That Which Remains: the Material Aftermath of the MH17 Disaster as Represented in Dutch Media

Abstract

In this thesis I argue that the MH17 disaster of the 17th of July 2014 is defined by its material character: the wreckage of the plane, the bodies of the victims, their belongings and the location of the crash were key players in the material aftermath. These objects were often problematic: they were fragmented, "unclean", inaccessible , painful or even absent. Through three case studies from Dutch media, I explored how the Netherlands have given meaning to the materials and bodies around MH17.