Since China’s Go Global Policy became operational in 2002, it started many new relations with resource-rich developing countries. This paper has as a goal to build on literature about Chinese...Show moreSince China’s Go Global Policy became operational in 2002, it started many new relations with resource-rich developing countries. This paper has as a goal to build on literature about Chinese foreign policy towards resource-rich developing countries, and whether it may be defined as economic imperialist. The bilateral relationship with Peru is taken as a case study, as the country is endowed with mainly copper. Economic figures and statistics reveal that Peru has economically benefited enormously from increased trade and FDI, in terms of GDP growth and poverty reduction. However, the benefits for Peru are stagnating because the basis for industrialization is not present, and does not get developed through the relationship with China. Increase of economic ties by developing countries with China can be beneficial, but do not improve the long-term prospects for reaching the core in the World-System.Show less
The Japanese video game industry used to be a leading force in the world. During the 90’s and the early 2000’s, Japanese video games dominated the international market. Recently, however, during...Show moreThe Japanese video game industry used to be a leading force in the world. During the 90’s and the early 2000’s, Japanese video games dominated the international market. Recently, however, during the end of the last decade and the start of the current decade, Japanese video games experienced a huge dip in their sales. Japan has been attempting to use the ‘Soft Power’, the concept of influence generated by its popular culture overseas, to its advantage. The link between the Japanese video game industry and the concept of Soft Power have not been sufficiently examined as of now, hence why it was the focus of this study. The aim of this study was to come to an understanding of why these fluctuations in the market occurred, as well as look for the potential influence of Japanese video games and their popularity overseas on Japan’s Soft Power. By asking questions, in the form of a survey, to experts from the Dutch video game industry, the objective was to come to new insights on the matter and open up possibilities for further research. Results from the survey showed that previously underrepresented factors contributed to the fall in popularity of Japanese video games in the West. Elements like ease of use, lingual nuances, as well as intrinsic differences in preferences of the Japanese domestic audience and the Western audience, were identified. The link between the performance of Japanese video games overseas and Japan’s Soft Power was also confirmed. Respondents acknowledge the capability of Japanese video games to influence the consumer’s image of Japan, albeit not always in a purely positive way. Arguments were also raised that the Japan portrayed in video games is often not the real Japan. This holds true, but in order to make a target audience think more positively about Japan, the ‘real’ Japan does not need to be represented accurately. Thus, it can be argued that popularity of Japanese video games overseas does indeed correlate to an increase in Japan’s Soft Power.Show less
The Kura Araxes represents an important albeit understudied cultural horizon dated to the Early Bronze Age, often defined as a single cultural group that originated in Transcaucasia and spread into...Show moreThe Kura Araxes represents an important albeit understudied cultural horizon dated to the Early Bronze Age, often defined as a single cultural group that originated in Transcaucasia and spread into the greater Near East. Many details about Kura Araxes society still remain much debated as most of the theories discussing the identity of the culture are based on the distribution of characteristic ceramics, which can mask the various levels of complexity. This study focuses on the mortuary evidence found in designated Kura Araxes cemeteries, which has the potential to highlight more cultural heterogeneity. Patterns within burial practices including burial construction types, location of cemeteries, inhumation practices, gender, rituals, grave goods, geographic dispersals and chronological transitions are examined. The divisions in mortuary traditions are interpreted as corresponding to separations in economic and ethnic identities based on mobile and sedentary lifestyle interactions, which undergo transformations throughout the Kura Araxes chronological phases.Show less
In this thesis an overview is given of the way the Drummond estate management adjusted to changes in the social economic situation in Perthshire, Scotland. Subjects discussed are the Perthshire...Show moreIn this thesis an overview is given of the way the Drummond estate management adjusted to changes in the social economic situation in Perthshire, Scotland. Subjects discussed are the Perthshire region and Drummond family, estate income, and the relationship between landowner and tenant.Show less
