The aim of this research is to investigate how health was fostered by urban planners after the Second World War in the cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Firstly, this thesis will discuss the...Show moreThe aim of this research is to investigate how health was fostered by urban planners after the Second World War in the cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Firstly, this thesis will discuss the literature review that tackles urban health, the concept of health in the twentieth century, and postwar urban planning. This will be followed by a framework from secondary literature mentioned in the literature review on urban health and urban planning initiatives that impact health positively. This framework is used to analyse primary sources of postwar urban planning. The results indicated that postwar urban planners developed urban areas mostly to prevent infectious diseases and aimed for the creation of lively neighbourhoods through leisure. However, the spatial environment that was created unintentionally prospered health in different manners through the lens of the current perception of urban health.Show less
The continuous urbanisation of our surroundings has led to an increase in environmental problems. In addition to the process of urbanisation negatively impacting the quality of our environment, it...Show moreThe continuous urbanisation of our surroundings has led to an increase in environmental problems. In addition to the process of urbanisation negatively impacting the quality of our environment, it also directly supports climate change. Consequently, the two major global trends lead to a notable increase in the unpredictability and magnitude of flooding hazards that can cause substantial damage to cities and their population. Though there are preliminary flood prevention strategies already in place, governments and policymakers struggle to formulate more integrated approaches and policies so as to fully prevent adverse consequences originating from extreme flooding events. This thesis studies the extreme pluvial floods that have severely affected many countries and regions in Western Europe, leading to economic decline, infrastructural damages, and loss of life. During two days in July 2021, the sudden appearance of these urban pluvial floods has left many countries such as Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands devastated by the destruction of their cities and villages as many areas were left submerged underwater. In an effort to understand the effectiveness of already existent adaptation plans and water management policies in averting potential flood events, this paper will provide a comparative analysis of said policies and plans for both the Netherlands and Belgium. Hence, their approach to water management policies will be investigated to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures implemented prior to the extreme urban floods, followed by an evaluation of the adaptations of these policies after the events.Show less
In light of creating more mutual understanding between South Korea and the Netherlands, this thesis studies and compares the general organizational cultures of South Korean and Dutch businesses by...Show moreIn light of creating more mutual understanding between South Korea and the Netherlands, this thesis studies and compares the general organizational cultures of South Korean and Dutch businesses by focusing on the view of a sample population of employees from each country. Consequently, the question this thesis attempts to answer is: ‘How do the organizational cultures of South Korean and Dutch businesses compare, as viewed through the eyes of the general employee?’ This thesis consideres every organization that employs people as a business. Furthermore, this thesis defines organizational culture as ‘values, norms, behaviors and work practices of the members in an organization’. To test the hypothesis that the two current organizational cultures of businesses in South Korea and the Netherlands are similar to each other, despite the different ways in which the organizational cultures of the two countries have been shaped, this thesis made use of a survey method to research how employees viewed their organizational culture. The survey combined qualitative and quantitative approaches through close-ended answers and deeper delving, open-ended answers. Subsequently, the survey was distributed to employees from all different kinds of job positions and workplaces within both South Korea and the Netherlands. The results of this study show that there are many similarities between the organizational cultures of South Korean and Dutch businesses, such as an occasional need to work overtime, after-work gatherings initiated by colleagues, a feeling of being heard by their boss and colleagues and a generally decent job satisfaction. Differences between the countries include a difference in flexibility of working hours, different views on obedience towards people in higher positions and different views on the need for strong personal bonds with collegues. Overall, the organizational cultures of businesses in South Korea and the Netherlands were found to contain more similarities than differences.Show less
The critical infrastructure is at the core of a well-functioning society (Mussington, 2021). Through technological developments, the critical infrastructure is increasingly regulated through the...Show moreThe critical infrastructure is at the core of a well-functioning society (Mussington, 2021). Through technological developments, the critical infrastructure is increasingly regulated through the internet. However, digitalization has made the critical infrastructure more vulnerable to digital disruptions (OECD, 2012). Therefore, it is a vital interest for national governments to protect the critical infrastructure from digital threats (Mussington, 2021). Within this cybersecurity domain, a multitude of stakeholders is collaborating to carry out the governance of cybersecurity. However, yet little attention has been designated to the organizational structure of the cybersecurity governance domain, according to Kuerbis & Baldiei (2017). While zooming in on the organizational aspect, this research aims to fill this gap in academic knowledge by gaining insight into the cybersecurity governance approaches of Spain and the Netherlands regarding critical infrastructure protection. The findings of the research indicate that public-private partnerships are more prominent in the Dutch context. The Spanish cybersecurity governance approach revolves around the security services present in the country. Moreover, the study concludes that the Spanish approach is characterized by a market governance structure, whereas the Dutch are following a networked governance structure. The research framework and findings have offered the foundations to unpack the organizational structure within the cybersecurity domain. Applying other lenses on this matter will increase the academic confidence in the organizational aspect within the cybersecurity domain.Show less
Based on the Alt-Right Movement in the United States, Study Association Erkenbrand was established in the Netherlands in 2016. Their ideology is based on the notion of White supremacy and therefore...Show moreBased on the Alt-Right Movement in the United States, Study Association Erkenbrand was established in the Netherlands in 2016. Their ideology is based on the notion of White supremacy and therefore they are against ethnic and racial blending. Ultimately, Erkenbrand wants to create a White ethnostate free from (minority) groups, such as migrants, Jews and Muslims. Therefore, Erkenbrand has their own website where they post propaganda articles about current social developments, events and other topics related to their different values within their ideology. This study aims to explore the themes within Erkenbrand’s propaganda articles in 2021 to analyze the nature of their content and which themes occur most often. Combining grounded theory with framing theory, 92 propaganda articles were analyzed to also investigate how Erkenbrand frames those key themes within their ideology to its followers as this could possibly radicalize them and/or stimulate them to use violence. Findings showed that key themes within Erkenbrand’s propaganda are nationalism, White supremacy, degradation of culture, anti-migration, and anti-left/liberal and anti-government sentiments. Furthermore, Erkenbrand argues that the White race is declining and being replaced by other ethnic groups due to mass immigration. According to Erkenbrand, the (leftist and/or liberal) government is to blame for not protecting the Western culture, tradition and White race by making secret agreements and conspiring against the ‘real’ Dutch citizens.Show less
The Syrian civil war caused an enormous refugee flow towards Europe, especially in the years 2015 and 2016. Although the Netherlands and Germany are strongly interconnected, their response to the...Show moreThe Syrian civil war caused an enormous refugee flow towards Europe, especially in the years 2015 and 2016. Although the Netherlands and Germany are strongly interconnected, their response to the refugee crisis differed. Germany accepted a lot more refugees than the Netherlands. To investigate where this difference could come from, this research has endeavoured to answer the question: To which extent can the difference of policy in the 2015 refugee crisis between Germany and The Netherlands be explained by Kingdon's stream model?. Kingdon (1995) recognized three flowing streams that, at the moment they come together, create a policy window in which policy can be implemented. Qualitative content analysis has been performed on newspaper articles containing specific terms, regarding the crisis, in Germany and the Netherlands in the years 2015 and 2016. On the basis of a code tree the articles were analysed to examine Kingdon's multiple stream theory and their role in policy implementation in the Netherlands and Germany. The countries did not differ on many concepts, but on some they did. The influence of international partnerships affected the political stream. The pressure from other countries turned out to be more on Germany than on the Netherlands. This pressure led to the opening of the German borders for refugees via Hungary. Kingdon's theory turned out to be suitable for the case analysis. Yet, the adaption of the theory to the time and location of the case was useful. This research focussed on German and Dutch articles, for which precise translations in the data collection are used. Nevertheless, the possibility of proverbial differences between languages can lead to disproportional data collection. For further research cooperation with German researcher could be a solution to perform further analysis.Show less
The hierarchical vertical structures of security networks are increasingly making way for horizontal networked structures. One of these security networks is the Neighbourhood Watch group of...Show moreThe hierarchical vertical structures of security networks are increasingly making way for horizontal networked structures. One of these security networks is the Neighbourhood Watch group of Schipluiden, which strives for less crime and a better quality of life within their municipality. It is aimed at reducing crimes such as robberies, burglaries, violence, vandalism and destruction of property. Even though these initiatives gained quite some popularity in the Netherlands, they remain prone to several challenges. Therefore, this thesis examines what challenges are affecting the effectiveness and legitimacy of the Dutch Neighbourhood Watch group of Schipluiden. Through qualitative research methods, this thesis combined several criteria in order to evaluate the effectiveness and legitimacy of the Neighbourhood Watch group of Schipluiden at different levels of analysis. After using a combination of content analysis and expert interviews, this thesis concludes that the NHWS is a legitimate security network that is currently effective, yet prone to several challenges that could affect the effectiveness in the future.Show less
As civil war broke out in Spain the entire world watched. The deeply ideological nature of the conflict ensured it spurred public interest worldwide. In the Netherlands too the public took sides, a...Show moreAs civil war broke out in Spain the entire world watched. The deeply ideological nature of the conflict ensured it spurred public interest worldwide. In the Netherlands too the public took sides, a process regulated by the existing pillarisation. Most Dutch catholics supported Franco, though the pillar also knew some dissidents. This paper looks at the argumentation used by Dutch catholics for their position in the civil war, using newspapers and books as sources. Through this research it tries to add to the existing views on the interwar Netherlands and to the corpus of research on how the civil war was perceived outside of Spain.Show less
Bachelor thesis | South and Southeast Asian Studies (BA)
closed access
This thesis researches in what ways the practices of Ayurveda in Ayurvedic practices in the Netherlands are diverging from their Indian prototypes and counterparts, and why.
After the Liberation of the Southern Nederlands in late 1944, the head of the Philips company contacted the American religious and anticommunist organization the Moral Rearmament. Throughout the...Show moreAfter the Liberation of the Southern Nederlands in late 1944, the head of the Philips company contacted the American religious and anticommunist organization the Moral Rearmament. Throughout the 50s, the Philips family played a major role in facilitating the American organization in the Netherlands, propagating Cold War rhetoric in politics, culture and industry. What in historiography has been called a 'postwar consensus', a period of a supposed 'ideological vacuum' and labour harmony, is problematized by the activity in the Netherlands of this highly ideological network of international industrialists. This thesis tries to research how the Moral Rearmament politicized the fundaments of the 'postwar consensus' by various tactics, and simultaneously traces the dissemination of its political ideas in Dutch society and key industries.Show less
Research master thesis | Latin American Studies (research) (MA)
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This master thesis will be devoted to the switch in Dutch foreign policy towards Latin America. Hereby we are reffering to the switch from a more development oriented policy towards a policy that...Show moreThis master thesis will be devoted to the switch in Dutch foreign policy towards Latin America. Hereby we are reffering to the switch from a more development oriented policy towards a policy that lays attention on the economic relations. We are aware of the comprehensiveness of the Latin American region, but due to the various developments that have taken place over the years we consider it important to look at Latin America in general. Subsequently, we will take a closer look at specific countries. The first chapter is the theoretical framework, the second chapter will be aimed at the relations between the Netherlands and Latin America in the period of the 1970s to the early 2000s and the third chapter will be aimed at the current relations between the Netherlands and Latin America and includes special attention to the following countries: Cuba, Colombia, Panama, Mexico and Chile.Show less
The French Senate is nowadays often presented by its critics as an institution that is conflicting with the principles of democracy. This raises questions about how this area of tension between...Show moreThe French Senate is nowadays often presented by its critics as an institution that is conflicting with the principles of democracy. This raises questions about how this area of tension between democracy and the second chamber has emerged and evolved throughout the history of the French political system. Bicameralism seems contradictory to the French political culture because the republican doctrine strongly believed in a single assembly. This research focuses on the first half of the French Third Republic (1870-1914) and investigates to what extend the Senate was considered to be compatible with democracy. How was it possible that a Senate -an institution that seemed to have lost its place in the French political landscape and was associated with aristocracy and conservative liberalism- obtained a place in the institutional framework of this republic which was so democratic for its time? In general, historians have shown little interest in upper houses. However, this thesis argues that in order to get a complete picture of the reasons behind the evolution of democratic institutions it is not enough to merely study political theory or constitutional law; one should also look at the reality of political practice. In order to understand how important historical events and national context in France were in shaping the debate about the relation between the Senate and democracy, the French case is put in an international comparative perspective with the discussions that took place around the same period in Belgium and The Netherlands. This research demonstrates that the French Senate of the Third Republic was not constructed against democracy, or simply as the representation of conservative forces. It rather was a very inventive chamber that served the interest of the Republican Party, promoted democracy and played an important role in the political education of the French countryside and its integration into the French nation. Secondly, it is argued that discussions about the legitimacy of the French upper house were to a very large extend determined by historical circumstances -such as the Boulanger crisis and the Dreyfus affair-, political opportunism, pragmatism, and specificities in the national political culture.Show less
Although many studies have researched consumer purchasing behaviour in general, relatively few studies on car purchasing behaviour are publically available. Also, purchasing behaviour studies...Show moreAlthough many studies have researched consumer purchasing behaviour in general, relatively few studies on car purchasing behaviour are publically available. Also, purchasing behaviour studies focusing on both car segments and cross-cultural car purchasing behaviour are limited available. Nor did these studies include the role of materialism in their research on car buying decision making process. In addition, no study has yet conducted research on the comparison of Sino-European car segment buying behaviour. Besides contributing to the corporate automotive sector, this bachelor thesis is written in the context of Chinese Consumption Culture, with the aim to extend the existing academic literature on cross-cultural consumption behaviour by researching and identifying to what extent differences in consumer characteristics – including culture (Dutch versus urban Chinese) and materialism - affect the consumer’s car segment buying decision making process. Overall, the results have proven that (1) cultural differences between Chinese and Dutch (Non-Chinese) people affect differences regarding the consumer’s car segment buying decision in the following manner: Chinese cultural concepts Face, Family relationships and Sense of shame are positively correlated with Car segment. This implies-, that the higher the score on Chinese culture is, the higher the score on Car segment. Chinese-national respondents in this study generally scored higher on Chinese culture than Dutch nationals. Thus, culture differences affect differences in the consumer’s car segment buying decision. (2) Differences in Materialism as consumer characteristic do also influence the consumer’s car segment buying decision. The more materialistic, the higher the car segment. Thus, differences on materialism affect differences regarding the consumer’s car segment buying decision. (3) Multiple consumer characteristics may interact, causing a leverage or “turbo” effect regarding the consumer’s car segment buying decision. For example, if a person is both Chinese and highly materialistic, a leverage effect takes place on car segment buying decision – thus scoring higher on car segment than cases with no interaction.Show less
1) Little is known about the relationship between a child’s intelligence and parental stress. Few studies in the USA and Japan have shown that parents of children with a low intelligence score or a...Show more1) Little is known about the relationship between a child’s intelligence and parental stress. Few studies in the USA and Japan have shown that parents of children with a low intelligence score or a high intelligence experience more stress raising their children than parents of children with an average intelligence. 2) The goal of this study is to investigate the relationship between the child’s intelligence and parental stress. This relationship is corrected for by the child’s behavioural problems. 3) The sample in this study consisted of 107 children with either their father of mother, who lived in the Netherlands. They filled in self reports (NOSI(K), CBCL/6-18) and the child’s intelligence was tested (PPVT-III-NL). 4) The relationship between child’s intelligence and parental stress was found to be not significant in this study. The relationship remained insignificant when corrected for problem behaviour of the child. 5) A possible explanation for these results is the higher than average intelligence of the children in this sample. Further arguments may be expectations of Dutch parents for their children, which might differ from expectations of American and Japanese parents.Show less
This thesis addresses two developments that have been ignored in the framing literature: the absence of security-related subjects in this field of research and the lack of comparative issue framing...Show moreThis thesis addresses two developments that have been ignored in the framing literature: the absence of security-related subjects in this field of research and the lack of comparative issue framing experiments. Although the research record to date has demonstrated highly robust evidence from issue framing experiments, this thesis argues that security-related subjects have been largely ignored in the academic debate about framing. This is striking, since security concerns, especially since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, play a prominent role in contemporary political-, societal- and mass media environments in the United States and Europe. Furthermore, this thesis demonstrates that a focus on security-issues fills the academic gap on comparative framing research: by comparing the influence of issue frames on security issues in two countries where the salience of these security issues differ (the United States and the Netherlands), this study examines whether pre-existing attitudes within the population towards security-issues might influence the strength of the effects of issue framing.Show less
Advanced master thesis | Political Science (Advanced Master)
open access
Economic diplomacy is now a standard practice. However, the strategies that countries use differ. This thesis examines if countries in the same income category, low middle, upper middle and high...Show moreEconomic diplomacy is now a standard practice. However, the strategies that countries use differ. This thesis examines if countries in the same income category, low middle, upper middle and high-income have similar strategy. It would follow from the literature that based on high-income status a more advance and integrated strategy is used. Research in this thesis concludes that especially the countries in the upper middle-income category are still traditional in their policy development and management, but when it comes to economic aid donors these countries have innovative programs in place.Show less
Research master thesis | History: Societies and Institutions (research) (MA)
open access
This thesis is about two scientific expeditions to Dutch New Guinea.The first to the Wisselmeren (1939)just before the Second World War, the second to the Sterrengebergte (1959) a few years before...Show moreThis thesis is about two scientific expeditions to Dutch New Guinea.The first to the Wisselmeren (1939)just before the Second World War, the second to the Sterrengebergte (1959) a few years before the transfer of Dutch New Guinea to Indonesia. These expeditions were organized by the Dutch Royal Geographic Society (Koninklijk Nederlands Aardrijkskundig Genootschap or KNAG). Many disciplines were involved: zoology, botany, geology, anthropology and many more specialisations. This research looks specifically at the interaction between the colonial state and the scientific expedition and the knowledge resulting from this relationship. Therefore it focuses on colonial anthropology and the changing notions of race and the 'other'.Show less
