Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
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An anthropological research into the human-to-car relationship, specifically considering those who acknowledge themselves as “car enthusiastic” beyond its functions of mobility, based in and around...Show moreAn anthropological research into the human-to-car relationship, specifically considering those who acknowledge themselves as “car enthusiastic” beyond its functions of mobility, based in and around Stuttgart, Germany. The capital of Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart is the birthplace of the internal combustion engine [ICE] automobile as we recognise it today. Revolutionary at its point in time, the ubiquity of the ICE automobile in modern society is now one of the world’s leading causes of pollution. As the EU pushes the industry to move away from the familiar, this research zooms into those whose object of passion is being forced to transform. Four months of multi-sited fieldwork, engaging predominantly with methods of photography during drive-along interviews and participant observation, gave rise to a discussion of the human-car relationship through the prevalent conceptual lenses of ‘value’ and ‘play’. A photobook, as the multimodal counterpart of this ethnographic project, elaborates on the diversity and ambiguity of the human-car experience. Drawing on an implicit argument that newer technologies do not immediately make older ones redundant, the book format invites the reader to reflect on their own relationship with the (ICE) automobile through a compilation of photos from the field placed in montage, alongside anecdotes and questions.Show less
This research analyzes how play in artmaking can positively affect the well-being of the hobby artist. Ian Bogost’s theory on play and limitations is used to form the argument that boundaries allow...Show moreThis research analyzes how play in artmaking can positively affect the well-being of the hobby artist. Ian Bogost’s theory on play and limitations is used to form the argument that boundaries allow the artist to have control over their creative act. Keith Sawyer’s theory highlights the roles of problem finding and solving in the artistic process. Patrick Bateson’s evolutionary perspective demonstrates that creativity leads to the benefit of adaptability, whereas Mark Runco interconnects the theories by affirming that controlled play environments stimulate creative thinking and expressivity. Additionally, studies in the therapeutic field elaborate on the transformative role of play as art and positive health benefits such as fulfillment and healing. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s theory on flow shows similarities with Bogost’s play characteristic. It is argued that controlled environments may enhance flow states with benefits of mindfulness and distraction. Examples are illustrative of the theories and confirm how creative play could improve the amateur artist’s well-being.Show less
This research discusses an in-depth analysis of the novel entertainment-based institutions coined as Instagram Museums, in terms of the aesthetic art experiences and play driven interactions that...Show moreThis research discusses an in-depth analysis of the novel entertainment-based institutions coined as Instagram Museums, in terms of the aesthetic art experiences and play driven interactions that they provide. By differentiating between two distinct types of Instagram Museums, the gallery-like and the museum-like, the analysis is led through two case studies, the Museum of Ice Cream and the Museum Voorlinden. While these institutions have a strong social media component shaping their exhibitions, they use separate business models based on the contrasting cultural status retained. Most importantly this includes original approaches to the experience obtained within the space by growing visitor engagement both through the aesthetic appeal and the participatory nature of the exhibits. Instagram Museums aim to provide entertaining experiences that can be beautifully captured with a phone and become Instagram bait, bringing in increasingly more visitors. In doing so, the spaces feature installations that offer high levels of immersion and interactivity, turning the often passive engagement encountered in traditional museums into veritable acts of play. By bringing in some online conducted interviews alongside the theoretical analysis of the topics, this thesis argues for the reconfiguration of the (traditional) museum experience through the construction of more aesthetically appealing interactive encounters.Show less
De Militaire Willemsorde, a Dutch play by Rosier Faassen, can be found in the Special Collections of the Leiden University Library. It exists in several different versions, in print as well as a...Show moreDe Militaire Willemsorde, a Dutch play by Rosier Faassen, can be found in the Special Collections of the Leiden University Library. It exists in several different versions, in print as well as a manuscript in beautiful nineteenth century script, dating from 1873 until presumably 1885. This historical drama about a family torn apart by a young soldier going to war had never since been edited. After all these years, a new edition was made so that yet again this humorous play with experiences recognizable to many generations can be performed and studied anew. Furthermore, a biographical element also appears in the edition whereby parts of Faassen’s auto-biography, which also has not been edited since the late nineteenth century, was used. To provide access to the text for a broader audience, the text was translated from Dutch to English. Much of the same considerations being used to edit the text were also used to prepare the translation. Hunter’s Editing Early Modern Texts as well as Mathijsen’s Naar de Letter was used in the editing process, as a framework and point of guidance. The edition takes the form of what Mathijsen calls a ‘study-edition’ , and contains a historical, critical edition of the text, as well as a justification of the choice of copy text, extensive commentary on the text, including historical and biographical information as well as a stylistic analysis of the text (based on Leech and Short). The translation is preceded by a theoretical framework on the process and strategies that were used in the translation of this drama from the nineteenth century. The overall procedure for the translation of the text was centered around the notions of domestication versus foreignization (Venuti) as well as notions of historicization and modernization, and performability (Bassnett and Lefevere). Vinay and Darbelnet’s translation procedures were discussed and used in the annotated translation, to describe the procedures used for the variety of translation problems that arose during the process. Lefevere’s work on translation as rewriting is especially relevant here, as he also remarks that “the same basic process of rewriting is at work in translation, historiography, anthologization, criticism, and editing” (9). In Lefevere’s words lies the suggestion that a natural relationship exists between translation studies and the world of the editor and philologist, which in reality seems to be a struggled one. Translation is often underrated by philologists, with their translated texts being used for instrumental purposes. A discussion about the mutual importance of translation and philology, and the recognition awarded in their respective fields was necessary here. The question: “How can the fields of philology and translation be reconciled in the edition and translation of De Militaire Willemsorde?” is answered in the final chapter.Show less
De Militaire Willemsorde, a Dutch play by Rosier Faassen, can be found in the Special Collections of the Leiden University Library. It exists in several different versions, in print as well as a...Show moreDe Militaire Willemsorde, a Dutch play by Rosier Faassen, can be found in the Special Collections of the Leiden University Library. It exists in several different versions, in print as well as a manuscript in beautiful nineteenth century script, dating from 1873 until presumably 1885. This historical drama about a family torn apart by a young soldier going to war had never since been edited. After all these years, a new edition was made so that yet again this humorous play with experiences recognizable to many generations can be performed and studied anew. Furthermore, a biographical element also appears in the edition whereby parts of Faassen’s auto-biography, which also has not been edited since the late nineteenth century, was used. To provide access to the text for a broader audience, the text was translated from Dutch to English. Much of the same considerations being used to edit the text were also used to prepare the translation. Hunter’s Editing Early Modern Texts as well as Mathijsen’s Naar de Letter was used in the editing process, as a framework and point of guidance. The edition takes the form of what Mathijsen calls a ‘study-edition’ , and contains a historical, critical edition of the text, as well as a justification of the choice of copy text, extensive commentary on the text, including historical and biographical information as well as a stylistic analysis of the text (based on Leech and Short). The translation is preceded by a theoretical framework on the process and strategies that were used in the translation of this drama from the nineteenth century. The overall procedure for the translation of the text is centered around the notions of domestication versus foreignization (Venuti) as well as notions of historicization and modernization, and performability (Bassnett and Lefevere). Vinay and Darbelnet’s translation procedures were discussed and used in the annotated translation, to describe the procedures used for the variety of translation problems that arose during the process. Lefevere’s work on translation as rewriting is especially relevant here, as he also remarks that “the same basic process of rewriting is at work in translation, historiography, anthologization, criticism, and editing” (9). In Lefevere’s words lies the suggestion that a natural relationship exists between translation studies and the world of the editor and philologist, which in reality seems to be a struggled one. Translation is often underrated by philologists, with their translated texts being used for instrumental purposes. A discussion about the mutual importance of translation and philology, and the recognition awarded in their respective fields was necessary here. The question: “How can the fields of philology and translation be reconciled in the edition and translation of De Militaire Willemsorde?” is answered in the final chapter.Show less
Recent years have marked the beginning of a new era for businesses to engage customers with their brand and products, using the internet as the primary mediator. Social media has proved to play a...Show moreRecent years have marked the beginning of a new era for businesses to engage customers with their brand and products, using the internet as the primary mediator. Social media has proved to play a pivotal role in providing new ways of customer engagement and encouraging customer’s buying behavior, of which a concept known as “gamification” has grown out to become a global phenomenon. In this thesis I will provide an answer to the question of how the concept of gamification has developed within the Japanese market and for what purposes it is used in contemporary Japan, in both commercial and non-commercial contexts. I will demonstrate how gamification can be used as a mechanism to urge on a user’s intrinsic motivation, by utilizing extrinsically motivating game elements such as rewards. Implementing gamification in a company’s business strategy can be an effective way to engage customers, which then has the potential of establishing new, or strengthening existing relationships. This will be demonstrated based on a variety of examples within the Japanese context, including convenience-store chain Seven-Eleven Japan and Japanese idol group AKB48.Show less
In dit onderzoek waren 22 kinderen met ASS en 26 kinderen met een taalstoornis (gemiddelde leeftijd in maanden: 24,5, SD = 6,66) betrokken. De proefpersonen namen deel aan het Screening Onderzoek...Show moreIn dit onderzoek waren 22 kinderen met ASS en 26 kinderen met een taalstoornis (gemiddelde leeftijd in maanden: 24,5, SD = 6,66) betrokken. De proefpersonen namen deel aan het Screening Onderzoek Sociale Ontwikkeling (SOSO) in het UMC in Utrecht. Bij alle kinderen werd daar een screening naar de vroege kenmerken van autisme afgenomen en kinderen met een hoge score werden geïncludeerd (ESAT; Dietz, Swinkels, Van Daalen, Van Engeland & Buitelaar, 2006). Dit onderzoek was gericht op het onderzoeken van mogelijke verschillen in spelgedrag tussen kinderen met ASS en kinderen met een taalstoornis. Spelgedrag werd hiervoor gedefinieerd als de duur van het spelen, het soort speelgoed waarmee gespeeld werd en het spelniveau (manipulatief, relationeel, functioneel en symbolisch spelniveau). Spelobservaties zijn gedaan met een observatieschaal van Baranek et al. (2005). Uit dit onderzoek bleek dat kinderen met autisme meer met de bal en de auto (motorisch stimulerend speelgoed) speelden en kinderen met een taalstoornis meer een voorkeur hadden voor een boek en een puzzel. Uit deze resultaten blijkt dat verschillen al op jonge leeftijd te vinden zijn. Interventie zou dus al vroeg gestart kunnen worden om zo, de uit eerder onderzoeken gevonden achterstanden op spelniveau op latere leeftijd, te kunnen voorkomen.Show less
Laagfunctionerende kinderen met een autismespectrumstoornis tonen over het algemeen minder gevarieerd spel en minder symbolisch spel dan zich normaal ontwikkelende kinderen. Speltraining kan...Show moreLaagfunctionerende kinderen met een autismespectrumstoornis tonen over het algemeen minder gevarieerd spel en minder symbolisch spel dan zich normaal ontwikkelende kinderen. Speltraining kan ingezet worden om de spelontwikkeling te stimuleren. Veel onderzoeken onderschrijven de positieve invloed van spel op andere ontwikkelingsgebieden. Daarom is in dit onderzoek onderzocht in hoeverre de adaptieve ontwikkeling van laagfunctionerende kinderen met een autismespectrumstoornis verandert na het krijgen van speltraining. De adaptieve ontwikkeling bestaat uit de ontwikkelingsdomeinen motoriek, dagelijkse vaardigheden, communicatie en socialisatie. Aan het onderzoek hebben 59 kinderen van kinderdagcentra en medische kinderdagverblijven in de regio Zuid-Holland deelgenomen. Voor de kinderen in de behandelgroep werd verwacht dat de totale adaptieve ontwikkelingsleeftijd en de ontwikkelingsleeftijden van de adaptieve ontwikkelingsdomeinen significant meer vooruit zouden gaan in de tijd tussen de meting voorafgaand en na de speltraining. Met uitzondering van de motorische adaptieve ontwikkelingsleeftijd zijn tussen de voor- en nameting inderdaad alle adaptieve ontwikkelingsleeftijden significant vooruitgegaan. Deze vooruitgang is echter in de behandel- en controlegroep hetzelfde. Dit betekent dat de vooruitgang niet veroorzaakt is door het wel of niet krijgen van speltraining, maar mogelijk een effect is van de tijd. Dat de speltraining geen invloed heeft op de mate waarin de adaptieve ontwikkeling vooruit gaat, kan komen doordat het tempo in de speltraining mogelijk te hoog was om goed aan te sluiten op de cognitieve vermogens of de leeftijd van de onderzoeksgroep. Verder onderzoek hiernaar is aan te bevelen.Show less
Volgens de DSM-IV-TR (APA, 2000) doen de problemen bij kinderen met een autismespectrumstoornis zich onder andere voor op het gebied van communicatie, waaronder ook het fantasiespel en sociaal...Show moreVolgens de DSM-IV-TR (APA, 2000) doen de problemen bij kinderen met een autismespectrumstoornis zich onder andere voor op het gebied van communicatie, waaronder ook het fantasiespel en sociaal imitatiespel vallen. Er is al veel onderzoek gedaan naar de relatie tussen de taalvaardigheden en spelontwikkeling van kinderen met een autismespectrumstoornis. Dit onderzoek is belangrijk omdat hierdoor de hulpverlening aan deze kinderen steeds beter aangescherpt kan worden. Het huidige onderzoek richt zich niet alleen op de relatie tussen taalvaardigheden en het fantasiespel (ofwel symbolisch spel), maar onderzoekt ook of er een relatie is tussen lagere spelvormen (simpel manipuleren, combinatiespel en functioneel spel) en taalvaardigheden van kinderen met een autismespectrumstoornis. De onderzoeksgroep bestaat uit 30 kinderen in de leeftijd van 42 tot en met 120 maanden (M=74.6, Sd=21.7) met een autismespectrumstoornis. De gemiddelde ontwikkelingsleeftijd ligt tussen 1 en 58 maanden (M=21.70, Sd=11.20). Binnen deze groep zijn er 8 meisjes en 22 jongens. Alle kinderen uit de onderzoeksgroep laten spelhandelingen zien. Het meeste spel wordt gezien in de lage spelvormen (simpel manipuleren en combinatiespel). Veel kinderen uit de onderzoeksgroep (n=22) komen niet tot symbolisch spel. De taalvaardigheden van de kinderen uit de onderzoeksgroep zijn zwak tot gemiddeld ontwikkeld ten opzichte van zich normaal ontwikkelende kinderen. Uit dit onderzoek blijkt dat er een relatie bestaat tussen productieve taalvaardigheden en het functioneel en symbolisch spel van deze kinderen. Er zijn geen significante correlaties gevonden tussen receptieve taalvaardigheden en de spelontwikkeling en tussen productieve taalvaardigheden en de spelvormen simpel manipuleren en combinatiespel van de kinderen uit de onderzoeksgroep. Ook is er geen verschil gevonden in de taalvaardigheden tussen kinderen met een laag spelniveau (simpel manipuleren en combinatiespel) en kinderen met een hoog spelniveau (functioneel spel en symbolisch spel).Show less
