Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
closed access
In the past 34 years since independence, Namibia has undergone a process of reconciling the many different people within its borders due to its history of colonialism, genocide and apartheid....Show moreIn the past 34 years since independence, Namibia has undergone a process of reconciling the many different people within its borders due to its history of colonialism, genocide and apartheid. Redistributing land from white owners to previously disadvantaged groups is part of this process. This research is a case study of Krumhuk farm, a commercial farm which is no longer owned by a single family but by a non-profit Section-21 company. Through multimodal methods, I have researched the inhabitants’ sense of belonging to the land and community. As a result, I argue that taking land ownership as the benchmark for reconciliation does not suffice because (1) it remains within the colonial legacy that dictates that land can be owned and (2) it does not always address what people underlyingly long for; a place to belong. Because, as seen at Krumhuk which restructured their legal ownership, people’s sense of belonging to the community and the land can be obstructed by (a) alienation through the underlying anthroposophical philosophy, (b) a disbalance in interdependencies and (c) remaining insecurity concerning future displacement. The research’s relevance is bestowed by its outcome on these factors which can hinder reconciliation.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
closed access
Against a backdrop of complex dynamics of deterioration in compliance with children's rights, a broken youth care system, and the increasing need for youth care in the Netherlands, this research...Show moreAgainst a backdrop of complex dynamics of deterioration in compliance with children's rights, a broken youth care system, and the increasing need for youth care in the Netherlands, this research examines how young people’s voices are hindered in Dutch youth care. It draws on insights obtained through participant observation, interviews, filmmaking, and a survey among both youth care professionals in North Holland and young people throughout the Netherlands. The resulting film and article argue that youth care allows considerable room for ambiguity, which produces significant inequality for young people. Youth care policy and practice, shaped by paternalistic values and discursive notions of youth and care, are maintained by disavowal that works through invisibility. The disavowal involves turning a blind eye to children's voices and, hence, children’s rights, leaving 'the best interests of the child' being held captive by the interests of the state. It suggests that correcting power by foregrounding young people's autonomy and complying with children’s rights, hence recognising young people as autonomous human beings, is the starting point for rethinking and rebuilding humane Dutch youth care.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
Thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers are entering the Netherlands in various (legal) ways and are stuck in a waiting time in different aspects of their procedures of acquiring residency. This...Show moreThousands of migrants and asylum-seekers are entering the Netherlands in various (legal) ways and are stuck in a waiting time in different aspects of their procedures of acquiring residency. This research project explores realms of migrating to the Netherlands by focussing on the perception of temporalities, documentation and communication with Dutch authorities like the IND (Immigration and Naturalization Service). Diving into the theoretical concepts of power-chronography, delaying, waiting and errance, I explore how appointments with the IND, being transferred, and having no legal residence documents and other (bureaucratic) challenges are experiences in the lived experiences of my collaborators. All four collaborators present in this thesis, as well in the audiovisual output in the form of a zine, have their own ambitions and coping strategies with caring for their time while being in documentation and bureaucratic challenges, such as waiting for the second interview with the IND. Embedded within the framework of visual ethnography, this thesis attempts to dive into methodological reflections of zine-making as process and as audio-visual product in a multimodal way (including film and soundscapes accessible via QR codes). Together with the four young male collaborators from Kenya, Guinea, Yemen and Afghanistan, we aim to show parts of the asylum procedure in an artistic manner and critically question the current Dutch migration system and distribute the zines to engage with the research in line with the zine history of anti-institutionalism and activism. This research contributes to critically unpacking what the intersections of power, documentation and temporalities mean for the four collaborators in their lived experiences, shedding light on in which forms they find agency and control while currently being in the residency acquiring in the Netherlands. Thereby this research project in form of the written thesis and the accompanying zine contribute to the discourse of temporalities and migration.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
The inefficiencies of the Greek healthcare system, the trafficking networks and the fact that the majority of the nurses of exclusive duty are women and immigrants, challenge the validation of...Show moreThe inefficiencies of the Greek healthcare system, the trafficking networks and the fact that the majority of the nurses of exclusive duty are women and immigrants, challenge the validation of their skills, position and contribution to the society. Drawing on three months of remote ethnographic research with Greek and immigrant nurses of exclusive duty, this study examines their practical and emotional challenges, and their perceptions of their caregiving role adding the connection with the gender stereotypes on care and the social inequalities. The resulting thesis comprises a written text and an ethnographic film. The text offers a reflection on methodological issues and critically explores how my conceptual framework connects with my research findings, while the ethnographic film focuses upon the subjective experiences and the emotions of three nurses of exclusive duty and juxtaposes theirs with my own experiences as a granddaughter of grandparents that were taken care of by a ‘stranger’. My key research finding is that the precarity of this profession, the stereotype of women as ‘natural’ caregivers, the inequalities because of ethnicity and socio-economical status and the consequent crossing of the personal/professional boundaries impact their physical and mental health since they supplement the challenges of this job. The nurses constantly try to negotiate their position and prove their value to the society while working without governmental provision and support. Thus, I argue that their gender, ethical positions, ethnicity and socio-economical status affect the perceptions of their caregiving role and identity.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
closed access
In Taiwan, as the land is scarce and confined, the need for transferring the land into either building sites or industry use now aims at private lands. However, the thirst of obtaining excessive...Show moreIn Taiwan, as the land is scarce and confined, the need for transferring the land into either building sites or industry use now aims at private lands. However, the thirst of obtaining excessive lands and the whole expropriation process have now been questioned. In the research, I aim to focus on the aftermath that land grabbing has brought to the locals in their daily lives. In my findings, I’ve found out that for both cases, for those who win and those who lose their lands, the impacts are there in the environment they live in and the networks they had before, and therefore, I argue that people’s emotional bonds to their lands and homes should also be taken into consideration when major projects are considered. The outcome of this research is presented in both written and audio-visual components. For the video, please refer to the following link: http://youtu.be/pyaMvMKWkscShow less
