relevant in understanding the reasons why Burkina Faso has not experienced the benefits that independence should have brought. They are also reference points for understanding how a favourable society might come about for the Burkinabé. Political social movements alone have had short term successes with regards to potentially changing the political governance of this West African State. What is important for the future of Burkina Faso is turning these short-term political gains into long-term political reality. It seems that governments, social movements and musicians combined will continue to have the most impact upon the future of Burkinabé civil society.Show less
The concepts of Class and leadership have been lately neglected in the study of Social Movements. This thesis surveys the theoretical reasons to bring these two back to analyze the Lebanese October...Show moreThe concepts of Class and leadership have been lately neglected in the study of Social Movements. This thesis surveys the theoretical reasons to bring these two back to analyze the Lebanese October Revolution of 2019 (LOR). Using semi-structured interviews with relevant activists of the movement, this thesis concludes that LOR's leadership is better understood as a collective, horizontal action composed by individuals with very high cultural and social capitals but more heterogeneous economic capital.Show less
The way in which a group of individuals can develop a collective memory has fascinated scholars for decades and gave birth to different definitions and conceptualisations of memory. From the...Show moreThe way in which a group of individuals can develop a collective memory has fascinated scholars for decades and gave birth to different definitions and conceptualisations of memory. From the studies conducted on memory, one notion stands out for its particular and captivating character: cultural memory, a form of collective memory that embraces ongoing societal and historical changes. Cultural memory has proven to be powerful and influential in various domains of human life. This thesis aims at investigating the influence of cultural memory on the shaping of social movements, a yet little explored field. Through a thorough analysis of two case studies – Germany and Italy – this research will shed light on the ways in which remembering and forgetting past experiences intertwine with the development of social movements.Show less
The Cedar Revolution in Lebanon in 2005 was a successful example of a non-violent movement, putting an end to three decades of Syrian rule. In the uprising, public space was used in novel ways....Show moreThe Cedar Revolution in Lebanon in 2005 was a successful example of a non-violent movement, putting an end to three decades of Syrian rule. In the uprising, public space was used in novel ways. This thesis argues that this use of public space was of significant importance to reach the goal of ousting the Syrian troops. Due to the significant pre-conditions in Lebanon, which has a weak overarching national identity absence of successful reconciliation processes since the civil war, meeting in public space was essential for overcoming differences and unite around a common cause. Through using the Cedar Revolution as a case study, the thesis is aiming to illustrate how public space has been underplayed in the non-violent movement literature.Show less
The Olympics are the ultimate sports mega-events as they attract massive worldwide attention. Consequently, the Olympics offer a platform for host nations to gain political legitimatisation and for...Show moreThe Olympics are the ultimate sports mega-events as they attract massive worldwide attention. Consequently, the Olympics offer a platform for host nations to gain political legitimatisation and for minorities to empower their claim of independence. This thesis aims to answer: To what extend did Catalan and Tibetan activists deploy the window of opportunity created by the Torch Relays preceding the Olympic Games to empower their nonviolent resistance campaigns? In this thesis two case studies are discussed: the nonviolent resistance campaign of Catalans during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics on the one hand and the actions of pro-Tibet activists surrounding the Beijing Olympics of 2008 on the other. In both cases, the Torch Relays will be taken as focal point, because it turned out that the "game" between activists and authorities was played during the Torch Relay preceding the opening of the real Games. By focussing on the perspective and agency of the activists, this research takes a bottom-up approach. In short, this thesis argues that the Olympics Torch Relay can function as this temporarily window of political opportunity, which activists can deploy to empower their nonviolent resistance campaigns.Show less
This thesis provides an in-depth analysis on the impact of the social movement 'Ni Una Menos' on combating violence against women in Argentina. It focuses on the scope of legislative gender...Show moreThis thesis provides an in-depth analysis on the impact of the social movement 'Ni Una Menos' on combating violence against women in Argentina. It focuses on the scope of legislative gender policies, as well as offering an academic discussion on the success of the women's movement in influencing politics regarding the issue of gender violence in the country.Show less
Research master thesis | Asian Studies (research) (MA)
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Hong Kong, a former British colony and now Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, has a long standing tradition of well networked political protest. Particularly the pro...Show moreHong Kong, a former British colony and now Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, has a long standing tradition of well networked political protest. Particularly the pro-democracy movement had gathered wide ranging public support in the years following the 1997 handover. In recent years this movement and the spectrum of the political opposition split and diversified. This thesis argues that the responsibilities and the question of leadership in the activist network of Hong Kong are contested and that existing hierarchies complicate protest action. This became particularly visible during the 2014 'Umbrella Movement'. Based on this example this thesis takes on the question whether contemporary pluralist networks can overcome power hierarchies. Through an analysis of original interviews with activists from the 'Umbrella Movement' the contesting narratives of leadership in the movement are explored and mapped. This helps to understand how the activists position others and themselves within a broader network, and shows how existing hierarchies affect the image of leadership in the network. The analysis also highlights other factors that influence the activists' understanding of power. Eventually it is shown that a number of leaders existed in the movement, which processes were perceived as complication for equal participation opportunities for all activists, and that hierarchies were neither absent nor static.Show less
