Award Ceremony Master Thesis Competition 2024

On Wednesday, December 11, we held our annual Master Thesis Award Ceremony, which also served as an opportunity to celebrate the end of the year with members and affiliates of the focus area.

The highlight of the afternoon was honoring the remarkable accomplishments of our three finalists: Nam Chi Nguyen, Katerina Spyridou, and Hüseyin Ali Kudret. The finalists presented their work and engaged in a lively discussion with the attendees. This year’s award was won by Nam Chi Nguyen, with Katerina Spyridou taking second place and Hüseyin Ali Kudret securing third place.Nam Chi Nguyen: Winner of the Master Thesis Award.

Although Nam Chi Nguyen was unable to attend the ceremony, her award-winning thesis focused on the migration trajectories, working experiences, and dreams of workers in the Vietnamese nail salon industry in the Netherlands. She wrote her thesis as part of the Master’s program of Gender Studies at the Faculty of Humanities. Through an intersectional feminist perspective, she documented the daily routines and interactions of Vietnamese nail salon workers. The thesis investigates capitalist contradictions that perpetuate marginalization while also providing avenues for agency, material accumulation, upward mobility, and resistance.

In her presentation, Katerina Spyridou presented her research on the survival strategies of unaccompanied minor refugees (UMRs) in Athens, Greece. She wrote her thesis as part of the Master’s program Global Criminology, at the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance. By conducting semi-structured interviews with both UMRs and experts, as well as engaging in participant observation in an Athenian park, Katerina identified various "forms of survival" adopted by these minors. These included informal and high-risk activities such as sex work and drug use. She also highlighted the significant challenges UMRs face when transitioning into adulthood, as they lose critical rights upon turning 18. Katerina advocates for a redefinition of societal and institutional perspectives on UMRs.

Last but not least, Hüseyin Ali Kudret presented their research on the safety and health challenges faced by LGBTIQ+ asylum seekers in Dutch reception centers. Drawing from their personal experience as a refugee in the Netherlands, Hüseyin provided invaluable insights into this critical issue. Their research revealed a lack of specific policies addressing LGBTIQ+ asylum seekers, with vulnerability assessments often delayed or neglected, creating dangerous situations. Hüseyin recommended immediate vulnerability assessments, prompt action to mitigate harm, and tailored solutions based on self-reported needs. Additionally, their findings exposed a gap in trans-specific healthcare, particularly regarding access to hormone therapy. Their recommendations included prioritizing those already undergoing treatment, removing barriers to prescriptions, and addressing delays. They wrote their thesis as part of the LLM program in Public International Law, at the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance.