The thesis investigates the potential causes behind the differing responses given by South Korea and Taiwan in the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami disaster using a qualitative...Show moreThe thesis investigates the potential causes behind the differing responses given by South Korea and Taiwan in the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami disaster using a qualitative thick description analysis. This work contributes to the field of soft power by conducting a case study: this field is often criticized for its lack of empirical evidence. This topic is important as it posits a causal relationship between Japanese soft power and the differing levels of responses given, showing that soft power has visible and tangible effects. The research question was as follows: what explains the differences in Taiwanese and South Korean support following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami? Based on the research it was found that many factors, namely nationalism, historical relations, and the individual country’s soft power resources as mediating factors to Japan’s soft power.Show less
During the partition, more than twelve million people crossed the border to reach Pakistan or India, soon communal violence roared in which women, out of revenge and hatred, became the victim of...Show moreDuring the partition, more than twelve million people crossed the border to reach Pakistan or India, soon communal violence roared in which women, out of revenge and hatred, became the victim of sexual violence at the hands of the other ethnic community. One of the major issues plaguing women was the widespread abductions of women by men from the other ethnic community in which many women were stuck on the other side of the border. Soon after, an interdominion agreement was drafted to recover abducted women from Pakistan to India and vice versa. In 1949 this agreement was discussed again to be renewed and possibly amended. The Constituent Assembly transcript of this debate that lasted for four days has been used to investigate through critical discourse analysis which roles of women within ethnicity are reproduced and to what extent. This thesis has used the framework from Anthias and Yuval-Davis to define those roles. Women's roles as boundaries, signifiers of difference, and biological reproducers become highly visible in the debate and most of all point to one issue: the lack of autonomy and representation of the voices of abducted women. Moreover, while the distinct roles of Anthias and Yuval-Davis are helpful, they lack a relational approach to the prescribed roles of women and men.Show less
Recent trends within contemporary terrorism studies indicate that the right-wing is widely understood as a growing security concern. Germany’s political spectrum comprises an extensive right-wing,...Show moreRecent trends within contemporary terrorism studies indicate that the right-wing is widely understood as a growing security concern. Germany’s political spectrum comprises an extensive right-wing, causing the country to be among the largest targets of extreme right terrorism within Europe. This study aims to examine the nature of this developing trend of terrorism within Germany between 2015 and 2019. This research will analyse two terrorism datasets to explore the common characteristics of German right-wing extremists, as well as shortly examining the overall terrorism landscape in the country. This thesis argues that the right-wing is the leading source for terrorism in the country. The results add that Germany’s right-wing terrorism experiences an initial spark due to societal changes, and is still predominantly preoccupied with anti-refugee sentiments, a trend which emerged in the mid-1990s. Even though certain right-wing groups are more active than others, there seems to be overlap regarding the motives, targets, and objectives. The nationalist and xenophobic components of the right-wing are also clearly highlighted in the country.Show less
Drawing upon the idea that collective identities are firmly rooted in the past, this thesis explores the relationship between archaeological practices and identity formation in present-day...Show moreDrawing upon the idea that collective identities are firmly rooted in the past, this thesis explores the relationship between archaeological practices and identity formation in present-day societies. The focus lies in the social implications of the interdisciplinary field of archaeogenetics. Approaches on human origins and migration events through palaeopopulation research, attain both a biological and a cultural dimension. This thesis investigates the field’s epistemological position and public impact in Greek society, in regards to modern perceptions of Greek national identity. This is achieved through the analysis of a recent archaeogenetic study concerning the origin of the Bronze Age “Minoan” population in Crete. The case study is evaluated for its theoretical position towards notions of cultural continuity and blood affinity, while my approach culminates to the point of the research's 'release' to the public sphere through the Media, in order to reach an understanding of the ways such research can form contemporary perceptions of 'Greekness'.Show less
