In this thesis, I examine the gothic and metafictional genre elements of Mark Z. Danielewski's novel 'House of Leaves.' Chapter 1 is split into two sections: section 1.1 contains an analysis of the...Show moreIn this thesis, I examine the gothic and metafictional genre elements of Mark Z. Danielewski's novel 'House of Leaves.' Chapter 1 is split into two sections: section 1.1 contains an analysis of the gothic elements present in 'The Navidson Record' central to the novel and, in section 1.2, I proceed to examine the novel's metafictional characteristics and how metafiction and Gothicism are intertwined in the text. In both preceding sections, the reader's knowledge gap—referred to in my thesis as the epistemological gap—is prevalent in my reading of the novel. Consequently, in Chapter 2 I explore this knowledge gap further, relating it to the gothic and metafictional elements analyzed in the preceding chapter. Lastly, I argue that the audience might fill the epistemological gap by projecting their own personal interpretations of the text onto it. One of the main characters inside the narrative, Johnny Truant, projects his childhood trauma onto the text and processes it in his annotations to 'The Navidson Record.'Show less
An analysis of the Cosmic Horror genre and how it shifted in modern times. This is done by analysing Lovecraft's work and analysing the podcast The Magnus Archives. Then comparing them and...Show moreAn analysis of the Cosmic Horror genre and how it shifted in modern times. This is done by analysing Lovecraft's work and analysing the podcast The Magnus Archives. Then comparing them and determining how the genre has shifted over time.Show less
The aim of the research was to uncover the question: “how did colonialism impact cultural and legal views on homosexuality in Uganda?”. This question was answered through the employment of...Show moreThe aim of the research was to uncover the question: “how did colonialism impact cultural and legal views on homosexuality in Uganda?”. This question was answered through the employment of qualitative research and postcolonial historiography. This dissertation intended to underscore the West’s role in the increasing heterosexism in Uganda, as this is an aspect of the situation that is not addressed enough. The research suggested that the criminalisation of homosexuality in Uganda was directly linked to British colonial rule. Before the advent of British imperialism, there were no laws that prohibited same-sex relations in what is now known as Uganda. Moreover, the application of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill and the Sexual Offences Act was influenced by the American evangelist group The Family and Ugandan pentecostal pastors. Furthermore, the support of these two laws are plausibly also a strategic tool for politicians in order to gain religious legitimacy and so they can use queer people as scapegoats. Additionally, the laws justifies violence towards queers, are a violation to human rights, and poses risks to the public health.Show less
To answer the question posed by the title of this thesis, which is "In what ways is China's rising influence in the Lebanese economy and society altering the identity formation of the militant...Show moreTo answer the question posed by the title of this thesis, which is "In what ways is China's rising influence in the Lebanese economy and society altering the identity formation of the militant group Hezbollah?," this thesis employs a social-constructivist method. Accordingly, it concentrates on the overlap and interaction between domestic society and foreign policy, which is defined in the overall aims of this seminar. In recent years, China has established commercial links with a number of the nations in the region, and the One Belt, One Road program is intended to foster further collaboration in the future(Gresh, 2016). OBOR is focused on securing a stable energy supply for China's rapid economic development and comprises a wide range of investment projects that might be advantageous to the region (Horesh, 2016). China participates in the politics of neighboring countries on a very seldom basis and has no intention of unseating the United States. Despite the fact that the emergence of an increasing Chinese influence is easily recognised, the implications of this influence on identity and culture are rarely mentioned in constructivist literature on the Middle East and Lebanon. That is because the body of constructivist analytic literature is still relatively limited when compared to the neoliberal approach, which is the predominant school of thought in the field of international relations. It was discovered that this is the case in each and every one of the domains that were examined, including constructivism and IR theory, constructivism in the Middle East, and China and the Middle East. Constructivist research in the subject of International Relations theories has garnered the attention of an ever-expanding corpus of published work since the 1990s. This thesis will build on the work accomplished by Raymond Hinnebusch, David Campbell, and Alexander Wendt adopting constructivism as perspective, and therefore will primarily involve Joseph Alagha and Pol Bassedas in the research on the identity formation of Hezbollah. There is still a great deal of ambiguity regarding the connection between international politics and the role that the influence of China plays in the process of identity creation inside Hezbollah. With the use of Hezbollah as a case study, the purpose of this study will be to make a contribution to the existing body of knowledge in an effort to address a knowledge gap relating to expanding Chinese participation and identity creation in the Middle East.Show less
This research investigates the impact of Leiden University College on students their social community and connections within The Hague and the Anna van Buerenplein campus. The Leiden University...Show moreThis research investigates the impact of Leiden University College on students their social community and connections within The Hague and the Anna van Buerenplein campus. The Leiden University College is a university located in The Hague within the Anna van Buerenplein campus. The campus holds the obligatory housing studios for the first and second years, classroom and workgroup spaces for the students their academics, and other amenities, forming an enclosed community within the building. By using floor plans, results of a survey regarding the Leiden University community, and mental mapping of The Hague, this research reveals how the community of the Anna van Buerenplein campus is internalized by both the system of the University and the students, and how various results indicate a longing for more connections outside of the campus community. This paper revisits the importance of placemaking and developing a sense of space within on-campus student housing, positively affecting the students their wellbeing and satisfaction.Show less
