Erasmus University Thesis Repository
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The Person Behind the Uniform
No full textWhat happens if the public's primary source of knowledge about crime and law enforcement comes not from experience, but from a mediated reality? The topic of policing and crime has captured public attention for decades. As early as 1951, the American crime drama Dragnet was produced with direct involvement from the LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department), setting an example for collaborations between the media and the police. Since then, crime shows have continued to affect how audiences understand crime, justice, and policing. As research has shown, much of society forms views on crime through mediated representations, which significantly shape public perception and trust in the justice system. The issue with these representations is that they often prioritize entertainment over accuracy and rely on dominant discourses, stereotypes, simplified narratives and characters, resulting in biased views about crime and police authority.
This study investigates in what ways the Dutch TV series Bureau Maastricht and Bureau Rotterdam reinforces and/or subvert dominant media discourses and stereotypes about crime and law enforcement in the Netherlands. The key theoretical concepts that enhance this study include crime and law enforcement, media framing, dominant discourses, narrative structures, character portrayals and stereotypes. To investigate, this study employs Norman Fairclough's (1993) three-dimensional model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), which examines selected episodes of Bureau Maastricht and Bureau Rotterdam in terms of three key categories: narrative structures, character portrayals, and framing techniques. These categories serve as starting points for exploring how meaning is constructed and discursively shaped, as well as how these series contribute to broader societal understandings of policing.
The findings reveal that while the series present a realistic and observational tone, it ultimately reproduces dominant institutional narratives. The narrative structure frames police officers not only as enforcers of the law, but as caregivers and moral agents operating in a chaotic society. Through selective inclusion of public perspectives and heavy reliance on police narration and voice-over commentary, the narrative of the series consistently centers the police's viewpoint. Character portrayals humanize the officers, highlighting their stress, doubts, and emotional labor, while often depicting civilians, particularly suspects or marginalized individuals, as aggressive, irrational, or deviant. Framing techniques further support this bias. Use of police force is justified through calm explanations, racial profiling is neutralized through colorblind discourse, and accusations of discrimination are dismissed as emotional or unfounded. While moments of critique are present, they are often reframed to reinforce the professionalism and neutrality of the officers. In this way, the series sustain the dominant and hegemonic image of the police as rational, restrained, and necessary, while limiting space for critical engagement with systemic issues such as institutional racism or social inequality.
In conclusion, I argue that Bureau Maastricht and Bureau Rotterdam contribute to the normalization of police authority and institutional legitimacy through media framing and narrative structures, subtly reinforcing dominant discourses about crime and law enforcement
Playing Publicly
No full textAs younger audiences increasingly gravitate toward interactive, platform-native environments, public service
media (PSM) face a mounting challenge: how to remain visible, relevant, and valuable in cultural spaces
dominated by commercial infrastructures. Among the most significant of these are gaming platforms (GPs) such
as Roblox and Fortnite - systems that are not only among the most widely used media platforms globally but
also sites of participatory culture, social interaction, and identity formation. This thesis investigates how
European PSM engage with GPs to create new forms of public value and examines the strategic, institutional,
and legal tensions that shape this engagement.
While gaming has historically been marginalized in public media discourse, it now presents both a threat and an
opportunity. This research responds to an understudied intersection of public media studies, platformization,
and game studies by asking: How do public service media leverage gaming platforms to create public value, and
what structural tensions shape this process? To address this question, the study adopts a qualitative,
interview-based methodology grounded in Faulkner and Kaufman's (2017) multidimensional public value
framework. Ten semi-structured expert interviews were conducted with practitioners from public broadcasters,
game developers, legal experts, and media strategists across Europe. Thematic analysis was used to map
institutional logics, strategic rationales, and barriers to platform-native innovation.
The findings reveal that PSM initiatives on GPs are more prevalent than expected, driven largely by the
imperative to engage younger, digitally fluent audiences. Yet these efforts remain fragmented, short-term, and
often misaligned with the affordances and expectations of gaming platforms. Key structural constraints include
legislative fragmentation, risk-averse funding cultures, and internal skepticism about gaming's legitimacy as a
public service format. Particularly salient is a tension between outcome achievement and trust and legitimacy:
while PSM seek to expand reach and relevance, they remain wary of compromising editorial autonomy through
partnerships with commercial platforms. Audiences, meanwhile, increasingly question the legitimacy of
institutions that fail to appear in the cultural spaces they inhabit.
Still, the study also identifies signs of institutional adaptation and collaborative experimentation. The Eurovision
activation on Roblox, co-funded by nine public broadcasters, exemplifies the potential for cross-border
innovation - even as it exposes the fragility of such efforts in the absence of structural support. More broadly,
the findings suggest that GPs can serve as testbeds for reimagining public service in participatory, data-driven,
and transnational contexts.
This thesis argues that the future legitimacy of PSM will hinge on their ability not only to participate in
emerging cultural infrastructures, but to shape them through ethically grounded, platform-native interventions
Between common ground and commercial gains: An examination of artists' negotiations in the Dutch pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan
No full textIn the globalized world of today, the approach of culture as a tool for development explains the use of art in international relations. Defined as cultural diplomacy, nations use their cultural resources as a way of projecting a positive image and foster mutual understanding globally (Wang & Sun, 2012, p. 5). International exhibitions are a powerful tool to do so, as they serve as spaces to create collective identities and as displays of power (Bennett, 1988, p. 74; Villanueva Rivas, 2010, p. 47). Naturally, World Expos offer an excellent environment for nations to execute their cultural diplomacy strategies. Within such a context, culture is instrumentalized as a means of pursuing political interests, which raises questions about the autonomy of artists and their work. Therefore, this thesis examines how Dutch artists negotiate their position in the cultural programme of the Dutch pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Semi-structured interviews with involved artists, curators and a policy officer shed light on the use of culture in cultural diplomacy, restrictions and objectives of the cultural programme and artists' perceptions of participation. An inductive thematic analysis revealed the subordinate position of culture in the diplomatic context of the Dutch pavilion. In the six-month cultural programme, hosted in a small part of the pavilion, the theme Activating Common Ground suggests a focus on mutual understanding and collaboration between the Netherlands and Japan. This political strategy imposes symbolic boundaries for participating artists, who see their work contextualized into this narrative. Additionally, this strategy seems to conflict with the rest of the pavilion, where a positive image of the Netherlands is projected, leaving less room for dialogue. Commercial interests seem to be prioritized, and as a result space for culture gets limited both symbolically and physically, putting artists in a secondary position. The way artists perceive the use of culture in the context of Expo 2025 and their motivations for participating determine how they position themselves and deal with these limitations. Whereas some accept how the pavilion is not a place for their work but just see it as an opportunity for future work, others have a more ideological view of their art contributing to the narrative. It shows how both political and economic interests constitute the heteronomy of cultural production, and how artists have different approaches navigating the field. At the intersection of cultural policy and artistic practice, this research contributes to the understanding of the position of artists in these power structures and the role of temporary cultural spaces like Expo 2025
Travel Through the Lens: Instagram's UGC in Shaping Tourism Destinations
No full textThis thesis investigates the ways in which user-generated content (UGC) on Instagram is employed by destination marketing organizations (DMOs) to influence city branding and affect tourists' decision-making processes. As travel behaviors become more image-centered and digitally influenced, UGC has surfaced as a potent medium for promoting tourism, providing genuine and relatable representations of locations. This thesis uses the official Instagram profiles of @iamsterdam and @rotterdam_info - the respective DMOs of Amsterdam and Rotterdam - as case studies, and performs a qualitative visual content examination of 148 posts to uncover recurring themes, branding tactics, and interaction patterns. Utilizing the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT), the study analyzes how users' motivations for sharing and interacting with content correspond with the city branding objectives of DMOs. Specifically, it particularly explores the role of user-generated content in shaping a city's symbolic identity, reinforcing narratives unique to specific places, and aiding strategic initiatives to establish urban locations as culturally lively, unique, and appealing in a competitive international tourism landscape. Against this theoretical backdrop, the research asks: "How does user-generated content (UGC) on Instagram utilized by destination marketing organizations (DMOs), reflect the branding and decision-making process for tourism destinations, specifically the cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam?" The results indicate that while both cities make use of UGC to showcase entertainment, experiential opportunities, and natural attractions, they exhibit differences in tone, storytelling, and hashtag usage. Amsterdam prefers expressive and content-focused tags, while Rotterdam adopts a more organized and formal branding style. Overall, the analysis indicates that user-generated content (UGC) not only reflects travel habits but also actively contributes to the formation of the symbolic identity of urban locations. DMOs, by curating and resharing user content, co-author the visual narrative of a destination, shaping both perception and desire. In the end, this thesis offers important insights into the evolving relationship between digital media, city branding, and public perception, highlighting the importance of everyday imagery in boosting the attractiveness of cities in a competitive global tourism landscape
Cultural Heritage Transmission and Cultural Identity Negotiation: The Role of Chinese Bookstores in Paris
No full textCultural Heritage Transmission and Cultural Identity Negotiation: The Role of Chinese Bookstores in Paris
ABSTRACT
With the increasing mobility of global populations, the study of cultural identity has garnered growing academic attention. As an important part of culture, cultural heritage plays a crucial role in shaping individual and collective identities. While existing scholarship has extensively explored both the identity construction of migrants and the transmission of cultural heritage abroad, it often remains limited in effectively integrating these two dimensions. Moreover, compared to traditional "sites of memory" such as museums and archives, bookstores have received relatively little attention as spaces for cultural heritage transmission.
To fill this gap, this study examines two Chinese bookstores in Paris as case studies to explore how they function as emerging spaces for the transmission of Chinese cultural heritage and how they influence the cultural identity of overseas Chinese communities. The research is based on semi-structured interviews, supplemented by participant observation and textual analysis, to investigate how these bookstores facilitate the transmission of cultural heritage within urban space and act as "third spaces" for negotiating cultural identity among the Chinese diaspora.
The findings reveal that the bookstores transmit Chinese Cultural Heritage through two dimensions: First, the material aspect, such as books, traditional products, and the spatial environment, embodies cultural heritage knowledge and elements; Second, the cultural activities organized by the bookstores can also reflect the cultural heritage transmission function by providing a public social space where participants can exchange ideas and negotiate specific cultural heritage topics, and these activities themselves constitute a process of reinterpreting and reconstructing cultural heritage, showing a trend of the everyday practice of cultural heritage. As for its influence on cultural identity, the social space provided by the bookshops can facilitate the sense of belonging and emotional connection among participants, thereby fostering their cultural identity. Yet, the bookstores can not completely resolve individuals' identity confusion and dilemma due to the complex and multidimensional nature of identity. Instead, they serve as a "buffer zone" for expression and reflection, positively influencing participants' emotional experience and sense of belonging.
This study argues that, despite facing certain long-term challenges, as non-traditional heritage spaces, bookstores hold significant potential for the dynamic transmission of cultural heritage and for supporting hybrid identity negotiation. Through public activities, they also contribute positively to the sense of belonging and cultural identity formation within diasporic communities
Packs of Lone Wolves
No full textOn the 15th of March 2019 at 1:40 pm, an armed individual entered the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch New Zealand. Over the course of the next hour and across two locations, this individual opened fire upon Muslims at Friday prayer, killing 51 people and injuring 89. The attacker, with no apparent links to any larger terror group and appearing to act alone was widely labelled as a 'Lone wolf' by global news organisations. Several other far-right murderers have similarly been labelled as lone wolves in the media, such as Anders Breivik, the man who killed 69 people, mostly children in 2011. However, it is clear now that this term is not useful or even accurate as it widely misses the main point of attackers such as the Christchurch shooter. While these individuals may appear to act alone on the surface, it is quite clear that through various online methods, such as social media and messaging boards, so-called lone wolves share grievances with other people and groups, supporting and befriending like-minded individuals. I wish to investigate these two individuals, their manifestoes and associated artifacts, to attempt to derive points of confluence between the two manifestos. These themes can then be used to investigate the online environments where radicalisation takes place, particularly on telegram. I focused on Telegram for this purpose, to investigate how prolific the ideas shared in the manifestoes are online. My investigation found several consistent themes across the manifestos, such as a focus on the Great Replacement myth, a hatred of Muslims, suspicions of progressive politics, and a view of leftists as traitors. I found these themes to be mostly consistent throughout my investigation of far-right groups on Telegram, although one can see a widening of the goalposts where necessary, expanding hatred beyond just Muslims to anyone non-white, and an increased focus on LGBTQ+. I reflect that my research has implications for understanding the contemporary far-right, and demonstrates the malleability of far-right discourse, as it appears able to bend and move to suit the local environment where it is applied
Strategic decisions in the shadow of support
No full textFaced with systemic and emerging challenges, museums often walk a fine line between financial sustainability and mission fulfillment while navigating resource dependency, particularly on government funding. The thesis investigates how museums in the Netherlands pursue financial health and structure their financial strategies within broader organizational goals. Grounded in resource dependency theory, it employs mixed methods to provide a holistic understanding of the topic. A descriptive analysis of financial data (2021-2024) forms the basis for understanding museums' financial structure and the strategic components that contribute to their financial health. Semi-structured interviews, analyzed with thematic methods, reveal the principles and key factors that museum managers consider when formulating sustainable financial strategies and decisions. The findings show that while museums demonstrate the capacity to meet current and future spending needs, their ability to plan long-term investments and growth is limited by constraints on net surplus generation and reserve accumulation. The project contributes to cultural economics and nonprofit financial literature by clarifying the role and influence of government intervention and by providing a framework that explains the case studies' financial conditions and decision-making logics in both financial and non-financial terms. It also connects theory and practice, highlighting the importance of an overarching approach and the limits of modern portfolio theory's applicability. These insights may be valuable to both policymakers and museum managers seeking to align financial strategies with the unique characteristics of cultural institutions
5000 Years of Cycladic Identity, Now for Sale: Economic Development, Nostalgia, and the Politics of Access in Greece's Mythical Paradise
No full textWhat happens when an entire landscape becomes a product and its people collateral losses? In the Cyclades, decades of tourism development have not only shifted the local economy but also renegotiated the boundaries of memory and belonging. The seasonal rhythms of return, founded on the basis of familiarity and modesty, echoed patterns of continuity that trace their roots to the 5,000-year-old history and culture of the Cycladic Civilisation, have been renegotiated under the logic of extraction. Landscapes are transformed into assets, access is determined by purchasing power, and tangible and intangible heritage and practices are repackaged as attractions or concealed altogether. This thesis explores how tourism, influenced by post-crisis development, has accelerated the cultural and spatial commodification of the Cycladic landscape, as well as how these shifts have affective and social consequences. The main question underlying the research is how modern tourism development standards reconfigure perceptions of belonging, access and memory, as well as the sociocultural implications of these shifts. Explored through semi-structured interviews with Greek and foreign visitors, the study presents reflections around the erasure of informal tourism practices, the decline of local culture and the effects of commercialised and seasonal economy. Nostalgia and feelings of loss emerge as expressions of resistance to the cultural and environmental erosion of the Cyclades, the rupture of generational communal rhythms and access to what was once considered a common good. The Cyclades are more than a case of uneven development; they demonstrate the emotional and cultural costs of a tourism model that prioritises profit over participation. Therefore, focus on continuity and inclusion is a fundamental element of the reimagining of tourism in the Cyclades and Greece as a whole
Lights, camera, criminal: Examining media portrayals of serial killers and their reception in online discourse
No full textTrue crime has become a dominant genre in contemporary media culture, raising complex ethical questions about representation, sensationalism, and public fascination with violence. This thesis examines how serial killers are portrayed in various media formats and how audiences respond to these portrayals when reviewing them online. Using Jeffrey Dahmer as a case study, the study analyzes the dramatized series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and the documentary Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes, as well as audience reviews gathered from Rotten Tomatoes. The study is based on Stuart Hall's encoding/decoding model and framing theory, which together help in understanding how media texts are constructed and how audiences actively negotiate meaning. The study uses qualitative content analysis to investigate how each media format constructs character, frames moral responsibility, and engages with cultural narratives about crime and justice. With an examination of 223 Rotten Tomatoes audience reviews, the study also explores how audiences interpret and respond to these portrayals, focusing on the emotional, ethical, and ideological dimensions of viewer reactions. Findings reveal five major themes regarding the representation of Dahmer: 1) The many faces of Dahmer, 2) Dahmer as a product of social institutions, 3) The idea of the "monster," 4) The aesthetic monster, and 5) Dahmer through the eyes of others. Findings also reveal that while the two formats differ stylistically-utilizing distinct narrative techniques, emotional tones, and aesthetic strategies-they frequently construct similar characterizations of Dahmer. This suggests that true crime media may be influenced by underlying cultural frameworks that transcend genres. Audience responses ranged from empathy to ethical critique, confirming Hall's encoding/decoding model and demonstrating that viewers actively engage in negotiating the meanings presented to them. The study adds to media and cultural studies by emphasizing the increasingly participatory role of audiences, the narrative constraints of true crime storytelling, and the ethical tensions that arise when real-life violence is mediated for the public. It advocates for a greater emphasis on both media form and audience agency in understanding how crime narratives are constructed, received, and contested in the digital era
The Role of Film Festivals in Talent Management and Career Development
No full textWhen the word cinema is mentioned, one may think of the latest box-office hits that are shown at cinema venues. Behind this commercialized perspective of cinema, there is a universe called the film industry. Film festivals function as spaces of legitimacy, reputation and power. However, film festivals are not only a space for film exhibition. They are now involved in the early stages of film production and development of emerging talents.
Despite these new insights, the talent initiatives of film festivals remain underexplored. Therefore, the study formulates the research question: "What is the role of film festivals in talent management and career development regarding emerging talents in the film industry?". The study aims to identify the mechanisms of talent management and the paths they might open towards sustainable film careers as well as provide an understanding on career precarity of the artistic labor market in the cultural and creative industries.
Through 11 semi-structured interviews with festival directors, talent and industry managers and film programmers, the research explores the function of film festivals in nurturing talent and how career uncertainty is reduced. Film festivals function as career gatekeepers, matchmakers and key players in shaping regional, national and international markets. They provide entrepreneurial and soft skills, function as spaces for connectivity and knowledge sharing and offer networking opportunities. Talent initiatives develop emerging talents' artistic vision and personality in terms of determination and resilience. Therefore, they have the role of a cultural institution that invests in talent to secure its position in the industry and to provide meaningful stories to society.
The study concludes that despite their role in launching careers, uncertainty is not fully prevented, and emerging talents do not always acquire economic capital after participating in talent programs. There is no guaranteed success after making the first film and projects are often not realized due to excessive supply of emerging talents, absence of funding or collaborators, and luck. This study acknowledges the gap between emerging and post-emerging stages of a film career and calls for attention in strengthening festival structures towards talent and career development that can also inform studies in the cultural and creative industries