Since 2009, northeastern states in Nigeria have been heavily plagued by the insurgency group Boko Haram. Additionally, an upsurge in recruitment and radicalization among Nigerian youth can be...Show moreSince 2009, northeastern states in Nigeria have been heavily plagued by the insurgency group Boko Haram. Additionally, an upsurge in recruitment and radicalization among Nigerian youth can be observed. Subsequently, fear and distrust in youth among communities arise, where young Nigerians are perceived as inherently dangerous, feared to be involved with Boko Haram. The emergence this stereotype has profound implications for the position of youth in society and prompts questions regarding the factors that contribute to the perpetuation of this stereotype. Therefore, this research aims to explore how youth in northeast Nigeria are portrayed through public and policy discourse, especially in regards to Boko Haram. Employing Critical Discourse Analysis as the methodological framework, this research critically scrutinizesif the Nigerian media, politicians and policymakers depict youth as a threat to society. Findings of the discourse analysis reveal a prevailing negative rhetoric surrounding youth in northeast Nigeria. They are presented as a demographic who are often unemployed and excluded from society. Additionally, young Nigerians are consistently associated with recruitment, radicalization, crimes and involvement in violent extremist groups such as Boko Haram. All these components appear interconnected, revealing a vicious cycle of stigmatization and violence. Drawing upon securitization theory, this research concludes that media, policymakers and politicians wield their influence to portray youth as a threatening actor to society, contributing to the perpetuation of a detrimental narrative that further fuels stigmatization and marginalization of youth in northeast Nigeria.Show less
Derry Girls provides a humorous take on the Northern Irish Troubles. The sitcom, following the lives of a group of teenagers living in Derry in the 1990’s, combines the grimness of the sectarian...Show moreDerry Girls provides a humorous take on the Northern Irish Troubles. The sitcom, following the lives of a group of teenagers living in Derry in the 1990’s, combines the grimness of the sectarian conflict with the recognisability of teenage hardship. In the series, trauma is inherently linked to the everyday concepts of youth, humour, and community. These concepts are used to allow the characters and the audience to think critically on the events occurring in the series, as the conflict is presented with such normalcy. Additionally, they highlight a sense of hope and kinship and advocate for a youth-inclusive approach to peacebuilding. The series can also be seen as a product of its time; not only does it portray the zeitgeist of 1990’s Derry, it is also a response to the ongoing violence and paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland since the Good Friday Agreement. Derry Girls underlines the importance of community in the processing of trauma, established the ‘Derry Girls’ as an exemplification of peacebuilding, and uses humour as a means of the demystification of conflict.Show less
A literature study on South Korean youth engagement in the most prevalent forms of delinquency since 2000. In order to explain South Korean youth delinquency, this thesis provides literature...Show moreA literature study on South Korean youth engagement in the most prevalent forms of delinquency since 2000. In order to explain South Korean youth delinquency, this thesis provides literature reviews and statistical data. Additionally, several criminological theories are utilized to explain youth's engagement in delinquency by discussing certain contributing socioeconomic influences.Show less
The Treaty of Maastricht halted the relatively straightforward process towards an ever closer European Union. Opinions about integration became more dispersed and resistance to European integration...Show moreThe Treaty of Maastricht halted the relatively straightforward process towards an ever closer European Union. Opinions about integration became more dispersed and resistance to European integration can now be found in all layers of society. This increased resistance, or its opposite support, can influence the opinion of citizens about European integration. One group of citizens is especially vulnerable, youngsters between 18 and 25, who are still in a period of extraordinary psychological and social change. Goal of this research project is to analyse if resistance or support of these groups of actors influences the opinion of youngsters, in this regard students, about European integration. To analyse the relation semi-structured interviews are employed with students from EU member states studying in the Netherlands. Along resistance and support of actors three additional factors were considered, political and economic considerations, identity and the role of the media. Of these factors a conceptualization of several elements of the identity of a respondent, their personal background, was found to be most important. Resistance and support and economic considerations were of secondary importance. The results point to a smaller influence of external factors than expected. As long as students are satisfied with their socio-economic position they are not influenced heavily by external factors. Instead they formulate their opinion about European integration based on their personal background. Based on the results of my research project European policymakers should focus on economic and social benefits if they want to ensure the support of the young generation. Further research should explore this conclusion in more depth by conducting interviews with a more diverse, lower educated, group of students.Show less
This thesis will explain what the motives for the 1969 and 2015 occupations of the Maagdenhuis were. The Maagdenhuis building is part of the University of Amsterdam and is located in the city...Show moreThis thesis will explain what the motives for the 1969 and 2015 occupations of the Maagdenhuis were. The Maagdenhuis building is part of the University of Amsterdam and is located in the city centre of Amsterdam. To be able to understand relevant background details of the different eras in time firstly it will be investigated how the social circumstances were in 1969 and in 2015. How was life in these two different times? A comparison will be drawn after investigating multiple societal factors; the stance towards authority, differences between generations, social class and inequality. Also other examples of students’ revolts and social changes will be studied to gain a broader view on what was happening in both these times in Europe. Eventually findings of each case will be compared and this will provide a deeper understanding of both Maagdenhuis occupations. The relevance of this research is that it gives better insights with regard to student protests in general, how it is affected by social circumstances of a certain era, which in return gives guidance on how to manage future students protests.Show less
High prevalence of HIV, teenage pregnancy and unsafe abortions are challenges faced by many countries in the Global South. Research shows that much of the health problems that arise are due to a...Show moreHigh prevalence of HIV, teenage pregnancy and unsafe abortions are challenges faced by many countries in the Global South. Research shows that much of the health problems that arise are due to a lack of general basic understanding on reproductive biology. However engaging in open discussions on sexual and reproductive health is not always fruitful due to social and cultural barriers. Using the theory of empowerment, the thesis looks into the relation between ICT, youth and public health in Mara region, Tanzania. Research findings point to a growing usage of ICT within the region, however mostly limited to radio and mobile phones. Efforts in Tanzania to improve information access on public health are visible, although they are more often than not handled as individual cases rather than collective attempts to work towards a long-term goal. A strong centralised system that allocates sufficient funds and resources for further developing sexual and reproductive health matters is therefore required along with research to assess the effectiveness of the changes implemented.Show less
Research master thesis | African Studies (research) (MA)
open access
For many Malawians the concept of home is strongly associated with the rural areas and one’s (supposedly rural) place of birth. This ‘grand narrative about home’, though often reiterated, doesn’t...Show moreFor many Malawians the concept of home is strongly associated with the rural areas and one’s (supposedly rural) place of birth. This ‘grand narrative about home’, though often reiterated, doesn’t necessarily depict lived reality. Malawi’s history of movement and labor migration coupled with contemporary rapid urbanization makes that the amount of people whose lives do not fit this grand narrative, is increasing fast. In the current context of extreme poverty, destitution and devastation – the latter due to the flash floods of January 2015 – slum areas in Blantyre city are growing and so is the number of street children and youth. Some of them are taken in by organizations such as the Samaritan Trust; a street children shelter. This program aims at taking street youth home by ‘reintegrating’ them in their (rural) communities. When asked, the majority of (former) street youth adhere to the grand narrative and state their home to be in a rural village. Yet at the same time, this home is a place they intentionally left and do not wish to (currently) return to. Hence they are generally depicted as ‘homeless’. I wondered: how do (former) street youth in Blantyre, Malawi, engage with ‘the grand narrative about home’ in trying to imagine their ‘becoming at home’ in the city? My thesis departs from the idea that (the search for) home is an integral part of the human condition. During eight months of ethnographic fieldwork in Blantyre, Malawi, I used qualitative methods – mainly interviews and participant observation – to come to an understanding of the meaning of home for (former) street youth. Some of them, the street girls, currently reside at Samaritan Trust and the former street youth are boys who formerly resided there. Their home-making practices in relation to a marginalized socio-economic position in an overall challenging economic context point towards more fluid and diverse constructions of home that exist alongside the grand narrative without rendering it obsolete. Under pressure, (former) street youth paradoxically attempt to solidify home – even though home remains fluid in practice. These attempts assist in coping with life in liquid modernity while they are at the same time fraught with contradictions, especially when these solidifications are themselves solidified in policies. These policies subsequently hamper (former) street youth’s becoming at home in town by following the grand narrative and thus confining their homes to rural areas. I conclude that home can best be seen as a fluid field of tensions (re)created in the everyday, thus leaving space for both (former) street youth’s roots and routes. An alternative way in which (former) street youth try to become at home in the city is by searching for a romantic partner to co-construct this (future) home with.Show less
This study focused on the extent to which British political parties made pledges and policies for youth in their 2010 election manifestos to motivate them to vote and the extent to which these...Show moreThis study focused on the extent to which British political parties made pledges and policies for youth in their 2010 election manifestos to motivate them to vote and the extent to which these policies were subsequently reflected in the news to enable the youth to be informed of the policies that are relevant for them. Previous literature has argued that political parties are to blame for low youth voter turnout but these arguments were based on survey studies among young people and no research had been conducted on the actual policies parties make for youth. Content analysis was carried out on the election manifestos of the three biggest parties in the UK and news articles by three online news sources to determine the attention given to young people. The results showed that very few pledges were made specifically for young people in the manifestos but that news media did report about these pledges fairly often. It was concluded that the political parties offer young people very little motivation to vote, but also that the media does inform youth about the policies that are relevant for them. These results lend support to the claim in the literature that youth are often marginalised in policy discourse and youth voter abstention could, to some extent, be a result of the reluctance of political parties to sufficiently address youth issues.Show less
