This thesis analyses competing discourses around the 2017 Catalan independence referendum. Taking a quantitative approach, several distinct text-mining techniques are applied to political speech...Show moreThis thesis analyses competing discourses around the 2017 Catalan independence referendum. Taking a quantitative approach, several distinct text-mining techniques are applied to political speech transcripts and newspaper opinion pieces of pro-independence and pro-union elites in order to identify broad lexical patterns in discourse. These results are then interpreted with the guidance of previous literature and within the theoretical framework of discursive institutionalism. The analysis finds that the most salient patterns are a pro-union emphasis on law and the constitution, and a pro-independence focus on the symbolic imagery produced by the referendum, such as polling stations, ballot boxes, and police violence. The results also find differing representations of the relationship between Catalonia and Spain, and to a lesser degree, the role of Europe within the dynamic. Taken together, these findings illuminate broad discursive strategies employed by both sides of the independence debate as they seek to either provoke or prevent institutional change.Show less
This thesis focuses on the relation between Prime Minister Abe’s nationalist policy and how this has an influence on the rapidly declining press freedom in Japan, seeking a more comprehensive view...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the relation between Prime Minister Abe’s nationalist policy and how this has an influence on the rapidly declining press freedom in Japan, seeking a more comprehensive view of the role prime minister Abe plays in declining press freedom and the relation between declining press freedom and the Japanese broadcasting system. This thesis poses the following research question: To what degree does prime minister Abe’s use of a nationalistic policy agenda influence the rapid decline of press freedom in Japan since 2012, and how does this relate to the Japanese broadcasting system? As opposed to the general academic consensus which puts the blame of declining press freedom almost solely with Prime Minister Abe and his nationalistic tendencies this thesis argues and shows by using gatekeeping theory and identifying the Japanese government as gatekeeper and the Japanese media industry as being gated, that while prime minister Abe is a factor, the underlying problem that allows the decline in press freedom are the several ingrained weaknesses in the Japanese broadcasting system that make it so that officials in power and the government can abuse this to in effect maintain a stronghold over the media regardless of ideology or political position. Such weaknesses include the broadcasting law, ownership of broadcast licensing and the use and abuse of Kisha clubs.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
In 1876 a new school for industrial arts was founded in St. Petersburg after the foundation of several schools alike throughout Europe. The school was named the Baron Stieglitz Central School of...Show moreIn 1876 a new school for industrial arts was founded in St. Petersburg after the foundation of several schools alike throughout Europe. The school was named the Baron Stieglitz Central School of Technical Drawing, named after the Stieglitz family. Baron A.L. Stieglitz wanted to commemorate his father’s successes in the commercial and industrial businesses and donated one million rubbles to the Russian state. With this money he wanted to found the design school and upon his donation he heard back from Emperor Alexander II himself. The patriotic Stieglitz not only wanted to commemorate his father, but was sincerely involved with the education of Russian students in the arts and crafts. This thesis will focus on the Baron Stieglitz Museum which was attached to the school. In the nineteenth and early twentieth century a lot has happened in Russia on cultural, political and industrial grounds. This thesis will examine whether or not these factors have influenced the Baron Stieglitz Museum. The research questions which will be answered throughout this thesis are: How have cultural and political factors of the nineteenth and early twentieth century Russia determined the outline of the Baron Stieglitz Museum and its collection? What was the position of the Stieglitz Museum within the context of the other European decorative art museums of the nineteenth century? In Europe, several decorative art museums were founded after the International Great Exhibition of 1851 held in London. It turned out that the Industrial Revolution and the abolishment of the guilds had had more impact on the decorative arts than anticipated. Aesthetically and technically there was a decrease in quality. The newly founded schools were supposed to educate craftsmen and future artists. Collections of decorative art were assembled which served the students as proper examples from which they could learn and develop their own objects. These collections expanded and came to stand on their own which required new museum buildings. The decorative art museums and schools from London, Vienna, Berlin, Hamburg and Moscow have been examined in this thesis. These five have influenced the development of the St. Petersburg school and museum of Baron Stieglitz architecturally and educationally. This thesis will begin with a historiography which shows that not much research has been carried out on this subject other than in Russia. Then, chapter two discussed the foundation of the school and museum and the historicist architecture. Also, Russia’s development of a national style, the kustar art movement and its connection to the Baron Stieglitz Museum will be treated. Chapter three discusses the European context of the decorative art museums and in what way the schools and museums in London, Vienna, Berlin, Hamburg and Moscow have inspired the Baron Stieglitz Museum and School. Chapter four elaborates on the collection of the Baron Stieglitz Museum with a focus on eighteenth century French furniture, unique tapestries, five paintings by G.B. Tiepolo and a collection of Russian tile stoves. Chapter five gives more information about the changing politics at the beginning of the twentieth century and what the consequences were for the Baron Stieglitz Museum. Finally, in chapter six, an epilogue is provided where more information about the current state of affairs at the Baron Stieglitz Museum is given and chapter seven gives a conclusion where the research questions are answered. The chapter about the collection is devoted to its formation as it was before the 1920s.The collections of Baron A.L. Stieglitz and A.A. Polovtsov were the start collections of the museum, but unfortunately it is not known what they consisted of. The objects were not acquired systematically, but came to the museum through donations or bequests. Also A.A. Polovtsov and M.E. Mesmacher made large acquisitions which they bought mostly abroad. They had good relationships with several antiquarians from whom they bought regularly. They also bought at auctions which probably had been the case with the five large Tiepolo paintings. The Baron Stieglitz Museum has been formed through events that took place in the nineteenth and twentieth century. Nationalism has been of importance to the foundation of the school, since Stieglitz was sincerely concerned with the development of the crafts in Russia. It has also been of importance to the architecture of the museum building. After the Napoleon wars the patriotic feelings of the people were stimulated and when their confiscated objects returned home (after being part of the Musée Napoleon) national museums were founded. The historicist style has been frequently employed to illustrate the summits of history in one building. Halls in museums were decorated in different styles to suite the objects on display. When the visitor went through the museum he was able to determine his own national legacy and compare it to those of the other countries all over the world. The South Kensington Museum was founded after it turned out that the objects of France, presented at the Great Exhibition, were superior to those of all other countries. England believed they should have been the best nation instead. The South Kensington Museum is throughout the nineteenth century considered the most important school and museum and has served as an example for many design schools and decorative art museums that followed. The Baron Stieglitz Museum has never been able to reach the level that the South Kensington Museum and the other museums had in the European economical market. The Baron Stieglitz Museum focused mainly on the national Russian market. The position the Baron Stieglitz Museum held within the other European decorative art museums has been minor even though the collection and building were not inferior to those of the others. Political factors have been of lesser influence to the Baron Stieglitz Museum as the cultural factors. Nationalism and the results of industrialism have played a major role and were the main reasons for the foundation of the school and museum. They have influenced the Baron Stieglitz Museum in a positive way. The political factors on the other hand caused the downfall of the museum. Due to the wars and the changing perspectives in Russia, the museum and its collection were neglected. At some point, the museum needed money to pay for restoration, but was not able to. In 1923 it was decided that the collection came under the supervision of the State Hermitage and in 1927 it was decided that all 12.000 objects should be transferred to the main premises. At the State Hermitage they were divided among the departments and other museums. After the Second World War, some objects returned but only the least valuable ones and copies of original works. The Baron Stieglitz Museum in its original form had ceased to exist two decades earlier: a new museum had come in its place.Show less
This thesis is concerned with the influence of nationalism, disneyization, and disneyfication on the representation of history and heritage in the Korean historical TV drama Mister Sunshine....Show moreThis thesis is concerned with the influence of nationalism, disneyization, and disneyfication on the representation of history and heritage in the Korean historical TV drama Mister Sunshine. Through an examination of the storyline, costumes, and historical accuracy this thesis has tested the different theories.Show less
The question of Russian national identity has become quite significant again after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Especially after Vladimir Putin came to power and the country regained its...Show moreThe question of Russian national identity has become quite significant again after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Especially after Vladimir Putin came to power and the country regained its political and military strength, the Russian state embarked on the (sometimes ambiguous) road of nation-building. Scholars of nationalism and Russian national identity have tried to analyze this ‘Russian Question’, whereby most concluded that there is not a coherent Russian national identity. In this sense, it is useful to look at national identity in some of Russia’s specific regions. This thesis analyzes this process in the case of Russia’s most-western region, Kaliningrad. This so-called exclave has only been part of Russian since the Second World War and due to its German history and geographical distance from homeland Russia, it occupies a special position inside the country. In the process of nation-building by the Russian state, officials cannot solely use ‘common’ Russian markers of identity but also have to take Kaliningrad’s ‘particular’ circumstances into account. This thesis therefore argues that the Russian nation-building process in Kaliningrad lies ‘between commonality and particularity’. It will analyze this two-sidedness through the symbolic, military and anti-Western dimensions of nation-building in Kaliningrad; the speeches and statements of Russian officials in this light are used as the main points of analysis.Show less
Although many academics agree nationalism represents one of the main causes of the 1990s war in the Balkans, there remains a clear divide in the opinions of where the emerging nationalism...Show moreAlthough many academics agree nationalism represents one of the main causes of the 1990s war in the Balkans, there remains a clear divide in the opinions of where the emerging nationalism originated from. The thesis works to fill the gap in this debate by focusing on the influence of nationalist leaders on the ideology emerging at the time of the dissolution of Yugoslavia. Through the discussion of two methods with which Slobodan Milošević affected the raising nationalism, in the early 1980s and early 1990s, this thesis performs a detailed analysis of the academic theory of 'ancient hatreds' and 'new' nationalism. The paper offers the reader a better understanding of the possible influences nationalist leaders might have on the emerging ideologies.Show less
Ilminjuŭi is generally known for an ideology that President Syngman Rhee attempted to use in the early years of the First Republic in order to create a single-minded unity. There are many writings...Show moreIlminjuŭi is generally known for an ideology that President Syngman Rhee attempted to use in the early years of the First Republic in order to create a single-minded unity. There are many writings about Syngman Rhee, and he is often portrayed as a nationalist and staunch anti-communist. However, the part where he tried to promote Ilminjuŭi and how this ideology functioned during his rule, often gets overlooked. Ilminjuŭi has been only a minor focus of studies on Syngman Rhee and his long career of fighting for an independent Korea and for what he thought was right. Most of the existing literature explain what Ilminjuŭi is, who created it, and that Rhee tried to use this idea of creating a single-minded unity during the early years First Republic, before the start of the Korean War. This thesis therefore distinguishes from existing literature by looking at primary sources from Korean news articles during the time of the entire First Republic. The news articles are used to give an idea how Ilminjuŭi was reported through media and how this idea was being disseminated. The ideology seems to have died out shortly after the Rhee period. Therefore, I went on an academic journey to analyze how and where this ideology was most influential, and where was the turning point that led to Ilminjuŭi becoming less influential in Korean society. The research questions of my thesis are therefore, “How was Ilminjuŭi spread and reported through media, and spread by the government during the First Republic?” and secondly, “What were possible indicators that led to the vanishment of Ilminjuŭi?”.Show less
This research examines the influence of nationalism on the outbreak of the armed conflict between Turkish and Greek Cypriots from 1950 until 1976. This armed conflicts between the both Cypriot...Show moreThis research examines the influence of nationalism on the outbreak of the armed conflict between Turkish and Greek Cypriots from 1950 until 1976. This armed conflicts between the both Cypriot communities was reflective of an enduring ethnic conflict between two different cultural communities. Therefore, this research is focused on understanding the ethnic conflict in relation to the rise of Turkish and Greek nationalism. The structure of this research starts by placing the ethnic conflict in its historical context; secondly, the effects of Turkish and Greek nationalism on the both Cypriot communities will be elucidated; and lastly, this research will analyze the ethnic conflict from Kohn's theory of nationalism, which distinguishes two different forms of nationalism: civic and ethnic nationalism.Show less
My aim is to have a more nuanced analysis of the differing Japanese positions and views on Indonesian nationalism versus the black and white image that scholars and others often present by using...Show moreMy aim is to have a more nuanced analysis of the differing Japanese positions and views on Indonesian nationalism versus the black and white image that scholars and others often present by using the Indonesian language policy as an example. The scholarly approaches so far have been limited in discussing these more clearly. I will argue that the Japanese side lacked unity on what could be said to have been a very ambiguous policy and ideological area. The growing presence of Indonesian nationalism during the Japanese occupation is a possible factor of influencing the local authority's views, but I will argue that the nationalists' room for influence was limited.Show less
This paper explores the history of Chinese Shuaijiao (wrestling). The sport has a history that is connected to the development of Chinese nationalism during the transformation of Qing China into...Show moreThis paper explores the history of Chinese Shuaijiao (wrestling). The sport has a history that is connected to the development of Chinese nationalism during the transformation of Qing China into the Chinese Republic. Shuaijiao morphed from an activity which occupied an important position in the Manchu Qing empire into an instrument to promote Republican nationalism.Show less
The purpose of this thesis is to understand the link between nationalism and political stability through the comparison of nation-building projects in Tanzania and Kenya. This will be done through...Show moreThe purpose of this thesis is to understand the link between nationalism and political stability through the comparison of nation-building projects in Tanzania and Kenya. This will be done through the analysis of the political speeches and policies of Julius Nyerere and Jomo Kenyatta as the first presidents of Tanzania and Kenya respectively. The public perception of these leaders and their nation-building projects will also be discussed. It is the conclusion of this thesis that Julius Nyerere used both rhetoric and policy to create a unified Tanzanian identity based on core values which led to political stability throughout his administration and beyond. Meanwhile, Jomo Kenyatta failed to create a unified Kenyan identity through policies and rhetoric that divided the country along ethnic lines. These divisions have caused political instability in Kenya both during and following Kenyatta’s presidency. Ultimately, the creation of a unified national identity played a key role in stability in Tanzania and the lack of unity played a key role in instability in Kenya.Show less
The adversity of heritage designation is one of the major topics discussed in the critical heritage discourse. Enlistment can become a competition, establishing a hierarchy for heritage based on...Show moreThe adversity of heritage designation is one of the major topics discussed in the critical heritage discourse. Enlistment can become a competition, establishing a hierarchy for heritage based on evaluation. The system is structured on exclusion, giving indeterminate criteria of values to phenomena to decontextualize its immediate surroundings and recontextualize them in reference to previous listings with the purpose of profit and attention to the notion of safeguarding. Especially in enlisting performative practices as intangible heritage properties, a problem can be seen in recording a fixed, standardized form of the performance in a certain moment in time. Following researchers responsible for providing descriptions in order to enlist properties, emphasis is placed rather on artistic aspects than on tracing original functionality and development. Well-intentioned but restrictive preservation efforts can result in shaping vibrant performative practices into “stale, taxidermized re-enactments” or highly staged performances. The repetition of a standard form is established in the process of nomination, fixed in designation, and consolidated and conveyed in transmission. Salpuri-chum, a spiritually functional dance, has been encapsulated in temporal stylistic descriptions and adapted to be performed by highly trained professional dancers for foremost representative and promotional purposes as a distinct display of Korean traditional culture.Show less
On the 15th of March 2019, the Linwood Islamic Church centre and the Al-Noor Mosque in Christchurch had been the target of a terrorist attack. The perpetrator of this attack, Brenton Tarrant, had...Show moreOn the 15th of March 2019, the Linwood Islamic Church centre and the Al-Noor Mosque in Christchurch had been the target of a terrorist attack. The perpetrator of this attack, Brenton Tarrant, had released a manifesto in which he cited NATO`s intervention of Kosovo in 1999 as one of the motives behind his attacks. However, this was not the sole instance in which Tarrant referred to the Yugoslav wars, as he was listening to the song ""Karadžić, Lead your Serbs!"" (also known as God is a Serb) prior to his arrival to the Al-Noor Mosque. Additionally, the guns used by Tarrant were brandishing the names of several individuals including those of that the Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović and Miloš Obilić. These references to Prince Lazar and Milos Obilic are significant, as they are part of the Kosovo Myth and by extension the Heavenly Serbia discourse which are linked to violence within the region, especially towards Muslims. In light of this, the purpose of this paper is to assess to what extent the discourse of the Christchurch shooter is inspired and or connected to the Heavenly Serbia discourse. In order to explore this relationship, this paper applies a critical discourse analysis on The Great Replacement written by Tarrant.Show less
This thesis focuses on the way nationalism has influenced the development of heritage politics in South Korea during the presidency of Park Chŏng Hŭi, Kim Yŏng Sam, and Lee Myŭng Bak, and how...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the way nationalism has influenced the development of heritage politics in South Korea during the presidency of Park Chŏng Hŭi, Kim Yŏng Sam, and Lee Myŭng Bak, and how nationalism in heritage politics has affected the Kyŏngbok palace.Show less
With the drastic shift started by the Meiji Revolution in 1868 and the opening of Japan’s borders also came a need to create a national Japanese identity, and one of several ways to achieve this...Show moreWith the drastic shift started by the Meiji Revolution in 1868 and the opening of Japan’s borders also came a need to create a national Japanese identity, and one of several ways to achieve this was to create a standardised national language. Ueda Kazutoshi stood at the forefront of this movement, advocating for the conceptualisation of kokugo, the national language, and in turn educational reforms which would implement this national language for the improvement and modernisation of the Japanese empire. In the book, Kokugo no tame, he goes into further detail on how to achieve this. This thesis looks at how idealistic and influenced by nationalism Ueda’s Kokugo no tame is by reading, interpreting and finally reflecting on his writings found in the book, as there is discourse on its abstract nature and its achievability. This thesis finds that Ueda’s writings were heavily influenced by the new social context of Meiji Japan and its recent victory in the First Sino-Japanese War, and that with the limitations that nationalism and racialisation bring, it also put limits on the feasibility of Ueda’s envisioned kokugo. While achievable in some ways with concrete ideas on how to implement kokugo, and indeed Ueda’s writings did set up the foundation of language standardisation, it is also the caveats made by Ueda on how kokugo should be educated under nationalist terms which made it more difficult to bring it to fruition according to Ueda’s ways.Show less
