The anticommons dilemma is not a well known dilemma, but wellworth studying as it has a practical impact on individuals and society when it occurs. It occurs when multiple people co-own a resource...Show moreThe anticommons dilemma is not a well known dilemma, but wellworth studying as it has a practical impact on individuals and society when it occurs. It occurs when multiple people co-own a resource or property who have to grant each other permission in order to use or sell the resource. This study explores whether in an anticommons dilemma a participant’s feeling of ownership over a resource increases when he or she has to put effort into obtaining it. Half of the participants (Ntotal = 208) had to exert effort by doing an effort task in order to influence their Willingness To Accept (WTA) value, i.e. the amount of points they are willing to accept as payment in order to let the other co-owner use the resource. The participants also filled in a Psychological Ownership scale. Effort did not significantly influence psychological ownership, but psychological ownership did significantly influence WTA. There was no significant WTA difference between the (un)equal effort treatment conditions. The effects of effort are further analysed and discussed.Show less
The prevalent theory of burden-sharing in NATO today did not accurately predict contributions in ISAF. Through an analysis of parliamentary debates in the United Kingdom and Germany, this paper...Show moreThe prevalent theory of burden-sharing in NATO today did not accurately predict contributions in ISAF. Through an analysis of parliamentary debates in the United Kingdom and Germany, this paper argues that domestic factors are important predictors in contributions to alliances. Domestic and international concerns interact in a two-level dynamic, where a valuation of alliance membership and support by domestic elites play a central role.Show less
The South China Sea (SCS) is of global importance: it hosts one of the busiest trade routes in the world, and contains large amounts of natural resources such as fish, oil and gas as well. The SCS...Show moreThe South China Sea (SCS) is of global importance: it hosts one of the busiest trade routes in the world, and contains large amounts of natural resources such as fish, oil and gas as well. The SCS is also one of the most contested pools of water on the globe. Numerous countries claim (parts of) the SCS, and conflicting claims have resulted in a highly disputed environment. Mainly China has been assertive over the region, claiming a large part of the SCS with the so-called Nine Dash-line. This struggle over the resources in the SCS has caused states to move in rather destructive manners. Overfishing, (testing for) resource extraction and reforming islands have caused massive damage to the SCS and its marine populations. Due to lack of regulation and cooperation, local people as well as corporations are not only unhindered in taking destructive actions, they are incentivized to do so. The situation in the SCS is a dire one, fish populations are already at an all time low, putting the meals and jobs of millions of people at risk. A solution is called upon, but due to conflicting claims of countries, causing mistrust and increased militarization, this is not in sight. This thesis aims to explain the situation in the SCS, and will do so on two levels. First, it will explain the situation states find themselves in and which choices present themselves when operating in the SCS. As said, that situation creates an environment where locals as well as corporations find themselves being able to overexploit, thus eventually destroying the natural resources the SCS contains. Fish is one of the most overexploited thereof, with marine populations showing sharp decline in numbers since the last decades. Therefore this thesis will secondly present an analysis on what situation fishermen find themselves in. Both these parts will be explained through game theory. Multiple models will be presented to explain the interactions that countries and their populations find themselves in, and why they make the choices they make. Lastly, some propositions will be made on how to create an environment in which these problems can be overcome and create a well-managed sea.Show less
The thesis reviews three explanatory models (game theory, performativity, and asymmetry) that are used to explain the different outcomes of the state-domestic terrorist group interactions in West...Show moreThe thesis reviews three explanatory models (game theory, performativity, and asymmetry) that are used to explain the different outcomes of the state-domestic terrorist group interactions in West-Germany and The Netherlands during the 1970s. The thesis highlights the relevance of explanations that discuss the factor of asymmetry.Show less
