In this thesis, I will address the following research question: Do sarcastic and hiniku utterances without humoristic intent exist? I will explore the relationship between sarcasm, irony and humor...Show moreIn this thesis, I will address the following research question: Do sarcastic and hiniku utterances without humoristic intent exist? I will explore the relationship between sarcasm, irony and humor and hiniku and humor. More often than not, sarcastic utterances are known to have humoristic intent and make the listener and any outside observers laugh by playfully making fun of the listener, i.e. making a joke. Hiniku, the closest Japanese equivalent of sarcasm, has similar aspects for it makes fun of the addressee by criticizing him or her. I want to find out whether sarcasm and hiniku can be used without humoristic intent, i.e. the speaker does not want to be funny when he or she says something sarcastic or hiniku.Show less
Lhamo, in the West called Tibetan Opera, is a form of total theatre combining dance, song, recitation, colorful costumes, and music, that traditionally is performed in the open air in Tibetan...Show moreLhamo, in the West called Tibetan Opera, is a form of total theatre combining dance, song, recitation, colorful costumes, and music, that traditionally is performed in the open air in Tibetan communities after harvest and at festive days. Within lhamo a number of conventions exist, one of which is the convention of percussion patterns. The musical accompaniment of lhamo is done by two musicians, one of whom plays a drum (rnga) and another who plays cymbals (rol mo). The drummer is the "master of ceremonies". By means of drum pattern variations, he indicates and controls which character(s) go on and off stage and when and how they move on stage. For that the drummer has a number of drum patterns at his disposal, that can be played singly or in various combinations and at various speeds. The cymbals player merely follows the dummer's lead. During my fieldwork in Boudhanath near Kathmandu with the Nepal Tibetan Lhamo Association (NTLA), I made an inventarisation of the lhamo drum patterns, which are described in this paper. The drum patterns are all recorded and come as appendix as sound files. Attention is given to organology of the instruments and lineage of drum pattern traditions. It appears that the traditional teaching method of oral transmission from teacher to student is not the only method used by NTLA. Often multiple instructors teach simultaneously. By teaching with multiple instructors, it is possible to learn a complete lhamo play in three or four rehearsals. A chapter is devoted to rhythm in Tibetan music. This is the first published inventarisation of lhamo patterns.Show less
In Japan, the concept of genze riyaku, which literally means ‘this-worldly benefits’, implies the sphere of this life in which most prayers, requests and needs of the Japanese towards the supposed...Show moreIn Japan, the concept of genze riyaku, which literally means ‘this-worldly benefits’, implies the sphere of this life in which most prayers, requests and needs of the Japanese towards the supposed power of the other world (takai) and its occupants (such as kami, Buddhas and ancestors) are directed. The notion, aside from its materialistic ethic, may be aimed at the attainment of peace of mind and emotional solace; inside this framework, it is usually possible to distinguish four different categories: prevention from disasters, wish for success in life and career, a prosperous love life, and the quelling of demons. First of all, it will be important to establish the limits of the concept ‘religious’ that so often we find in the literature about this topic, which “takes for granted an essentialist (and basically Christocentric) definition of religion” [Josephson, 2011]. After laying the foundations of the Japanese ‘religious’ situation, I will return to the main topic of genze riyaku, better describing the elements that it comprises and that are related to it, such as kudoku (merit). Further, I shall explain how the support from shrines and temples can be provided in different ways, such as through specific rituals, prayers from priests, the personal worship of statues or other sacred objects, and so on. Nonetheless, another option that enable the granting of benefits is the purchase of talismans and amulets, known as ema, omamori and ofuda: altogether, it is possible to affirm that what is embedded in these ritual institutions is a role of crisis management. Since the presence of genze riyaku dates back to before the introduction of the Western concept of religion in Japan, how should we actually label it? Is it a social, cultural, religious concept? What is its relationship with the ritual institutions, and does the genze riyaku help in stressing this sort of “Japanese religiousness”? Lastly, what can the economic aspect around the selling of talismans and amulets or paid rites tell us about the notion of genze riyaku?Show less
This thesis focusses on the question: How has the Chinese propaganda department propagated stories in and outside of China through its new-type mainstream media since the 18th CCP Congress in 2012?...Show moreThis thesis focusses on the question: How has the Chinese propaganda department propagated stories in and outside of China through its new-type mainstream media since the 18th CCP Congress in 2012? The CPD endeavours to send a coherent message to different audiences in order to enhance China’s international image by applying a new media-management strategy that aims at telling better stories to the world about China. This thesis endeavours to identify the rationales of the CPD through an analysis of its structure and the aims of the new media-management strategy. As a case study, eight video clips will be analysed, interpreted and discussed alongside the academic research in order to draw conclusions. On the basis of the video clip analyses, the conclusion is that the CPD tells four different narratives at this moment: the Chinese Dream and rejuvenation discourse; the Belt and Road Initiative; China’s desire to pursue diversity and inclusivity for all in the international system; and using Xi Jinping as a popular idol. Moreover, this thesis shows that the clips fit in the longer tradition of Chinese political communication in the form of visual tifa.Show less
Born from a nationalist struggle in 1945, Pancasila or the five principles is Indonesia’s “state philosophy”, at times called “national ideology” and “state ideology”. This thesis examines the...Show moreBorn from a nationalist struggle in 1945, Pancasila or the five principles is Indonesia’s “state philosophy”, at times called “national ideology” and “state ideology”. This thesis examines the central question of why Pancasila plays a recurring key role in Indonesian nation-state building. Adopting the rarely used framework of the dynamics between the nation and the state, this thesis tells the life-story of Pancasila. Through the historical examination of Pancasila’s life, this thesis argues that its resilience is due to Sukarno and Suharto, respectively Indonesia’s nation-builder and state-builder. Their 53-year presidencies entrenched Pancasila so deeply and forcefully into the foundation of the Indonesian nation-state that subsequent political actors, be it state or non-state, had to engage in the Pancasila discourse. Challenges to Pancasila manifested in the repeated calls for an Islamic state in Muslim-majority Indonesia by conservative Muslim groups. These were primarily deflected away by Sukarno’s and Suharto’s domination of Pancasila but paradoxically it left little room for Indonesian people themselves to decisively reject alternatives to Pancasila, thereby contributing to its recurring role in Indonesian nation- state building.Show less
Diversity of gender self-apprehensions and sexual attachments have been long under negotiation of medical, spiritual, and cultural writing, and is now understood as significant component of Indian...Show moreDiversity of gender self-apprehensions and sexual attachments have been long under negotiation of medical, spiritual, and cultural writing, and is now understood as significant component of Indian political debate. There is not enough audacity in confronting assumptions on sexualities beyond binary. Although complex to address, sensitive questions upon behavior, belonging, and violence are of importance for those stigmatized on account of their sexuality. The literature, activism, and law, reflective of social bias, support norms and blur the picture of everyday lived reality. This paper gathers ambiguous, space, and time dependent perceptions of alternative sexualities in India, to open present day debate on queer mobilization in India entangled in colonial, global, and pre-modern influences.Show less
Research master thesis | Asian Studies (research) (MA)
closed access
This thesis investigates how the cities Yuan Shangdu, Dadu and Jining compare when looking at their locations, layouts, trading positions, and distribution of material objects that were retrieved...Show moreThis thesis investigates how the cities Yuan Shangdu, Dadu and Jining compare when looking at their locations, layouts, trading positions, and distribution of material objects that were retrieved at archaeological excavations. The three case studies on the three cities portray their significance during the Yuan dynasty, on cultural, economic and political level. The thesis compares two capital cities of the Yuan dynasty and one hinterland city. The case studies structurally compare the layouts, which are all three very different from each other. Material objects that were excavated at the archaeological sites of Shangdu and Jining, imply that Shangdu was not so much a trading city but rather served the Yuan court, whereas Jining was a trading city in the hinterlands of the Yuan where many ceramics and other material objects were excavated. Dadu on the other hand, played an important role on both imperial political as trading levels.Show less
Research master thesis | Asian Studies (research) (MA)
open access
In 2013, the re-opened Nanjing Museum added the Gallery of the Scene of the Republican Period (abbreviated as the Republican Gallery) to its permanent exhibition. This research attempts to explore...Show moreIn 2013, the re-opened Nanjing Museum added the Gallery of the Scene of the Republican Period (abbreviated as the Republican Gallery) to its permanent exhibition. This research attempts to explore the curatorial aim by examining the conceptualization of this exhibition hall. It suggests that the Republican Gallery has simplified the nature of Republican China and presented a selected, idealized Republican street view which the public is familiar with through mass media. By examining the Republican Gallery, the research expects to achieve a better understanding of the connection between memory and museums.Show less
Among the vast variety of cultural categories in Japan, there is one that has been growing in strength and popularity since the 1970s and is now one of the most sought-after professions among...Show moreAmong the vast variety of cultural categories in Japan, there is one that has been growing in strength and popularity since the 1970s and is now one of the most sought-after professions among teenagers in Japan: seiyū (voice actor). Annually, hundreds of students apply for vocational schools and agencies in order to get training to become a voice actor. The profession is highly romanticized, but the reality of it includes many problematic aspects as well. This research focusses on the seiyū industry of Japan, its educational properties, and the way it supports the anime market and vice versa.Show less
The thesis focuses on the textual representation of theaters in Hangzhou during the Southern Song Dynasty. The booming economy during the Song Dynasty stimulated the recreational consumption,...Show moreThe thesis focuses on the textual representation of theaters in Hangzhou during the Southern Song Dynasty. The booming economy during the Song Dynasty stimulated the recreational consumption, especially the development of comedies and dramas. Such trend contributed to the emergence and improvement of theatrical spaces. As the thriving performances boosted the dividing hierarchies of the theatrical spaces, the most talented folk artists and performers presented performances in the central stages and had opportunities to serve the court. The mutual influences between court bureau and folk artists promoted the development of the theatrical spaces, attracting merchants and vendors to do business in the theatrical spaces. In the urban literature, the related recordings were enriched with the descriptions narrating the transformation of theatrical spaces. Repeated in the urban literature with different representations, the images of theatrical spaces were represented as commercial centers or part of urban spaces. Such representations made the theatrical spaces gradually become the symbol of the dynamic urban life and the memory of urban prosperity.Show less
This thesis contains the results of my research on the topic of the Austrian town of Hallstatt and its Chinese replica Hallstatt see. My research will introduce China’s predilection for replicating...Show moreThis thesis contains the results of my research on the topic of the Austrian town of Hallstatt and its Chinese replica Hallstatt see. My research will introduce China’s predilection for replicating some of the biggest architectural achievements of the West by examining the case of Hallstatt. The main goal of this research will be to find out to what extent the Chinese copy town has influenced Hallstatt to date, regarding economy, tourism, atmosphere and quality of life. In that regard I especially focus on how the residents of the original Hallstatt have reacted to the fact that their town has been copied in China without consultation or permission. Furthermore, this thesis will discuss the history of copying in China, the emerging ‘duplitecture’ (copied architecture) trend in China and the Chinese meanings associated with the copy - with the aim of providing a complete overview of the copy phenomenon. Methodically, I will gather information by conducting empirical research in the form of an online questionnaire, which will be submitted to the residents of the Hallstatt area. Apart from that a lot of attention will be devoted to theory and the academic debate concerning the topic.Show less
This paper tackles the question of state-initiated identity construction at home, which is integral to the CCCP’s regime legitimacy. The main focus of the article is a case study on the World Expo...Show moreThis paper tackles the question of state-initiated identity construction at home, which is integral to the CCCP’s regime legitimacy. The main focus of the article is a case study on the World Expo held in Shanghai in 2010. This project investigates how iconic images from the Shanghai Expo 2010 (slogan, opening ceremony, logo, and venues’ architecture) form a visual narrative in which Chinese history and identity are configured to meet the political goals of the Central Communist Party. This paper contends that, during the staging of Shanghai World Expo 2010, the Chinese ruling elite propagated official image in a continuous effort to reproduce the beliefs of the population in the Communist Party’s leadership qualities. This paper suggests that the attempts of the Chinese government to strengthen its legitimacy can be connected to the process of national identity creation.Show less
