On May 20, 2016, the Member States of the European Union will have to transpose the 2014/40/EU revised tobacco directive. The dissertation in front of you provides an understanding of the revised tobacco directive and the transposition of the directive into North Rhine-Westphalian law. The historical, …

This thesis investigates how the view and position of Russia and the US on nuclear disarmament has changed since the Cold War. Many theories have been found during this research. However, two particular theories regarding why Russia and the US are committed to nuclear weapons are distinctive; (i) it …

The 3rd of September, 2015 marked the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. Despite 70 years of peace in the Asia-Pacific, the memories of World War II are still the most evident obstruction in the Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations. Moreover, other issues, such as the dispute regarding the ownership …

The urgency of analysing the case of female genital cutting (FGC) increases due to the globalisation of today’s world, enhancing multicultural societies dealing with benefits and challenges with respect to cultural differences. Generally, FGC originates from and is promoted as a highly valued cultural …

Anaerobic digestion (AD) can play an important role in achieving renewable goals set within the Netherlands which strives for 40 PJ bio-energy in the year 2020. This research focusses on reaching this goal with locally available biomass waste flows (e.g. manures, grasses, harvest remains, municipal organic …

In the current postmodern society we live in (a society where social ties are formed around market mediated offerings), brands play very powerful and influential roles over consumers. Since people are likely to use a brand they like as a status symbol or value system to determine and show their self-worth …

The inland shipping industry contributes substantially to the trade relations between the Netherlands and Germany. The industry is different from other transport modes (rail, road and air) in that ships are more environmentally friendly and cost-effective. Yet, it faces many structural problems that …

The role of the 21st century energy sector has developed into being essential for the drafting of the national security strategies of the world’s nations. Hence, the states develop particular approaches and strategies in order to attain energy security. Furthermore, those particular actions, undertaken …

The aim of this paper is to reflect on Russian-OSCE relations and how this has changed from Russia's constructive engagement to gradual disillusionment. The history of Russia’s engagement in the OSCE is traced back to the founding of the organisation in 1975, while there is particular focus on the Yeltsin …

Environmental unsustainability is due to both structural features and historically specific characteristics of industrial capitalism resulting in specific patterns of production and consumption, as well as population growth. Sustainability literature criticises the established corporate and political …