Since the start of the war in Ukraine 3 years ago, much has changed in the country. In 2014, many wrote about misinformation in the Ukrainian news, but since then scholars have focussed mostly on...Show moreSince the start of the war in Ukraine 3 years ago, much has changed in the country. In 2014, many wrote about misinformation in the Ukrainian news, but since then scholars have focussed mostly on Russian propaganda regarding the war. This thesis presents a case study on misinformation in the Ukrainian news and debates what the forms of misinformation found can tell us about the media landscape and the overall situation in Ukraine. It concludes that Ukraine clearly is a new democracy in which grave forms of misinformation such as propaganda are not found, although the news does show one-sidedness in its reporting on the war.Show less
This thesis explores the compounded effect of the three biggest changes in the the current global energy system on the Russian gas export market and strategy. The three changes identified are the...Show moreThis thesis explores the compounded effect of the three biggest changes in the the current global energy system on the Russian gas export market and strategy. The three changes identified are the globalization of the gas market, the rise of renewable energy sources and lower oil prices for longer. We argue that in light of these changes, the current strategy behind Russia's gas exports is no longer sustainable in terms of maintaining its position as a dominant player in the global gas market. However, if Russia were to alter its strategy, its market might yet benefit from the new status quo and ensure its dominant position for a long time to come.Show less
During the turbulent years of de-Stalinization a lot changed in the Soviet society. Tensions of the Cold War eased and the publication of contemporary foreign literature was possible again. The...Show moreDuring the turbulent years of de-Stalinization a lot changed in the Soviet society. Tensions of the Cold War eased and the publication of contemporary foreign literature was possible again. The American novel 'The Catcher in the Rye' by J.D. Salinger made quite and impression on the Soviet reader. This thesis discusses the reception of this American youth novel in Soviet Russia through letters and documents found at the Russian Archive of Literature and Art.Show less
The case of the Gulag Museum at Perm-36 is especially suitable to discuss the (im)possibilities and motivations of civil society during the last 25 years in Russia, since it shows all the...Show moreThe case of the Gulag Museum at Perm-36 is especially suitable to discuss the (im)possibilities and motivations of civil society during the last 25 years in Russia, since it shows all the turbulence Russian civil society went through in these years. This study gives a detailed overview of the aims of the Gulag Museum demonstrated through their actions and activities. Next to that this study will show how the museum tried to embed the local and (inter)national civil society in the museum as a part of their mission to develop the Russian civil society. In addition, this study of the Gulag Museum involves the official state policy on the Commemoration of the Victims of Political Repressions implemented by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in 2015. In this way, this study will show an interesting power struggle over Russian history between civil society and the Russian state.Show less
Throughout the Soviet rule Buryats have been subjected to interventionist legislation that affected not only their daily lives but also the internal cohesion of the Buryat group as a collective...Show moreThroughout the Soviet rule Buryats have been subjected to interventionist legislation that affected not only their daily lives but also the internal cohesion of the Buryat group as a collective itself. As a result of these measures many Buryats today claim that they feel a certain degree of disconnection with their own ethnic self-perception. This ethnic estrangement appears to be partially caused by many people’s inability to speak and understand the Buryat language, thus obstructing their connection to ancient traditions, knowledge and history. This work will investigate the extent to which Soviet linguistic policies have contributed to the disconnection of Buryats with their own language and offer possible effects of ethnic language loss on the self-perception of modern day Buryats.Show less
This thesis looked at the importance of oil in the economic performance of Belarus. In particular, it assessed how the Belarus, a country with no significant oil resources within its borders,...Show moreThis thesis looked at the importance of oil in the economic performance of Belarus. In particular, it assessed how the Belarus, a country with no significant oil resources within its borders, turned into a de-facto oil dependent economy.Show less
This thesis examines the Turkish histories of Tatar Jadidism appeared after 1991, when the Soviet archives had opened up to provide researchers with the newly available primary sources. A thorough...Show moreThis thesis examines the Turkish histories of Tatar Jadidism appeared after 1991, when the Soviet archives had opened up to provide researchers with the newly available primary sources. A thorough discussion and the positioning of these histories in the broader research agenda on Jadidism, has not been done yet. Besides the Turkish historiography, two more geographically located historiographical traditions exists; the Soviet and the Western. The Soviet discourse did not survive, whereas the Western underwent significant revisions in the new era. Based on comparisons in time of new Turkish histories and Cold War Turkish works, the changed perspectives from secular-nationalist to religious oriented, have been unfolded. In the comparisons between each other, the new Turkish histories either show the tendency of a traditional religious discourse nested in the Islamic scholastic scholarly domain, or an almost-secular reformist one that perceives the Jadid attempts as not bounded by the scholastic tradition. In result, neither the strong ideological framing of the Cold War does prevail anymore, nor can speak one of a thorough revision of the new histories; a ‘lighter’, de-ideologized construction of Cold War Jadidist narratives continues, by shedding light on the previously underlit religious aspects of the movement.Show less
The Dutch and Russian governments are not clear on what the deterioration in relations since 2014 means and how the relations changed. This study examines how relations have developed over the...Show moreThe Dutch and Russian governments are not clear on what the deterioration in relations since 2014 means and how the relations changed. This study examines how relations have developed over the period 2013-2015, as reflected in both the phraseology used and topics discussed in the published communiqués. It gives a detailed account of the developments in relations, looking at separate topics and the general trend in relations. In order to analyse the separate issues and the general trend, each communiqué and its issues are analysed and are allocated a value. The values range from ‘-2’ (very negative) to ‘+2’ (very positive). The value assesses how both countries talk about each other. It is assessed as being ‘positive’ when it contributes to building a constructive partnership and ‘negative’ when it damages such a partnership. The study concludes that the different issues of the Russian-Dutch relations developed separately from each other, but the general trend was that the statements on each other deteriorated after Crimea’s incorporation and the downing of MH17. These two events resulted in more negative communications on each other, because the Netherlands increasingly saw Russia as a threat to the EU’s neighbourhood and its own security, and therefore the focus returned to the primary national interest to ensure the safety of the state and its citizens.Show less
Anna Croiset van der Kop was the first Dutch slavicist. In Russia she was a well-known and celebrated scientist. To the Dutch academic world, however, she was a relatively unknown outsider . Around...Show moreAnna Croiset van der Kop was the first Dutch slavicist. In Russia she was a well-known and celebrated scientist. To the Dutch academic world, however, she was a relatively unknown outsider . Around 1910 she tried to become the first female Dutch professor at Leiden University. She and her supporters managed to secure the endowment for the professorship, but the title was bestowed on someone else. This thesis tries to explain why Croiset van der Kop was so successfull in Russia, but failed to reach her ultimate goal in the Netherlands. This is a story about women's history in the Netherlands and Russia and about the different in- and exclusion mechanisms in the Russian and Dutch academic world.Show less
This thesis approaches the founding fathers of the Eurasian Economic Union (EaEU) through liberal intergovernmentalism, a theory of regional integration originally used to analyse European...Show moreThis thesis approaches the founding fathers of the Eurasian Economic Union (EaEU) through liberal intergovernmentalism, a theory of regional integration originally used to analyse European integration. The aim of this thesis is to show how this theory can help answering the question as to why the founding members of the EaEU chose to establish this union. This thesis focuses on the national preferences of the three founding members, as well as their effectiveness during interstate bargaining negotiations. By doing so, this thesis adds its own conclusions to the ongoing discussion regarding the nature of the EaEU.Show less
This thesis reports on a quantitative and qualitative study on the introduction of new words by means of different translation methods in three languages, namely Dutch, Russian and Turkish, aimed...Show moreThis thesis reports on a quantitative and qualitative study on the introduction of new words by means of different translation methods in three languages, namely Dutch, Russian and Turkish, aimed at identifying different processes and their possible motivations. With the help of a database consisting of 179 original English terms and their respective counterparts in Dutch, Russian and Turkish, a quantitative and qualitative analysis has been carried out in order to identify the different translation processes and word formation patterns. As a result of this study I found that different factors can influence the behavior of a language with regard to the creation of terminology. First of all, the available word formation strategies of the language grammar and semantics are of importance; how many ways there are for a language to create new words. Second, the relation and similarities in grammar, semantics and pronunciation between the original language and the target language. Third, the sociolinguistic aspect regarding the attitude of language users on foreign (lexical) influence.Show less
An examination of siloviki representation in key positions of power during Putin's third presidential term compared to his earlier terms in order to ultimately challenge the alleged link with...Show moreAn examination of siloviki representation in key positions of power during Putin's third presidential term compared to his earlier terms in order to ultimately challenge the alleged link with increased authoritarianism since the 2011/2012 protests.Show less
Becoming posthuman does not mean letting go of all human ethics. Rather, the posthuman turn is about a pluralisation of perspectives, which does not mean a negation of the human perspective. The...Show moreBecoming posthuman does not mean letting go of all human ethics. Rather, the posthuman turn is about a pluralisation of perspectives, which does not mean a negation of the human perspective. The cases of late Soviet science fiction (Solaris, Roadside picnic, Solyaris, and Stalker) contain elements of the posthuman turn. Although their makers were informed by different worldviews, in all four cases the concept of the human and human mastery are challenged by the unsolved and unsolvable mystery of non-human agency.Show less
