Erasmus University Thesis Repository
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Beyond the Algorithm: How Users Interpret and Navigate Music Recommendation Systems on Streaming Platforms
No full textThis thesis explores how users of music streaming platforms interpret and navigate their algorithmically mediated listening experiences. While much of the existing research foregrounds the technical design of these systems and their broader implications on music consumption, this study shifts the focus to the listener's perspective. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 14 participants from Italy and Sweden, the research explores how individuals make sense of algorithmic recommendations in relation to their listening habits, sense of autonomy, and evolving identities as listeners.
Employing inductive thematic analysis, this study identifies recurring patterns in how users engage with algorithmic curation. The analysis highlighted tensions between trust and skepticism, serendipity and control, and automation and self-expression on the part of the users. The findings reveal that users actively engage with music recommender systems (MRS), at times embracing, questioning, or often adapting them to fit their personal listening routines. Participants frequently described their emotions in relations to their experiences on music streaming platforms, highlighting the importance of considering the emotional and interpretative layers in the elaboration of algorithmic mediation experiences.
By foregrounding the perspectives of users, this thesis contributes to a more granular understanding of how recommendation algorithms are experienced in everyday musical life. It underscores the agency of listeners, considering them as critical actors who interpret, appropriate, and at times resist algorithmic influence in ways that reflect both personal and cultural meanings of music. Finally, this research aims not only at deepening our understanding of how users engage with algorithmic systems, but also at informing more nuanced, human-centered approaches across disciplines. In addition, it seeks to encourage methodologies and designs that account for lived experience, support user autonomy, and critically reflect on the cultural and psychological dimensions of algorithmic mediation
How did Canadian missionaries imagine settler-indigenous relations from the 1950s to 1970s?
No full textThis thesis investigates Canadian missionary records to research the imagined self/other relations through the missionary perspective. Missionary schools, the Catholic Church and repercussions of missionary actions on contemporary Canadian society establish three distinct levels of focus for the analysis. The research conducted is qualitative and uses the "Typology of Relations to the Other" by T.Todorov as well as scholars of Postcolonial theory as analytical frameworks. The findings of the thesis illuminate how missionaries established themselves as neutral force in between settler society/church and the indigenous population. Furthermore, the findings indicate how imagined settler-indigenous relations helped to sustain the imperial system during the 1950s to 1970s
From the Tea Party Movement (2009) to Donald J. Trump (2016): Nostalgia, Utopia, Populism and the Transformation of the Republican Party
No full textThis thesis examines how populism in the twenty-first century of the United States evolved
from the decentralized Tea Party Movement in 2009 to the leader-centered political
style of Donald J. Trump during his presidential campaign from 2015 to 2016. While
both movements share a distrust of elites, emotional appeals to 'the people,' nostalgic
visions of a lost national ideal, and a utopian dream of restoring that nostalgic past, they
differ in structure, style, and rhetorical strategy. This study asks: How have nostalgia,
utopian ideals, and populism evolved from the Tea Party Movement to the first
presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump?
The context for this transformation is rooted in economic, political, and cultural
anxiety. The Tea Party Movement emerged as a grassroots protest movement grounded
in anti-establishment sentiment and constitutional nostalgia but lacked centralized
leadership. Trump absorbed these energies and turned them into a media-driven,
charisma-based movement now referred to as Trumpism.
To analyze this evolution, the thesis uses a mixed-methods approach, combining
quantitative analysis with qualitative analysis on books, social media posts, and
televised performances. Theoretically, the study draws on the definition of populism by
Paul Taggart in combination with populism as political style by Benjamin Moffitt, and
the concept of charismatic leadership as explored by Clemens van Herwaarden.
The analysis reveals three major transformations. A shift from decentralized
protest to personalized leadership. An evolution from anger and opposition to
emotionally resonant, future-oriented charisma. And from spontaneous, reactive media
engagement to sustained political performance across platforms. While the Tea Party
Movement was fragmented and anti-institutional, Trump rebranded this style of
conservative populism into a coherent spectacle of leadership, using nostalgia and
utopian ideals to unify grievances under his personal brand
Diversiteit in de journalistiek: Nog een wereld te winnen
No full textDe afgelopen jaren is er steeds meer aandacht voor diversiteit binnen de journalistiek.
Hoewel journalistieke organisaties zich steeds bewuster worden van het belang van
diversiteit, zowel in de redactiesamenstelling als in de inhoud, blijkt dat redacties nog altijd
grotendeels bestaan uit een homogene groep journalisten en dat minderheidsgroepen in de
nieuwsinhoud structureel worden ondervertegenwoordigd. Deze scriptie onderzoekt hoe
hoofdredacteuren van journalistieke organisaties in Nederland het diversiteitsbeleid op hun
redactie ervaren, de contextuele invloeden hierop en de gevolgen hiervan voor de
journalistiek. Om een beter begrip hierover te krijgen zijn kwalitatieve semigestructureerde
diepte-interviews afgenomen met hoofdredacteuren van AD, BNR, NRC, NTR, Talpa, de
Telegraaf en RTL Nieuws. De resultaten tonen aan dat de verschillende journalistieke
organisaties elk een andere visie en een ander beleid hanteren op het gebied van diversiteit.
De meeste journalistieke organisaties beschouwen diversiteit als groot belang voor de
kwaliteit en legitimiteit van de journalistiek. Om diverser te worden zijn de afgelopen jaren
maatregelen genomen. Op het gebied van redactiesamenstelling worden wijzigingen
aangebracht in de werving- en selectieprocedure en steeds meer journalistieke organisaties
bieden traineeships aan die zijn opgezet om diversere journalisten aan te trekken. Door deze
maatregelen zijn de redacties zeker diverser geworden, maar nog niet op het punt waar ze
willen zijn. Ook op het gebied van nieuwsinhoud proberen de meeste journalistieke
organisaties diveser te worden, voornamelijk door actief te streven naar een representatieve
vertegenwoordiging van vrouwen en mensen met een niet-dominante etniciteit in de mensen
die aan het woord komen in het nieuws. Twee van de zeven journalistieke organisaties, de
Telegraaf en Talpa, geven aan dat ze bewust niet streven naar meer diversiteit, iets waar in de
literatuur tot op heden nog weinig aandacht aan is besteed. Bij de meeste journalistieke
organisaties in Nederland is er groeiend bewustzijn van het belang van diversiteit, maar de
structurele verankering en uitvoering van diversiteitsbeleid blijven in veel gevallen achter. En
dat is zonde, want de meeste organisaties delen weldegelijk de opvatting: diversiteit verrijkt
de journalistiek
Sex Sells, But to Whom? Cultural and Gender Influences of Sexual Appeal Levels on Ad Attitude on Women
No full textThis study examines how the degree of sexual appeal, the gender of the model, and nationality influence women's attitudes toward advertisements (Aad) in two culturally distinct countries: Bulgaria and the Netherlands. A 2 (low vs. high sexual appeal) × 2 (male vs. female model) × 2 (nationality) between-subject experimental design was employed, with individualism/collectivism as a covariate. A total of 261 valid responses were collected. The results showed that a lower degree of sexual appeal generated more positive Aad, particularly among Dutch participants, supporting prior findings that less explicit sexual content is more effective. While nationality significantly influenced Aad, the expected cultural differences did not fully align with hypotheses, and model gender had no statistically significant main effect. These findings highlight the importance of cultural sensitivity and moderation in using sexual appeal in advertising targeting women. The study adds to the literature on cross- cultural advertising and offers practical implications for marketers seeking culturally appropriate and ethical campaigns
Performative Promise or Transformative Power?
No full textEuropean cities are facing increasing pressure from multiple, interconnected crises ranging from climate disasters and socio-political upheaval to democratic erosion. Under these conditions, resilience has emerged as a guiding framework for urban policy. This thesis employs a mixed-methods approach to investigate the role of culture in urban resilience strategies across Europe and examines how the dynamics of municipal governance influence its integration. Despite the increasing recognition of culture's potential in academic discourse on resilience, the analysis of 30 European urban resilience strategies and seven expert interviews reveals that culture's multidimensional and transformative potential is largely neglected. The findings of the policy analysis reveal two patterns: (1) culture is implemented to maintain the status quo rather than to foster transformation, and (2) it is reduced to easily measurable policies, such as heritage and tourism. The thesis argues that this approach limits culture's critical potential and reflects broader neoliberal tendencies in urban governance. The expert interviews further highlight that the integration of culture is hindered by two factors: conflicting institutional logics and a general lack of awareness. Cultural actors are often excluded from resilience planning because of their critical and alternative perspectives on resilience that do not align with the dominant, technocratic approach of municipalities. Furthermore, while culture departments are structurally isolated, resilience teams are often shaped by sustainability-focused backgrounds. As a result, the narrative that culture does not contribute to sustainability is perpetuated in resilience thinking. This leads to missed opportunities for using culture as a strategic driver of long-term, inclusive change. Moreover, the lack of structural, interdepartmental cooperation prevents the cultural sector from being recognized and funded as a fundamental component of resilience. The thesis concludes with three recommendations: (1) reorienting policy towards a dynamic and inclusive resilience paradigm that includes cultural and democratic dimensions, (2) advancing an academic resilience framework that acknowledges the multidimensional and transformative potential of culture, and (3) ensuring long-term, structural funding for the cultural sector to support inclusive, participatory, and place-based transformation. By using culture as a lens, this thesis critiques the dominant managerial logic of resilience planning and advocates for a more inclusive, democratic, and context-sensitive approach. Furthermore, it contributes to cultural policy studies by revealing the structural and discursive barriers that prevent the meaningful integration of culture into broader policy frameworks
When patriarchy fails its own promises: A qualitative analysis in the normalization of violence against women in Incel communities
No full textThis thesis investigates how violence against women is discursively normalized within the online Incel community, a subculture within the broader online "manosphere", known for their lack of romantic experiences. Drawing on Michel Foucault's theory of discourse, power/knowledge, and normalization, this study conducted a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of 60 posts from the forum Incel.is. The analysis identifies three dominant and interrelated discursive strategies: (1) Dehumanization of women, (2) Sexual entitlement and misogynistic resentment, and (3) Victimhood and anti-feminist backlash. These strategies function to justify violence by framing women as subhuman, sexually withholding, and hypergamous. Simultaneously, Incels are portrayed as biologically disadvantaged and socially excluded victims of a misandrist society. The study reveals how Incel discourse forms a coherent regime of truth in which gendered violence is framed as logical, justified, and even cathartic. Through rhetorical devices, such as metaphor, meme language, and humor, misogynistic discourse is rendered banal and thinkable. This discursive environment not only encourages symbolic violence but also desensitizes users to physical harm and radicalization. The findings contribute to the growing scholarship on digital misogyny by demonstrating how online spaces foster the radicalization of patriarchal grievance through linguistic repetition, identity formation, and a sense of belonging. The thesis concludes by assessing the broader societal implications for gender equality, digital platform governance, and the reproduction of structural violence in online fringe subcultures
Temporary Sacred Spaces
No full textIn a time where loneliness is increasing, music festivals are becoming more important as places for temporary social connection. This research focuses on how visitors of techno festivals experience collective effervescence - a concept introduced by Durkheim to describe shared emotional energy and unity during ritual gatherings. In contrast to many other genres, techno was originally created as a culturally neutral. This makes techno festivals an interesting context to explore how visitors define and demarcate the festival community in the absence of cultural markers.
Based on ten semi-structured interviews with visitors of an indoor techno festival (Verknipt Ziggo Dome), a qualitative case study was conducted to examine in what way collective effervescence is created and experienced. Through thematic analysis, it becomes clear that techno festivals function as sacred spaces, where everyday norms disappear and visitors temporarily escape everyday life. This distinction between the sacred and the profane provides the foundation for collective effervescence to emerge. The combined practice of two rituals at techno festivals are essential for generating collective effervescence: dancing and drug use. Dancing creates a mutual focus of attention and a physical surrender to the music, while drug use (mostly in the form of MDMA) enhances emotional alignment and produces collective feelings of euphoria, openness, and connectedness. Both rituals result in a high degree of social solidarity among festival visitors and a temporary sense of community. The social inclusion and exclusion of audience members that occurs at festivals, is largely based on participation in these central interaction rituals - especially dancing and drug use - which serve as the foundation for this sense of belonging. Even though the community feeling is temporary and mostly remains within the boundaries of the festival itself, the sense of connectedness among visitors is perceived as deep and meaningful. These findings highlight the social potential of music festivals in an increasingly lonely society and offer valuable insights for festival organizers and cultural policymakers
The Impact of Emotional Storytelling on Narrative Transportation, Parasocial Interaction and Engagement Intentions in Influencer Marketing
No full textThis thesis examines the impact of emotional storytelling (ES) by social media influencers on audience engagement intentions, focusing on narrative transportation and parasocial interaction (PSI), as sequential mediators that explain how emotionally engaging stories first draw people into the narrative, then help them feel connected to the influencer, and in turn, increase their willingness to engage. Although previous studies have emphasised the impact of PSI on outcomes such as trust, authenticity and purchase intention, little attention has been given to how PSI is activated, particularly through emotionally immersive narratives by social media influencers. Furthermore, there is an empirical gap in the psychological process from emotional storytelling to engagement intentions, and investigating how influencer popularity moderates this process.
Based on Narrative Transportation Theory, Parasocial Interaction Theory and Influencer Marketing, this study proposes a sequential mediation model in which emotional storytelling enables narrative transportation, thereby increasing PSI. This study also investigates whether the type of influencer (micro vs. macro) moderates this process, based on the assumption that micro-influencers may build stronger relationships. The following research question is explored: How does emotional storytelling by micro vs macro social media influencers affect engagement intentions through narrative transportation and parasocial interaction? A 2×2 between-subjects online experiment was conducted using a fictional influencer called "Zara". Participants were shown either an emotionally charged or a storytelling absent Instagram post from a micro- or macro-influencer versionof Zara. Narrative transportation, PSI and engagement intentions were measured using validated multi-item scales. Hayes' PROCESS macro was used to conduct the main analyses: Model 6 tested sequential mediation and Model 7 tested moderated mediation.
The results indicated that emotional storytelling significantly improved narrative transportation and PSI. Narrative transportation also consistently predicted PSI, which in turn positively influenced engagement intentions. Emotional storytelling didn't directly impact engagement intentions, which suggests that the effect is completely mediated by narrative transportation and PSI. Contrary to expectations, moderated mediation was not significant; that is, the influencer type (micro vs. macro) did not significantly moderate this indirect effect. Although PSI and engagement scores were descriptively higher in the micro-influencer condition, these differences were not statistically significant. These findings suggest that emotional storytelling affects engagement through narrative immersion and parasocial interaction regardless of the reach and popularity of the influencer. This study builds on influencer marketing research by showing how
emotional storytelling increases engagement intentions and addresses PSI as a dynamic, situational process that is activated when people get absorbed in a story and feel personally connected to the influencer
Redrawing the Lines: How AI Reshapes Labor Division in the Creative Advertising Industry
No full textArtificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the creative advertising industry, not just by automating discrete tasks, but by influencing how labor is divided, authority is distributed, and value is created and coordinated. Traditionally, advertising operated through a linear value chain, with clearly defined roles for clients, agencies, and media platforms. The emergence of AI tools introduces new possibilities and pressures, challenging institutional norms, reconfiguring workflows, and blurring boundaries between strategic, creative, and production functions. This thesis addresses a key gap: while technological and ethical dimensions of AI are explored, its institutional effects on labor division and inter-organizational dynamics in advertising remain underexplored. It is framed by the central research question: How is AI reshaping labor division between clients, agencies, and media platforms in the creative advertising industry? This study positions AI not only as a tool, but as a technological institution that may reshape how coordination, decision-making, and legitimacy are negotiated within the ecosystem.
Drawing on Institutional Economics, particularly Transaction Cost Theory (TCT), path dependency, and power asymmetries, this thesis explores how roles and relationships evolve under technological change across five core advertising functions: strategy, creativity, production, distribution, and evaluation. The research follows a qualitative, exploratory approach based on nine semi-structured expert interviews with senior professionals from creative agencies operating in the Dutch market. Data were thematically coded in ATLAS.ti, combining inductive and interpretative strategies to identify institutional shifts in inter-organizational dynamics.
The findings suggest that AI is not replacing human labor but redistributing and reframing it. Agencies are increasingly positioned as curators, advisors, and interpreters of AI-generated outputs, while clients internalize more production and planning tasks independently through accessible AI tools. Although media platforms were not a central focus of the interviews, they remain structurally influential through algorithmic governance and data-driven control over distribution and evaluation. Together, these dynamics signal an institutional transition from linear value chains to dynamic value networks, where collaboration becomes fluid, decentralized, and technologically mediated. By conceptualizing AI as an institutional force rather than just a tool, this thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of how automation and human agency interact to reshape norms, roles, and relationships that structure strategic and creative work in a rapidly evolving industry