This thesis investigates the impact of fascist ideas and practices on anticolonial nationalism in late colonial Indonesia (primarily 1935-42). Focusing on the example of Partai Indonesia Raya ...Show moreThis thesis investigates the impact of fascist ideas and practices on anticolonial nationalism in late colonial Indonesia (primarily 1935-42). Focusing on the example of Partai Indonesia Raya (Parindra) and its youth organization Surya Wirawan, it aims at bringing together disparate historiographies on fascism, anticolonial nationalism, and Indonesian intellectual history. Moreover, it traces the first 'birth pangs' of Indonesian paramilitarism back to the late colonial period, thus arguing against the commonly held view explaining the militarization of Indonesian politics merely as an effect of the Japanese occupation (1942-45). Therefore, this thesis uncovers traces of a 'homegrown' tradition of paramilitarism that drew a considerable part of its inspiration from fascist role models. For the purpose of this study, fascism is applied as a heuristic tool to ask hitherto avoided questions about organizations like Parindra that have long been labeled as 'cooperative' nationalist parties. In doing so, this thesis considers Indonesia as one of the countless (emerging) nations that were receptive to the global fascist hype in the 1930s.Show less
In the context of the Euromaidan and subsequent unrests leading to a war in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbass, this thesis examines the speeches of the country´s president, Petro Poroshenko...Show moreIn the context of the Euromaidan and subsequent unrests leading to a war in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbass, this thesis examines the speeches of the country´s president, Petro Poroshenko in the first 6 months of his presidency, the second half of 2014. This paper attempts to provide the answer to the following issues, employing critical discourse analysis as the methodology: it examines which form of nationalism, ethnic or civic, is more prevalent in the speeches. Moreover, it identifies the main themes and evaluates Poroshenko´s nation building mission while providing a chapter on the history of these contested forms of nationalism in Ukraine to offer a wider background of the examined issues. This study concluded that the prevalent form of nationalism is civic nationalism and identified anti-Russian rhetoric, the European path and using the war in Donbass as a means of uniting the people as the main topics. However, Poroshenko´s nation-building is defensive rather than proactive. It is largely based on anti-Russian narrative and the current war, but does not offer a viable and sustainable vision of nation-building in a long run, indicating that president Poroshenko is, like his predecessors, unable to resolve the internal division of Ukraine and create a strong national identity which would likely allow Ukraine to improve its economic and political situation.Show less
Drawing upon the idea that collective identities are firmly rooted in the past, this thesis explores the relationship between archaeological practices and identity formation in present-day...Show moreDrawing upon the idea that collective identities are firmly rooted in the past, this thesis explores the relationship between archaeological practices and identity formation in present-day societies. The focus lies in the social implications of the interdisciplinary field of archaeogenetics. Approaches on human origins and migration events through palaeopopulation research, attain both a biological and a cultural dimension. This thesis investigates the field’s epistemological position and public impact in Greek society, in regards to modern perceptions of Greek national identity. This is achieved through the analysis of a recent archaeogenetic study concerning the origin of the Bronze Age “Minoan” population in Crete. The case study is evaluated for its theoretical position towards notions of cultural continuity and blood affinity, while my approach culminates to the point of the research's 'release' to the public sphere through the Media, in order to reach an understanding of the ways such research can form contemporary perceptions of 'Greekness'.Show less
This thesis describes the development of the phenomenon of yōkai in Japan throughout time and investigates the influence of nationalism on this phenomenon using the oni as a case study.
