https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/40877 2026-04-04T20:54:46Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/40759 Title: The new Chinese empire : is it actually new? Abstract: The People’s Republic of China is the topic of many discussions around the world today. Everything from it’s remarkable, and quick, rise to the top of the economic food chain to its constantly evolving government and the restrictions placed on people’s lives within the country. For many people, using simply “China” is a good way of describing the nation but in interest of clarity, this paper will consistently refer to the “mainland” as The People’s Republic of China. This helps to make the distinctions between The People’s Republic, which is commonly known as China throughout most of the world, and Taiwan which is also known as the Republic of China seeing as both are ethnically, culturally, and historically Chinese. The issue of what constitutes “real China” is a touchy subject, especially to the government of the People’s Republic which demands companies and governments not to recognize the nation of Taiwan as an independent entity from the People’s Republic of China. In recent years, the People’s Republic government has used its influence and power in the world economy to convince nations to rescind their recognition of the Republic of China and this has been a point of contention for some nations including the United States. With the People’s Republic of China’s growing influence and strength, it appears that they are carving out an empire for themselves in not only the region, but the world as well. The question that this paper will examine is regarding the type of empire that the PRC is building. Is the People’s Republic striving to create an old empire like the Prussian Empire in Europe, or are they attempting to create an entirely new type of empire? This does not imply that the single party authoritarian government of the PRC is about to re-instate the Chinese imperial hierarchy, though the recent changes to the constitution allowing current president Xi Jinping to remain in power indefinitely, might insinuate it. Rather, this study will examine the tendencies of previous empires around the world and compare/contrast with the actions and statements of the government of the People’s Republic in order to help better characterize the type of nation that the PRC is and what could be in store for a modern Chinese nation as well as the region. This appeared particularly relevant because of the increasing role that the People’s Republic is playing in the modern stage of international relations. Description: Dual Masters; M.SC.CONFLICT ANALYSIS&RES.; M.A.CONFLICT RES.&MED.STUD. 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/40758 Title: Restorative cities : successes and challenges in current practice Abstract: This research aims to identify some of the successes and challenges which restorative cities have accomplished and faced through practice in three different research sites, Hull, UK; Whanganui, NZ; and Canberra, Australia. The restorative city concept is based strongly on restorative justice and restorative practice. Literature from all three branches of restorative approaches is reviewed here. A mixed methods approach was taken to attempt to answer the research question involving six interviews and an interpretation of existing statistics. A thematic analysis was used to identify some of the key successes and challenges within these cities throughout their development for the purpose of informing current practice and future growth. Statistics were presented in order to contest claims of success and to provide a baseline for future research in this area. This research seeks to provide a list of common successes and challenges from these cities. It is hoped that this list will help to inform current and future practice within restorative cities. Finally, this thesis discusses the significance of the findings and proposes some prospective areas for future research. Description: Dual Masters; M.SC.CONFLICT ANALYSIS&RES.; M.A.CONFLICT RES.&MED.STUD. 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/40757 Title: Reframing self-determination in contemporary international law Abstract: Since its inclusion in the Charter of the United Nations, self-determination has developed from a legal principle to a right of peoples to self-governance, and was crucial in the decolonization process. The end of the Cold War saw the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, out of which new states formed under the banner of pursuing self-determination. As such, the term came to connote secession, although there is no legal premise for such a notion. International law has largely remained silent on this shift, which has allowed self-determination movements to claim secession as they engage in struggle with resisting parent states, who call for their territorial integrity to be respected. Data on self-determination movements and territorial change from 1945-2012 show that while there has not yet been large scale territorial change, movements exist in a majority of states calling for some degree of increased autonomy. Events in Ukraine since 2013 underscore the need for clarification on the meaning of a contemporary version of self-determination. It is argued that such clarification should involve the reframing of selfdetermination as a human right, not a right to secession, and a procedural mechanism should be established to ensure respect for self-determination of all peoples is enforced. Description: Dual Masters; M.SC.CONFLICT ANALYSIS&RES.; M.A.CONFLICT RES.&MED.STUD. 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z