Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
This thesis explores the relationship between humans and non-humans within a sea turtle conservation organization in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Through eleven weeks of in-depth visual ethnographic...Show moreThis thesis explores the relationship between humans and non-humans within a sea turtle conservation organization in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. Through eleven weeks of in-depth visual ethnographic fieldwork, I investigate the influence these human/non-human relationships have on scientific knowledge production. The output of this research consists of an ethnographic film ‘The Turtle Team’ and this article. This research underscores the necessity of adopting transdisciplinary methodologies in which non-humans are integrated, which is crucial in the era of the Anthropocene. It provides a nuanced understanding of how human/non-human relationships shape the production of scientific knowledge in this team of conservationists and emphasizes the interwovenness of humans and non-humans. This research contributes to the existing literature on the Anthropocene and the nature-culture debate and I argue that the interwovenness of humans and non-humans should be discussed more within scientific research, especially in conservation biology.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
This study researches conventional farmers' resentment towards the nitrogen policies in the context of Zeeland (a Dutch region in the South-West of the Netherlands). Since 2019, when the Raad van...Show moreThis study researches conventional farmers' resentment towards the nitrogen policies in the context of Zeeland (a Dutch region in the South-West of the Netherlands). Since 2019, when the Raad van State decided that the current policies on Plan Handling Nitrogen (Plan Aanpak Stikstof, PAS) where insufficient in protecting Dutch nature reserves from biodiversity loss, strict regulations were opposed on the agricultural sector by the government. From that moment the already dormant crisis became ignited, because many farmers strongly resisted these regulations in what became known as ‘the farmers protests’. To be able to understand farmers' resentment both in its diversity and in its depth, this thesis focusses on farmers' cosmovisions in relation to blaming narratives and notions of dignity. Each showing a different element of what resentment entails. The research shows how conventional farmers are resentful towards the nitrogen policies, because their perspectives of the world, structured through their cosmovisions, are fundamentally different from the perspectives underlaying the nitrogen policies. Because of this, they blame others, which are to a lesser degree, affected by the policies, such as big industries, but mostly the actors that inflicted this experience on them. At the same time they feel a denial of their dignity, as they feel unrecognized as fulfilling an essential role in society.Understanding these three aspects is vital for understanding the deeply felt emotions that are at play in farmers’ lives during the nitrogen crisis. The aim of this research is to bring nuance in the polarized discussion around nitrogen. While facing many (societal and ecological) future crises, both in the Netherlands and on a larger scale, I argue that research on which convictions and beliefs form resentment, can be the only basis from which relevant policies should be constructed.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
Ecofeminist debate around ‘women as closer to nature’ centers the intersection between gender and climate. This assumption is put as unreliable, however ethnographic findings reveal that women of...Show moreEcofeminist debate around ‘women as closer to nature’ centers the intersection between gender and climate. This assumption is put as unreliable, however ethnographic findings reveal that women of the Greek island Corfu redefine ‘closeness to nature’ through the practice of herbalism. This study shows a nuanced depiction of the relationship between women and the natural environment, by revaluating notions of care and labor. Through ethnographic methods based on participant observation, in-depth interviews and filming, data is obtained. The data shows that the women of Corfu use herbalism as a means to be independent from their demanding role as caregivers; traditional knowledge is based on connections with past generations that refer to survival skills; herbalism teaches how mainstream society can live more sustainable. Concluding, herbalism is more than a practice. In the context of Corfu, herbalism critiques capitalist economies and creates a sustainable relationship with the natural environment. Through redefining labor and performing care as herbalist practice, lived experiences refine discussions on ‘women as closer to nature’.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
Academic freedom is a core value of Western higher education, with freedom of speech and research being its main pillars. When it comes to Palestinian rights, however, these principles are often...Show moreAcademic freedom is a core value of Western higher education, with freedom of speech and research being its main pillars. When it comes to Palestinian rights, however, these principles are often applied selectively or fail to materialize at all. By conducting qualitative ethnographic research on and in collaboration with Palestinian advocacy groups in the Netherlands, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of how and why anti-Zionist dissent is often silenced in the context of Dutch academia. This multimodal research focuses on one particular event of academic censorship that resulted in the cancelation of a panel discussion organized by “Students for Palestine” (SfP). The visual output shows my main interlocutors gradually reconstructing what happened through a decolonial lens; they bear upon colonial and orientalist practices in order to deconstruct this specific incident. I then elaborate on these practices in this article, in order to provide a deeper understanding of what laid the foundation of this censorship case. I do this by looking at the impact that orientalist and neoliberalist practices have on the institutional censorship of Palestine. The written output also more accurately discusses the aftermath of this event, that is the way the student group resisted this discrimination case by means of an academic boycott. Moreover, both the visual and text portions of this thesis offer a thorough analysis of what it means for minoritized and racialized voices to be silenced and delegitimized, and how censoring attempts affect Palestinian identity. Finally, the article provides a reflexive analysis that is meant to gauge the extent to which internalized sentiments of fear and paranoia within the movement at large influenced my own ability to gain access and trust throughout the realization of this study.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
The global climate crisis shows the need to take measures to reduce our emissions. With agriculture taking up more than half of the land in The Netherlands, policies to achieve this primarily focus...Show moreThe global climate crisis shows the need to take measures to reduce our emissions. With agriculture taking up more than half of the land in The Netherlands, policies to achieve this primarily focus on the agrarian sector. Consequently, the uncertainty for farmers’ future practices led to big national farmers’ protests, followed by a national win for the farmers’ party on a provincial level. With farming deeply rooted in culture and place, acknowledging the need to look at the social side of the issue is vital for establishing a sustainable agricultural system. This research uses visual ethnography’s strengths, giving insight into a sustainable practice in the Anthropocene and providing a new view of human-environment relationships. It does so by looking at a Dutch agroforestry farmer who acknowledges an inherent connection between humans and non-humans within his practices. Moreover, the motivation for his practices lies in his ideologies, prioritising non-human nature over humanity. These perspectives can help us find a way to overcome the agrarian crisis in The Netherlands by producing an alternate view on human-environment relationships. It overall inspires us to think that when we care for the non-human, we will ultimately take care of ourselves.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
The interest towards music of Turkey in Europe is growing in the last decade under the emerging genre of “Neo-Anatolian” music in relation to migrants from Turkey living in Germany. Even though...Show moreThe interest towards music of Turkey in Europe is growing in the last decade under the emerging genre of “Neo-Anatolian” music in relation to migrants from Turkey living in Germany. Even though migration studies have always put the conditions of guest workers from Turkey living in Germany under the magnifying glass, there hasn’t been much research regarding the relationship between the sense of nostalgia, material culture and music among new-wave migrants. This research was set out to bridge this gap. The research was conducted from January 2023 until March 2023 with new-wave migrants from Turkey living in Berlin by employing structured observation, participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and music elicitation interviews as methods. With the findings of the fieldwork and in relation to the existing literature, the research project concludes that nostalgia in relation to music is experienced to construct a relationship between the self and personal history, nostalgia became a commodified experience in the music scene with the revival of gazinos and the emergence of the arabesque genre among the new wave migrants and musical objects may help us to reconstruct certain memories and provide a material dimension to our personal history.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
Despite having been the most influential Jewish population in the world, seventy-eight years after the Shoah Jewish life in the Netherlands remains ambiguous. For Dutch Jews, especially those non-...Show moreDespite having been the most influential Jewish population in the world, seventy-eight years after the Shoah Jewish life in the Netherlands remains ambiguous. For Dutch Jews, especially those non- religious, a post-war memorialisation of genocide overwhelmingly determines what it means to be Jewish today. This Dutch post-war reality materializes in the omnipresence of Jewish death (monuments, memorials, and museums) and the absence of Jewish life (shops, bakeries, and restaurants) in Dutch public spaces which contributes to the invisibility of Jewish contemporary life, vitality and joy. This has led to a generational search for ways to reclaim, co-construct and make space for contemporary Dutch Jewish identity and life. This research is an expression of such a search, where it simultaneously explores and constructs a future-oriented rethinking of being and doing Jewish in a Dutch contemporary context. It does so by using ‘future-memory work’ as a methodological tool to explore what it could mean to be Jewish in the Netherlands today, making sense of a contemporary Jewish experience in relation to the past and the future. The study is an auto- ethnographic film project in which unaffiliated (not a member of a practising community) millennial Dutch Jews from Amsterdam, the Dutch city that had the largest Jewish population before the second world war, embark on a collaborative open-ended search for Jewish identity and community to learn about and beyond their families’ past.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
Exploring the countryside has been a phenomenon in the United Kingdom for many decades. In contemporary discourse, challenges to who frequents these landscapes have risen. Indeed, ethnic minorities...Show moreExploring the countryside has been a phenomenon in the United Kingdom for many decades. In contemporary discourse, challenges to who frequents these landscapes have risen. Indeed, ethnic minorities are underrepresented in the UK outdoors communities. As stories of human’s relation to nature are foremost told from Eurocentric, white, and male perspectives, this thesis centres Black women and women of colour who are members of the women’s outdoors organisation Bristol Steppin Sistas (BSS). Operating as a safe space for black women and women of colour, the organisation organises multiple walks a month to get local women to explore rural landscapes in the UK’s South West region. This ethnographic research comprises two complimentary elements: a 30 min.-long film, and an article, which examine the role walking and talking in nature plays in the daily lives of black British women. It uses data gathered from interlocutor observation of BSS members, semi-structured sit-down interviews, and un-structured walk-along interviews with three members of the group, during two months of fieldwork. This article has the dual purpose of making theoretical arguments and discussing methodological considerations in reference to the film. In doing so, three key themes emerge: (1) BSS challenges racial and gender stigmas around exploring British nature, (2) the group provides a safe space for its members to gain a sense of belonging, strengthening their individual identities, (3) Black British women living in urban areas need the outdoors to lessen anxieties and better physical health. By claiming space in the South West UK’s countryside, BSS provides an indispensable community for black women and women of colour living in the hectic urban environment of Bristol.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
This research focuses on the analysis of the forms of human-environment relationship that characterize different communities in the coastal area of North Jakarta, and on how these might be...Show moreThis research focuses on the analysis of the forms of human-environment relationship that characterize different communities in the coastal area of North Jakarta, and on how these might be connected to inequalities between local communities. In North Jakarta, relationship with the environment is strongly affected by the presence of environmental issues, namely sea level rise, land subsidence, and chronic floods, which force local communities to come to terms with the surrounding waters on a daily basis, developing different experiences and perceptions of the environment. Moreover, such different experiences and perceptions are connected to political struggles related to the protection of the Jakarta bay ecosystem, the livelihood of fishing communities, and mitigation projects such as the construction of a giant seawall and of reclaimed islands off the coast of the city. The research population includes residents of four different neighbouring districts located along the coast of the Indonesian capital. Despite being so close to each other, these are very different areas, home to fish markets, fishing settlements and industries, luxurious residential areas, shining malls and exclusive leisure spaces. These districts are inhabited by very different communities in terms of social class, income, lifestyle, occupation, and ethnicity. Therefore, they are an ideal field to observe diverse forms of human-environment relationship, and to test to what extent could these be related to the above-mentioned inequalities and to different ontologies of the environment.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
closed access
This thesis delves into the complex dynamics of gender performance within the Tokyo trans and X-gender community, examining the ways in which individuals navigate their gender identities in...Show moreThis thesis delves into the complex dynamics of gender performance within the Tokyo trans and X-gender community, examining the ways in which individuals navigate their gender identities in different social settings. By adopting Erving Goffman's concept of the "frontstage" and the "backstage", the study aims to shed light on the complex interplay between conformity and self-expression in this cultural context. Through a combination of casual conversations, semi-structured interviews, observation, use of drawings, and analysis of online discourse, this research unveils the strategies employed by community members to negotiate societal norms and expectations. After defining gender roles and expectations in Japan, the thesis focuses on looks and the ability to "pass" as a cisgender person, which not only influence trans and X-gender people's possibility to access to queer and non-queer settings, but also condition their gender performance. Afterwards, the thesis focuses on gender performance in the "frontstage" and "backstage". Whereas the "frontstage" showcases the performative aspects of gender identity, often influenced by societal pressures and traditional gender roles, the "backstage" allows for a more authentic exploration of self, often characterized by fluidity and experimentation.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
closed access
This thesis dives into the stories and lives of female low-caste garment workers in South India, uncovering their agency and strategies within the complex web of social norms and expectations. It's...Show moreThis thesis dives into the stories and lives of female low-caste garment workers in South India, uncovering their agency and strategies within the complex web of social norms and expectations. It's all about understanding how factors like caste, gender, and labor intertwine to shape their lives in the bustling world of textile factories. The journey starts by shining a light on the influence of big international brands on the factories' conditions and how the caste systems still affects people’s lives and opportunities. We dig into how traditional gender roles shape the lives of these female workers, dealing with both unequal power dynamics and family expectations. With the guiding question, "How exactly do female low-caste garment workers in South India show their power, and how do they tackle the challenges they face in their lives and jobs?" in mind, the research takes us through six chapters. The heart of the matter reveals that these workers, despite the odds, aren't just passive players. They've got agency and plans, like prioritizing their children’s education if their financial situation allows it in order to break free from the cycle of struggle. And then there's the central role of NGOs like READ, who give them skills and a voice to demand better conditions. Wrapping it all up, the conclusion shows strength doesn't always mean pushing back hard; it's often about finding ways to stand tall and find strategies when facing difficulties. All said and done, this research paints a vivid picture of these female workers' multi-faceted strengths, highlighting how they navigate their world with grit and grace, all while shaking up the social norms that surround them.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
The world of football is constantly changing and is now a global industry with employers, employees, investors, and consumers, and the football shirt can be seen as the commodity par excellence of...Show moreThe world of football is constantly changing and is now a global industry with employers, employees, investors, and consumers, and the football shirt can be seen as the commodity par excellence of this industry. However, both in professional and amateur football, the football shirt and other elements of football material culture, acquire meanings and value that exceed the consumeristic and capitalistic dynamics. Through Photo and Video Elicitation Interviews and Oral and Life History Interviews, the participants of this research project, who are six members of the Liberi Nantes amateur football club based in Rome, Italy, demonstrate how the club’ shirt is more than just a football shirt as it is something that reinforces their sense of belonging towards each other and towards the team, how this shirt becomes a lens through which it is possible to think about broader issues and questions such as migration flows and the movement of people, how elements of football material culture become the glue that connects the world of amateur football to the one of professional football, and how amateurs’ perspectives and opinions become interesting prompts for further discussions and reflections about the recent economic and financial changes in this sport and about a possible switch towards a non-Eurocentric football.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
closed access
Within the field of agriculture, significant global changes are underway, which have profound impact on various aspects on the local level. These global changes influence the local employment...Show moreWithin the field of agriculture, significant global changes are underway, which have profound impact on various aspects on the local level. These global changes influence the local employment structure, the landscape, nature, biodiversity and the overall perception of agriculture. More than one third of the land in Romania is dedicated to agriculture, and nearly a quarter of the population works within the agricultural sector, which makes it an ideal area to examine how these global changes take place on a local level. As farming is deeply embedded within the local culture and landscape, it becomes imperative to explore the social dimension of the challenges and transformations unfolding in the agricultural domain. This ethnographic research is specifically focused on understanding the livelihoods and households of farmers in Transylvania, Romania. To shed light on how the sociocultural aspects of the farmers livelihoods and households relate towards the decisions and pathways farmers take within their profession. By both exploring the micro-level of the thoughts and actions of the farmers and how their households react to change, it gives implications on changes within the macro-level of regional and global structural changes taking place. This is done through case studies of farmers living in rural Transylvania. Reflection on these case studies is done through implementing Van der Ploeg his theory of repeasantisation. Given the pivotal role of farmers within the local community, this research also includes the changes that have taken place and are taking place in the village community of Șoimeni, Romania.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
Within anthropological studies about climate activists (Cassegård & Thörn, 2018; Haugestad et al., 2021; Knops, 2023; Spyrou et al., 2022; Weij, 2022, i.a.), the way they imagine the future is...Show moreWithin anthropological studies about climate activists (Cassegård & Thörn, 2018; Haugestad et al., 2021; Knops, 2023; Spyrou et al., 2022; Weij, 2022, i.a.), the way they imagine the future is often overlooked (Haugestad et al., 2021), even though this imagined future could be seen as the incentive for their actions. Taking this into account, the main objective of this article is to explore the imagined future of young climate activists in the Netherlands and the effect that the imagined future had on their lives in the present. The article is based on ethnographic fieldwork in the Netherlands among climate activists connected to the Extinction Rebellion movement. Through visual ethnography, in-depth interviews, experimental ethnography, participant observation and a reflective group video elicitation interview, I researched the present-day experiences of the activists from a future-focused approach. In doing so I answered my main research question: How does the imagined future of young climate activists affect their lives in the present? My main finding is that to the activists, the imagined future is intimately present in their lives, intertwined with their present experiences regarding their worldview, their affect, and the way they organize and devote their lives. With this research I hope to create more understanding of the experiences and motives of climate activists.Show less
