Sexual exploitation of children in the context of travel and tourism (SECTT) has been described as a serious and growing problem. This study critically analyzes political debates and policy... Show moreSexual exploitation of children in the context of travel and tourism (SECTT) has been described as a serious and growing problem. This study critically analyzes political debates and policy measures proposed by the Dutch government between 1995 and 2020 to combat SECTT. To understand how SECTT is framed in Dutch political discourse, Bacchi's ‘what's the problem represented to be?’ approach guided a systematic critical discourse analysis of over 200 political documents. Our analysis shows that SECTT has, over time, predominantly become framed as a crime problem. Offender detection, international cooperation, awareness raising, public–private partnerships, and prevention targeted at known sex offenders are the most commonly proposed solutions. Despite the focus on apprehending offenders, the political discourse offers no concrete clues as to who they are; still, conducting research or evaluating policies' effects is seldom proposed as a response. This problem representation overlooks the connections of SECTT with structural issues, such as victim vulnerabilities, colonization, and global inequality on the one hand, and mental health, sexual expression, and cultural values on the other. Show less
This dissertation studies the construction of Chinese nationalism by the Chinese government and media companies through mass communication of government-staged and abrupt events in the reform era... Show moreThis dissertation studies the construction of Chinese nationalism by the Chinese government and media companies through mass communication of government-staged and abrupt events in the reform era between 2008 and 2012. It examines how Chinese audiences express online nationalist sentiments, representing whether the communication of media events meets the social demands established by “dream discourses.” Using mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, it focuses on two case studies: the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands incident. The dissertation finds that these mass media events play a significant role in shaping Chinese state nationalism and popular nationalism. The related mass communication helps the Chinese government increase or, at least, maintain its legitimacy through various strategies. The findings of this dissertation also show that as Chinese audiences have increasingly voiced themselves in the information age, the government will keep treating the robust, uneasy entanglement of nationalism, globalization, and digital media more cautiously for its social development and stability. Show less
Ancient rhetoricians such as Cicero and Quintilian advised orators to apply memoria strategies to memorize their speech. Modern public-speaking textbooks recommend various rhetorical techniques to... Show moreAncient rhetoricians such as Cicero and Quintilian advised orators to apply memoria strategies to memorize their speech. Modern public-speaking textbooks recommend various rhetorical techniques to make messages memorable for audiences. However, the effect of these techniques on information retention has been sparsely studied.This dissertation investigates how rhetorical techniques in speeches can enhance information retention by the audience. Using a three-way approach, it connects rhetorical theory, advice and practice to insights from memory psychology.First, an analysis of influential English-language and Dutch-language public-speaking textbooks showed that frequently advised retention techniques are related to organization, elaboration and visualization—three encoding principles that contribute to information storage. Authors prefer the conclusion of a speech for influencing retention.Secondly, the study describes how scholars, politicians and TED speakers use organization and elaboration techniques (e.g. summaries and anecdotes) in public-speaking practice. Results indicate discrepancies with textbook advice and context-dependent technique variants.Thirdly, two experiments were performed that focused on three organization techniques applied in conclusions of informative presentations. Results show that announcing the conclusion and providing an informative summary can enhance information retention by the audience. We are one step closer to knowing what makes messages memorable. Show less
In this research I assess the impact of the recently discovered gas reserves south off Cyprus on the escalation of the Cyprus conflict. I examine the ideational dynamics underpinning the conflict... Show moreIn this research I assess the impact of the recently discovered gas reserves south off Cyprus on the escalation of the Cyprus conflict. I examine the ideational dynamics underpinning the conflict-inducing role of natural resources. Theoretically motivated by the discursive shift in conflict studies, I prioritise the collectively shared meanings of the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot opinion-leaders on the gas reserves and how these justify their conflictual strategies. To uncover these discourses, I apply Q-methodology, a research design tailor-made to ‘measure’ human subjectivity. I distinguish five distinct discourses. With respect to the Greek-Cypriot side, I identify (a) ‘gas boosting our geopolitical standing’, which highlights the sovereignty attributes of the natural resources, (b) ‘pipe-dreams and imported nationalisms’, which acknowledges the opportunistic motives behind the ‘geopolitical overtones’ of the Greek-Cypriot side and (c) ‘resentment matters’, which emphasizes the Greek-Cypriot grievances. As regards the Turkish-Cypriot side, I came across two different discourses: (e) ‘gas stimulating political equality’, where Turkish-Cypriots stress their grievances over their lack of international status and the opportunities that arise from the gas reserves discovery to reverse their international isolation and (f) ‘micro-politics’, which highlights the political opportunism of particular policymakers who capitalize on the tensions in order to serve their political careers in the face of domestic turbulence. These discourses provide a holistic framework regarding the discursive factors underpinning the conflict-inducing role of natural resources within the protracted Cyprus conflict. Show less
My research includes both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the public discourse in Chinese online media platforms. Throughout my research, I have incorporated a variety of digital tools for... Show moreMy research includes both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the public discourse in Chinese online media platforms. Throughout my research, I have incorporated a variety of digital tools for data analysis. My study of China’s geopolitical strategy with respect to the current Belt and Road Initiative and its challenges ahead is to understand how digital media are shaping the communicative strategies of the traditional mass media in contemporary China. By examining the intertwined relations among traditional mass media, social media platforms, China’s cultural governance and policy-making mechanisms, my research also expands our understanding of how the advances of the ICTs influence the government’s communicative strategies. Show less
This study compared the features of Japanese EFL learners' (JEFL) English texts (N = 22), with those written by native speakers (N = 22). Texts in each corpus were parsed into elementary discourse... Show moreThis study compared the features of Japanese EFL learners' (JEFL) English texts (N = 22), with those written by native speakers (N = 22). Texts in each corpus were parsed into elementary discourse units (EDUs) using the Syntactic and Lexical-based Discourse Segmenter and were then analyzed within the Rhetorical Structure Theory (RST) framework. Yule’s difference coefficient was applied to assess the difference in the relative frequency of a relation in the two corpora. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were applied to determine if there was a statistical significance between the two corpora’s relation frequencies. Three key anamolies were revealed from the contrastive analysis: 1) Subject Matter (SM) relations were used less frequently by the JEFLs and the difference was significant (p = 0.047); 2) JEFL writers regularly struggled to match the content of a nucleus with its function, often forming what I have termed “artificial nuclei;” 3) a number of relations were overrepresented in the JEFL corpus, particularly those of weak coherence. Together these anomalies result in a violation of basic communication principles that could plausibly account for Japanese English writing often being regarded as incoherent. Show less
This research embedded in the National Study of Writing Instruction examines higher- and lower-achieving adolescents’ stances toward content-areawriting through a qualitative discourse analysis... Show more This research embedded in the National Study of Writing Instruction examines higher- and lower-achieving adolescents’ stances toward content-areawriting through a qualitative discourse analysis of interviews with 40 students in California, Kentucky, New York, and Texas secondary schools. The study asked: (1) How do students’ stances toward writing compare in general and across disciplines? (2) How do stances compare among middle and high school students and among students with different achievement histories? Results suggest that adolescents generally hold positive attitudes toward writing that allows for the expression of subjective stances, which they report ismore commonly assigned inEnglish language arts classrooms. Implications for the adoption of new US standards for disciplinary writing are discussed. Show less
Naures Atto identifies in this historical anthropological analysis the present-day identity discourses among Assyrian/Syriac elites in the European diaspora. The most heated discussion during the... Show moreNaures Atto identifies in this historical anthropological analysis the present-day identity discourses among Assyrian/Syriac elites in the European diaspora. The most heated discussion during the last four decades among Assyrians/Syriacs has been what the __correct name__ of their people should be in Western languages. Hostages in the Homeland, Orphans in the Diaspora aims to develop a deeper understanding of this __name debate__. The emigration of Assyrians/Syriacs from the Middle East and their settlement in Western countries dislocated their former identity discourses, which have since then entered into a transformation process and have been subsequently re-defined in relation to the new context. In this context, the __name__ of their people has become the core element in their new identity discourses, displacing previous nodal points such as religion and language. The redefined identity discourses have also been explained as attempts to find a remedy for the Hostages__ and Orphans__ Dilemma experienced among Assyrians/Syriacs, an expression of their search and struggle for recognition and existence. Show less
Collaboration is increasingly common among teachers in schools. As such, teacher education should prepare prospective teachers to effectively interact with other teachers in different types of... Show moreCollaboration is increasingly common among teachers in schools. As such, teacher education should prepare prospective teachers to effectively interact with other teachers in different types of communities or groups. This dissertation sheds light on the way student teachers are prepared to collaborate while taking part in different types of groups (mentor group, subject matter group, reflection group and research group) in teacher education. The findings and recommendations provide guidance about how to improve prospective teachers' collaborative abilities. Show less
This book is about the politics of nature conservation in late New Order and early Reformasi Indonesia. It approaches the subject through discourse analysis. Understanding politics as a struggle... Show moreThis book is about the politics of nature conservation in late New Order and early Reformasi Indonesia. It approaches the subject through discourse analysis. Understanding politics as a struggle for discourse hegemony it analyses both processes of policy- and lawmaking in Jakarta and of implementation in national parks, and their outcomes, and addresses a number of questions: Which discourses have dominated conservation policies and laws throughout history? How did Ministers, members of Parliament, state officials, NGOs and residents of national parks try to decide debates on conservation in their advantage? Which unwritten rules helped or constrained them in this effort? How did the struggle for discourse hegemony affect policy and law, policy- and lawmaking and implementation? Based on rich empirical case material the book argues that a multitude of discourses have come to co-exist which enabled actors to use arguments strategically, and that various actors have succeeded to mobilise discourses enabling them to participate in the debate without obligations. The results of this study go beyond participating in the debate on what element of sustainable development to focus on but link the policy debate to the debate on governance and rule of law. Show less
