As Korea has globalized, so too has its discourse surrounding Korean transnational adoptees. Globalization of the issue can be seen in media portrayal of this group, where their canon of portrayal...Show moreAs Korea has globalized, so too has its discourse surrounding Korean transnational adoptees. Globalization of the issue can be seen in media portrayal of this group, where their canon of portrayal in Korean film and television is now accompanied by non-Korean works of visual media. Through a case study of Return to Seoul, a 2022 film by non-adoptee, non-Korean director Davy Chou, the thesis argues the following. While Return to Seoul as an independent foreign film on transnational Korean adoptees is in some capacity aware of Korea’s national wound and discourse, it is not meant to fit into existing Korean representations or answer to political incentives. Conversely, it is exactly through its divergence from existing portrayals that foreign film on the topic has the potential to resonate with its global audience, and create productive discourse on Korean-ness and foreign-ness.Show less
This study looks into how the Islamic State (IS) recruits both men and women by using genderspecific narratives in its online magazine Dabiq. The study focuses on the themes of the narratives and...Show moreThis study looks into how the Islamic State (IS) recruits both men and women by using genderspecific narratives in its online magazine Dabiq. The study focuses on the themes of the narratives and frequency of specific words used by IS to appeal to various gender identities by performing a content and discourse analysis of 15 Dabiq magazines. The research shows that IS targets men and women using several gender-specific narratives. The most common topics among men are violent ones, emphasising martyrdom and violence in particular. Women, on the other hand, tend to focus more on social and personal issues, with a particular focus on motherhood. The data also shows that IS uses several gender narratives to appeal to both men and women. The prevailing narrative for men reinforces traditional masculine norms by focusing on ideas of bravery, protection and heroism. Contrarily the dominant narrative for women centres on stereotypes of motherhood and caregiving, which are consistent with traditional conceptions of the roles and obligations of women. According to these findings, IS customises its recruitment techniques to consider men's and women's distinct motivations and objectives, relying on gender-specific narratives to engage people in their particular gender identities. The study clarifies the part played by gender in online radicalisation and emphasises the significance of taking gender dynamics into account in counterterrorism efforts.Show less
Over the last two decades, Muslim communities have been confronted with prejudice and hostility as an effect of the War on Terror and the narrative that Islam is synonymous with terrorism and...Show moreOver the last two decades, Muslim communities have been confronted with prejudice and hostility as an effect of the War on Terror and the narrative that Islam is synonymous with terrorism and violence. Instead of viewing radicalisation as a process involving deep-rooted societal issues such as discrimination and social exclusion, a disproportionate focus is put on the ideological push factor that is Islam to understand and combat radicalisation. This article examines the degree to which Islamophobia has been present in Dutch policies on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) through discourse analysis. Previous research examined the effects of elements of Islamophobia being present in governmental discourse on the Muslim communities, but there showed to be a gap in the research on how this anti-Muslim sentiment is reflected and can be recognized in governmental texts. Ten Terrorist Threat Assessment Reports that were published in the early stages of the War on Terror were compared with the ten most recent reports based on the framework of elements of a closed and open view of Islam as established by the Runnymede Trust in 1997. The analysis reveals that elements of Islamophobia have been present ever since the War on Terror in the form of constructing Muslims as the enemy and overgeneralising various factions within Islam, but have seen an increase in recent years, leading current reports to reinforce Islamophobic sentiment. This research allows for elements of Islamophobia in government texts to be recognized and confronted.Show less
This thesis aims to provide an overview of how certain gendered narrative tropes have made their way from action-adventure film and television into video game stories of the same genre, of the...Show moreThis thesis aims to provide an overview of how certain gendered narrative tropes have made their way from action-adventure film and television into video game stories of the same genre, of the differences that have arisen between these types of media, and of why we can recognise these differences. It does so through an analysis of the 21st century in television and film, in order to outline gendered tropes regularly found in these media. This is followed by a discourse analysis of three case studies: Tomb Raider (2013), Horizon Zero Dawn (2017) and The Last of Us: Part II (2020).Show less
China’s national identity plays a crucial role in the research of Chinese nationalism security and historical memory making. Identity politics played an increasingly important role in China,...Show moreChina’s national identity plays a crucial role in the research of Chinese nationalism security and historical memory making. Identity politics played an increasingly important role in China, especially after the reform and opening up of the Chinese economy initiated by Deng Xiaoping and the 1989 Tiananmen crisis. The CCP’s moral and ideological legitimacy was increasingly challenged. Deng and Jiang Zemin turned to patriotic education and Confucianism for the solution, citing the lack of patriotic feelings among citizen as the cause for the Tiananmen crisis (Gilley 1998, 271-2). The selective and “active forgetting” nature of writing history is also present in the construction of national identity and political discourse which are dependent on elites and their political aims (Renwick & Qing 1999, 112). Under Xi’s rule, the national identity discourse has taken a shift in narratives, where nationalism humiliation faded slowly into the background and gradually replaced by more ambitious and victorious narratives (Chang 2021). The motivation behind this shift can be shortly summarise as CCP’s historical goals of “great rejuvenation of the nation” which Xi explicitly expressed since his succession. The construction of national identity involves selecting specific historical events as strong evidence for themes, even though it might ignore or exclude the complete picture, especially in China, where the historical discourse is highly politicalised (Zhao 2015). Therefore, this paper is interested in “How does China constructs its national identity discourse around the themes of ‘The China Dream’ and ‘Chinese inherent peacefulness’”? The documentary Great Power Diplomacy will be used as a case study in answering this 2 question. It is argued that the CCP has carefully constructed a framework in integrating themes of “China Dream” and “Chinese inherent peacefulness” into the Chinese national discourse through propaganda, while the constructed discourse also serves as a useful tool in deflecting criticism.Show less
How can we understand the EU as a foreign policy actor? The research presented here aims to answer this old, but increasingly relevant, question by applying a narrative analysis. This analysis...Show moreHow can we understand the EU as a foreign policy actor? The research presented here aims to answer this old, but increasingly relevant, question by applying a narrative analysis. This analysis based on texts by the European Commission and European Parliament provides insights into how the EU constructs its own position in the international arena. Most importantly, the research establishes that both institutions are increasingly constructing the EU as a powerful, interest-driven, actor which should aim to develop capabilities similar to those of its constituent nation-states. Thereby, calls for a more 'geopolitical' EU are moved alongside the value-driven approach that was still dominant little over a decade ago.Show less
In the post 9/11-era, the Dutch government has made extensive use of special operations forces (SOF), predominantly in Afghanistan. While the importance and role of SOF continue to expand, the use...Show moreIn the post 9/11-era, the Dutch government has made extensive use of special operations forces (SOF), predominantly in Afghanistan. While the importance and role of SOF continue to expand, the use of and discourse on the deployment of Dutch SOF has received little academic attention. This thesis provides new insight into the discourse on Dutch SOF operations in Afghanistan. A discourse analysis was conducted on government discourse vis-à-vis operational accounts. Consequently, a comparative analysis was conducted to establish if, and to what extent government discourse and operational accounts have collided. This thesis argues that during the first analysed deployment, from 2006 onwards, the mission set largely aligned with operational accounts. However, this mission set did not correspond with the expertise of a SOF unit, which led to dissatisfaction among the commandos. During the second analysed deployment, from 2018 onwards, government publications provided more clarity on the nature of the mission, although some ambiguity concerning combat aspects remained. Future research is recommended on other operational phases of Dutch SOF.Show less
In recent years, migration has been subject to intense securitisation, which can especially be observed when analysing the development of the European borderscape. Extreme measures such as barbed...Show moreIn recent years, migration has been subject to intense securitisation, which can especially be observed when analysing the development of the European borderscape. Extreme measures such as barbed fences, illegal pushbacks and militarised borders have contributed to poor conditions and many casualties on and around the EU’s external borders. Additionally, human trafficking rates have increased significantly over the past decade and is globally prioritized among the most pressing human rights issues. Research in the field of development and border studies has shown that strict borders negatively impact human trafficking dynamics. Moreover, feminist security research observes a forced protection rhetoric fuelled by a masculine hegemony, that has significant negative impact on the living experience of female trafficked sex workers. To test this hypothesis, a critical discourse is conducted on discourse published by the EU, Frontex and Europol in order to analyse how the EU mediates the two incompatible goals of border control and human trafficking. The results showed two distinctive narratives based on xenophobic and exclusionary securitisation politics and the social construct of masculine protection. These results suggest that a new intersectional approach should be adopted in order to ensure safe migration, human rights and female agency.Show less
This thesis analyzes legislative and discursive approaches of the Civic platform-led (2007 – 2015) and the PiS-led (2015 – 2020) governments while also linking those approaches to the European...Show moreThis thesis analyzes legislative and discursive approaches of the Civic platform-led (2007 – 2015) and the PiS-led (2015 – 2020) governments while also linking those approaches to the European level. It shows that LGBT rights have become politicized at both the European and the national level in Poland. The EU both discursively and legislatively supports LGBT rights while alleging its (pro-LGBT) values that are both universal and European apparently leading it to be an example around the world. Therefore, the pro-EU governments in Poland were clearly more pro-EU. The Civic Platform-led government, as a generally pro-EU government, was hesitant to politicize LGBT rights because of its sensitiveness. However, through the years its discourse and policy towards LGBT rights became more explicit in supporting LGBT rights. On the other hand, the PiS-led government was highly critical of LGBT rights while using its opposition to LGBT rights as a tool to campaign. Its stance on LGBT rights exemplifies its ambiguous position vis-à-vis Europe; while asserting a European identity and favoring EU membership, the government rejects some the EU’s core values. Overall, this thesis argues that the politicization of LGBT rights can be both beneficial and harmful for LGBT people. The danger of politicization though, is that LGBT rights could be used to further political ends rather than being primarily concerned with the well-being of those people.Show less
Several scholars have already studied how certain groups are in- and excluded in discourse. Their studies have demonstrated how certain stylistic choices from textual analyses denote that certain...Show moreSeveral scholars have already studied how certain groups are in- and excluded in discourse. Their studies have demonstrated how certain stylistic choices from textual analyses denote that certain groups are excluded in discourse. Contemporary studies have already covered Trump’s verbal style and rhetoric during the 2016 presidential election. Previous research, however, has not covered how Trump’s campaign rhetoric during the 2016 presidential election contributed to the general impression that he excludes immigrants. Therefore, this thesis aims to provide an answer to which stylistic choices contribute to the impression that the Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump excludes immigrants in his immigration speech held on 31 August 2016.Show less
This article seeks to address increasing concerns about the resurgence of US far-right groups in the wake of the January 6th Insurrection (2021) by studying an unexamined, nascent but influential,...Show moreThis article seeks to address increasing concerns about the resurgence of US far-right groups in the wake of the January 6th Insurrection (2021) by studying an unexamined, nascent but influential, far-right group known as the National Justice Party (NJP). Examining the NJP’s discourses provides both a better understanding of new developments within the far-right, as well as knowledge of how best to counter them. By applying the discourse-historical approach, it was found that the NJP’s discourses are partially in established literature as it relates to far-right ideological influences and the structure of its discourses. The NJP is partially outside of it for its novel systemization of what it calls ‘the anti-white system.’ This system causes whites to be systematically disadvantaged by elite Jews for advantage or profit. The anti-semitic scapegoating in addition to other contextual factors, suggest that the NJP is motivated by the increasing economic precarity and racial polarization in the country. This study contributes to the established literature by addressing a modest gap, and offers some policies to neutralize the appeals of the NJP’s discourses.Show less
In the People's Republic of China, the state takes a didactic approach towards the diffusion of media and forbids the depiction of homoerotic relationships on the big and small screen. Chinese web...Show moreIn the People's Republic of China, the state takes a didactic approach towards the diffusion of media and forbids the depiction of homoerotic relationships on the big and small screen. Chinese web series "The Untamed" (Chen Qing Ling 陈情令) however adapts a web novel containing an explicit homoerotic romance to public acclaim. This exploratory study examines how the directors of this series navigated government censorship and conveyed the homoerotic subtext between the two protagonists. In order to answer this, the thesis makes use of visual discourse analysis (divided into the layers of the image, the soundscape and the montage) on shot protocols as outlined as in Schneider (2012) while also building upon the theoretical frameworks of Van Leeuwen (1996; 2008), Kress and Van Leeuwen (2006) and Iedema (2004). The analysis is contextualized by a literature review spanning the topics of the history of homosexuality in China, the importance of representation and television, homosexual representation in the Chinese media landscape to end with the topic of the state approach to media and censorship mechanisms of web series. The thesis concludes that the directors successfully depicted homoerotic subtext by using a wide range of audio-visual and narrative techniques while leaving enough space for deniability, which might bring about more adaptations of such materials and influence public opinion about homosexual individuals.Show less
This thesis examines political attitudes towards different groups of migrants arriving in Britain between 1948 and 1971. Specifically, it examines how the creation of the National Health Service ...Show moreThis thesis examines political attitudes towards different groups of migrants arriving in Britain between 1948 and 1971. Specifically, it examines how the creation of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948 influenced attitudes towards different migrant groups. It pays close attention to racial inequalities comparing the different receptions of predominantly black and brown migrant groups from the New Commonwealth states and the predominantly white migrant groups from continental Europe and Old Commonwealth states. Methodologically it uses a combination of close and distant reading techniques on parliamentary transcripts and civil service records, particularly from the British Ministry of Health. The central finding is that far from migrants being treated with universal scepticism, there was a very clear hierarchy of desirability into which different migrant groups were sorted, and further that this hierarchy was structured around perceived racial difference.Show less
Populists play a central role in the current crisis democracy faces. Approaching populism as a style of communication is becoming more popular in academics. Yet, there has been little systematic...Show morePopulists play a central role in the current crisis democracy faces. Approaching populism as a style of communication is becoming more popular in academics. Yet, there has been little systematic research on indicators of populist rhetoric. This article presents a comparative case study examining presidential speeches in which populists frame democratic backsliding through populist rhetoric. It examines the use of populist rhetoric by seven Latin American presidents when they refer to their attempts to degrade the democratic system. Findings highlight that arguing to act in line with the will of the people, referring to actions as revolutionary and scapegoating opposing forces are frequently used frames to justify authoritarian behaviour and attacks on democratic institutions.Show less
