After the Eurozone crisis, the problem rooted in the Spanish political system exposed and the population wanted to create an alternative democracy to replace the dominant one, a series of social...Show moreAfter the Eurozone crisis, the problem rooted in the Spanish political system exposed and the population wanted to create an alternative democracy to replace the dominant one, a series of social movements were initiated afterwards. This thesis aims to deliver an analysis regarding the influence of using cyberspace in a contemporary social movement, Acampada Sol (Occupying La Puerta del Sol). By applying the "Imagined Community" theory from Benedict Anderson, I found that the changing material condition and technological development would affect the way people participate in the social movement. Looking at the application of the latest online technology, Acampada Sol demonstrates a new way of doing social movements.Show less
Widely depicted as ‘’Europe’s last dictatorship’’ Belarus holds an extremely interesting perspective into what is now a complete anomaly in Europe. Serving as reminiscent of the Soviet era, the...Show moreWidely depicted as ‘’Europe’s last dictatorship’’ Belarus holds an extremely interesting perspective into what is now a complete anomaly in Europe. Serving as reminiscent of the Soviet era, the current leader Alexander Lukashenko has established himself as a dictator since 1994, cementing a partially totalitarian state that has thus managed to quell all threats to the status quo. From an academic perspective there are endless social and cultural questions to be put forward regarding such an irregularity in this modern day. With strict laws regarding freedom of speech and almost certain jail-time if caught protesting it has led to a society which on a whole adheres to their government’s commands without question. Supposedly democratic elections were held but in reality, they were a charade, masking the ongoing geopolitical turbulence. The opposition to Lukashenko over the years has been mainly from other puppets of his own, with genuine contenders given little chance to oppose. The 2010 election and the arrest of Vladimir Neklyayev after a peaceful protest in Minsk was a prime example of the type of democracy that Lukashenko upholds (Hedenskog, 2015, 1).Show less
This thesis argues that within the #EUandME campaign the construction of a ‘European identity’ is grounded upon a bottom-up strategy emphasizing practical shared interests which are founded upon...Show moreThis thesis argues that within the #EUandME campaign the construction of a ‘European identity’ is grounded upon a bottom-up strategy emphasizing practical shared interests which are founded upon shared values. This is in contrast with the popular approach to European identity that focusses on solely shared values. In doing so an analysis will be made of concepts such as social constructivism, identity and constitutional patriotism. Next to this theoretical approach empirical data will be included based on a closer look of the #EUandME young film makers campaign, and how these concepts relate to the identity construction advanced in this campaign.Show less
In face of various political and economic challenges, the EU has been making efforts to glue its member states together through the concept of a “European culture.” This research seeks to answer...Show moreIn face of various political and economic challenges, the EU has been making efforts to glue its member states together through the concept of a “European culture.” This research seeks to answer how the position of elderly citizens in the aspiration of fostering “Europeanness” through the The European Year represents the larger problematics of creating a “European” identity? In this way, another aspect of the complicated matter of the creation of “one united European people” is to be provided by including how the attempts of creating unity can be at the expense of excluding certain persons and even whole demographic groups who do not fit into the specific rhetoric of unity. The innovativeness of this research lies in the fact that it will focus on elderly EU citizens. So far, this demographic group has namely been insufficiently recognised in the context of “European” identity creation.Show less
The following thesis treats the problematic arising from the cultural representation of Latin America in two of the most trendy Latin American Festivals in Italy to-date. The thesis departs from...Show moreThe following thesis treats the problematic arising from the cultural representation of Latin America in two of the most trendy Latin American Festivals in Italy to-date. The thesis departs from the premise that there is a fundamental problem regarding the construction and understanding of Latin American culture and identity. This is fundamentally linked with the continents colonial past and the racial and social constructs that have raised from it. The first festival analyzed is the Milano Latin Festival in which the Peruvian diaspora becomes the central focus of analysis. The second festival is the Festival del Cinema Latino Americano di Trieste in which the cultural film festival industry is questioned as a whole and the role Latin America plays on it. By treating the literature on identity, postcolonialism and representation, the final conclusions attest that festivals approach cultural representation in a defective way. Their main faults rely on a lack of acknowledgement and understanding of the diversity that constitutes each and every Latin American country and the dynamics that exists in these concerning race and class. And in the second case, in that the drive and/or purpose of festivals tend to mold how is that cultures are portrait. There is the necessity of exploring further into the underlying realities of Latin American cultures and treat the problematic and paradoxes these have if one desires to pay justice and respect to the same ones.Show less
In the following thesis, the following research question was analyzed What kind of images and representations regarding women were depicted through monuments in Flanders after (and during) the...Show moreIn the following thesis, the following research question was analyzed What kind of images and representations regarding women were depicted through monuments in Flanders after (and during) the First World War and why such depictions came to the existence? Through the means of the MCDA analysis, it was concluded that women are represented in the gendered terms in the literal and figurative terms. Women’s “feminine” traits and biological preconditions justify the notions of nationhood and the reasoning of the nation to enter the war, neglecting more accurate representation of the history and role of the women in the war.Show less
The thesis analyses the effect of the ‘balkanism’ discourse, and the associated representations, on the relationship between Western Europe and the Balkans in late modern and contemporary history....Show moreThe thesis analyses the effect of the ‘balkanism’ discourse, and the associated representations, on the relationship between Western Europe and the Balkans in late modern and contemporary history. The ‘balkanism’ discourse has been present for a long time and has strongly influenced Western European perceptions of the Balkan region in the 19th and 20th century. Due to the discourse, a certain distance had been created between the EU and the Balkans, in which the former named the latter the ‘other’ – mainly to indicate a cultural difference. The discourse and denigrating perceptions of the region, shaped over time, seem to be the main reason for the poor relationship between the EU and the Balkans in these two centuries. However, since the start of the 21st century, the EU has started to engage more with the region. In 2003, the first steps were taken to create stability and security in the EU and its neighbourhood by starting the integration process of the Western Balkans – that is, the remaining Balkan countries outside of the EU. The process includes several engagement and integration initiatives, compulsory accession criteria and (reform) programs in fields such as politics, economy and culture. Yet, the success of the integration process still remains to be seen. Apart from other issues related to the citizens’ opinions, the EU itself and the Balkan region, the historical perceptions still seem to influence this process as well. Hence, the effect of the ‘balkanism’ discourse and the associated representations seems to be significant, due to the fact that the discourse can be considered the key reason for the poor relationship of the past, and because it may still be affecting the relationship today.Show less
The EU is per se, not an obstacle to the empowerment of migrant women and especially not deliberately so. On the contrary, EU and UN initiatives, such as UNIFEM and UN women, function as an...Show moreThe EU is per se, not an obstacle to the empowerment of migrant women and especially not deliberately so. On the contrary, EU and UN initiatives, such as UNIFEM and UN women, function as an instrument in which women can claim their rights. However, there are shortcomings in the current legal framework regarding women in migration that can and ought to be improved. First, the contextual and relational nature of gender-based discrimination remains unacknowledged. Second, treating all migrant women as universally vulnerable leads to the marginalization of the subgroup. Third, the EU guidelines are non-binary and do therefore not ensure gender equal treatment and furthermore gender is only an addition to the existing legal framework, which treats women as ‘exceptional’ and not as a part of the main assumption. Fourth, the EU lacks empowering instruments for migrant women. These challenges must be addressed if the EU wishes to fulfill its normative role of ensuring gender equality in migration.Show less
Where do the European Court of Justice and national tribunals draw the line between freedom of speech and the protection of minorities? How is social coherence in democratic societies pursued if...Show moreWhere do the European Court of Justice and national tribunals draw the line between freedom of speech and the protection of minorities? How is social coherence in democratic societies pursued if linguistic insults drive a wedge between citizens? Recent attempts to ban hate speech, court cases on Holocaust denials, and the condemnation of comedy expressions reveal the vibrant intersection of freedom of expression and hate speech. With the aim of providing an outlook on the juridical, political, and ideological future of EU member-states, this thesis investigates some of the implications of attempts to legally enforce speech. Focusing on the prosecution of Geert Wilders since 2014, I argue that the victim of hate speech is always influenced by a historicity that exceeds the present, regardless of context. Furthermore, I will state that the roots of insults lie in the antagonisms of modern democratic societies that encapsulate latent enmity and a lack of tolerance. I therefore propose to address hurt through public debate and not law, since the latter is a mere regulatory instrument of human behavior. Finally, the criminalization of speech narrows the space for debate and ignores and reinforces societal antagonisms: the deep-rooted cause of distrust and conflict that is once to blossom.Show less
