Welcome to the Radboud Educational Repository
Here the Radboud University presents theses written by students affiliated with the various bachelor and master programmes offered at the Radboud University, as well as papers written by students of the Radboud Honours Academy.
Recent Submissions
Item Euroscepticism in the Netherlands: Implications for referenda, public approval and policies(2024-08-31)This thesis examines the rise of Euroscepticism in the Netherlands between 1992 and 2020. It analyses various factors that might have influenced this degree of Euroscepticism during this period. Then these factors are examined on how they have affected public opinion, national referenda, and political policies. The study explores the impact of democratic deficiencies, socio-economic conditions, media coverage, and populist movements on Dutch Euroscepticism. Two major referenda, the 2005 European Constitution and the 2016 Association Agreement with Ukraine, are analyzed in detail, showcasing how various factors might have shaped the outcomes. This research finds that populist parties, like the PVV and Forum for Democracy, are benefitting on anti-EU sentiment, framing European integration as a threat to national sovereignty. This, combined with media influence and lack of representation, contributed to rising skepticism in the Netherlands. Pro-European movements, such as Volt Netherlands, emerged advocating for alternative forms of public participation, such as citizens assemblies. The thesis aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how various factors shape Euroscepticism, because there is not just one factor that causes Euroscepticism among citizens. Instead, there is a combination of factors present that together might influence this process.Item From Sea to Shore: A case study assessing the viability of housing status holders on the cruise ferry the Silja Europe in Rotterdam(2024-09-08)The Dutch housing crisis, exacerbated by social and political developments, has enacted challenges for accommodating asylum seekers in The Netherlands. This pressure alongside delays in the asylum process, increase in asylum requests and a stagnated outflow has left the Dutch asylum housing system constipated. Consequently, this has strained the Central Body for Asylum Seekers (COA) and led to emergency measures. Amid political uncertainty, the crisis remains unresolved. This thesis measures the viability of one unique short-term solution of housing status holders on a cruise ferry. In which, a case study in cooperation with the COA researches the through-flow emergency asylum centre located in Rotterdam. A multi-mixed method data collection method including interviews, observations and spatial comparative analysis is applied to examine the viability of housing status holders using the Feasibility Assessment Framework (FAF). The study finds the use of the Silja Europe as a short-term emergency asylum centre generally viable. Nevertheless, concerns are raised about its categorization, given the prolonged schedule, capacity and duration of its resident's stay. Overall, using cruise ferries as asylum centres is considered a regulatory policy born out of necessity. Hence, recommending that more cost-efficient, permanent land-based asylum centres should be prioritized over these arrangements.Item Piercing the Corporate Veil: Exploring the lack of accountability and judicial culpability in Multi-level Marketing through the lens of Corporate Organized Irresponsibility(2024-10-17)This study explores why MLM corporations continue to create harm and identifies the factors or mechanisms that enable them to evade accountability and prevent judicial culpability. An abductive case study was conducted using COI as the conceptual lens. The study was primarily based on document analysis and earlier research on this subject. By empirically investigating how such an MLM operates within its given context using COI as the conceptual lens, this study contributes by adding empirical insights on how the organizational design and the broader societal context, in the case of MLMs, relate to each other. Second, the study contributes by addressing the importance of the organizational design of MLMs to the adverse consequences of the industry. Third, it refines the conceptual model of COI, by adding decision premises as new sub-dimensions within the COI literature, which amplifies the internal complexity, and ultimately the lack of accountability. In addition, it poses ways forward, for potential research avenues, and better MLM practices.Item Transboundary Crisis and European Unity(2024-08-19)Impactful events such as Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic increased the call for more strategic autonomy in the European Union (EU). Not every member state was interested in contributing to international cooperation because of their own interests. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and posed a security threat to Europe, the question arose whether this crisis would change the sentiment and would lead to an increase in international cooperation within the Union. The literature is divided on the topic and does not provide a clear answer. By conducting a discourse analysis on the annual implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy of 2021 and 2022, I analyse whether Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has changed the discourse on cooperation. I found convincing evidence that the discourse on cooperation became more positive. A change in discourse does not inevitably mean a change in behaviour. However, the annual implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy reports on accomplished, ongoing and upcoming activities which overcomes this problem. Therefore, in this research, we assume that a positive change in discourse on cooperation after Russia’s invasion leads to an increase in international cooperation after Russia’s invasion. More research is needed to give insights into member states' individual stances and develop the existing literature further. Nevertheless, this thesis demonstrates that a transboundary crisis leads to increased international cooperation.Item Russian aggression and the European Union’s scramble for energy independence: An analysis of European energy security policy implementation(2024-07-03)Confronted with an increase of Russian aggression on the European continent, the European Union (EU) has come to face a new security threat. As EU energy policy has relied on Russia as a gas supplier for decades the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the invasion of 2022 both required an EU energy policy change. However, the EU has many critics when it comes to responding to external crises and the two policy responses in 2014 and 2022 respectively have been different when it comes to extent, focus and outcome of the policies. This thesis argues that the EU is able to adequately respond to the new threat Russia imposes on European energy security however the extent and focus depend on other factors outside of external threat. Providing a theoretical framework based on neoclassical realist ideas it explores how public opinion and individual leadership are important factors that provide an explanation to the differential extent, focus and outcome of the policy responses implemented in 2014 and 2022.
Communities in Radboud Educational Repository
Select a community to browse its collections.