Erasmus University Thesis Repository
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Chinese Design Through the Gaze of Architectural Digest
No full textChinese Design has a long-lasting relationship with the West, and it was particularly popular in the 17th and 18th century Europe. Chinoiserie is a European style born from this popularity, and Chinese Design has many forms including pre-modern, contemporary, and imitation, next to chinoiserie. The Literature review has shown that the varied forms of Chinese Design are present in the interiors of the elite, but the majority of the academic literature is written from an art history perspective and mostly focuses on the 16th till early 20th century. Moreover, the topics of Chinese Design and elite interiors, is barely present in the cultural sociology field. Thus, this study conducted a longitudinal content analysis with a data sample from Architectural Digest, an interior decorating magazine, containing 5 ads and 66 articles that range from 1927 till 2024. The aim was to discover if there were trends visible in the writing of Chinese Design from a Western perspective, and to analyze if other non-design topics are related to Chinese Design within interiors. This study analyzed the data from a consumption sociology vantage, which became the main lens, and which showcased four main perspectives on consumption: enjoyment, spending, identity and education. In addition, this study also included a global cultural taste and cosmopolitanism review. Last, Orientalism and Exoticism were also considered. The findings show that pre-modern Chinese Design is often admired among the elite and that collecting as a hobby is often the case for these Chinese Design admirers. Furthermore, Chinese Design is still present in the interiors of the elite, and these elites are often presented as cosmopolitans. Politics were omnipresent in the findings, but they were directed to societies and economies that differed from capitalism. Chinese Design was highly respected, in fact, this study considers to have found a form of an interior design canon for the elite, in which Chinese Design and Western Design are equally important
When business gets political:
No full textFor decades, companies were expected to remain politically neutral, focusing solely on profit-making and efficiency. However, in an increasingly mediatized and politically polarized world, some brands are now engaging with controversial socio-political issues through Corporate Political Advocacy (CPA). This growing trend raises critical questions about consumer reactions, especially as brands risk alienating stakeholders while gaining support from others. This thesis investigates how the perceived controversy of CPA influences consumers' brand attitudes and how this relationship is moderated by consumer alignment, including agreement with the issue, political ideology and age (Gen Z). Drawing on stakeholder theory, the study emphasizes the evolving field of CPA and the crucial role of value congruence between corporations and their key stakeholders.
A quantitative online survey (N = 163) tested four hypotheses, with data analyzed using hierarchical regression in SPSS. Findings show that perceived controversy significantly and negatively affects brand attitudes, indicating that controversial CPA can harm consumer perceptions. Importantly, consumer agreement with the brand's position moderated this relationship and acted as a strong buffer, reducing the negative effects of perceived controversy. By contrast, political ideology and age did not significantly moderate the effect, suggesting that consumers' evaluations are shaped more by issue-specific value alignment than by broader demographic or ideological factors.
Theoretically, this research contributes to the literature on CPA by highlighting the importance of consumer alignment in shaping brand attitudes. It supports moving beyond demographic segmentation towards a more nuanced, value-based understanding of consumer responses. Practically, the thesis offers guidance for brands considering CPA: Stakeholder alignment must be strategically assessed and managed. Brands should conduct issue-specific stakeholder analyses to ensure value congruence and minimize backlash. Ultimately, this thesis underlines that in CPA, aligning with stakeholder values is not just beneficial, but a strategic necessity for sustaining positive brand perceptions
Shaping Mediated Brand Identity Through Livestreaming: A Case Study of Zara Live Show
No full textThis thesis explores how fashion brands leverage livestreaming on social media platforms to construct and promote their brand identity, using Zara Live Show on Douyin as a case study. Drawing on the concept of platformization, which describes how digital platforms' infrastructures, economic processes, and governmental frameworks fundamentally impact cultural industries, the study frames livestreaming as a key component in the platformization of cultural production and consumer culture, also as an emerging marketing tool in China. It then explores the evolution of social media marketing (SMM), highlighting how brands have shifted branding practices toward more interactive, immersive, and participatory strategies. This section also addresses the tensions between the open, accessible nature of social media and the exclusivity traditionally upheld by high-end fashion brands. Following this, the review turns to livestreaming as a rising marketing tool, particularly in the Chinese context. It traces how livestreaming evolved from a form of online entertainment to a central e-commerce strategy, illustrating its capacity to deliver real-time, sensory-rich, and emotionally engaging brand experiences. Adopting a qualitative analysis approach, this study employed digital ethnography to collect data from five archived Zara Live Show episodes on Douyin between April and May 2025, complemented by secondary press coverage. The 300 minutes of content were then subjected to thematic analysis. Findings reveal livestreaming as a holistic digital vehicle for brand marketing, introducing the concept of mediated brand identity that comprises physical dimensions and emotional dimensions. Nine key themes were identified: Catwalks, Space, Equipment, Behind-the-Scenes; and Show Style, Material & Craftsmanship, Trends & Styling Guidance, Atmosphere, and Occasional Interaction. Through these, Zara strategically repositioned itself from a mass-market fast-fashion brand to a sophisticated, premium player. This thesis contributes to academic understanding of branding in the platform age by conceptualizing mediated brand identity and highlighting livestreaming's potential as a tool for long-term brand transformation. It also offers practical insights into how fashion brands can leverage platform affordances to reshape consumer perceptions through aesthetic experience and strategic detachment from hard-sell tactics
Stand-Up, Stand Out
No full textThis thesis examines how Netflix stand-up specials by Hasan Minhaj, Trevor Noah, and Mo Amer utilise political satire as a means to resist and negotiate identity, belonging, social hierarchies and power structures. Each comedian comes from a unique background: Minhaj is an Indian-American Muslim,
Noah is a mixed-race South African, and Amer is a Palestinian refugee raised in Texas. Through their humour, they share their experiences of being marginalised whilst criticising state power, racism, Islamophobia, and the media spectacle. The primary question is: Through what discursive strategies
do Hasan Minhaj, Trevor Noah, and Mohamed Amer employ humour in their Netflix stand-up specials
to subvert, sustain, or reinforce stereotypes, social hierarchies and power structures, and promote
solidarity, while mobilising laughter as a political act of resistance? Using Fairclough's (1995) three-
dimensional Critical Discourse Analysis framework, the research examines nine Netflix specials across
textual, discursive, and social levels. The findings reveal that all three comedians employ methods such
as mimicry, code-switching, repetition, and satirical framing to critique systems of surveillance,
colonialism, and cultural erasure. Minhaj tends to focus on moral clarity and direct political critique,
Noah emphasises observational storytelling and global comparison, and Amer creates intimacy
through absurdity and personal stories. While their humour often challenges dominant narratives, some
moments reinforce them, such as the use of exotic language or making overgeneralisations. However,
each performer actively builds solidarity by referencing shared struggles among marginalised
communities. Throughout their work, laughter serves as a means to co-construct meaning with the
audience, resist contradictions, reclaim narrative control, and create space for complex identities that
don't fit neatly into mainstream representation. This research adds to broader discussions about the
cultural impact of comedy, the limits and power of satire, and the political potential of humour from
the margins. It also examines the tension between entertainment and activism within platform economies and how Netflix enables a quasi-global reach while operating within commercial systems
Tune In: The Power of Sound in Shaping Trailer Engagement
No full textFilm trailers serve as crucial promotional tools, yet the function of music in shaping viewer engagement within trailers remains an under-explored area, particularly in the context of self-selected soundtracks. Whilst prior studies have demonstrated that music enhances mood and emotional resonance in visual media, there is a lack of research regarding the impact of different soundtrack conditions on psychological engagement and behavioral intentions. This thesis addresses this gap by examining if music fit, character identification, narrative immersion, and emotional responses are influenced by soundtrack conditions, and if these in turn predict behavioral intentions such as the intention to watch or recommend the film. Moreover, it explores the potential mediating role of nostalgia in the relationship between emotional responses and behavioral intentions, thus enhancing the comprehension of how emotion leads to action. The main research question is: To what extent do different soundtrack conditions influence audience engagement with film trailers? To explore this an experimental design was conducted in which 115 participants were randomly assigned one of the three music conditions: original soundtrack, no music, and self-selected music, while watching the trailer of Past Lives (2023). Participants then completed a questionnaire measuring music fit, character identification, narrative immersion, emotional responses, nostalgia and behavioral intentions, using validated and adapted self-report scales. The data were analyzed through t-tests, ANOVA analyses, multiple linear regression tests, and mediation PROCESS tests. Results revealed that the music condition significantly influenced character identification, narrative immersion, and emotional responses, with self-selected music outperforming the other no music condition, but not the original soundtrack. Nostalgia was found to partially mediate the relationship between emotional responses and behavioral intentions. Narrative immersion and emotional responses predicted behavioral intentions, while music fit and character identification didn't. These findings demonstrate how sound affects not only the audience engagement but downstream behavior
Performing Effortless Beauty
No full textIn recent years, the "clean girl" aesthetic has emerged as a popular visual and lifestyle trend on TikTok, promoting a specific image of femininity. The look is characterised by glowing skin, minimal makeup, slicked-back hair, and natural beauty. While the trend is often framed as effortless, there is a great deal of concealed aesthetic labour, as participation in the aesthetic requires time and resources. This thesis examines how young women on TikTok perform aesthetic labour through the clean girl aesthetic, interrogating the ways in which beauty, identity, and privilege intersect in the construction of femininity online. The central question guiding the research is: How do young women on TikTok perform aesthetic labour through the clean girl aesthetic? Adopting a qualitative approach, the study employs thematic analysis to examine 52 TikTok videos posted by young, female creators who participate in the trend. Videos were selected through purposive sampling and analysed through the lens of feminist media theory, drawing on concepts of aesthetic labour and postfeminist and neoliberal discourses. The analysis reveals four key themes. Performing Effortlessness highlights the contradiction of achieving a highly curated "natural" look. Consumerism and Aesthetic Labour highlights how commodified self-care routines and product promotion are central to the clean girl aesthetic. Norms and Exclusion examines how Eurocentric beauty standards and upper-class femininity are upheld in the aesthetic. Finally, Platform-Specific Representation shows how TikTok's algorithmic culture and platform affordances shape the aesthetic. While the clean girl aesthetic is often associated with self-care and wellness, its idealised version of femininity often centres whiteness, thinness, and affluence. This thesis concludes that the clean girl aesthetic operates as a postfeminist performance of self obscures extensive aesthetic labour under the guise of natural beauty. TikTok serves as both a platform for reproducing beauty standards and a space where creators can challenge them. The findings contribute to broader conversations about aesthetic labour, digital culture, and representation online
Towards Immigrant Integration & Cultural Identities
No full textThis master thesis project delves into the intricate effects of culture shock in immigrant integration and cultural identities. The main research aims to develop an analysis of the main effects of culture shock in immigrants towards their decisions to adopt, reject or include a hybridlike addition of the host culture into their own cultural identity. The concept of culture shock given by Oberg (1960) and Berry's (1997) acculturation model provide a lens through which the thesis is approached, and immigrants' experiences are dissected. I argue that there is an effect on immigrants' integration process from the time arrival towards the present, where their cultural identities are affected by the cultural shocks that they have come across. This study tries to illustrate the underlying reasons behind their integration process that have not been as investigated in the Netherlands. The different accounts of experiences and perception of the Dutch social circles and culture, are given through their own personal lens and point of view. A sample of n=(22) immigrants were extracted through a survey and semi-formal qualitative interviews. Findings help put a different perspective towards immigrant integration through culture shock, and provides a detailed analysis of individual's personal, emotional and cultural process in the Netherlands.
This is accompanied by personal accounts of the individuals and testimonies of the coping mechanisms. These have helped them to seemingly become part of the Dutch social fabric, and the genesis of new cultural identities. The adoption, rejection and hybrid integration of aspects of the Dutch culture are also connected to the progressive transformation that they have undergone because of the effects of culture shock. The interpretation of the interviews could make use of investigating the Dutch perspective into account to obtain a balanced outlook on immigrant integration, and the culture shock they experience as locals. The findings suggest that acculturation strategies between immigrants to be tied to their emotional reactions to shock, their own cultural identity re-building and social networking
Assessing types of social media signals on crowdfunding campaign success
No full textIn the context of increasing austerity for cultural funding across Europe, artists without a solid commercialization strategy (non-commercial artists) increasingly turn to alternative finance methods such as crowdfunding. This research investigates how signals external to crowdfunding platforms, such as social media signals, impact the success of cultural crowdfunding campaigns, particularly in the music industry. With a framework built on signaling theory and media richness theory, this study analyzes data from a Dutch cultural crowdfunding platform and corresponding Instagram activity in order to assess the impact of external signaling on success. Findings confirm that the quantity and richness of campaign signals-especially dynamic formats like video-positively influence both financial and social success metrics. While internal signals remain more predictive overall, this research highlights the importance of external social capital amid shifting cultural policy, as well as the need for further investigation on the effects of external signaling on crowdfunding. The study contributes to literature on cultural financing, and it suggests that artists should strategically consider external social media signaling in their crowdfunding communication
From Passion to Paycheck: Financially Creative Practices among Cultural Entrepreneurs
No full textCultural and creative entrepreneurs have been increasingly expected to be financially independent, adaptive, and resilient actors within the broader context of shrinking public subsidies and increasing marketization. This tension is also visible in Rotterdam, a city with socially engaged cultural practices. Yet, there is limited access to funding. This thesis sets out to investigate how cultural entrepreneurs in Rotterdam engage in financially creative practices. It researches what cultural entrepreneurs strategize in order to sustain their work in an unstable funding environment. The central research question guiding this study is: How do cultural entrepreneurs in Rotterdam engage in financially creative practices, and how do these practices contribute to the sustainability and development of their artistic enterprises? The qualitative study has ten semi-structured interviews at its core. Cultural entrepreneurs from various disciplines are included, like visual arts, design, performance, fundraising, and collective organization. The analysis within the research is framed by Teresa Amabile's (1983) Componential Theory of Creativity. The theory identifies three key components of creative action: domain-relevant skills, creativity-relevant processes, and intrinsic task motivation. The theory provides a lens for deeper understanding of the question at hand. Understanding financial creativity within artistic practices not as survival, but as an extension of creative agency in general. The findings of this study reveal how financial creativity is present in multiple strategies. These include patchworking of income sources, engaging in space-sharing arrangements, and leveraging personal and professional networks. These practices show short-term resilience within the CCI of Rotterdam. The financial sustainability of cultural entrepreneurs is thus rooted in constant improvisation. Little time or capacity is available for strategic planning. A key finding of the research was that phenomenon that financial creativity in essence is rooted in structural limitations of the current funding systems. The current economic landscape for cultural entrepreneurs is one where there is reluctancy and unknowingness about adopting entrepreneurial identities, stemming from their strong intrinsic motivations. The study concludes that cultural policy needs to support financial and organizational capacities of independent practitioners. At the same time, cultural entrepreneurs must embrace their dual role as both artists and economic agents
More Than a Game
No full textThis thesis investigates how health providers in pediatric oncology perceive the use of digital games by childhood cancer patients during different phases of treatment. The emotional toll of cancer on children is widely documented, yet research often overlooks the tools children themselves rely on to manage psychological stress. Digital play (particularly video games) is one of those tools. While often dismissed as simple distractions, this study examines how professionals interpret their role as psychological regulators and emotional anchors in clinical environments. The research draws on seven semi-structured expert interviews with Spanish health providers who work directly with pediatric oncology patients. This thesis adds to the existing literature by moving beyond the dominant focus on passive distraction and the physical benefits to patients. It addresses how digital games are interpreted and implemented by those closest to the child's psychological journey. Thus, the research question is: How do health providers perceive the use of digital games by childhood cancer patients during different phases of treatment? By using a thematic analysis approach, this study uncovers how digital games are seen as practical, flexible, and emotionally supportive mechanisms that adapt to the varying demands of cancer treatment. Importantly, these games are not viewed as secondary to therapy or as momentary relief, but as integrated tools that children use to cope or tools that professionals actively rely on in their care strategies.
Theoretically, the research is rooted in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT), both of which were reflected in the findings. The results reveal four major thematic areas: the emotional regulation from a health provider's lens; Games as tools to shape their treatment journey; Games as a medium for connection and belonging; and practical concerns. Within these themes, professionals consistently described games as contributing to emotional regulation, mood improvement, procedural compliance, and even identity preservation, allowing children to momentarily step outside the patient role and into one of agency and imagination. In the first theme, digital games fulfilled both basic and higher-order emotional needs by offering safety, escapism and creative expression. In the second, their adaptability across illness stages reflected how games support evolving emotional, cognitive and motor demands. In the third, their use is for re-establishing and maintaining social and familiar bonds while isolated. In the fourth, there are minor but relevant concerns about the tool. The study reinforces that play does not lose its function in clinical settings but becomes a flexible coping tool across emotional relief, treatment adaptation, and cooperation. The study highlights the need for future research that includes the pediatric cancer patient's perspective, investigates long-term psychological outcomes, and recognises the role of play not just in therapy rooms, but in everyday clinical care