The cutting of the Dutch govermental cultural funding in the last decade has had an impact on particularly Dutch small museums. This thesis will provide an overview on the rise and fall of Dutch...Show moreThe cutting of the Dutch govermental cultural funding in the last decade has had an impact on particularly Dutch small museums. This thesis will provide an overview on the rise and fall of Dutch governmental cultural funding and the rise of private funding in the museal field. It will also dive into the museal practice of small Dutch art museums. How have they dealt with declining governmental funding and how does this relate to private funding? These questions are at the heart of this thesis.Show less
Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) need to acquire donor funding to carry out projects. In the past, NGOs used to be progressive agents for social change. Nowadays, they are described as part of...Show moreNongovernmental organizations (NGOs) need to acquire donor funding to carry out projects. In the past, NGOs used to be progressive agents for social change. Nowadays, they are described as part of the development machine. The dependency of NGOs on donors and the competition between NGOs are both increasing. Donors also expect more reports from NGOs on projects. Altogether, the challenge for NGOs to get funding is increasing. At least, that is what the existing academic literature states. This research will examine these challenges for NGOs in the relation with donors for funding. It will answer the following research question: ‘What do Dutch NGOs see as the biggest challenge in the funding system with donors?’ The research will focus on the level of accountability, competition between NGOs for donor funding and dependency on donor funding. To answer the research question, a qualitative case study approach on Dutch NGOs was chosen. Semi-structured interviews with employees from Dutch NGOs were scheduled to gather data. This data explains how the three factors are perceived by the employees from Dutch NGOs and if this accords to the existing literature. The findings showed that the respondents from the NGOs did not unanimously express one of these three factors as burdensome. However, the respondents from the NGOs did express that the bureaucratic element in accountability is considered as the most challenging. Especially smaller NGOs (NGOs with less than 100 employees) experience the demanding reports as problematic. It increases the workload, which limits implementation time of the projects.Show less
After 2007 and the inclusion of Bulgaria in the European Union, European funding has been introduced on a national level through a variety of programmes. Partial funding coming through two regional...Show moreAfter 2007 and the inclusion of Bulgaria in the European Union, European funding has been introduced on a national level through a variety of programmes. Partial funding coming through two regional development programmes is being relocated towards conservation of archaeological heritage. So far, 72 archaeological sites have been conserved by restoration, and restoration projects are still ongoing. Nevertheless, the majority of these restorations are being deemed unfit by academics and international experts. Some of them were termed “hypothetical reconstructions” and have attracted extensive media and academic attention over the years. Many have expressed the opinion that the completion of restoration projects executed under the regional development programmes leads to a destruction of heritage. The aim of the current thesis is, therefore, to explore the phenomenon of hypothetical reconstructions by looking for particular reasons for dissatisfaction, expressed by people involved with archaeology. A qualitative research using a case study methodology was carried out, and three participants were interviewed. The case study focuses on the “Yailata” archaeological reserve, where a fortress and a rock church were subjects of restoration activities. By discussing the differences between restoration and reconstruction, and looking at the official project reports from Yailata, a theoretical framework is created through which the qualitative data is evaluated. The produced results set a discussion platform, which considers not only the violation of international legislation, but also a by-product resulting from hypothetical archaeological heritage reconstructions. The relationship between heritage and its power to construct national identity is discussed in relation to the practice of hypothetical reconstructions in Bulgaria. Furthermore, the involvement of the European community as a stakeholder is considered. The thesis is aimed at academics, heritage practitioners, and anyone who is interested in the phenomenon of hypothetical reconstructions.Show less
