Master Thesis
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Multilevel Trust in Humanitarian Organisations in Ukraine
Trust is widely recognised as a precondition for effective humanitarian action, yet little empirical work examines whom crisis-affected people in Ukraine trust, why, and with what consequences for access and programme design. This thesis maps beneficiaries’ trust across actor types and identifies the factors that strengthen or erode it, interpreting results through a multilevel lens…
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From Seeds to Assemblies. Agroecology as a Tool for Political Participation
Indigenous women’s political participation remains limited due to intersecting inequalities. Nevertheless, sustainable initiatives such as agroecology have proved to empower communities and promote social engagement. This research investigates the political dimension of agroecology by examining how it can affect Indigenous women’s political participation. Social Capital Theory and Empowerment Theory are used to identify the mechanisms…
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Climate Resilience and Migration among Maasai Pastoralists in Laikipia County, Kenya
This study investigates climate resilience and migration among Maasai pastoralists in Laikipia County, Kenya, addressing the urgent challenges posed by climate change to ecosystem-dependent livelihoods. Despite growing interest, qualitative studies linking climate impacts to human mobility outcomes among pastoralist communities remain limited. Drawing on climate resilience theory and climate-induced mobility concepts, the research used qualitative…
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Understanding Environmental Stewardship Through Governance and Psychology
This study explores how the psychological drivers of trust, social norms and collective identitysupport governance mechanisms in the Indigenous communal system of 48 Cantones of Totonicapán, Guatemala. Drawing on three of Elinor Ostrom’s institutional design principles (monitoring, collective decision-making and enforcement), the study applies a matrix framework that links governance mechanisms to internal behavioral drivers,…
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Living Knowledge in a Changing Land
Indigenous communities in the Amazon are facing rapid socio-ecological changes that threaten traditional land management practices and food sovereignty. Indigenous knowledge and practices, essential for biodiversity conservation, are quickly being lost. I examine how changes in traditional land management affect Indigenous food sovereignty and its impact on the growth of women’s leadership in Mitú, Colombia.…
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Breaking the Chains of Inequality:The Role of Human Rights Education in South AfricanSchools from an International and Comparative Perspective
This thesis explores how Human Rights Education (HRE) can be used as a powerful tool to address inequality, challenge racism, promote inclusion, and ensure fair access to resources in South African schools. By comparing the experiences of Black, Coloured, and former White schools, the study draws from a decolonial perspective and counter-narrative theory to examine…
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Just energy transitions as a path towards fair and place-based fossil fuel phase-outs?
Given the need to mitigate adverse impacts of fossil fuel phase-outs, this thesis investigates whether just energy transitions lead to inclusive and place-based outcomes, focusing on the Just Energy Transition (JET) in South Africa. Using a political economy and procedural justice lens, and drawing on interviews with key stakeholders, the study explores the inclusivity of…
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A cry for justice by “invisible squatters” – Colonial legacy, local democracy, and the quest forhuman rights in land dispossession by Kakuzi PLC in Makuyu, Murang’a County, Kenya
This thesis examines the enduring impact of colonial legacies on local democracy and human rights concerning land dispossession in Makuyu, Murang’a County, Kenya, focusing on the experiences of ’invisible squatters’ affected by Kakuzi PLC. Through the lens of decolonization and post-colonial thinking practices theories, the research reveals that historical injustices rooted in colonial land policies…
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Provisions of social workers to victims of internal child trafficking in Uganda: A case study of children living on the streets of Kampala City
Human trafficking has become a serious global challenge in the recent past. Regarded as a global epidemic, it has triggered an increase in numbers of children living on the streets especially in countries where internal trafficking in children is a common social vice. This has resulted into a syndemic as a social evil in human…
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Fostering Women’s representation in Local Democracy – A Qualitative Analysis of the Factors Surrounding Female Political Participation at a Mayor Office Level in Colombia
This study critically examines the gendered experiences of female political candidates running for mayoral offices in Colombia. It addresses the systemic exclusion women face in a patriarchal political system, compounded by economic constraints, political violence, and societal norms. Through seven qualitative interviews, the research identifies the strategies used by women to overcome these barriers. The…