This thesis demonstrates the value of using everyday material culture in producing exhibition narratives. This is done by an in depth analysis of one particular case study, “Sour Sweet Bitter Spicy...Show moreThis thesis demonstrates the value of using everyday material culture in producing exhibition narratives. This is done by an in depth analysis of one particular case study, “Sour Sweet Bitter Spicy: Stories of Chinese Food and Identity in America” by the Museum of Chinese in America (NY). The exhibition aimed at representing the multiplicity of Chinese cuisine in the States, as well as the discussions regarding the definition of authenticity in cuisine and more generally culture. The thesis interprets food first as a frame to identity, an example of Derriderean parergon: food both shapes and is shaped by cultural identity. Statements by chefs and home cooks who were interviewed for the exhibition are analysed in order to support this perspective. In a second moment, the thesis considers the materiality of food as the element which enables the visitor to establish, through synaesthesia, an empathic connection with the stories narrated in the museum. Overall, this thesis aims at enhancing the power of material culture in creating exhibitions which combine the theoretical and abstract with the physical reality which we perceive through our senses and bear great impact on our lives and our perception of the world.Show less
Research master thesis | African Studies (research) (MA)
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The UN Sustainable Development Goals acknowledge ‘that all cultures (…) are crucial enablers of sustainable development’. In academic literature on Africa, however, cultural diversity is analysed...Show moreThe UN Sustainable Development Goals acknowledge ‘that all cultures (…) are crucial enablers of sustainable development’. In academic literature on Africa, however, cultural diversity is analysed as a problem, rather than as an enabler. Africa is either seen as one culturally homogeneous whole or as incredibly diverse and fragmented – there seems to be nothing in-between. Therefore, the picture is incomplete at best. Yet information on culture is used as the basis for assertions on Africa and its problems in economic and other areas. This thesis questions both visions of African cultures, using Vansina’s theory on the autonomy of cultural traditions as its starting point. Methodically, it uses an approach developed in cross-cultural psychology. Cultures are described here as value systems that serve as common points of reference to peoples. Using the cultural dimensions approach of Hofstede and Minkov a new exploratory analysis has been made of current self-perceptions of Africans, using data from the World Values and Afrobarometer surveys. This leads to information on differences and similarities in cultural values between more than 200 ethnolinguistic groups from over 30 African countries. The information has been partly triangulated through Focus Group Discussions in Ghana and in Southern Africa and by comparing information from those countries with ethnographic and other literature. The thesis sheds new light on cultural differences and similarities in Africa. It shows that there are considerable cultural differences within Africa; not all cultures in Africa are equally ‘collectivist’, for example. The essentially Eurocentric shorthand method of equating language with culture cannot be used in Africa: in many cases, cultural areas share different languages; in other cases, one language may be shared by people with different cultures. The thesis shows that such situations may be relatively common in Africa. The thesis calls for a new perspective on African identities and draws attention to the need for rebuilding cultural autonomy, based in African languages.Show less
Narratives in public discourse in Poland as reaction to the recent international media publications. To what extent did the narrative of public discourse in Poland change with regard to the...Show moreNarratives in public discourse in Poland as reaction to the recent international media publications. To what extent did the narrative of public discourse in Poland change with regard to the discourse of national identity and the perception of the European Union between accession to the European Union and recent political developments in 2018?Show less
When the reversion of Okinawa occurred in 1972, the island already was a complex amalgamation of various identities: heirs of indigenous Ryukyu culture, second-class Japanse citizens subjected to...Show moreWhen the reversion of Okinawa occurred in 1972, the island already was a complex amalgamation of various identities: heirs of indigenous Ryukyu culture, second-class Japanse citizens subjected to discrimination and war victims betrayed by its own government and colonised by a foreign force. Literally rising from the ashes, Okinawa has been reformulating its identity once again in face of challenges resulting from their marginal position amidst two greater powers. These include war trauma, economic rebuilding, continued discrimination by the mainland and persisting US base issues. Similar to a kaleidoscope, one can reposition individual elements to create a new constellation. Depending on the observer, different views and meanings can be constructed and interpreted. This thesis examines how Okinawans as a minority have emphasised and/or rearranged certain cultural symbols or narratives, creating new identities and using them as weapons, in order to negotiate a better standing within Japan following the period after the revision. Some developments that immediately come to mind are the emergence of civil society based on universal values of democracy, peace and ecology and the embedding of Okinawans as historical victims of the Japanese government and the mobilization of historical memory. I will be primarily focussing on contemporary post-reversion literature in my analysis, intending on researching the presence of these new identitities within contemporary novels. My objective is to observe if and/or how the ‘main model’ mentioned above is reflected and if the tendencies of modern literature have shifted accordingly.Show less
Ancient Roman notions of the feminine were ambiguous: on the one hand the feminine was defined as wild, irresponsible and dangerous, but on the other hand the feminine was defined as a cultured,...Show moreAncient Roman notions of the feminine were ambiguous: on the one hand the feminine was defined as wild, irresponsible and dangerous, but on the other hand the feminine was defined as a cultured, productive and essential element of society. Pearls regularly feature in Roman discourses about the feminine, and posess a similar ambiguity. Pearls were used as a symbol or metaphor for both sides of the ambiguous identity of the feminine in literary, visual and archaeological sources. This thesis analyses the underlying thoughts and connections between pearls and the ambiguous notions of feminine identity in the Roman world.Show less
The question of historical revisionism has long been a subject of discussion especially during the Soviet period of Russian history. In recent years, after the Russian annexation of Crimea and the...Show moreThe question of historical revisionism has long been a subject of discussion especially during the Soviet period of Russian history. In recent years, after the Russian annexation of Crimea and the civil war that is raging in the eastern parts of Ukraine, the issue has gained new interest. Within the cultural domain, a reflection of the politics of the Russian government can be perceived. The purpose of this thesis is to determine the presence of historical revisionism in the cinema of modern day Russia. Film has risen to be one of the leading art forms of the last century, in terms of its influence and popularity, and has remained this position until the present day. This paper establishes the presence of historical revisionism in of two recently produced Russian films, and indicates elements of revisionism in the other. Purposeful falsification of historical facts and the reinforcements of false narratives are shown to serve the political goals of the Kremlin, and are designed to influence public opinion domestically and abroad. This sadly indicates a broader problem in the Russian film industry, a fact that may warrant the need to further study and test the narratives that are presented to us by Russian film.Show less
Generalizations such as Asian women prefer white skin, or western women desires tanned skin exists. With what measurements do people generate such stereotypes and what does it mean? Regardless the...Show moreGeneralizations such as Asian women prefer white skin, or western women desires tanned skin exists. With what measurements do people generate such stereotypes and what does it mean? Regardless the skin color preferences it is a reality that the action of skin whitening or intended tanning is part of a cosmetic procedure. In other words it is an action of ‘doing beauty’. Beautifying one’s self is a common action that is seen in the world regardless of culture and skin color often plays a significant role in shaping what is beauty in a society. Many scholars in the field of researching white skin preference amongst Japanese women tend to associate and conclude by mentioning that it is due to the historical preference or it is due to the admiration for Caucasian skin as the definition of beauty or it is simply a ‘Japanese thing’. However, cultural preference of skin color is not always consistent and it could highly fluctuate due to the influence of cosmetic and fashion industry. Therefore in order to fill in the gap of research in relation to understanding white skin preference in Japan this thesis will analyze how could the white skin preference be understood in Japan in relation to the influence of cosmetic and fashion industry. Keywords: identity, skin perception, fashion, beautyShow less
On the basis of identity theory, this thesis analyses three films directed by Karim Dridi regarding the representation of the North African diaspora in France. These analyses will be put next to...Show moreOn the basis of identity theory, this thesis analyses three films directed by Karim Dridi regarding the representation of the North African diaspora in France. These analyses will be put next to the representations provided by dominant French discourse to conclude that the the latter takes a less comprehensive approach towards including the North African diaspora and representing them.Show less
Throughout the Soviet rule Buryats have been subjected to interventionist legislation that affected not only their daily lives but also the internal cohesion of the Buryat group as a collective...Show moreThroughout the Soviet rule Buryats have been subjected to interventionist legislation that affected not only their daily lives but also the internal cohesion of the Buryat group as a collective itself. As a result of these measures many Buryats today claim that they feel a certain degree of disconnection with their own ethnic self-perception. This ethnic estrangement appears to be partially caused by many people’s inability to speak and understand the Buryat language, thus obstructing their connection to ancient traditions, knowledge and history. This work will investigate the extent to which Soviet linguistic policies have contributed to the disconnection of Buryats with their own language and offer possible effects of ethnic language loss on the self-perception of modern day Buryats.Show less
In a threefold study linking sociolinguistics to the field of second language acquisition, I investigated what values students indexed through their L2 English accent. I related this to their...Show moreIn a threefold study linking sociolinguistics to the field of second language acquisition, I investigated what values students indexed through their L2 English accent. I related this to their identity. Indexicality is a framework that attatches linguistic variables to social meanings (e.g. Eckert, 2008, Trousdale, 2010, p. 48). The social meanings attached to speech are valued unequally across social groups, and therefore, some language is more likely to be heard and respected than others in a construct termed the ‘linguistic marketplace’ by Bourdieu and Boltanski (Eckert, 2000, p. 13). This study involved questionnaires (n=99), interviews (n=4), and investigations into students’ sound files (n=18). The majority of the students (71%) aspired to a British accent, which could be related to findings in the questionnaire: namely that students rated sounding native and intelligent highly. When interviewed, students stated that a British accent, and specifically Received Pronunciation (RP), sounded more intelligent, and had more prestige attached to it. Investigation by Edwards (2016) reveals that the British accent is still considered the default model in the Netherlands. Thus it appears they have appropriated this norm, and thereby maximise the value of their speech on the linguistic marketplace. Moreover, students likely wish to signal their intelligence and expertise by emulating the British ideal. In general, students sounded predominantly British in their sound files (52% on average), though they had 40% Dutch influence on average, and also traces of American influences, like t-flapping and rhoticity. Besides L1 interference this showed students also incorporated aspects of speech which likely had covert prestige for them. In general, students’ accent preferences signal their academic, professional identity, but do not seem to index all aspects of their identity. When applied to the wider L2 acquisition field, this study illustrates identity expression may not be a priority of learners; instead, they may wish to appropriate a most standard and accepted accent.Show less
Executive master thesis | International Relations and Diplomacy (MSc)
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In the last three decades there has been a global trend towards the acceptance of dual citizenship among sovereign states. Similarly, unrecognized states have come to accept dual citizenship,...Show moreIn the last three decades there has been a global trend towards the acceptance of dual citizenship among sovereign states. Similarly, unrecognized states have come to accept dual citizenship, albeit in varying degrees and for the same reasons. However, limited work has been done on dual citizenship policies of unrecognized states, with no comparative research been done amongst the unrecognized states in the post-Soviet space. This inter-disciplinary and explorative research has worked towards answering the question of what factors contribute to the adoption of divergent dual citizenship policies by unrecognized states in the post-Soviet space? By comparing Abkhazia and Transnistria, two cases having similar historical and political circumstances but having contrasting dual citizenship policies, it was possible to identify the contributory factors to these divergences. It was found that utilitarian concerns based on the need to improve the citizens’ welfare, the existence of a diaspora, the type of national identity (civic/ethnic), and the level of influence exerted by the patron state – Russia, all contribute in varying degrees to the level of liberalness of the two unrecognized states’ dual citizenship policies.Show less
After WWII, between 500,000 and 600,000 Koreans remained in Japan because of social, economical or political reasons. The Koreans who remained in Japan became known as zainichi, which literally...Show moreAfter WWII, between 500,000 and 600,000 Koreans remained in Japan because of social, economical or political reasons. The Koreans who remained in Japan became known as zainichi, which literally means “residing in Japan.” In this thesis, I argue that the representation of the zainichi identity of adolescents in cinema helps us appreciate the complexities of zainichi identity. Through film, we are able to see how the characters change throughout the story and how they interact with their social environment. , I discuss scholarship on the formation of zainichi identity, how zainichi were able to secure the legal recognition of their existence in Japan and how different social and legal changes caused a change in zainichi identity.Show less
This thesis studies the social and linguistic attitudes of native speakers (NS) towards second language learners’ (L2L) of their own tongue. Firstly, it will explore British, American, Chinese and...Show moreThis thesis studies the social and linguistic attitudes of native speakers (NS) towards second language learners’ (L2L) of their own tongue. Firstly, it will explore British, American, Chinese and Japanese NS’ social acceptance of L2L and whether L2L may be accepted as new NS. Secondly, it will relate which linguistic requirements NS find of more salience in L2L’ speech. The conducted experiment partly supported the proposed hypothesis. Regarding social acceptance, the results indicated that the ‘Western’ participants were more socially accepting of foreigners and would be more likely to welcome L2L as new NS than the ‘Eastern’ NS. However, in case of the language requirements the results did not support the hypothesis as the ‘Western’ participants also rated being capable of general communication as the most salient language requirement for L2L. For both the ‘Eastern’ and ‘Western’ participants acquiring a perfect accent was the least important linguistic goal for L2L. Ultimately, the outcomes of this research may not be regarded as truly reflecting ‘Eastern’ and ‘Western’ views on social acceptance and language requirements of L2L as the sample of this research was unfortunately not considerable. Also, attitudes regarding social acceptance may undergo rapid change due to personal experiences and moods. Therefore, this study may be regarded as a guideline for further research since a study on a much larger scale may truly reflect upon social acceptance of L2L and language requirements NS set for L2L.Show less
