Since 2009, Europe has faced a diverse set of security challenges, some more novel than others. With the outbreak of a military conflict near the EU’s eastern border in 2022, there has been an...Show moreSince 2009, Europe has faced a diverse set of security challenges, some more novel than others. With the outbreak of a military conflict near the EU’s eastern border in 2022, there has been an increasing tendency in the discourse to describe the EU as a security actor. Nevertheless, the extent to which security has truly occupied the Union’s institutional identity remains unclear. Considering the lack of research on the identity of the EU, this thesis examines the evolution of the role of security in the institutional identity of the EU since the 2009 establishment of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The paper relies on the thematic analysis of the EU’s mission-defining documents. In particular, the instances of the State of the Union Address (SOTEU), the Political Guidelines of the Commission, and the EU Strategic Agenda are analyzed. The study shows that a clear increase in the thematic emphasis on security is absent. Instead, there appears to be a fluctuation in the employment of the security element, relative to other themes. What is characterized by an upward trend is the depth in which security is covered. After all, the EU’s current institutional identity is also defined by the aim to tackle cyber threats or disinformation.Show less
The shaping of voter preferences on migration policies are contingent on a wide variety of factors, most notably economic concerns. This thesis aims to develop a comprehensive analysis which builds...Show moreThe shaping of voter preferences on migration policies are contingent on a wide variety of factors, most notably economic concerns. This thesis aims to develop a comprehensive analysis which builds on the general assessments of the performance of government, thereby replacing the need to include complex behavioral models and economic perspective theory with a comprehensive singular government actor. In addition, through the utilization of experimental methods, this study focuses on testing whether government performance has the claimed causal effect on voter disposition towards immigration policies. Using survey data gathered with the use of non-random convenience sampling and a custom survey, this thesis finds through quantitative analysis that individual voters prioritize their stance on migration policies over economic considerations when evaluating governments and their proposed migration (de-) liberalization. Meaning that despite perceiving a decline in economic performance, respondents maintained positive dispositions towards governments which undertook efforts to promote migration liberalization. Moreover, voters seem to demonstrate greater support for governments that exhibit commitments to liberalized migration policies in conjunction with an increased performance on economic matters. The study's findings challenge conventional wisdom that economic concerns are the primary driver of voter attitudes towards migration policies.Show less
In order to identify why the British government continues their support for the Saudi military operations in the Yemen War, this research focuses on three major British policy areas: (geo)politics,...Show moreIn order to identify why the British government continues their support for the Saudi military operations in the Yemen War, this research focuses on three major British policy areas: (geo)politics, security, and economics. British geopolitical interests in backing the Saudi military operations in Yemen focus on expanding their own regional influence in the Middle East. British relations with Iran influences the British strategy towards the Yemen War, as this was is perceived to be a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, in which the UK engages in substitution warfare to counteract the enlargement of the Iranian sphere of influence. Further security interest of the UK to continue their support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen is to counteract the terrorist presence of the AQAP in Yemen, which fits into a wider trend of British counterterrorism policy. Furthermore, British arms sales to the Saudi army play a role in British security as well as economic interests in the Yemen War. The contested British arms sales to Saudi are continued both to strengthen the Saudi military power and to benefit from the lucrative military arms market. Lastly, this research discusses the influence of the oil market on the British determination to continue their support for Saudi Arabia in the Yemen War, relating to energy security facilitated by Saudi oil.Show less
The production of political legitimacy is an open-ended process that is created by the continuous reproduction and negotiations between the ruling regime and its citizens. This thesis aims to...Show moreThe production of political legitimacy is an open-ended process that is created by the continuous reproduction and negotiations between the ruling regime and its citizens. This thesis aims to answer the research question How has insecurity and the role of inefficient institutions affected the political legitimacy of Felipe Calderón's 2006-2012 presidential terms? The research paper first explores the parameters of political legitimacy and utilises the normative approach as a theoretical framework of political legitimacy in combination with Hansen's definition of political legitimacy as components to measure Felipe Calderón's regime legitimacy. Thereafter, the text analyses the utilization of electoral legitimacy and revolutionary legitimacy as a tool to maintain and re-assert power and legitimacy during the PRI era, Vincente Fox's administration and its continual use during Calderón's presidential term. Furthermore, the thesis also examines the effects of the three minor variables: criminal violence, media, and public perception on (in)security and (in)efficient institutions on three specific events: the 2006 Mexican presidential election; Felipe Calderón's war on drugs; and the opening event of the monument Coloso and have founded that the insecurity and the role of inefficient institutions have largely decreased the political legitimacy of Felipe Calderóns 2006-2012 presidential term. The paper concludes that Calderón's presidential term was deemed as intially legitimate by the public during electoral process. However, the increase in insecurity and the inefficiency within state institutions greatly decreased the regime's legitimacy by the end of Felipe Calderón's presidential term.Show less
In China, more and more security cameras on the streets are equipped with facial recognition technology. This artificial intelligent technology can identify a person immediately. Some fear for a...Show moreIn China, more and more security cameras on the streets are equipped with facial recognition technology. This artificial intelligent technology can identify a person immediately. Some fear for a great scale breach of privacy. This thesis discusses how the Chinese government conveys the message to the people that it is using this facial recognition technology. By conducting a discourse analysis, Chinese state-media Xinhua.net articles are analyzed. Mainly, this thesis shows that there is hardly any mention of privacy breach by using this technology in the articles. Second, it shows that local instead of national initiatives of facial recognition technology use are discussed to a larger extent.Show less
National parks in the global South are increasingly marked by a trend of militarised conservation, whereby park rangers receive military training and firearms for anti-poaching operations....Show moreNational parks in the global South are increasingly marked by a trend of militarised conservation, whereby park rangers receive military training and firearms for anti-poaching operations. Especially in conflict situations where violence poses a security threat to conservation efforts, these policies are justified as an effective solution. This can be attributed to the Western discourse that fuels the politics of conservation and is based on a strict dichotomy between nature and society. Within this discourse, poachers and charcoal producers are characterised as villains and the context and motivations behind their actions is ignored. To exemplify the negative repercussions of this process, this thesis analyses militarised conservation in Virunga National Park in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and argues that this form of nature protection infringes on livelihood strategies of the local people in North Kivu. Militarisation in Virunga is intended to demobilise militias who exploit the park’s natural resources, but has a much stronger impact on the local population, who depend on Virunga’s forests for their livelihoods. These people therefore increasingly collaborate with rebel groups, blurring the lines between ‘good’ and ‘evil’ that the Western conservation discourse is built on. This collaboration leads to further resource exploitation and an escalation of violence. Therefore, this thesis claims that, due to the complexity of the situation in Virunga, militarised conservation is counterproductive and leads to a vicious circle of violence.Show less
This paper re-examines the notions of security and sovereignty within international relations theory in the digital age. As the ongoing information revolution has strained the traditional notions...Show moreThis paper re-examines the notions of security and sovereignty within international relations theory in the digital age. As the ongoing information revolution has strained the traditional notions of security and sovereignty, a new framework is necessary to incorporate these new developments. This paper proposes a network framework to accomplish this.Show less
States have used different justifications for acceding to the WTO, mostly through economic or security terms (or both). Considering the existing debates on economic interdependence, this thesis...Show moreStates have used different justifications for acceding to the WTO, mostly through economic or security terms (or both). Considering the existing debates on economic interdependence, this thesis seeks to explore to what extent Latvia and Yemen invoked security as a justification for joining the WTO. This question becomes relevant as we assess the existing positions regarding free trade. Proponents of free trade, either in academia or in government, have mostly mentioned and based their case upon economic gains, but many of those proponents have also put forward the importance of trade regarding economic interdependence and security. Indeed, a great part of the current literature in international political economy (IPE), as well as in security and conflict studies, argues that trade between countries is beneficial for security reasons, as it disincentives countries to go to war with a country with whom they benefit from through economic gains. To analyse state justifications, I am using Discourse Analysis (DA), which aims to inquire whether liberal and/or realist claims about the relationship between economic interdependence and security are in fact present in discursive and textual justifications made by states. Through the analysis of the discourse of foreign policy executives of Latvia and Yemen, this thesis has found that, indeed, FPEs and States often frame their discourse in terms of security when joining the GATT/WTO.Show less
This thesis researches whether the Women, Peace and Security agenda was successfully implemented by the Dutch troops in Afghanistan using interviews with ten members of the Dutch armed forces.
In this thesis I have investigated the use of the Chinese space programme in public diplomacy strategies. There is a gap between the image the Chinese government tries to project and China's...Show moreIn this thesis I have investigated the use of the Chinese space programme in public diplomacy strategies. There is a gap between the image the Chinese government tries to project and China's behaviour on the world stage. While the intended image is that of a peace-loving nation that uses its space programme for scientific purposes that will benefit mankind, on a security level China uses its space programme for military applications and power projection. I have investigated this divergence and speculated on the future space power dynamics.Show less
The Colombian case is an unique one to study. Classified as a middle-income country, its GDP is considerably higher than that of most countries receiving Official Development Assistance (ODA)....Show moreThe Colombian case is an unique one to study. Classified as a middle-income country, its GDP is considerably higher than that of most countries receiving Official Development Assistance (ODA). However, Colombia has been severely taunted by political violence, civil war, and problems related to drug trafficking throughout modern history. After Syria, it is the country with the largest amount of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the world. As recently as 2016, a Peace Agreement has been signed to end the civil war between Colombia’s government, various insurgent groups, and the paramilitaries. Therefore, effective ODA is now more vital than ever to rebuild the country and make sure everyone gets equal opportunities to improve themselves and their livelihoods. This thesis will assess the development process in Colombia in a context of civil war and drug-related violence, and will attempt to make valid recommendations regarding how to make the implementation of ODA more effective.Show less
