Rojava, or Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, is an autonomous region that operates under the premises of democratic confederalism, a political theory based on direct democracy,...Show moreRojava, or Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, is an autonomous region that operates under the premises of democratic confederalism, a political theory based on direct democracy, political ecology and gender egalitarianism. This study will analyse the implementation of gender egalitarianism through the lenses of the Political Process Model, a theory of social movements that aims to situate human agency in the centre of the analysis. The Political Process Model considers three elements in order to assess the emergence and development of social movements: mobilising structures, political opportunity structure and framing. These three elements will show different strategies that women have implemented in order to ensure their liberation in political, economic, and social terms.Show less
This paper will analyse how the Zapatista Movement can be understood and framed in terms of anarchist discourses. The Zapatistas have developed an alternative approach to the Western conception of...Show moreThis paper will analyse how the Zapatista Movement can be understood and framed in terms of anarchist discourses. The Zapatistas have developed an alternative approach to the Western conception of autonomy, self-organization, and development while sharing substantial characteristics with anarchist practices and praxis. Using Gordon’s framework and Critical Discourse Analysis when analysing three different primary sources published by the movement, it is possible to argue that the Zapatistas are trying to develop their own unique way in order to free themselves from the international and national systems that perpetuate oppression and exploitation. In a Western perspective, the Zapatistas could be called ‘leftists’ or even ‘anarchists’, as they provide an alternative that is most aligned with our way of comprehending, experiencing, and engaging with anarchism and radical political ideologies and theories. However, the movement does not establish itself as openly ‘anarchist’, but it is seeking to create a new way of organizing politics, economics, and society that is not aligned with the hegemonic neoliberal system. In the Zapatistas’ rhetoric we see a mix of different ideas, goals, and values that can be aligned both with participatory development practices, post-development or what we call ‘anarchism’, making the movement to be perceived almost as non-ideological or even anti-ideological.Show less
This thesis examines the role of social media in the Paro Nacional movement in Colombia in 2019-2020. Through a study of relevant literature, news articles, and a quantitative and qualitative...Show moreThis thesis examines the role of social media in the Paro Nacional movement in Colombia in 2019-2020. Through a study of relevant literature, news articles, and a quantitative and qualitative investigation of social media use, this analysis of social movement structures and the Paro Nacional movement leads to the identification of three functions of social media.Show less
This thesis will focus on the Piquetero movement as pioneers when it comes to the co-optation of a social movement into the governmental sphere. It analyzes the historical development of the...Show moreThis thesis will focus on the Piquetero movement as pioneers when it comes to the co-optation of a social movement into the governmental sphere. It analyzes the historical development of the movement between 1996 and 2016 and with that, focuses on the concepts of clientelism and patronage politics. Finally, it will conclude on the co-optation of the movement with regard to the reachability of their goals.Show less
In the fall of 2012, in reaction to proposed legislation by the Canadian government, the actions of four women, three of which of First Nations descent, led to a grassroots activist movement called...Show moreIn the fall of 2012, in reaction to proposed legislation by the Canadian government, the actions of four women, three of which of First Nations descent, led to a grassroots activist movement called ‘Idle No More’. This movement has since inspired many people to take action for Indigenous rights and environmental preservation. In this thesis I will research which historical, social, economical, environmental and political factors contributed to the origination and the continuing impact of the Idle No More movement to answer the question: who is Idle No More, and what does being Idle No More mean to those involved?Show less
This thesis, by means of a case study shows how conflicts such as the Shida Night Market case in Taiwan show how various actors use framing to influence media and politics. This thesis has not only...Show moreThis thesis, by means of a case study shows how conflicts such as the Shida Night Market case in Taiwan show how various actors use framing to influence media and politics. This thesis has not only investigated what framing attempts were made, and how they were formulated, but also what gave certain framing attempts strong resonance while others remained weak. In the case of Taiwan this thesis shows that the definition of culture is an important aspect when gaining popular support, and culture is both defined as a remnant of Japanese colonial rule, or as Taiwan's attempts to be(come) something else than Mainland China but still have a cultural background that is Chinese. This in turn shows how Taiwanese nationalism is defined and shaped, and how it is utilized in certain situations.Show less
