The Rif War and the subsequent proclamation of the Rif Republic marked a watershed for anti-colonial movements during the interwar period. Traditional historiography tended to categorize the...Show moreThe Rif War and the subsequent proclamation of the Rif Republic marked a watershed for anti-colonial movements during the interwar period. Traditional historiography tended to categorize the episode as an isolated tribal revolt. Nevertheless, recent studies shed light on the international significance the conflict had on the emergence of global anti-colonial solidarity. This thesis uses Orientalism to analyze how transnational anti-colonial solidarity associated with the Riffians was perceived by the Spanish intelligence and interpreted by colonial military officers. It argues that orientalist and essentialist assumptions caused colonial officials to misinterpret transnational anti-colonialism, exaggerating the Riffian rebellion's dimension and altering their sense-making of foreign and domestic politics.Show less
Radicalization and extremism are wicked processes consisting of a variety of influential elements. Rooted in the construction of identity, the aim of this research is to explore the manner in which...Show moreRadicalization and extremism are wicked processes consisting of a variety of influential elements. Rooted in the construction of identity, the aim of this research is to explore the manner in which cultural identity and history function as influential determinants in the path of radicalization to violent extremism across different contexts. Through a thematic analysis of autobiographies from a former loyalist, and Islamic and right-wing extremists, the findings reveal the importance of historico-cultural perceptions between in-groups and out-groups in the context of radicalization and extremism. The implications of the findings to counter-terrorism research and policy are discussed.Show less
Pursuing climate justice is one of the main challenges in the creation of international and domestic climate change policies. The reason for this is the subjective nature of the concept of climate...Show morePursuing climate justice is one of the main challenges in the creation of international and domestic climate change policies. The reason for this is the subjective nature of the concept of climate justice, since what is perceived to be just by one, could be perceived to be unjust by others. By comparing the perceptions and translations of a Global North country’s government, the federal government of Canada, with the translations and perceptions of Global South country’s government, the government of Trinidad and Tobago, on the subject of climate justice, this thesis aims to provide the reader with a better understanding how climate justice can manifest itself in climate change policies. A discourse analysis has been conducted to uncover both national governments’ climate justice perceptions and translations. During the analysis and comparison of the climate justice discourse of both national governments, the researcher discovered that not so much the perceptions of climate justice differ, but rather what perception the national governments’ choose to focus on in its translations of the concept of climate justice into climate change policies. Their difference in focus can be explained by looking at the contexts in which both governments operate in and this difference in focus alludes to the notion that pursuing climate justice is a ‘luxury need’.Show less
While perceptions of albinism have always been characterized by difference, it was not until the mid-2000s when brutal killings of people with albinism (PWA) occurred that the government attempted...Show moreWhile perceptions of albinism have always been characterized by difference, it was not until the mid-2000s when brutal killings of people with albinism (PWA) occurred that the government attempted to tackle this problem through education. Almost twenty years later, discrimination and violence against PWA is still present in Tanzania, leading to questions about the effectiveness of an educational approach in combating such developments. Findings from my field research have revealed that people in the northern region of Tanzania perceive albinos to be a different ontological entity, which sustains violence and discrimination against PWA in the country. Most importantly, the governmental and non-governmental educational approach in tackling such problematic perceptions of albinism are proven insufficient in light of such ontological difference. My main recommendation is that education in Tanzania needs an ontological turn, which means that understanding and teaching should be done from the standpoint of albinos and society should be looked at from that perspective.Show less
With tensions between Russia and the West rising to Cold War-like proportions in recent years, it is important to keep a clear head as much as possible when the West engages with Russia....Show moreWith tensions between Russia and the West rising to Cold War-like proportions in recent years, it is important to keep a clear head as much as possible when the West engages with Russia. Perceptions of the Other can play a role in the way we engage with them, and those perceptions can be partially shaped by the images of the Other constructed by the media. This thesis discusses how one particular medium, video games, contributes to the perception and misperception of Russia by asking, what image of Russia and Russians do American-made video games construct, and how is it constructed? It examines and analyses two case studies, two popular video game trilogies, and concludes that the games’ gameplay, game-world and game-structure construct a Russia that is imperialist, immoral and cruel, hardly different from the Soviet Union that came before. Russians are frequently stereotyped as mindless patriots, unified in their love for “Mother Russia” and in their hatred for the West, especially America. Such depictions can be a contributing factor in the shaping of public and decision-makers’ perceptions of Russia as a threat to the West.Show less
Over the course of history, the bicycle has earned its place in the Chinese and Taiwanese streets and has long been the primary mode of transportation for many people. Even though both China and...Show moreOver the course of history, the bicycle has earned its place in the Chinese and Taiwanese streets and has long been the primary mode of transportation for many people. Even though both China and Taiwan play a big role in the world’s bicycle market, changes seem to have occurred in the presence of bicycle in the Chinese and Taiwanese streets as well as its corresponding perception. This thesis will reflect on changes in the public perception of bicycles in Taiwan and China in the last 60 years by answering questions such as; how have people’s views on the bicycle and its use changed? How can these changes be explained and does the bicycle have a future in China and Taiwan?Show less
Even though much has been written about the roles ‘the West’ attributes to China, little research has been done about how the media portray China in our everyday newspapers. This would be important...Show moreEven though much has been written about the roles ‘the West’ attributes to China, little research has been done about how the media portray China in our everyday newspapers. This would be important, because how Dutch people see China is largely based on what they read about it in the newspapers or what they see about China on the television. In other words, they have a mediatized image of China. In the media, China’s growing influence is subject of ongoing debate. China is often portrayed as an opportunistic superpower, ready to take over the world. At the same time, China is said to be ‘booming business’ or might even save the world from economic disasters. By exploring the ‘sending side’ of the so‐called framing process, this thesis sheds light on the ways in which China is being portrayed in the Dutch media and on how these different and sometimes even contradictory images ‘work’. This thesis seeks to investigate the frames used by Dutch journalists in their news reports on China by doing a news frame analysis. Through an inductive frame analysis based on both elements of qualitative content analysis and grounded theory, six news frames were abstracted from the material: the miracle about to end‐, red dragon‐, white knight‐, enfant terrible‐, booming business‐ and immoral giant‐frame. The results were tested for both inter coder and test‐retest reliability. Finally, this thesis explores to what extent Beck’s risk society theory and Said’s Orientalism can explain the findings.Show less
