The thesis looks into the major electoral reform of the late 2010s in the Republic of Moldova in order to provide insight into the continuation of the process of democratization and adherence to...Show moreThe thesis looks into the major electoral reform of the late 2010s in the Republic of Moldova in order to provide insight into the continuation of the process of democratization and adherence to European democratic values in the countryShow less
Fear among other emotions plays an important role in shaping political outcomes, especially during periods of uncertainty. In this paper, ‘the politics of fear’ is taken as the theoretical basis...Show moreFear among other emotions plays an important role in shaping political outcomes, especially during periods of uncertainty. In this paper, ‘the politics of fear’ is taken as the theoretical basis and is explored through a case study of the democratic transition period in Egypt from 2011 to 2013. The aim is to investigate how fear led to the ultimate failure of this transition. This paper demonstrates that fear was experienced, instrumentalized and exacerbated by three main groups in Egypt during this period, the elite, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the leftists and seculars. Looking beyond Egypt, ‘the politics of fear’ can be used to explain other periods of political uncertainty in different contexts.Show less
There are few issues as contentious in modern South Korea as reform of the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office, the country’s highest investigative authority. Over the past several years, feuds over the...Show moreThere are few issues as contentious in modern South Korea as reform of the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office, the country’s highest investigative authority. Over the past several years, feuds over the direction of the prosecution have at times completely dominated political discourse. President Moon Jae-in has spent a considerable amount of political capital on prosecution reform (kŏmch'al kaehyŏk) since his election in 2017, and bitter battles on multiple fronts erupted over the president’s drive to remove power from the prosecution and shift it to different institutions. The cornerstone of these reforms finally passed the legislature in 2020 after decades of effort from civic groups and politicians. High-profile debates over the future of the prosecution elevated former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to a top presidential contender, despite never having held elected office. This thesis takes the following as its central question – why has prosecution reform become associated with the South Korean democratization and the political fault lines that emerged in its wake? It is an attempt to interrogate the motivations behind this quest for reform and situate it as part of a political and historical era – that is, the continued and contentious legacy of democratization and the transition to a more open civil society in the 1980s and 1990. This investigation will begin with a summary and analysis of the particular roles and responsibilities of the South Korean prosecution, as well as a brief overview of some of the existing literature. The first chapter will cover the prosecution’s history under Japanese rule, the American occupation, and the South Korean governments that followed the end of American rule in 1948. The institution’s historical formation is important to understanding the way the prosecution has been viewed by reformers in more recent years. The second chapter concerns the methods by which the prosecution was deployed during authoritarian rule, conflicts between the prosecution and legal activist groups, and the institutional continuity the prosecutor’s office displayed after the transition to democracy in 1987. The third chapter explores the ways through which the issue of prosecutorial reform has been framed, debated, in the context of changes in South Korean governance and society from the 1990s onward. The final chapter briefly discusses the successful implementation of reforms under the Moon Jae-in administration. This research draws on primary sources including newspaper archives from databases such as Naver News Library and the Korea Integrated Newspaper Database System, government and court case records, and documents from the civic organizations that first proposed sweeping changes to the country’s prosecution. This thesis is part history and part histography, as it charts the way the prosecution’s past has been interpreted to reorder its present powers. Ultimately, it is my hope that this investigation will shed a light on how an issue that has an enduring impact on modern South Korean politics came to be theorized and discussed as representing an unfinished legacy of democratization.Show less
Although neoliberalism has remained the major economic strategy for post- Pinochet governments, in the 1990s it was sought to be combined with a liberal democracy and an increased decentralization....Show moreAlthough neoliberalism has remained the major economic strategy for post- Pinochet governments, in the 1990s it was sought to be combined with a liberal democracy and an increased decentralization. In general, pronounced effects of both neoliberalism and decentralization is a change in the approach to governance. With the drastic attitudes of states toward the economy and social-policy making caused by neoliberal reform, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have become actors of increasing importance. Subsequently, worldwide decentralization trends, most notably in the 1990s, have moved NGOs to assume new roles as active social service-deliverers and co-workers of development. When looking at Chile, major political shifts occurred with its return to democracy. Nonetheless, the neoliberal model implemented under Pinochet has always stayed. As such, the era of the dictatorial regime vis-à-vis shows both similarities and contrasts. Comparing both areas, this thesis examines to what degree the Chilean state’s governance approach changed under its return to democracy, focusing on how NGO-state relations have changed and what roles were assumed by NGOs.Show less
In light of the democratization process in Myanmar, new prospects for ending the ongoing ethnic tensions have emerged. However, there remain cases of ethnic outbursts and minority oppression in...Show moreIn light of the democratization process in Myanmar, new prospects for ending the ongoing ethnic tensions have emerged. However, there remain cases of ethnic outbursts and minority oppression in contemporary Myanmar.This thesis will examine to what extent the current situation regarding minority oppression and ongoing ethnic conflict reflects its complex political climate of authoritarian rule and the new political transition, democratization. British colonial rule left the modern nation faced with challenges of creating unity within an ethnically diverse population arbitrary borders. Followed by decades of military rule, the imagining of a Burmese nation at the cost of ethnic minority identities left its mark on the current political climate. An extensive literary analysis reveals that the current situation regarding ethnic tensions and minority oppression in contemporary Myanmar is a reflection of its (post-)colonial history, complex political climate, and the democratization process. The case study of the Karen farmer suggests an economical relevance in the debate on democratization and ethnic minority issues.Show less
On 2 May 2008, the South of Myanmar was struck by Cyclone Nargis, which crushed the area, killed around 140,000 people and displaced millions. To look into the political significance of this...Show moreOn 2 May 2008, the South of Myanmar was struck by Cyclone Nargis, which crushed the area, killed around 140,000 people and displaced millions. To look into the political significance of this disastrous event, this research tests the framework of Mark Pelling and Kathleen Dill, which analyses the impact of natural disasters on political systems. Is their theory applicable to the case of Cyclone Nargis and Myanmar? Especially the role of LNGOs and CSOs in this event is emphasized. This thesis draws conclusions on using theory to understand the effects of a natural disaster on a political system. Events like this always have to be studied with regards to the concerning context and it is complex to use a generalist framework as Pelling and Dill propose.Show less
In the recent years there has been a discussion on the mechanisms of democratization and the European Union’s contribution to this process. Furthermore it has been studied how military-regimes,...Show moreIn the recent years there has been a discussion on the mechanisms of democratization and the European Union’s contribution to this process. Furthermore it has been studied how military-regimes, have had an impact on the stability of a new young democracy. However, it has not explained, to what extent the European Union can contribute to prevent an authoritarian reversal and tackle the challenges that young democracies with a military legacy have to face. This thesis seeks to analyze whether the European Union has prevented the risk of an authoritarian reversal in post-military regimes. This project aims to bridge theories on democratization of military regimes with theories on how organizations such as the European Union, contribute to the prevention of an authoritarian reversal. In order to answer the research question, the case of Myanmar from 2011 until 2015 has been analyzed. The analysis of the democratization in Myanmar showed that all the policies of the EU have not specifically tackled the challenges which have been caused by Myanmar’s military legacy. In order to effectively contribute to a more successful consolidation of a democracy, the external agent should focus more on the context, in which the country is democratizing.Show less
Latin America counts as the most dangerous continent for journalists to perform their profession, leaving an open question on the causation of this. The academic debate on violations against...Show moreLatin America counts as the most dangerous continent for journalists to perform their profession, leaving an open question on the causation of this. The academic debate on violations against journalists in Latin America seems to be dominated by the independent variables freedom of press, media concentration and impunity as lack of rule of law in the context of globalization and democratization. While according to Josephi mostly Western evaluation is used in the Studies of Journalism (Mellado et al. 61), the thesis presented will include Latin American literature as well. One of these Western assumptions is, that democratization simultaneously leads to higher press freedom and less media control which will be investigated in the case studies of Chile and Mexico. Moreover, it will mainly be a comparison of especially Chile and Mexico in 2000-2016, because both countries illustrate two sides of a coin, Mexico as one of the most dangerous countries for journalists at the moment and Chile with no recent cases of murdered journalists and officially a free press. It will, therefore, be a comparison of two extreme cases which promises insight on the development of journalism in Latin America and the importance of emphasizing on local differences rather than generalizing a whole continent.Show less
This thesis offers a historical and political analysis of the recurring pattern of polarized political advocacy found among print and online newspapers in the Republic of Korea (ROK). It argues...Show moreThis thesis offers a historical and political analysis of the recurring pattern of polarized political advocacy found among print and online newspapers in the Republic of Korea (ROK). It argues that the authoritarian imprint left on the political system’s institutional features by democratic transition has contributed to the politicization of print newspapers initially, and that of online newspapers subsequently. It also provides a critical reading of the methodological framework found in D. Hallin and P. Mancini’s Comparing Media Systems from the viewpoint of the ROK democratization experience.Show less
