The Arctic region is often portrayed as consisting of pristine, unspoiled nature, small settlements with indigenous communities detached culturally from the rest of the world. In Greenland, and in...Show moreThe Arctic region is often portrayed as consisting of pristine, unspoiled nature, small settlements with indigenous communities detached culturally from the rest of the world. In Greenland, and in other Arctic regions, the opposite is closer to reality. Greenland has been transformed and is transforming into an urban society, not without problems. Post-WII policies that sought to industrialise and modernise Greenlandic societies employed urbanisation as a key method, but left behind a history of trauma related to the forced relocation out of settlements, into an alienating urban society. This thesis argues, that there is a similar pattern unfolding at the moment and that the rationale behind urbanisation in Greenland did not change: it is the economic promise of affluence cities are considered to hold that drives politics of relocation. More lights need to be shed on urbanisation in Greenland, including its drivers and societal implications, as it can pave the way for full independence and could thus initiate the final state of decolonisation.Show less
Southeast Asia is a region at high risk of various natural disasters, with flooding being one of them. Often thought of as a purely natural hazard, in reality it is amplified by social, political...Show moreSoutheast Asia is a region at high risk of various natural disasters, with flooding being one of them. Often thought of as a purely natural hazard, in reality it is amplified by social, political and economic factors. Urban flooding in particular is a problem heavily influenced by these factors. Nevertheless, the problem is still frequently treated as a natural one that can be solved by technological measures. I argue that this approach is not efficient and forms the reason why urban flooding has not been solved yet. Instead, a deeper understanding of society is necessary in order to find sustainable solutions that benefit everyone. In the current situation, the urban poor are more at risk than the wealthy and mitigation efforts should consider these inequalities. Only by actively fighting inequality as underlying cause of urban flooding is it possible to ease the impacts of urban flooding and to create a resilient society. This thesis looks at the cases of Metro Manila and Bangkok to obtain a clearer picture of the complexity of the problem.Show less
Internal migration in China has created a serious problem that has been identified by many scholars and policy makers for decades. The Chinese government attempts to restrict migration flow through...Show moreInternal migration in China has created a serious problem that has been identified by many scholars and policy makers for decades. The Chinese government attempts to restrict migration flow through a policy called ‘hukou’ that in its simplest form ties individuals to accessing public services only in one registered location meaning agricultural hukou type people can find moving to urban areas extremely difficult; ultimately creating a dualistic society within China and the policy has led to massive displacement and discrimination of one fifth of the population. Given the controversial and discriminatory nature of hukou, this paper will analyse why the Chinese government would choose to continue to implement such a policy and how through hukou’s implementation, the Chinese leadership is able to maintain domestic stability and have it contribute to their continued legitimacy through success in the fields of economic prosperity, social stability and national unity. The paper will examine both the economic and political benefits of hukou and the reasons why this may affect the decision to reform the policy.Show less
