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Dam projects and the formation of state identity: A case study of states' dam constructions, the motives behind them and their social consequences

Persson, Rickard LU (2010) STVM01 20101
Department of Political Science
Abstract (Swedish)
Dam projects are initiated in large scale on rivers all over the world, inevitably resulting in social and cultural consequences. While the causes of states’ dam constructions conventionally are understood in economic and geostrategic terms, this thesis aims to understand why dams are constructed in terms of states’ ambitions to strengthen and maintain identities. The concept of the idea of the state, which deals with the relation between state and nation, is employed in the analysis. Discussing the cases of Turkey and Syria, using an extensive academic material, I observe that these states seem to utilise their dam projects in order to strengthen their state identities: In Turkey, dam projects seem to be a means to suppress and assimilate... (More)
Dam projects are initiated in large scale on rivers all over the world, inevitably resulting in social and cultural consequences. While the causes of states’ dam constructions conventionally are understood in economic and geostrategic terms, this thesis aims to understand why dams are constructed in terms of states’ ambitions to strengthen and maintain identities. The concept of the idea of the state, which deals with the relation between state and nation, is employed in the analysis. Discussing the cases of Turkey and Syria, using an extensive academic material, I observe that these states seem to utilise their dam projects in order to strengthen their state identities: In Turkey, dam projects seem to be a means to suppress and assimilate its Kurdish minority, while in Syria, the state’s ambition to implement its ideology of Baʻthism is facilitated by such projects. Moreover, examples of social and cultural consequences of dams regarding the examined states are outlined. The study concludes that the problématique that is introduced in this thesis fruitfully could be used in future research. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Persson, Rickard LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVM01 20101
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
state identity, idea of the state, dam projects, GAP, Euphrates project
language
English
id
1652934
date added to LUP
2010-09-13 09:34:12
date last changed
2010-09-13 09:34:12
@misc{1652934,
  abstract     = {{Dam projects are initiated in large scale on rivers all over the world, inevitably resulting in social and cultural consequences. While the causes of states’ dam constructions conventionally are understood in economic and geostrategic terms, this thesis aims to understand why dams are constructed in terms of states’ ambitions to strengthen and maintain identities. The concept of the idea of the state, which deals with the relation between state and nation, is employed in the analysis. Discussing the cases of Turkey and Syria, using an extensive academic material, I observe that these states seem to utilise their dam projects in order to strengthen their state identities: In Turkey, dam projects seem to be a means to suppress and assimilate its Kurdish minority, while in Syria, the state’s ambition to implement its ideology of Baʻthism is facilitated by such projects. Moreover, examples of social and cultural consequences of dams regarding the examined states are outlined. The study concludes that the problématique that is introduced in this thesis fruitfully could be used in future research.}},
  author       = {{Persson, Rickard}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Dam projects and the formation of state identity: A case study of states' dam constructions, the motives behind them and their social consequences}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}