This thesis assesses how Direct Democracy influences Political Tolerance. It focuses on five Western democracies, i.e. Australia, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and New Zealand. While the original...Show moreThis thesis assesses how Direct Democracy influences Political Tolerance. It focuses on five Western democracies, i.e. Australia, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and New Zealand. While the original hypothesis that Political Tolerance is more likely in more direct democracies due to a learning effect could not be confirmed, it reveals that the issues at hand appear to be much more complex. The findings indicate that, given the issues voted on are not too diverse, respondents living in more direct democracies are more likely to allow their least-liked group to hold public office. This might indeed be due to a greater likelihood of being exposed to democratic norms, by having alternative channels to resolve conflict and by having the option to exercise a certain control over what is decided at system-level.Show less
How is someone's level of political tolerance learned? This research explores the role of parents in learning political tolerance to their children in the ages 15 to 18.
The purpose of this research is to analyse and test EU border policy instruments designed to ensure refugee protection. While scholars have discussed the securitization of EU border policies and...Show moreThe purpose of this research is to analyse and test EU border policy instruments designed to ensure refugee protection. While scholars have discussed the securitization of EU border policies and the negative consequences of this for the protection of refugees, a systematic examination of the instruments designed to ensure refugee protection is still missing. I posit that the EU’s border policy instruments reflect a near-sighted attitude. Analyzing the instruments aimed at ensuring refugee protection, not only provides an insight into the weaknesses and strengths of each policy instrument, it will also show legislative gaps which allow EU member states to act in accordance with their national interest rather than EU border policy. Using data from policy papers, evaluation reports, and newspapers I outline the objectives and legal foundations of the instruments. I will then apply them to the case of the Arab Spring to test whether these instruments have lived up to their foundational objectives. The results suggest that the instruments of EU border policy were too weak to protect refugees.Show less
Political Tolerance can be seen as allowing persons of your least-liked group to poses political rights. This research is about political tolerance in relaltion to party identification. Previous...Show morePolitical Tolerance can be seen as allowing persons of your least-liked group to poses political rights. This research is about political tolerance in relaltion to party identification. Previous American research suggested that conservatives are less likely to act tolerant than conservatives. The results show that people who feel an attachment to a political party are significantly more likely to be tolerant than people who do not feel any attachment to a political party. Their is no difference in tolerance among respondents who feel attached with right or left parties or progressive or conservative parties in the Netherlands.Show less
This study examines the probable causes of different leaders’ responses to political intolerance in Dutch democracy. In comparing two Dutch Prime Ministers in similar settings, who show different...Show moreThis study examines the probable causes of different leaders’ responses to political intolerance in Dutch democracy. In comparing two Dutch Prime Ministers in similar settings, who show different responses to increasing intolerance in society, this study attempts to explain their contrasting attitudes by their personal traits. Both the political tolerance and the leadership style scholars’ results are used as a basis, since both type of scholars use personality traits in trying to predict leaders’ attitudes or political intolerance. This study states as many other studies that most personality traits do not explain contrasting leadership responses to intolerance, while self-esteem does. Thus, when political parties want to create a more tolerant society, and therefore want to select a more tolerant political leader, the leaders’ self-esteem is most important.Show less
A study on the role of socio-demographic variables on political tolerance levels in the Netherlands. To answer the research question (‘what socio-demographic variables contribute to changes in the...Show moreA study on the role of socio-demographic variables on political tolerance levels in the Netherlands. To answer the research question (‘what socio-demographic variables contribute to changes in the levels of political tolerance?’), a six-item scale for political tolerance was constructed. The regression analysis showed that the socio-demographic variables age, social class, education, city size and religion were of significant influence on political tolerance levels. Moreover, income and gender appeared not to have any significant effect on political tolerance. Also, income and education proved to be correlated.Show less
According to the literature on social capital, associations are important sites where individuals learn democratic values such as political tolerance. Over the past decades, traditional...Show moreAccording to the literature on social capital, associations are important sites where individuals learn democratic values such as political tolerance. Over the past decades, traditional associations in Western democracies have seen their memberships decline. In addition, people spend more time online, resulting in fears that people may become detached and less politically tolerant. This study examines if offline and online activity reinforce one another, that is, if individuals who are active both online and offline show higher levels of political tolerance. There is a positive relationship between the two variables, although the findings are not significant.Show less
Thesis about the influence of civil war in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Srpska Republic compared to Macedonia. Civil war seems to have no measureable impact on the social trust, political trust and...Show moreThesis about the influence of civil war in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Srpska Republic compared to Macedonia. Civil war seems to have no measureable impact on the social trust, political trust and political tolerance variables.Show less
This thesis sets up a model for political tolerance among minority groups in the Netherlands, which consists of two dimensions. The first determines whether the group has been a victim of...Show moreThis thesis sets up a model for political tolerance among minority groups in the Netherlands, which consists of two dimensions. The first determines whether the group has been a victim of discrimination and because of their struggles the individuals have grown more tolerant towards others. The other dimension is the division between bridging and bonding networks, with the latter making people less tolerant. This research confirms the second assumption, but not the first.Show less
Abstract A much debated question is the question whether or not politicians follow public opinion. This research tries to shed light on that question, by investigating if politicians follow the...Show moreAbstract A much debated question is the question whether or not politicians follow public opinion. This research tries to shed light on that question, by investigating if politicians follow the public in the area of political tolerance. However, instead of linking thoughts about political tolerance among the public with thoughts of politicians, this research tries to link thoughts about political tolerance among the public with actions conducted by politicians. In other words, do politicians act more (or less) tolerant when the public is more (or less) tolerant? This question is investigated by doing a content analysis of state of the union addresses. These results are then compared with survey results considering political tolerance among the public to see whether or not there is a relationship between the two variables. After this analysis, it is concluded that the level of political tolerance among the public, and the level of tolerance in actions conducted by politicians are negatively related, where actions by politicians become more (less) tolerant when the public is less (more) tolerant.Show less
The main goal of this article is to find out in what way discrete negative emotions are of influence regarding a person's level of tolerance. To investigate this matter, an experiment among Dutch...Show moreThe main goal of this article is to find out in what way discrete negative emotions are of influence regarding a person's level of tolerance. To investigate this matter, an experiment among Dutch citizens was conducted to discover the impact of fear, anger and hatred on tolerance attitudes. Besides that, a person's perception of threat may be an important factor in explaining already existing emotions like fear. Because previous literature has pointed out that a person's perception of threat and felt emotions towards a certain group are closely connected, the research in this article will combine findings of threat perception and emotional responses in explaining political tolerance attitudes. The research question for this study is therefore: In what way do discrete negative emotions and perceptions of threat regarding a certain out-group effect a person's level of tolerance towards that out-group.Show less
