R2P (Responsibility to Protect) is an international norm set up by the international community to set out against mass genocide prevention. It is socially relevant given the Rohingya migration...Show moreR2P (Responsibility to Protect) is an international norm set up by the international community to set out against mass genocide prevention. It is socially relevant given the Rohingya migration crises calling out R2P to be invoked. However recent media and academic debates have cast doubts on R2P’s application. Regardless of these doubts, R2P advocacy has grown globally with more international research partners and their own research journal. This brings forth the question: how does the organization of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) reflect epistemic/expert authority? This is an explorative thesis that makes use of a single case study of R2P employing qualitative research methods. Academic debate shows R2P as either an extension of unilateral humanitarian intervention or a replacement for it. Proponents argue it as a replacement due to its increasing popularity through its authority. This thesis adds to the authority argument with the use of Global Knowledge Networks which explains whether knowledge production of an organization has expert-legitimacy. Using the transnational discourse community and coalition approach it is shown that R2P’s knowledge production has independent force and power among experts, and simplification and impact towards nonexpert. This gives R2P’s knowledge production expert-legitimacy and therefore establishes R2P’s epistemic/expert authority.Show less
The current situation with regard to the covid-19 pandemic has given rise to an explosion of new conspiracy theories within the public debate. It is claimed that the virus was artificially created...Show moreThe current situation with regard to the covid-19 pandemic has given rise to an explosion of new conspiracy theories within the public debate. It is claimed that the virus was artificially created by the Chinese government to use as a weapon, that it is used as a ploy by our own government to secretly install harmful 5G radiation towers and that the vaccine against the virus contains a microchip by Bill Gates to track and control us. How do these wildly different stories relate? In this essay we will investigate what they have in common and how they work. Instead of simply dismissing conspiracy theories as lunacy, we will try to understand them and examine their claims and purpose. What exactly do they claim and why? Such a serious investigation into the concept of conspiracy theories is needed, as they do often seem to contain a kernel of truth. Conspiracy theories are rightly suspicious of authorities and the knowledge that is provided by these authorities. We will investigate this suspicion and evaluate conspiracy theories. Most importantly, we will be focusing on the link between conspiracy theories and ideology. How do conspiracy theories resemble social theory that cites ideology as a factor, and are we justified to say that conspiracy theories embody a critique of ideology?Show less
