The Occupy movement remains one of the defining aspects of political life in the early 2010s as a global social movement attempting to address the concerns of post-2008 politics. Drawing...Show moreThe Occupy movement remains one of the defining aspects of political life in the early 2010s as a global social movement attempting to address the concerns of post-2008 politics. Drawing inspiration from preceding movements and inspiring movements to come, its insistence on not articulating concrete demands as well as its dependence on pre-figurative politics was met simultaneously with amazement by activists and confusion by those attempting to grasp the movement. Through its global diffusion, beginning with Occupy Wall Street in New York and spreading all over the world, Occupy became a global phenomenon, entering the realm of international relations, with individual movements acting as agents that influence local and international politics, and the overall movement serving as connector between local actors on a global scale. Social movement theory often models mobilisation as happening either directly, through contact with activists, or indirectly, through equivalences in structure, demographic, or culture to other activists. The mobilisation and global diffusion of the Occupy movement however challenged both of these models, with local movements often self-mobilising and demonstrating a high level of heterogeneity in demographic make-up, social position, or movement culture. This thesis sets out to address this challenge by analysing the narratives put forward by Occupy movements as movement-building relays which aid the self-mobilisation of new activists. It argues that the common element between movements, as well as the potential for its global diffusion through self-mobilisation is not to be found in the narratives’ content, but rather in their structural aspects serving as movement-building relays. For this, 27 documents published by local Occupy movements were analysed in a structural-narratological approach. The thesis identifies relevant movement-building relays in the temporal, spatial, actantial, and social structures of the Occupy Wall Street narrative and traces their diffusion to the narratives of other local movements within the Occupy movement. Through this analysis, the thesis offers a novel approach to the study of contemporary global social movements whose diffusion is more often based on self-mobilisation and who demonstrate high levels of heterogeneity. Through the study of the Occupy movement, it thus seeks to provide a framework for which contemporary global social movements can be understood better.Show less
This thesis explores to what extent and how self-expression is portrayed in K-Pop choreography. The theoretical framework takes into account K-Pop idols' professionalism, the influence of modern...Show moreThis thesis explores to what extent and how self-expression is portrayed in K-Pop choreography. The theoretical framework takes into account K-Pop idols' professionalism, the influence of modern dance education, and the sociological dynamic combination of “collectivism” and “individualism” as represented in relation to the concepts of “holism” and ilmu. Additionally, an analysis of K-Pop choreography through four generations was performed to reveal a development in the incorporation of self-expressive aspects. The first generation exhibits subtle signs of semiotic use and point choreography. A more defined framework for K-Pop choreography is established in the second generation, which also includes individualistic concepts like the "domino effect." The third generation features choreography that utilises sign language and different dance genres, while the fourth generation shows an increase in the showcasing of individuality when taking into account changes made to official choreography. The research therefore shows that the scene of K-Pop choreography is developing in terms of showing self-expression, allowing idols to express their uniqueness while retaining collective harmony.Show less
In this paper, ‘Internet memes’ will be analysed from the perspective of Ferdinand de Saussure’s model of linguistics and Roland Barthes’ theory of Post-Structuralism in order to prove that ...Show moreIn this paper, ‘Internet memes’ will be analysed from the perspective of Ferdinand de Saussure’s model of linguistics and Roland Barthes’ theory of Post-Structuralism in order to prove that ‘Internet memes’ are a kind of language. I will argue that ‘Internet memes’ can be seen as a language by comparing it to language structures as described in de Saussure’s model of linguistics. This comparison will showcase the similarities between regular language structures and the structures that ‘Internet memes’ are built from. Furthermore, by using the theory of Post-Structuralism, I will argue that ‘Internet memes’ as a language have an influence on culture and cultural practices such as art. Consequently, Holly Sweet’s Vine Tarot is used as a case study, or more specifically the card called The Lovers, which corresponds with the Two Bros Vine by Anthony Padilla, to show that ‘Internet memes’ are indeed as layered and complex as any language, and therefore influence cultural practices.Show less
In the People's Republic of China, the state takes a didactic approach towards the diffusion of media and forbids the depiction of homoerotic relationships on the big and small screen. Chinese web...Show moreIn the People's Republic of China, the state takes a didactic approach towards the diffusion of media and forbids the depiction of homoerotic relationships on the big and small screen. Chinese web series "The Untamed" (Chen Qing Ling 陈情令) however adapts a web novel containing an explicit homoerotic romance to public acclaim. This exploratory study examines how the directors of this series navigated government censorship and conveyed the homoerotic subtext between the two protagonists. In order to answer this, the thesis makes use of visual discourse analysis (divided into the layers of the image, the soundscape and the montage) on shot protocols as outlined as in Schneider (2012) while also building upon the theoretical frameworks of Van Leeuwen (1996; 2008), Kress and Van Leeuwen (2006) and Iedema (2004). The analysis is contextualized by a literature review spanning the topics of the history of homosexuality in China, the importance of representation and television, homosexual representation in the Chinese media landscape to end with the topic of the state approach to media and censorship mechanisms of web series. The thesis concludes that the directors successfully depicted homoerotic subtext by using a wide range of audio-visual and narrative techniques while leaving enough space for deniability, which might bring about more adaptations of such materials and influence public opinion about homosexual individuals.Show less
This thesis considers Indisch-ness (a state of Indisch belongingness) as a phenomenon of cultural consciousness that is exhibited and communicated through word of mouth. Eurocentric...Show moreThis thesis considers Indisch-ness (a state of Indisch belongingness) as a phenomenon of cultural consciousness that is exhibited and communicated through word of mouth. Eurocentric historiographies, the silencing by the first-generation, and misperceptions of cultural definitions are a few reasons why defining Indisch-ness will remain problematic and incomplete. After identifying the gaps in the literature on Indo-European identity, the investigation draws attention to the experimental nature of combining oral-photographic interviewing with photographic poetry research. The aim is to demonstrate how the (artistic) narrative transmissions of second and third-generation descendants can portray the individual experience of Indisch-ness. Narratives can be thought of as world recreations, a tool for revisiting the inaccessible past. As Indisch-ness is generally understood as a feeling of belongingness, the photographs involved rather became mnemonic pieces of evidence of their interpreted cultural unity. Therefore, this paper further explores the semiotics of sign recognition in common cultural representations as well. Although Indisch-ness remains largely indefinable, this study suggests a method to capture the narrative environment of the Indisch world in Dutch society.Show less
The aim of this thesis is to examine how the discourse of the Chinese government regarding the environment has evolved over time, and what role environmental propaganda has played in generating...Show moreThe aim of this thesis is to examine how the discourse of the Chinese government regarding the environment has evolved over time, and what role environmental propaganda has played in generating this discourse. This research also touches on the underlying messages and values of this propaganda, and how it communicates and constructs specific representations about the environment and environmental protection.Show less
This thesis argues that conceptual blending of mental spaces (as described by Fauconnier and Turner (2002), and Brandt and Brandt (2005)) enables the understanding of metaphors and imagery. The...Show moreThis thesis argues that conceptual blending of mental spaces (as described by Fauconnier and Turner (2002), and Brandt and Brandt (2005)) enables the understanding of metaphors and imagery. The focus lies on the function of integration networks and their complex nested structures. I propose that the nested integration network designed by Per-Aage Brandt (2005) can be used to showcase the concept of a frame: a long-term mental space network of knowledge and information (Ziem 2014). Through the analysis of ten quotes from the Dutch literary comic series ‘De Avonturen van Tom Poes’ (‘The Adventures of Tom Puss’), this thesis demonstrates the use of a new model specifically designed to showcase nested structures: the Bommodel.Show less
The goal of this thesis is to analyse how consumption is used in the process of identity formation in Japan. It does so through the analysis of the advertisement titled “世界初かわいい味噌汁/Definition of...Show moreThe goal of this thesis is to analyse how consumption is used in the process of identity formation in Japan. It does so through the analysis of the advertisement titled “世界初かわいい味噌汁/Definition of Japanese Kawaii”, produced by Japanses advertising giant Dentsu. Using a framework that was created based on a critical review of literature regarding relevant theories, this thesis analyses three key myths that are part of Japanese national identity: romanticised history, harmless femininity, and international consumption. Three main findings are revealed throughout the analysis. The first is the complex reciprocal relationship between consumption and nation-building myths. The second is the dichotomous relationship between the parts of Japanese identity that are embraced and those that are rejected (these being Westernisation, sexuality, and historical figures). Finally, the analysis reveals that, in the quest to create a distilled, consumable Japanese identity, individual realities are sacrificed. After the conclusion of the findings, the limitations and potential future pathways of the study are suggested.Show less
This thesis explores how the media mix, the Japanese equivalent of the media franchise, influences the entertainment experiences of its fan audiences through a case study. It not only analyzes in...Show moreThis thesis explores how the media mix, the Japanese equivalent of the media franchise, influences the entertainment experiences of its fan audiences through a case study. It not only analyzes in what ways the anime media mix of Yuri!!! on ICE functions as a system, in which media content is dispersed and consumed in different media forms, but it also explores the ways Yuri!!! on ICE is experienced as a world of its own that is interrelated with various other existing worlds, such as the world of professional figure skating, the online and temporary (event) spaces centered on fan culture and its communities, and the various existing cities on which the world of Yuri!!! on ICE is based. By analyzing not only a specific franchise, but also the variety of texts that relate with it from different theoretical perspectives, this thesis looks for gaps that can be filled in between different but related theories on media, semiotics, culture and space, particularly on the (re)construction of arbitrarily systematized worlds (both actual and virtual) through cultural production, signification and play.Show less
Anne Carson’s Autobiography of Red (1998) is a text that traverses the boundaries between postmodernism and mythology. As such, it investigates and builds further upon its own mythological...Show moreAnne Carson’s Autobiography of Red (1998) is a text that traverses the boundaries between postmodernism and mythology. As such, it investigates and builds further upon its own mythological foundations, rooted in the poem Geryoneis by the ancient Greek poet Stesichoros. The aim of this study is to explore, through a close reading of Carson’s text, how we can move from thinking about mythology solely in terms of representation towards thinking of mythology in terms of simulation. This argument will be made by taking a semiotic approach. This approach not only makes a diachronic study of mythological language possible, but also makes it possible for us to think about how signs traverse (spatially) between different sign systems. The study starts by using René Girard’s approach of reading myths as texts of persecution in order to uncover Autobiography of Red’s underlying ideological codes. Linda Hutcheon’s theories concerning historiographic metafiction and parody are then used in order to explore how Carson, in using syllogistics, investigates the origins of the supposed blinding of Stesichoros by Helen of Troy. The study then moves on to a diachronic study of the sign systems in the text using Roland Barthes’ theory concerning myth as well as his metalingual system. The final chapter of this study starts out by conceptualizing a notion of textual space, following Barthes’ distinction between ‘work’ and ‘Text’ and Gilles Deleuze’s and Felix Guattari’s philosophy of smooth and striated space. After having conceptualized textual space, a diagrammatic and simulative function of mythology is theorized.Show less
De afgelopen decennia is het politieke domein langzaam door vrouwelijke politici en leiders veroverd. Dat gaat niet zonder slag of stoot; in de media krijgen zij het vanwege hun vrouw-zijn vaak...Show moreDe afgelopen decennia is het politieke domein langzaam door vrouwelijke politici en leiders veroverd. Dat gaat niet zonder slag of stoot; in de media krijgen zij het vanwege hun vrouw-zijn vaak flink te verduren. Afbeeldingen spelen daar een belangrijke rol bij; vrouwen worden bijvoorbeeld vaker dan mannen afgerekend op hun uiterlijk. Tegelijkertijd is het gebruik van portretten voor alle politici, dus ook voor vrouwen, een doeltreffende manier om een electoraal publiek te bereiken. Om te zorgen dat de kiezer de juiste boodschap krijgt worden de foto’s van (vrouwelijke) politici vaak tot in de puntjes geregisseerd. Ook in Opzij is dit waarschijnlijk het geval. De doelstellingen van dit feministische maandblad wijken echter wel wat af van die van de conventionele media. Het ligt in de aard van het blad om vrouwelijke politici in een positief daglicht te stellen. Maar tegelijkertijd sijpelen de heersende maatschappelijke (mannelijke) normen onbedoeld ook door in de inhoud van dit blad. In deze thesis wordt onderzocht wat het volgens de portrettering in Opzij betekent om een vrouwelijke politicus te zijn. Om dit te onderzoeken wordt er gebruik gemaakt van een kwantitatieve inhoudsanalyse waarbij de resultaten vervolgens op een kwalitatieve manier worden geïnterpreteerd. De centrale vragen van deze thesis zijn: - Kan er in de periode 1982-2012 aan de hand van het analysemodel van Vinke (2012) een significante verandering in de gemiddelde social distance worden waargenomen in de portrettering van vrouwelijke politici/leiders in Opzij? - Is er in deze periode aan de hand van een gender-interpretatie van het model van Vinke (2012) een verschuiving op de schaal masculien-feminien waar te nemen? - Op welke manier passen de resultaten van deze analyses in het historisch perspectief van het Opzij-feminisme? Voor het onderzoek zijn in totaal 313 foto’s uit tien jaargangen van Opzij in de periode 1982-2012 geselecteerd. De foto’s zijn gescoord op variabelen die (gedeeltelijk) afkomstig zijn uit uit het analysemodel van Glassman en Kenney (1994). Uiteindelijk zijn er vijf variabelen onderzocht: point of view, ‘gezichtsuitdrukking’, image act, ‘interactie’ en ‘afstand’. Vervolgens is er in navolging van Vinke (2012) aan de hand van deze variabelen onderzocht of er een ontwikkeling was waar te nemen in de social distance (Hall, 1966). Ook zijn de variabelen van het model van Glassman en Kenney (1994) gekoppeld aan feminiene en masculiene waarden volgens de definities van Rosenkrantz et al. (1968, p.291) om te achterhalen of er een verschuiving in deze waarden is waar te nemen. Vervolgens is onderzocht in hoeverre de uitkomsten van deze analyses op een kwalitatieve manier zijn in te passen het een historische kader van het Opzij-feminisme. Uit het onderzoek vallen geen significante verbanden te destilleren, maar er valt wel te stellen dat resultaten in ieder geval sterke aanwijzingen leveren dat het mogelijk is dat de social distance is afgenomen en dat de feminiene waarden zijn toegenomen. Deze aanwijzingen passen goed in de ontwikkelingen van het Opzij-feminisme. Het blad was begin jaren ’80 nog radicaal feministisch, maar werd gedurende de jaren ’90 en ’00 steeds milder. Dat lijkt zichtbaar te worden in de portretten van vrouwelijke politici in Opzij doordat die gedurende de onderzochte periode steeds persoonlijker en ‘vrouwelijker’ werden.Show less
