Master theses
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Item News exposure as accelerating factor in populism’s rise - The role of mobile app notifications, negativity bias and information saturation in the growing support for illiberal politics(2025-10-08) Zdolsek, Daniel; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceThis thesis explores the relationship between digital communication technologies, psychological effects and political behaviours – particularly focusing on how news delivered through mobile app notifications may influence support for Illiberal Right Populist (from here on IRP) policies. Anchored in the theory of Ontological Security, which examines how societal perceptions of threat and anxiety shape political attitudes, the study investigates whether the incidental exposure to negatively biased informational updates encountered in news updates, amplifies societal insecurities and influences political views. Employing a qualitative methodology, the research utilizes thematic analysis of data gathered from twenty semi-structured interviews with residents of metropolitan Sweden. In these, the interviewees’ experiences reveal complex interactions between constant exposure to negative news, feelings of anxiety and varying degrees of receptivity to IRP rhetoric. The results indicate that while frequent negative news updates significantly elevate anxiety and perceptions of societal insecurity, these psychological effects do not translate into support for IRP solutions universally, but instead rather with a defined subset of participants. The findings contribute to existing literature by emphasizing that digital communication mechanisms can indeed amplify populist sentiments but do not uniformly predict political outcomes. This research so highlights critical pathways through which online news media can effect democratic resilience and provides nuanced insights into the intersection of news consumption, psychological wellbeing and political behaviour in contemporary polities.Item MANDATE ADJUSTMENT AND THE PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS - An Analysis of UN Peacekeeping Operations in Eastern DRC(2025-10-08) Ombeni, Bizimungu Muhirwa; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceCivilians are frequently victims of targeted violence during civil wars. As a response, the UNSC at times adapts the mandate of a UNPKO to explicitly include the protection of civilians. Despite this, it remains uncertain whether these targeted mandate adjustments result in better protection of civilians. To fill this gap, this thesis examines the influence of mandate adjustment to include the protection of civilians from physical violence on the protection of civilians in an ongoing civil war. The thesis argues that mandate adjustment influences the protection of civilians via organisational change. The inclusion of the protection of civilians as a task to be implemented triggers changes in the structure of the mission, which in turn necessitates internal and external coordination, hence improving the operational approaches of UN peacekeepers to demands for the protection of civilians from physical violence. To test this argument, I qualitatively analysed the case of UNPKO in the eastern DRC from 2000 to 2014 using theory-testing process tracing. While the findings suggest that mandate adjustment is likely to lead to a proactive operational approach by UN troops to the demand for the protection of civilians, the presence of a large, well-trained and well–equipped UN troop contingent does not necessarily deter belligerents from either continuing hostilities or targeting civilians. These findings, in addition to contributing to the existing literature on peacekeeping, challenge previous findings on the deterrence effect of the presence of a large, well-trained and well–equipped UN troop contingent on belligerents´ decisions to continue with hostilities and or target civilians.Item PROCEDURAL JUSTICE IN PRACTICE - Perceived Fairness and Its Implications on Legal Legitimacy, Compliance, Belonging and Well-Being within the Swedish Asylum System.(2025-10-08) Deljamie, Alesina; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceFair and transparent asylum procedures are fundamental to ensure justice, legitimacy and trust in migration governance. While there is considerable research on migration policies, institutional trust, credibility assessment and the effect of migration decisions on asylum seekers, little is known about how asylum seekers themselves perceive fairness, particularly in post-2015 Sweden. This thesis examines how asylum seekers perceive procedural fairness and decision outcomes within the Swedish asylum system and how these perceptions might influence their trust in legal institutions, compliance with law(s), sense of belonging, and psychological well-being. Drawing on qualitative semi-structured interviews, the study applies a deductive thematic approach focused on three dimensions of procedural justice (voice, dignity and consistency) to capture applicants’ lived experiences of the process. The findings indicate that the majority of the respondents perceive the asylum process as unjust, characterised by a culture of disbelief, and the Swedish Migration Agency (SMA) and its decision as illegitimate. Notably, all respondents expressed respect and willingness to comply with Swedish law in general, separating their distrust of the SMA from the broader Swedish legal system. The study further concludes that, although outcome favorability strongly shapes perceptions of fairness and legitimacy, it is not entirely decisive. The way in which the process unfolds has significant implications for perceived fairness, compliance, and psychological well-being, as some residence permit holders viewed the system as unjust, due to disbelief and perceived arbitrariness in decision outcomes.Item The Impact of Regional Challenges on Qatar’s Response in Foreign Policy from 1995 to 2024(2025-09-09) Hashish, Rabab; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceThis study explores the impact of MENA regional challenges (the Arab Spring, regime changes, failed states and civil war, and regional crises and conflicts) on Qatar’s foreign policy (QFP) (actions, policies/discourse, and alliances) from 1995 to 2024. Utilizing multiple qualitative approaches (case study, content analysis, process tracing) as research tools of this study. An integrated theoretical framework composed of international relations (IR) theories of realism/neorealism, constructivism, omni-balancing, and small state theories used as a theoretical framework to this study. A tringle method was used to ensure the validity and reliability of the research tools of this study. Findings showed that Qatar's foreign policy (actions, policies, and alliances) has been shaped by regional challenges (the Arab Spring, regime change, failed state, regional crises, and conflicts). In specific, during the Arab Spring, Qatar adopted a proactive foreign policy, focusing on military engagement and support for revolutions. With regard to regime changes, Qatar's actions became more ideologically defined (patron of Islamic-oriented post revolutionary regimes), selective, and quickly engaged with new governments. Moreover, the emergence of failed states and civil wars, Qatar responded with a hyperactive strategy that includes early military engagement, later-stage mediation, long-term diplomacy, media, humanitarian aid, backchannel alliances, and selective neutrality. Finally, regional crises and conflicts showed two traits in QFP; When directly involved in a crisis, it tends to rely on Crises diplomacy, Multilateralism discourse, and intensifies hedging strategy regionally as well as globally. In crises where it is not directly implicated, mediation emerges as its principal foreign policy instrument. Political implications such as policy making, regional challenges, foreign policy response were discussed.Item IS THE GRASS ALWAYS GREENER? THE POLISH FARMERS’ FIGHT BETWEEN POLITICS AND SUSTAINABILITY IN CAP A Case Study Linking European Partisanship and CAP Eco-scheme Subsidy Uptake(2025-08-05) Żubrowicz, Alexandra A.; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceThis thesis investigates whether political partisanship toward the European Union influences Polish farmers’ uptake of CAP eco-schemes and green payments. Is it due to the distrust after 2014-2020 green payments? While the CAP has increasingly emphasized sustainability through eco-schemes, adoption rates remain low and uneven across Member States. Focusing on Poland, a key agricultural actor in the EU, this study uses a quantitative, region-level case study across 16 voivodeships from 2014 to 2024. It also employs path dependence theory, understanding how and why CAP reforms may take years to see change; in the case of this thesis, how long does it take for policymakers to account the negative feedback from farmers. This thesis also uses GAL-TAN cleavage theory and rent-seeking theory, to evaluate which best explains low environmental subsidy uptake. To complete this analysis, it employs OLS regressions and correlation analysis to test the relationship between EU parliamentary voting patterns (2014, 2019, 2024) and subsidy uptake, controlling for structural variables such as farm size and education. Results show that farm size is the strongest predictor of eco-scheme participation, suggesting that structural capacity outweighs partisanship in determining engagement. However, 2024 data shows a moderate correlation between pro-European partisanship and eco-scheme uptake, indicating that political belief may gain a larger role in dictating CAP subsidy engagement. These findings uncover a new perspective, EU partisanship, viewing what factors play into CAP involvement, challenging the assumptions about the politicization of sustainability.Item European Influence on Corruption in the DRC Mining Industry: A Comparative Assessment of the Impact of the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation and the Dodd-Frank Act’s Section 1502(2025-08-05) Tomasella, Sara; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceCorruption within the mining sector of the Democratic Republic of Congo is among the principal mineral supply chain issues. It is against this backdrop that this thesis analyzes the effectiveness of two primary legislative arms—Section 1502 of the U.S. Dodd-Frank Act and the European Union's Conflict Minerals Regulation (2017/821)—in fighting deep-rooted corruption and illegal trade practices. Placed into a postcolonial context, the research considers whether external intervention has reduced or intensified state failure and economic reliance in the DRC. Based on a qualitative comparative case study approach, the analysis relies on process tracing, document analysis, and six semi-structured interviews with stakeholders in the mining industry, civil society organizations, and European institutions. It is also based on experiences gained from participation in the 2025 OECD Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains. The research suggests that while both pairs of regulations call for transparency and due diligence, their impacts are unbalanced and one-sided. The Dodd-Frank Act caused unforeseen economic isolation and further unregulated mining, while the EU regulation, despite being more collaborative in scope, is marred with uneven enforcement and postponed execution. In both cases, criminal networks have adapted, taking advantage of loopholes and persisting in hidden financial transactions. The study discovers that without strong local government and participatory enforcement, externally driven systems of regulation will tend to re-enforce neocolonial patterns rather than to dismantle them. Finally, it contributes to European studies, postcolonial governance, and ethics of global supply chains debates by highlighting the importance of context-sensitive, participatory strategies to anti-corruption reform.Item SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE? Examining the Effects of Government Participation on the Radical Right’s Anti-Immigrant Discourse(2025-08-05) Thomas, Evan; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceThis thesis examines the effects of government participation on the anti-immigrant discourse of Western European radical right parties (RRPs). As it stands, most of the current literature has exclusively focused on RRP policy moderation and the effects of office-seeking strategies on the party family’s anti-immigrant rhetoric. This has ultimately left the question of how entering government affects an RRP’s framing of immigrants largely unanswered. To address this research gap, I conduct a qualitative content analysis on 16 party platforms and manifestos published by the Austrian Freedom Party, Italian National Alliance, and the Norwegian Progress Party: three RRPs of differing ideologies and backgrounds that have previously participated in coalition governments. In this analysis, I leverage a theoretical framework based on framing theory to categorize the ways that these parties portray immigrants as threats to the native populations of their respective countries. The documents included in the sample were published before and during the three RRPs’ time in government to determine if there are notable differences in how the parties framed immigrants between the two periods. Ultimately, I find little evidence that Western European RRPs significantly change or moderate the way that they frame immigrants after entering government. The parties did not become more fixated on socioeconomic issues related to immigration or decrease the radicalness of their sociocultural anti-immigrant frames, which suggests the absence of an inclusion-moderation effect. Given that the anti-immigrant rhetoric of these parties remained stable, this casts further doubt on whether RRPs that enter government ever become mainstream parties.Item POLITICAL TRUST IN THE EU DURING THE EUROZONE DEBT CRISIS A quantitative study on the role of benchmarks in citizens' evaluations of institutional performance(2025-08-05) Lannermalm, Alice; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceDuring the Eurozone debt crisis the European Union (EU) responded with policy measures contrary to public preferences, which contributed to an erosion of trust. Thus, threatening the stability, effectiveness, and democratic legitimacy of the Union. According to the trust-as-evaluation approach, political trust is derived from citizens' evaluations of institutional performance. Hence, citizens tend to trust institutions that perform well. However, the same institution might be judged differently depending on the benchmark, or reference point, against which citizens make their evaluations of institutional performance. Although previous research reveals that the positive relationship between trust in the EU and national institutions intensified during the economic crisis, the role of the national context as a benchmark has received little, if any, attention. The limited existing research centers on a single EU institution. Therefore, this study examines the effect of the EU policy differential on trust in the EU in all twenty-seven EU member states using Eurobarometer surveys from 2010 to 2012. The EU policy differential is a relative value of EU and national performance. Thus, it ensures that benchmarks are properly modeled since it considers the comparative nature of citizens' evaluations of the EU's trustworthiness. The results of the logistic regression analysis reveal that the EU policy differential has a positive and significant effect on trust in the EU, even after controlling for institutionalist and socio-demographic factors. These findings present broader implications for our understanding of the evaluative nature of political trust that are relevant to improve trust levels in multilevel governance systems.Item STUCK IN DEAD-END JOBS? A comparative study of female migrants’ labour market integration in the Nordic and Central/Western labour market regime.(2025-08-05) Jacobson, Vilma; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceThis thesis studies the labour market integration of female migrants by comparing them to native-born females across two different labour market regime types. Specifically, it investigates how institutional mechanisms within the Nordic and Central/Western labour market regimes may shape differences in labour market integration outcomes. Occupational status is used as a qualitative indicator of successful labour market integration. Grounded in human capital and assimilation theories, the thesis argues that female migrants are more disadvantaged in labour market integration compared to native women, due to factors such as limited recognition of their qualifications and weaker knowledge of labour market dynamics. Labour market regime types, with different institutional arrangements, are argued to influence labour market segmentation. It is hypothesised that features of the Nordic labour market regime might widen the nativity gap in labour market integration more than in the Central/Western regime. To test this, the study employs ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, including an interaction term for labour market regime type. Data is drawn from the fifth wave of the European Values Study (2017). The thesis found that female migrants have on average lower occupational status than native-born women. However, the interaction effects between regime type and migrant status were not statistically significant, indicating that the size of the nativity gap does not differ substantially between the Nordic and Central/Western regimes in this sample and with this operationalisation.Item THE PERSUASIVE POWER OF GREEN: A 2x2 Experimental Study on Colour and Persuasion Knowledge in Environmental Policy Communication(2025-07-18) Tsai, Chia-Hsun; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceThis study investigates the persuasion effect of colour, specifically green, on environmental policy advocacy in political communication. Although business research has shown that colour can influence consumer behaviour and attitudes, there is a lack of systematic research on whether it has a similar effect in political communication. To fill this research gap, the researcher uses the Persuasion Knowledge Model (PKM) and colour congruence as a theoretical basis to examine whether green can enhance people's attitudes and support towards environmental policies. This experiment adopted a 2 (background colour: green vs. grey) × 2 (persuasion knowledge level: high vs. low) design and collected responses globally through an online survey. The result showed that although green is considered to have a higher congruence with environmental messages, it does not significantly increase people's advertisement attitude and policy support. Persuasion knowledge has a stable effect on attitude, while there is no significant interaction between it and the background colour. The findings suggest that it is challenging to drive changes in attitudes and behaviours and use green in the political field, despite its symbolic connotations with the environment. The result also challenges the colour persuasion theory in political communication.Item UNDERSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP THROUGH GOVERNANCE AND PSYCHOLOGY A Study of the 48 Cantones of Totonicapán and Its Social Foundations(2025-07-18) Charchalac Ochoa, Lucrecia Cristina; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceThis study1 explores how the psychological drivers of trust, social norms and collective identity support 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, exploring how they interact to sustain environmental stewardship. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research is based on semi-structured interviews, direct observations, and document analysis. The methodology combined deductive coding, guided by the proposed matrix, with inductive identification of emergent themes. While the findings confirm that psychological drivers play a central role in governance, they also reveal symbolic and moral dimensions not captured by the initial framework. Concepts such as k’axk’ol (service with sacrifice), symbolic legitimacy, and relational forms of authority emerged as key to participation and compliance. The study shows that governance and conservation in the 48 Cantones is not only institutional and psychological, but also cultural and intergenerational. Trust, norms, and identity do not merely support governance; they constitute its foundation. At the same time, certain environmental challenges, such as waste management, fall outside the moral-symbolic structure that sustains forest and water protection. By integrating theory-driven analysis with culturally situated insights, this thesis contributes to both insights on environmental psychology and common pool resource governance.Item WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE? How Policymakers Consider Policy Attitudes When Designing Climate Policies(2025-07-18) Axmann, Leoni Anna; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceDespite extensive research on factors influencing citizens’ attitudes towards climate policies, little is known about whether policymakers consider these when designing climate policies. This qualitative study aimed to explore which factors policymakers consider for gaining policy acceptability and acceptance when designing climate policies through semi structured interviews with policymakers in Trollhättan as a single-case study, and how their considerations align with those identified in previous literature as important to citizens. The analysis revealed that ex post policy acceptance appeared to matter to policymakers, while the public was often reported to be unaware of policies during the proposal stage, rendering ex ante acceptability less relevant to policymakers. Policymakers considered several themes that influence citizens’ attitudes, in line with previous research, including the role of personal cost and collective benefits, perceived effectiveness, and the combination of push and pull measures. However, other key factors named in research on citizens’ attitudes were seldom considered: distributional fairness, environmental justice, and the tailoring of information. Most policymakers seemed to believe that communication and explaining why a climate policy matters are sufficient to make it accepted, despite research in the field finding that perceived fairness and effectiveness are the most crucial factors influencing policy attitudes. Future research could replicate the study using different cases or test the results in a quantitative study.Item Food Insecurity and Political Trust - A Mixed-methods Case Study from Sri Lanka(2025-07-03) Frankenberg, Vera; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceThis study investigates the relationship between individual food insecurity and trust in political institutions in Sri Lanka, using a mixed-methods approach that combines regression analysis with thematic analysis of ten semi-structured interviews. Food insecurity is measured through individuals’ coping strategies in response to food shortages and rising food prices, while political institutions include the parliament, political parties, and municipalities. A multi-dimensional theoretical framework, which draws on entitlement theory, social contract theory, and performance-based trust theory, is applied to explain how material conditions and perceived institutional performance shape political trust. The quantitative findings indicate a weak negative association between food insecurity and political trust, suggesting that individuals who experience greater food insecurity tend to have a lower trust in political institutions. The exploratory qualitative findings elaborate and nuance the relationship by revealing that respondents do not explicitly describe trust in political institutions in terms of food insecurity. Instead, their perceptions are shaped by a broader disappointment in institutional performance and unmet expectations of government support in addressing economic hardship. While causality cannot be established, the results suggest that political trust is negatively associated with structural inequalities such as food insecurity. To maintain or strengthen political trust, policies should aim to improve quality of government, enhance transparency in initiatives such as Aswesuma, and create more job opportunities.Item THE ROLE OF CULTURAL NARRATIVES AND SOCIAL IDENTITY IN PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES. A survey experiment in the car-state Germany.(2025-07-03) Rathey, Alicia; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceThis thesis examines whether and how cultural narratives influence public support for environmental policies of the European Union (EU). It contributes to the field of European Studies by demonstrating how such narratives can shape the acceptance of EU policies within a culturally diverse union. Focusing on Germany’s car-state narrative, the study examines public support for the ban on internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035. Drawing on Social Identity Theory, the thesis explores how different framings of the policy activate identity-related mechanisms that shape individual support. To test these effects, a face-to-face survey experiment was conducted in Germany in April 2025 (N = 264). Participants were randomly assigned to two mini-experiments. The first group was exposed to an identity-affirming frame aligning with the cultural narrative of the car-state (TG1). The second group was exposed to an external threat frame presenting the policy as an EU mandate (TG2). The results show that aligning the policy with Germany’s car-state narrative increased support. A majority of participants in TG1 (93.9%) approved the ICEV ban when e-fuels were included as an option or held a neutral stance. This indicates that national cultural narratives can meaningfully shape public support for EU environmental measures. While identity-affirming frames clearly increase support, the EU frame, which was intended to trigger out-group threat, did not significantly reduce support as previously assumed. By demonstrating how national identity can be activated through targeted framing, the thesis contributes to a better understanding of the cultural conditions under which EU environmental policies gain public support.Item MERITOCRATIC BUREAUCRACY, COALITION GOVERNMENTS AND PUBLIC DEBT - A statistical analysis of the merits of meritocracy for government fiscal outcomes(2025-07-02) Frånander, Simon; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceSince the end of the 1980s, many studies have found a relationship between coalition governments and larger debt accumulation. Several contributions have proposed different moderators of this relationship, but none have considered the role of civil servants in the bureaucracy. This thesis focuses on the moderating effect of a higher degree of meritocratic bureaucracy. It hypothesizes that coalition governments are associated with larger debt accumulation and that a higher degree of meritocratic bureaucracy should reduce debt accumulation in coalition governments, but also independent of the type of government. The theoretical expectations are evaluated through an OLS regression model on a sample of 28 European countries over the time period 1962–2019. The empirical analysis finds no support for the hypotheses connecting coalition governments to larger debt accumulation. The results suggest some association between a higher degree of meritocratic bureaucracy and reduced debt accumulation independent of the type of government, but only under some model specifications. Instead, the findings show consistent support for the explanatory power of several economic factors.Item PREDICTING THE FUTURE: THE SWEDISH ARMED FORCES ANALYSIS OF RUSSIA(2025-07-02) Forsberg, Gabriel; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceThis thesis examines why the Swedish Armed Forces (SAF) failed to foresee Russia’s military actions, culminating in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This study shows that a combination of theories concerning cognitive bias and organisational problems can explain the continued failure. The cognitive bias theory, being the rational theory, helps explain how the SAF analysed Russia, assuming Russia would act rationally and avoid military actions because of high costs, such as economic consequences and damaged relations with the West. This belief persisted despite Russia’s actions in Georgia and Crimea, indicating a failure to recognise Russia’s willingness to accept significant costs for strategic goals. The theory concerning organisational problems, being the organisational theory, explains why this belief continued over time. There was a groupthink mentality in the SAF, leading analysts to not challenge the previous analysis. Because of this, reports often repeated earlier conclusions and alternative perspectives were not presented to political decision-makers. This groupthink, centred around the rational theory, made it difficult to question the thought that Russia would act rationally, even when evidence contradicted it. The thesis thereby concludes that the SAF’s failure to understand Russia was caused by both cognitive and organisational issues. The rational theory explains how the SAF viewed Russia and the organisational theory explains why this belief continued over time. Together, these two theories explain the repeated underestimation of Russia, acknowledging the importance of viewing both cognitive and organisational aspects to improve future intelligence work.Item IS BLOOD THICKER THAN WATER? Comparing Swedish Voters’ Ideological Similarity with Their Family and Friends(2025-07-02) Jogstad, Martin; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceThis study investigates the outcomes of political socialisation by examining ideological alignment between Swedish voters and their family and friends. While traditional theories have emphasised the family as the primary agent of political socialisation, recent evidence suggests that friends may play a more prominent role in this process. To assess the relative role of each agent, the analysis uses political homogeneity as a measure for influence, drawing on data from the 2022 Swedish National Election Study. Through a series of linear regressions, applied across the full sample and within specific subgroups, overall ideological similarity with voters is anticipated, along with stronger similarity for friends. As a main finding, both family and friends demonstrate ideological alignment with voters, however, disentangling the two groups proved challenging due to the indirect interaction between them. The study contributes to the political socialisation literature, not only by illustrating voters’ political homogeneity in relation to family and friends, but also offering several methodological considerations for future research.Item LEGAL CLARITY AND IMPARTIALITY An Experimental Study of Consistency in Decision Making Among Government Officials Worldwid(2025-07-02) Nilsson, Joakim; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceThe language used in legal texts is often ambiguous, hindering bureaucrats' ability to understand, interpret, and apply the law consistently, thereby threatening impartiality. The Quality of Government (QoG) literature foregrounds the importance of impartiality. However, it largely overlooks how legal language clarity affects this principle in practice. This thesis bridges two unconnected literatures: QoG and legal scholarship. Although legal origin theory links legal traditions to government performance, it overlooks the role of legal clarity. Legal research highlights the importance of clarity for legal comprehension, yet it does not address its implications for bureaucratic decision-making. This thesis addresses this gap by asking: How does the clarity of legal language affect bureaucratic impartiality? It advances a theoretical argument linking legal clarity to impartiality via the mechanism of consistent application. To test the argument empirically, the study conducted an online survey experiment with over 900 former and current government officials worldwide. Participants were randomly assigned to read a case based on a real-life scenario where the law was framed in either ambiguous or clearer legal language. The findings provide empirical support to the proposed theory that legal clarity promotes impartiality: individuals exposed to ambiguous wording applied the law less consistently. The thesis broadens the prevailing perception of QoG by advancing a nuanced understanding of impartiality, which considers the role of legal language clarity.Item FROM SEEDS TO ASSEMBLIES. AGROECOLOGY AS A TOOL FOR POLITICAL PARTICIPATION A Case Study on Q’qechi’ Mayan Peasant Women in Zona Reina, Guatemala(2025-07-02) Arcos Fabrega, Iraide; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceIndigenous 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 through which agroecology fosters such participation investigating the case of Q’qechi’ women in Zona Reina, Guatemala. Using a qualitative case study approach with ethnographic participatory methods and semi-structured interviews, mechanisms from both theories are identified. Capabilities, resources, bonding and bridging social capital and ancestral knowledge have been shown to have a big influence in expanding social capital and empowering participants, which has a positive impact on political participation despite the presence of some barriers. The findings provide a guideline for institutions and communities to start similar initiatives in other parts of the world. Future research should replicate this study in other contexts to identify whether the mechanisms are context-dependent and analyse the time dimension of the effects.Item Environmentalism for whom? How perceived injustice shapes environmental beliefs & personal norms among the energy-poor(2025-07-02) de Jong, Rebekka; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political ScienceThis qualitative thesis explores the reasoning of people living in energy-poverty towards injustice and environmental behavior regarding energy policies. This thesis is an empirical study and deductively builds on the theory of the Value-Belief-Norm model by Stern et al. (1999). It introduced how injustice possibly influences the shaping of ascription of responsibility and a moral obligation to act pro-environmentally with inductive reasoning. Interviews were conducted in the Netherlands that studied the reasoning of energy-poor people related to the VBN model and implemented energy policies. The data indicated a positive association between perceived injustice in the energy policies and a decline in the ascription of responsibility and moral obligation to act pro-environmentally for the energy-poor, although further research is needed to confirm this data. Moreover, data illustrated that this occurs through the triggered variables anger and powerlessness. These variables may disrupt the causal relationship between beliefs and personal norms in the Value-Belief-Norm. This thesis confirms that energy-poor people perceive participation in the energy transition as unjust. In their view, governmental support mostly benefits richer households, which evidently marginalizes the energy-poor further. Perceiving injustice in one area could lead to disobedience in others, making it relevant to connect injustice to other research fields, such as environmental behavior. The results of this study help to achieve better inclusive policymaking and an equitable energy transition.