https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37017 2026-04-15T03:51:18Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37899 Title: The role of non-state actors in decision making over the re-registration of the pesticide Glyphosate in the EU. A David vs. Goliath battle? Abstract: Due to the EUs position in the world economy, regulatory decisions made in the EU are highly relevant for other countries. In recent years, glyphosate has made the headlines several times. Scientists, regulatory authorities and society are deeply divided over the issues surrounding the substance. Controversies over glyphosates safety and its impact on human and environmental health that surfaced over the last years sparked a debate over the possibility of neutral, independent and objective science in risk assessment. By triggering and fuelling this debate, non-governmental actors, especially environmental non-governmental organisations, seriously challenge not only EU practices in risk regulation but also (and especially) the traditional role of science and experts advise in public policy. Looking at how non-state actors have mobilised knowledge as a resource, this study looks at how environmental movements challenge the existing elite of experts and thereby promote not only green politics but also further the democratic progress in the EU. Description: B.A.(HONS)INT.REL. 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37844 Title: How did the Ukraine crisis affect the gas relationship between Russia and the EU? Abstract: The Ukraine crisis had caused the deteriorating relations of Russia and the EU; these relations were not this bad since the cold war era. Despite this, both the EU and Russia want to maintain healthy relationship in the gas sector. This is because they are both highly dependent on each other. This gas relationship is complicated because of the Ukraine crisis, this is because firstly Ukraine is the main transit country, and secondly this Crisis had caused the EU to worry that Russia might use its gas as a political leverage on Ukraine and the EU. With this situation, the gas relationship with Russia had become politicised and securitised. This dissertation want to answer the research question ‘How did the Ukraine crisis affect the gas relationship between Russia and the EU? This dissertation want to really understand the actual implication of the Ukraine crisis on the gas relationship between Russia and the EU. To achieve this goal, this dissertation is going to analyse the Russia-EU gas trade from various perspectives, and will see what where the actual affects. Also, this dissertation is going to use the theories of realism, energy security, and interdependence. The methodological framework that it is going to be used are case study research and qualitative research. Description: B.A.(HONS)INT.REL. 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37843 Title: The rise of populism in Europe : a political economic approach : case study Brexit Abstract: The political and economic causes of populism are quite a complex and an intricate process. The recent success in populism in the Europe and in the USA was deeply unprecedented, with Brexit being an unparalleled event. What it revealed was a deeply unsatisfied electorate who had had enough of the mainstream system. This thesis analyses the real political economic causes versus the perceptive causes in order to truly decipher why the electorate choose to such an exceptional decision. In doing so, a discursive institutional approach which umbrellas both political and economic causes will be utilised. The economic realities of neoliberalism and globalisation will be implemented in order to understand their effects on the populous. More importantly dissatisfaction will be traced through economic inequalities coupled with political identity calls of nationalism and sovereignty underlined with xenophobia. The fear of immigration will be approached from both a real approach and a perceptive approach since for the majority that voted to leave, it was the pinnacle reason. The role of political discourse and rhetoric will be taken into consideration and its role in persuading the masses. Undoubtedly the basis of such discontent was the deep rooted gap between the rich and the poor in the UK. Stagnant incomes had left people behind but populism had managed to bridge a gap between the elites and upper middle class with the working class, together they had one commonalty, nationalism. The core aspect of populism, ‘the people’ versus ‘the elite’ was changed to the ‘the people’ versus ‘the immigrants’. Together with the European Union, the outsiders became the perfect scapegoats. Description: B.A.(HONS)INT.REL. 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/37842 Title: The effect of financial sector lobbying on British Brexit policy making through Elite Theory and neo-pluralist lenses Abstract: The aim of this paper will be to investigate the effect of the British Financial sector lobbying efforts on British policy making vis-a-vis the Brexit negotiations. The paper will be examine the key actors and institutions both in the public and private sphere, what relationships have formed between lobbying actors and the British government and other relevant actors such as the European Union, what the aims and goals of the Financial sector are in the context of Brexit, have these aims manifested (if they have at all), are there discrepancies between Private inputs and Public outputs, and what can be done about addressing inequalities of access from different sectors if there are any. Description: B.A.(HONS)INT.REL. 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z