Coltan is a rare mineral which is mined, both legally and illegally, at Congolese dig sites at the expense of the wellbeing of coltan miners. This dissertation provides an understanding on the living and working conditions of the Congolese coltan miners and the relation of coltan to armed conflict in …

The ‘pay gap’ is a relatively new term. However, it is a problem that was developed around the beginning of the 20th century, the moment when women were allowed to hold a paid occupation in the Netherlands and Norway. The pay gap, often confused with unequal pay for the same work, is actually a complex …

Traditional toy industries have been influenced by the emergence of tech gadgets such as iPad and Virtual Reality Glasses. Based on a report on The Telegraph (2010), tech gadgets have replaced traditional dolls and cars as children’s favorite presents. Huawei, one of the China’s leading toy companies, …

The dissertation at hand is embedded in the context of the 2014 European elections that have brought to light a strong Eurosceptic sentiment throughout Europe. It picks up on the intention to create a new Eurosceptic group in the European Parliament as brought forward by right-wing populists Geert Wilders …

It seems today that the streets in Mexico are littered with bodies of journalists. Since the ruling president, Felipe Calderón, declared war on drug cartels in December 2006, more than 30 journalists have been murdered or have gone missing. The escalating violence and attacks on Mexican media are emerging …

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a traditional practice, which comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the female genitalia, for non-medical reasons. This harmful practice is mostly prevalent in African countries. It is estimated that 100 to 140 million females worldwide …

The rise of populist movements in Europe is partly explained by the power of mass media. The press, public and politicians keep each other prisoner. The media increases incidents and looks for personal stories while politicians respond to those stories in order to be noticed by the public. Therefore …

Roma are a transnational nomadic population. For centuries, they have traveled around the world due to persecutions or in search of economic prosperity. Roma are a heterogeneous minority. They are not one group. There are many different groups of Roma. Nowadays, an estimated 12 million Roma live in Europe …

Within the Netherlands gay emancipation is almost fully legalised. In April 2001, Article 1:30 of the Dutch Civil Code regarding the legalisation of same-sex marriages entered into force. Moreover, according to Article 1:227 of the Dutch Civil Code gay couples have the right to adopt children. In theory …

Digital books are often being heralded in the media. After all, the sales figures of digital books and e-readers are rising. It is inevitable that the book industry will keep on digitizing, since it facilitates life. However, what will be the long term effect of the digital books on authors, publicists, …