Research master thesis | Archaeology (research) (MA/MSc)
open access
The Tang (唐) dynasty (618 – 907 C.E.), and to a lesser extent the Sui (隋) dynasty (589 – 617 C.E.) that directly preceded it, is often considered to be China’s premier ‘Golden Age’, the height of...Show moreThe Tang (唐) dynasty (618 – 907 C.E.), and to a lesser extent the Sui (隋) dynasty (589 – 617 C.E.) that directly preceded it, is often considered to be China’s premier ‘Golden Age’, the height of its cultural expression and the peak of its international trade. By contrast, the preceding period of disunity, often called the Six Dynasties period (六朝) (220 – 589 C.E.), stands out as a time of great chaos, uncertainty, and isolation in the minds of many both today and at the time of the Tang. A clear schism thus exists in our image of China in the first millennium C.E.. Yet this image comes to us mainly from written sources both ancient and modern, and is rarely independently analysed based on the archaeological remains of the periods. The aim of this thesis is to place archaeological material from China, which played a role in the ancient Silk Road trade network during the first millennium C.E., on a level with the historical sources, to find where they may coincide with or contradict each other, thus enriching our understanding of China’s role in the world of the first millennium C.E.. In order to do so, the thesis poses the question whether this schism of China’s active participation in international trade between the Six Dynasties and Tang periods can be traced in the archaeological evidence of trade from these periods, by studying a selection of Chinese archaeological material dating to the first millennium C.E. and analysing it through the lens of a world-systems and globalisation theoretical framework. The material used comes from Paul Ruitenbeek Art Gallery in Amsterdam, as well as several museum collections and academic and non-academic publications, as this is a topic not widely explored in academia. The Case Studies are organised into the themes of ‘Trade and travel represented’, ‘Exported items: luxury and practicality’, ‘Currency on the Silk Roads’, and ‘Influential style and beauty’. Ultimately, based on the combination of historical context, previous research, the case studies, and the theoretical framework, the conclusion is reached that while significant changes can be observed in China’s political situation and its involvement within the Silk Road trade network throughout the first millennium C.E., and these developments are at times closely influenced by each other, they are not intrinsically linked, as it was in fact the adaptability of the network and its various players that allowed the network to persist over such a long 128 period of time. Further research is needed to gain a true understanding of China’s role in the Silk Road trade network during the first millennium C.E..Show less
Anthropogenic environmental destruction on a global scale continues at an ever-increasing pace, driven by a disconnect between the valuation of short-term economic gains and their ecological impact...Show moreAnthropogenic environmental destruction on a global scale continues at an ever-increasing pace, driven by a disconnect between the valuation of short-term economic gains and their ecological impact. Increasingly, the introduction of indigenous intellectual perspectives to the global stage – many of whom have been custodians of ecologically important land for centuries – is being treated as a potential solution to this conundrum. In this evolving context, this thesis seeks to understand the role of African indigenous knowledge in global environmental protection. To answer this, a review of the practical and philosophical contributions of African indigenous communities to ecology is conducted, followed by a discourse analysis of the 2019 Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, to identify how these knowledges are treated in a global context. Analysis of the report and of academic literature shows that African indigenous knowledges, while potentially incredibly valuable as environmental protection, are poorly represented on a global level, both in their content, and in comparison with other regions.Show less
The increasing inequality as a consequence of globalisation requires more attention to the role of education. The aim of the present study is to contribute to the understanding of the micro...Show moreThe increasing inequality as a consequence of globalisation requires more attention to the role of education. The aim of the present study is to contribute to the understanding of the micro-implications of the compensation hypothesis by researching the effect of increasing globalisation on the perceived job quality of workers with different skill levels. A sample of six advanced economies (Germany, Hungary, Norway, Israel, United Kingdom, and United States) is used to test the theoretical assumption that globalisation tends to deteriorate the perceived job quality of relatively low-educated workers but tends to strengthen the perceived job quality of relatively high-educated workers. Data from the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) Work Orientations survey is used to compute the weighted average of job values and job outcomes to determine the subjective job quality of individual respondents. Using regression analysis, the findings indicate significant support for globalisation having asymmetric effects on the subjective job quality of workers with different skill levels. However, the small coefficients suggest that the effects are presumably trivial. Suggestions for future research are discussed based on the limitations and strengths of the study.Show less
The phenomenon of transnationalism is seen in history for multiple decades. The magazine Azeema focusses on women of colour who have a bilateral background and are most of the time from the Middle...Show moreThe phenomenon of transnationalism is seen in history for multiple decades. The magazine Azeema focusses on women of colour who have a bilateral background and are most of the time from the Middle Eastern North Africa region (MENA-region). Azeema and a couple of other initiatives are precursors in the sense that they focus on a group of people who formerly did not see representation of themselves in the media landscape. Via interviews and online content a context description is set up which explains how the editors of the magazine found Azeema. Due to the lack of representation and the desire to present a more nuanced picture of women from the region chief editor Jameela Elfaki started the magazine.Based in London the five-headed team started writing articles and accepting guest writers for the magazine. By means of a qualitative content analysis underlying themes and patterns of data are drafted. Five returning categories are founded when analyzing the data of Azeema’s publications. Besides these categories Azeema’s visual material is also considered during this analysation. The researched showed how the five categories were all adding to a ‘new’ wave of transnationalism that come about by bottom-up organizations.Show less
The age of globalisation has determined the shrinking of geographical distances and the emergence of mass mobility. People from diverse cultures now cohabit the same geographical areas which often...Show moreThe age of globalisation has determined the shrinking of geographical distances and the emergence of mass mobility. People from diverse cultures now cohabit the same geographical areas which often leads to conflicts stemming from fear of cultural diversity. In this respect, the role of modern art museums and biennials concerning the staging of intercultural encounters leading to mutual understanding is key. In this research, Pratt's and Clifford's theories on the contact zone will be combined with Bennett's notion of the exhibitionary complex and Witcomb's theories on the importance of addressing shared human concerns in current curatorial practice to instill empathic responses in the audiences face the realisation that despite cultural diversities, humans worldwide also share similar traits. Curatorial practice focussed on equally highlighting cultural similarities and differences and being more inclusive of the world’s artistic production, it is argued, can lead to the establishment of what can be defined the ultimate contact zone - a space of fruitful intercultural encounters in which diverse communities meet on equal power relations, discover each other, and ultimately re-shape their preconceptions around the surrounding world and the people inhabiting it. Specifically, the ultimate contact zone theory will be here applied to the famous exhibition The Family of Man, held at the MoMA in 1955 and now permanently installed at Clervaux Castle in Luxembourg, and the more recent Self-Portrait as the Billy Goat and The End of Love, held at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. The discussion will then move to biennial curatorial practice with a focus on the 1989 3rd Havana Bienal Tradition and Contemporaneity and the 57th Venice Biennale Viva Arte Viva.Show less
This dissertation discusses French language policy from an ‘ecology of language’ perspective. By adopting a broad definition of language policy and applying Spolsky’s (2004, 2005) forces of...Show moreThis dissertation discusses French language policy from an ‘ecology of language’ perspective. By adopting a broad definition of language policy and applying Spolsky’s (2004, 2005) forces of language policy, consisting of (1) sociolinguistic situation, (2) national identity, (3) globalisation and the spread of English, and (4) interest in linguistic pluralism, to the case of France, it is argued that instead of approaching this case of language policy as a highly successful example of French standardisation, it is more attentive to the linguistic diversity of France to regard it as a case of languages loss, or even a case of systematic ‘linguicide’.Show less
The Japanese labour market has changed significantly in the last few decades. In this thesis, I will look at these changes, the causes and the consequences.
The current report is an examination of language and identity in the context of Brussels. Brussels is sociolinguistically interesting as an official bilingual city with great diversity in languages...Show moreThe current report is an examination of language and identity in the context of Brussels. Brussels is sociolinguistically interesting as an official bilingual city with great diversity in languages and cultures. Theoretical notions of language attitude, accommodation and social identity are linked in the multilingual context of Brussels. To investigate a possible relation between language and identity, the language choice preferences of speakers of Dutch are mapped, as well as identifications they make on different levels. The link between language choice and identification is examined by investigating three small groups of speakers of Dutch in Brussels. An attitudinal online survey, expert interviews and a rapid and anonymous survey offer data that provide insights in the language, and identifications the speakers make. Qualitative analyses imply that speakers of Dutch in Brussels show a tendency to be flexible towards language switch and being addressed in another language. The Dutch language tends not to be a distinctive feature to the speakers’ identity, but multilingualism and positive traits attributed to multilingualism are part of the identity of the speakers of Dutch in Brussels.Show less
