Since the so-called migration crisis of 2015/2016, European governments have innovated in their migration management policies leading to the adoption of a new dissemination channel for Migration...Show moreSince the so-called migration crisis of 2015/2016, European governments have innovated in their migration management policies leading to the adoption of a new dissemination channel for Migration-Information Campaigns (MICs) which is social media. The literature shows that social media properties can significantly influence government digital communication including MICs. Nevertheless, social media adoption for MICs broadcasting and social media features’ impacts are two academically underexplored phenomena. Consequently, this thesis attempts to answer the following question: “How do social media properties impact the establishment and management of digital Migration-Information Campaigns run by public administrations?” where the properties are conceptualized into six affordances: visibility, communicability, interactivity, anonymity, persistence and editability. To do so, we carried out a qualitative and exploratory multiple-case research based on semi-structured interviews with European public servants and partner organizations involved in MICs development. The results of this research suggest that the distinct affordances of social media do have significant influences on MICs formulation and management depending on how they are perceived in terms of opportunities and constraints of actions. Some additional insights on safety matters, attaining the right audience and paid advertising use were brought up through multiple affordances. The findings invite policymakers to create proper social media guidelines for MICs, allocate adequate resources and re-evaluate their MICs for several improvements.Show less
This paper explores the nature of the EU Common Security and Defense Policy and its influence on the path to European strategic autonomy, which has increasingly become salient in EU politics in the...Show moreThis paper explores the nature of the EU Common Security and Defense Policy and its influence on the path to European strategic autonomy, which has increasingly become salient in EU politics in the past few years. Not only because of military escalation in the East or the instability in the European Neighbourhood with regard to migration, but upheaval in the structures we thought to be invincible as well: America and NATO, and Brexit. Unexpected changes don’t necessarily lead to instability when autonomy is guaranteed. How can this be achieved for the EU? After analysing said influence in four dimensions of European strategic autonomy, the reader is presented with the conclusion that the CSDP has only had a relatively small influence, and many problems with its DNA prevent the Union from taking the steps required to become self-sufficient in an increasingly hostile environment.Show less
This master thesis delves into the impact of the 2014 Ukrainian crisis on the Dutch strategic culture using Tamir Libel's fourth-generation of strategic culture framework. The study focuses on the...Show moreThis master thesis delves into the impact of the 2014 Ukrainian crisis on the Dutch strategic culture using Tamir Libel's fourth-generation of strategic culture framework. The study focuses on the role of two subcultures, Atlanticism and Europeanism, in shaping the Dutch strategic culture and how they affected the country's response to the crisis. The research methodology employed in this study is document analysis, which involves analyzing official documents, policy statements, and public discourse related to the crisis to better understand the evolution of Dutch strategic culture and its implications for foreign policy decision-making. The analysis findings suggest that the 2014 Ukrainian crisis significantly impacted the Dutch strategic culture, leading to a shift towards a more Europeanist approach. The crisis has highlighted the need for increased cooperation and solidarity within Europe, strengthening the Europeanist subculture within the Dutch strategic culture. This shift towards a more Europeanist approach has important implications for the country's foreign policy decision-making, emphasising the importance of a collective European response to future crises. In conclusion, this thesis highlights the role of subcultures within the Dutch strategic culture and their impact on foreign policy decision-making during a crisis. It provides valuable insights into the evolution of the Dutch strategic culture and how the 2014 Ukrainian crisis has shaped it. The study's findings suggest that the crisis has led to a more Europeanist approach within the Dutch strategic culture, which has important implications for the country's future foreign policy decisions.Show less
The European Central Bank (ECB) is an important institute of the European Union that has been perceived as becoming more political. To analyze this, this paper looks at the concept of...Show moreThe European Central Bank (ECB) is an important institute of the European Union that has been perceived as becoming more political. To analyze this, this paper looks at the concept of politicization and how it can be related to the European Central Bank in the period from 2003 to 2019. In this research there will be a focus on institutional politicization, meaning that it will look at institutional aspects of the ECB itself to see if they are politicized. To measure the relevance of politicization within this case study, four dimensions will be looked into: (1) the voting behavior, on recommendations for candidates for the ECB executive board, of the European parliament; (2) the questionnaires that the three candidates for ECB president received from the European parliament; (3) the communication strategy of the ECB; and (4) the centralization within the ECB. The findings suggest that the dimensions demonstrate potentially politicized aspects.Show less
Background The base assumption of crime fighting is that if crime does not pay, the incentive to conduct criminal activities goes away. This is the main underlying assumption of the act of...Show moreBackground The base assumption of crime fighting is that if crime does not pay, the incentive to conduct criminal activities goes away. This is the main underlying assumption of the act of confiscating criminal assets. The targets set by the policies surrounding confiscating criminal assets in the Netherlands however do not seem to correspond to the scale to the problem. This master thesis inquires if the lack of (scientific) clarity on the scale of the problem and/or the lack of a clear political stance on the size of the problem, prevent the confiscation targets to correspond to the scale of the problem. Policy with a clear problem definition backed by scientific insights makes for a more Evidence-Based Policy Making (EBPM). This case study might enrich EBPM surrounding salient cases. Method A systematic review of the literature surrounding evidence-based policymaking is made. Especially the barriers of evidence-use, and the existing literature surrounding confiscating criminal assets are described. A case description of the current policy of confiscating criminal assets has been made. And interviews have been conducted with mostly street-level professionals in the field of confiscating criminal assets. With data triangulation between multiple sources of literature, public policy papers, and in-depth interviews with professionals, the main research question; ‘Why do confiscation targets not correspond to the scale of the problem?’, has been answered and thus a picture has been painted if the policy of confiscating criminal assets is evidence-based. Results There seems to be no clear scientific consensus on the scale of the criminal economy and thus the size of the problem. Various studies have attributed the lack of research as a significant barrier to Evidence-Based Policymaking (EBPM). The lack of scientific consensus or clarity however, seems not to get cited as a very big issue or obstacle by interviewees or policy documents. Nonetheless in no official document there is an attempt to relate or connect the confiscation targets to the perceived yearly circulation of criminal assets. And what results achieving the targets would bring. This has been confirmed in the analysis. The consensus being: what chain partners confiscate on an annual basis is neglectable. All interviewees agree that the seizure potential is greater than what is achieved right now. In policy documents a large emphasis is put on strategy in a sense of what the government wants to do or make possible, but not what they are expecting from it. Conclusion The Dutch government itself does not state, or attempts to estimate, the size of the criminal economy and/or the confiscation potential. The lack of substantiated confiscation targets, be it scientific wise, but especially policy wise, leaves everyone in doubt. Some rationalization of what effects hitting the confiscation targets pursues, even with queries about not being very well substantiated, makes the confiscation targets correspond to the scale of the problem better than how the situation is right now. A clear political stance might also further the scientific debate. Formulating a position, might and most likely will evoke a (scientific) responds. This in turn might result in more scientific consensus which in turn can lead to more evidence-based policymaking.Show less
Crime and crime prevention are significant problems in today's society. The recidivism rate in the Netherlands is quite high, despite the fact that the number of detainees is quite low in...Show moreCrime and crime prevention are significant problems in today's society. The recidivism rate in the Netherlands is quite high, despite the fact that the number of detainees is quite low in comparison to other countries, which results that the recidivism rate in the Netherlands is problematic. Due to the disguised nature of one’s rejection for help, those who have engaged in delinquent behavior are usually considered to be a difficult-to-reach group. However, when felons experience supervision during the reintegration processes the number of felons that reoffend are less. In order to supervise and guide former felons during the reintegration process, representative bureaucracy may be an important feature for the view of recipient towards the decision-maker. This thesis aims to analyze the relation of symbolic representation through lived experience and it impact on trust in decision-making from the perspective of ordinary citizens and employees of reintegration centers.Show less
This study had the objective to see the effect between the gender of a police officer and their likelihood to report on domestic violence. In order to answer the research question, “To what extent...Show moreThis study had the objective to see the effect between the gender of a police officer and their likelihood to report on domestic violence. In order to answer the research question, “To what extent does gender affect a police officer’s likelihood to file a report on domestic violence?”, an experimental survey was conducted, which was focussed on the likelihood to report as well as the credibility of the victim. It was expected that female police officers would be more likely to report alleged domestic violence if the victim was a woman and male police officers were expected to be more likely to report if the victim was male, due to their match of gender, which was based on the representative bureaucracy theory. For conclusion, it can be stated that this hypothesis (H1) is not true, as both genders tend to be more likely to report if the victim is a woman. Moreover, it was expected that female victims would be more credible to both male and female officers. When analysing the means of the outcomes, the second hypothesis (H2) seemed true. However, reliability has been a concern as the data is not statistically significant, meaning that for both statements, the null hypothesis cannot be rejected. This has occurred because of a Type II error, due to insufficient sampling. The ration men-women has not been executed well, resulting in to less male participants compared to female participants.Show less
