This study examines how value-based management interacts with established work roles and norms in grocery stores. The purpose is to understand how organizational values are interpreted, adapted and expressed in everyday retail work, and whether they contribute to changing, reinforcing or reproducing existing norms and work practices. The study is based on a qualitative research design with eight semi-structured interviews with employees and managers from different grocery chains. 

The theoretical framework combines institutional theory, role theory and organizational control theory. These perspectives are used to analyze value-based management as a form of social and normative control, while also considering how work roles and the practical conditions of grocery stores shape its actual impact. The findings show that value-based management does not primarily transform everyday work in a fundamental way. Instead, organizational values tend to reinforce norms that are already embedded in the work roles, such as service, responsibility, helpfulness and customer focus. 

The study also shows that practical work requirements, such as time pressure, efficiency demands and limited staffing, often take priority over organizational values. Values are therefore interpreted based on situations and adapted to the practical conditions of the workplace. Leaders play an important role in translating and concretizing values in daily work, but this also means that value-based management can vary depending on how individual leaders communicate and prioritize these values. 

The conclusion is that value-based management in grocery stores functions more as a weak and situational form of control than as a direct mechanism for changing work practices. Its significance emerges in relation to established roles, existing norms and the practical conditions of everyday retail work. 

This study examines how preschool teachers work with reading aloud to promote young children's language development, as well as how they reason about the importance of reading aloud in preschool activities. The study is based on a sociocultural perspective and relies on qualitative interviews as well as observations in preschool settings. The results show that preschool teachers use reading aloud as a deliberate pedagogical tool through dialogue and interaction with the children. Reading aloud is used to develop children's vocabulary, language comprehension, and communication skills, while also contributing to social interaction and a sense of community within the child group. The preschool teachers describe reading aloud as a central part of teaching. The study also shows that preschool teachers' conscious organization of reading aloud affects how children are given the opportunity to participate, interact, and develop language in meaningful contexts. Reading aloud emerges as an important part of the activities and as a central tool for supporting young children's language.

Denna studie undersöker hur Dagens Nyheter, Svenska Dagbladet, Aftonbladet och Expressen gestaltar de två nya partiledarna Simona Mohamsson (Liberalerna) och Anna‑Karin Hatt (Centerpartiet) i samband med deras tillträden under 2025. Genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys av totalt 24 artiklar analyseras hur variablerna erfarenhet, rekryteringsprocess, kön och härkomst framträder i rapporteringen.  Studien utgår från gestaltningsteorin och medielogik som analytiska ramverk.  Resultatet visar att mediernas gestaltning skiljer sig markant mellan de två partiledarna. Rapporteringen om Simona Mohamsson präglas i hög grad av referenser till hennes bakgrund och identitet, samt av en beskrivning av en utdragen och osäker rekryteringsprocess. I rapporteringen om Anna‑Karin Hatt dominerar däremot framställningar av lång politisk och organisatorisk erfarenhet, samtidigt som rekryteringsprocessen skildras som mer stabil och förutsägbar. Variabeln kön förekommer endast indirekt för båda partiledarna.  

 The purpose of this study was to examine how preschool teachers’ use of drama as a method is expressed in educational situations, with a particular focus on didactic objectives, embodiment, and artefacts. The study is based on research questions regarding how drama is expressed in educators’ teaching, which expressive and material tools are used, how these are used, and what didactic purposes can be identified.The study draws on qualitative, non-participant observations of preschool practitioners at five different preschools, including two preschool teachers and three childcare workers. The empirical material was analysed using thematic analysis, supported by an observation protocol developed from the research questions. The theoretical framework of the study consists of the concepts of artefacts, anthropomorphism, and aesthetic doubling.The results show that drama is used as a didactic method in preschool education, where various mediating tools are used in teaching. Educators use drama in their teaching through a combination of artefacts, role-playing, as well as physical and verbal expressions. Artefacts are used for communicative purposes and appear central to educators’ use of drama. Furthermore, the results show that educators employ various dramatic elements such as aesthetic doubling and anthropomorphism, in their communication of content. The use of drama varies across educators and teaching situations, and occurs in teaching with children of different ages.In conclusion, the study shows that drama in preschool can be understood as a didactic method in which teaching takes place through educators’ embodiment using artefacts, the body, and the voice. The method can be both explicitly and implicitly didactic, and operates in the borderland between play and education. 

This thesis aims to engage with the concept of the political subject, and thus with the political understood as, or through, such a subject. The question that structures this engagement is one posed by Jean-Luc Nancy in 1988: Who comes after the subject? Faced with this question, I traverse three interpretative moments. First, I provide a reading of the conceptual tension between an “overcoming” of the subject and an affirmation of some who. Here, I argue that this tension articulates the stakes of a particular political and theoretical moment – one that is confronted by the aporias and conundrums of our political vocabulary without thereby being granted the means to maneuver without it.  Second, I turn to the work of Nancy and his colleague and friend Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe, in order to provide a reading of the motif of the “political subject” – a motif which is recurrent in their work, but never systematically developed. I argue that the political subject is to be understood as a political configuration of the pre-political and essential ground of the political itself, which – in being conceived as pre-political – circumscribes what, how, and for whom, the political can play out. Third, I turn towards attempts found in Adriana Cavarero, Sylvia Wynter and Nancy himself at making sense of the “who” of the political without re-inscribing it in the abovementioned structure. Through this reading, I come to argue that this might be possible by conceiving of this who not as a new essence, but as an excess which – given the relational and mimetic field necessary for articulating a pre-political essence in the first place – can never ultimately be contained in the model of the subject.

This thesis examines how Nerikes Allehanda’ s coverage of Nora municipality changed after the closure of the local editorial office and the centralisation of news production to Örebro.

The study is based on a quantitative content analysis of 193 articles published in 2017 and 2025. By comparing coverage before and after the closure, the thesis analyses changes in volume, genre, topic selection, text length, byline, interviews and indicators of local journalistic presence.

The theoretical framework combines perspectives on local journalism as democratic infrastructure, journalism’s democratic functions and the concept of distance decay. These perspectives make it possible to analyse not only whether Nora is still covered, but also how the character and democratic function of the coverage have changed.

The results show that Nora has not disappeared from Nerikes Allehanda’ s news flow. However, the coverage has become less reporter-driven and more dependent on external forms of content, such as reader submissions and automated texts. The number of articles written by Nerikes Allehanda reporters decreased from 98 in 2017 to 48 in 2025. The study also shows fewer articles with interviews and fewer articles with images taken by a reporter in connection with the news event. At the same time, the share of longer articles increased, and municipal politics received more attention in 2025 than in 2017.

The findings suggest that centralisation does not necessarily lead to a total news desert, but to a more selective and uneven form of local coverage. While the forum function is partly strengthened through more debate articles and reader submissions, the reporter-driven news and scrutiny functions appear to be weakened. The thesis therefore argues that the democratic significance of local journalism cannot be measured only by whether a municipality is covered, but also by how the journalism is produced, whose voices are included and which parts of local life are made visible.

Performance measurement and follow-up are central aspects of how modern organizations control and organize work. Through goals, key performance indicators and continuous follow-up, organizations communicate what is considered important. At the same time, this may lead to certain tasks becoming more visible than others, which can influence how employees prioritize and act in their daily work. This study examines how performance measurement and follow-up affect employees’ priorities and work behaviors in the retail sector, with a focus on the clothing and electronics industries.

The purpose of the study is to investigate how performance measurement and follow-up, as control mechanisms, shape employees’ daily work. The study is based on a qualitative research approach using semi-structured interviews with ten respondents working as sales employees or store sales assistants. The empirical material was analyzed through thematic analysis, supported by theories on performance measurement, control systems, goal displacement, and March’s concepts of the logic of consequence and the logic of appropriateness.

The findings show that performance measurement is clearly integrated into everyday work. Sales targets, key figures, campaigns and add-on services are continuously communicated through meetings, systems and follow-up processes. As a result, measurable goals become recurring reference points in employees’ work. Tasks directly linked to measurable outcomes, especially sales, tend to be prioritized over less measurable tasks such as customer service, relationship-building, store maintenance and support for colleagues.

The study also shows that employees adapt their work behavior according to what is measured. In the electronics industry, this is reflected in a focus on add-on sales, insurance and subscriptions, while the clothing industry is characterized by sales targets and campaign goals. However, the impact of performance measurement is not one-sided. Clear goals can create structure and motivation, but may also be experienced as pressure and control. Overall, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of how performance measurement and follow-up function as active control mechanisms that shape priorities, interpretations of work and everyday work practices in retail organizations.

Elektroniskt avfall (e-waste) är ett av vår tids snabbast växande miljöproblem, och hanteringen försvåras av att produkter sällan är designade för att kunna demonteras på ett lönsamt och skonsamt sätt. Trots att Design for Disassembly som designprincip är väl etablerad i forskningen når den sällan fram till industriell praktik. Denna studie syftar till att skapa förståelse för varför detta gap kvarstår, och hur det tar sig uttryck i logistikföretagens operativa hantering av e-waste.Studien tillämpar en abduktiv ansats med systematic combining och bygger på fyra semistrukturerade intervjuer med aktörer från både design- och returlogistiksidan. Materialet analyseras genom reflexiv tematisk analys med ett tvärvetenskapligt teoretiskt ramverk bestående av resurshierarkin, Design for Disassemblys fyra fysiska demonteringsegenskaper, Mestre och Coopers close the loop-strategi, Papaneks Function Complex samt Borja de Mozotas Design Value Model.Resultaten visar att logistikföretagens enskilt största operativa hinder utgörs av irreversibla sammanfogningstekniker som omöjliggör oförstörande demontering och pressar aktörerna mot fragmentering. Detta är ett problem som förstärks av svaga avsättningsmarknader för begagnade komponenter som utgör ett parallellt och självständigt hinder. På tillverkarsidan handlar problemet inte om teknisk okunskap utan om en inbyggd beslutslogik där sluthanteringskostnader är osynliga i företagets ekonomiska incitament, ett mönster som i empirin fångas av att tillverkare strukturellt fastnar på differentiator-nivån i Borja de Mozotas (2003) värdemodell. Studien identifierar vidare informationsasymmetrin som ett formatproblem snarare än ett flödesproblem. Den information som utbyts via producentansvaret är för generell för att vara användbar i designprocessen. Design, incitament och information är sammanlänkade nivåer som förstärker varandra och kräver samordnade åtgärder.

Digitalization and e-commerce have increased competition for independent bookstores. In a market characterized by low prices, high accessibility, and algorithm-based recommendations, physical independent bookstores need alternative strategies to remain competitive. Relationship marketing has therefore become increasingly important, where customer relationships, personal service, and social experiences are used to create value.

The purpose of this study is to examine how Swedish independent bookstores use marketing strategies to compete with online bookstores. The study is based on theories of relationship marketing and Porter’s competitive strategies.

The study was conducted using a qualitative research design with an abductive and comparative approach. Empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews with owners of nine independent bookstores in Sweden. The empirical data was analyzed through thematic and comparative analysis.

The results show that the bookstores mainly compete through values that are difficult to replicate digitally. Personal customer interactions, book recommendations, events, book clubs, and author talks are used to create customer loyalty and engagement. The physical bookstore also functions as a social and cultural meeting place. Social media is primarily used to strengthen customer relationships and promote the business. The findings also show that the bookstores have different views on digitalization and online commerce.

The study shows that the competitive advantage of independent bookstores is largely based on the experience surrounding books and reading. Through relationship-building activities and local connections, the bookstores create customer value that extends beyond price and accessibility.

Purpose: This study examines how artificial intelligence (AI) is discursively constructed in international and national policy documents, and how these representations relate to power structures linked to class, gender, and ethnicity within organizational contexts. 

Method: Drawing on critical discourse analysis and an intersectional framework, the study analyzes 31 publications issued between 2018 and 2025 by institutions such as the OECD, ILO, EU, UNESCO, and UN Women. 

Empirical data: The analysis identifies three dominant patterns: 

The Discourse of Neutrality, in which AI is portrayed as objective, efficient, and apolitical obscuring the political and historical roots of inequality. A Digital Class System, where technical competence is assigned symbolic capital and legitimacy, while algorithmic surveillance reinforces employer control and reduces employee autonomy. Equality as Representation, where gender equality is reduced to numerical representation without power analysis, and racism is often replaced by colour-blind indicators (income, education, geography) or encoded through proxy variables. 

Conclusions: In summary, AI systems are described not merely as advanced technologies, but as mechanisms that reinforce and legitimize existing hierarchies, rather than functioning as neutral infrastructures. The study introduces an intersectional power matrix for AI in organizations (Symbol/Role/Governance) and argues for governance that promotes equality, design models that redistribute power beyond training initiatives and ethical guidelines. 

Limitations include a narrow time frame and exclusive focus on policy texts; future research should therefore combine discourse analysis with ethnographic and quasi experimental approaches within workplace practices. Furthermore, future research should examine the phenomenon in additional communicative contexts, particularly within media communication, such as news reporting and other forms of public information dissemination. 

The development of technology has continued at a rapid pace, which has made it possible for companies to use online marketing methods to capture consumers' attention. Today's digital society and the high degree of online shopping have in turn meant that consumers are daily flooded with marketing in its various forms. One such strategy that is widely used and appears regularly is scarcity marketing. This study aims to create an understanding of how consumers experience that scarcity marketing online affects their purchasing behaviour. 

The purpose of the study thus has created space for a qualitative research approach where semi-structured interviews were the method chosen in the survey. The interviews were in turn conducted with 10 respondents, who belong to generation Z and have experience of online shopping in the fast fashion industry.

The results from the study show that experiences of scarcity marketing and its impact on purchasing behaviour can be viewed from different perspectives. In part, the results show that consumers can experience time pressure and stress when exposed to scarcity marketing. These people believe that the emotions evoked and the rational limitation that they also highlight, lead to impulse purchases. According to some of these respondents, these impulse purchases can in turn give rise to regret afterwards, while some of the respondents highlight the right of the return as an ulterior motive in the decision-making process. In part, the results show that online scarcity marketing is not perceived to have an impact on purchasing behaviour among consumers as the marketing method is seen through and as a sales ploy. In addition, it is stated that scepticism also prevails towards scarcity marketing among some of these people.

The study thus contributes to the increased awareness among consumers about how online scarcity marketing affects their purchasing behaviour, as well as providing a consumer perspective that may be of relevance to companies. The study also paves the way for future research on the subject. 

This thesis considers the role of the chapter on religion in the Phenomenology of Spirit. I find there to be a lack in the contemporary reading of Hegel in so far as those who show fidelity to Hegel as a thinker of universality do not give sufficient attention to his writings on religion, while those who closely read Hegel’s writings on religion want to lessen the extent to which he is understood as a universal thinker. By reading this chapter in conjunction with the preceding on spirit and the following and final on absolute knowing, this thesis explores the necessity of spirit passing into religion and religion into absolute knowing. By locating the decisive role of alienation (Entäußerung) in Hegels understanding of religion, this paper argues that the structure of alienation found in religion is the structure constitutive of thought itself. It is the necessity of alienation inherent to the act of forgiveness that sees spirit pass into religion, and it is the truth of alienation when God becomes human and dies that sees religion pass into absolute knowing. The internal split of God is introduced implicitly by religious thought itself as it demands both an irreducible God of the beyond and an appearing God of its devotion. In the practice of the religious community God appears as that which cannot appear. What appears in the appearance of God is therefore precisely the nothingness of appearance. The conclusion of this thesis is that the religious fidelity to a sacred nothingness is a pictorial representation of the universal structure of thought itself. 

Det håller på att formeras en ny strömning i svensk litteraturdidaktik som utmanar synen på svenska som erfarenhetspedagogiskt demokratiämne. Inspirerade av Gert Biesta kritiserar allt fler litteraturdidaktiker en svenskundervisning som försöker säkra demokratiska medborgare, där skönlitteraturen ofta fått rollen som förmedlare av skolans värdegrund. Istället betonar de skönlitteraturens radikala obestämbarhet, att vi i konsten söker det vi ännu inte vet, och förespråkar en litteraturundervisning som tar sig an skolans demokratiuppdrag genom att främmandegöra, störa och öppna etablerade värden. I den här texten presenterar jag denna nya tendens, diskuterar dess relation till erfarenhetspedagogiken, samt ställer några kritiska men genuina frågor kring vad som står på spel för litteraturdidaktiken framåt. Praktiska frågor om tolkningsarbete i klassrummet, teoretiska frågor om spänningen mellan socialisation och subjektifiering, och ödesfrågor om riskerna med värdelös litteraturundervisning i tider av demokratisk kris.

I dagens samhälle har hållbarheten fått en allt större betydelse, vilket blir påtagligt genom FN:s Agenda 2030. För att uppnå hållbar utveckling lyfts idrotten fram. Inom idrottsrörelsen är det däremot en dimension som ofta hamnat i skymundan och blivit bortprioriterad, nämligen den ekologiska hållbarheten. Idrottens ekologiska fotavtryck är betydande och arrangerandet av stora idrottsevenemang bidrar till utsläpp genom både transporter, konsumtion, och avfall. Om idrottseventssektorn inte tar sitt individuella ansvar, kan det påverka både utövandet, samhället, och världen i stort. Tillsammans med resonemang om organisationers utpräglade tendenser att kommunicera en ideal bild av sig själva som inte överensstämmer med verkligheten, skapas det motiv att ifrågasätta hur genuint idrottens ekologiska hållbarhetsarbete egentligen är. Studiens syfte handlar således om att skapa förstå kring hur idrottseventsorganisationers ekologiska hållbarhetsmarknadsföring förehåller sig till det faktiskt agerande, och forskningsfrågan lyder:

”Hur marknadsför idrottsevenemangsorganisationer sitt ekologiska hållbarhetsarbete och hur förhåller sig denna marknadsföring gentemot deras faktiska agerande?”

I studien har en kvalitativ forskningsansats använts där empirin består av både textanalyser och semistrukturerade intervjuer. För att besvara forskningsfrågan har vi jämfört två organisationers externa kommunikation med deras faktiska agerande för att kunna avgöra om det förekommer diskrepans. Studiens teoretiska ramverk är konstruerat utifrån Aktiv Domineringsstil och Aktiv Anpassningsstil, den Ny-Institutionella Teorin, Varumärkesidentitet, samt Legitimitetsteorin.  

Resultatet visar att båda idrottseventsorganisationernas ekologiska hållbarhetskommunikation, i stor utsträckning överensstämmer med hur arbetet faktiskt bedrivs. Utifrån de tre teman som berörts, förefaller en tydlig samstämmighet i majoriteten av fallen. Studien påvisar även tydliga tecken på att organisationerna vid tillfällen arbetar mer omfattande med vissa hållbarhetsfrågor än vad som synliggörs externt, vilket antyder på en positiv diskrepans. Samtidigt identifierades ett fall där sambandet mellan kommunikation och det praktiska arbetet framstår som otydligt, och därmed tecken på en negativ diskrepans. Resultatet antyder även att ekologisk hållbarhet inte alltid används aktivt i organisationernas marknadsföring, trots att intervjuerna påvisar flera konkreta insatser. Till sist pekar studien på att hållbarhetsarbetet formas av flera olika faktorer, däribland kärnidentitet, ekologiskt förhållningsätt, omvärldens påverkan och legitimitetsträvan.

Studien undersöker hur sensoriska stimuli i form av ljud och doft relaterar till konsumenters upplevelse och köpintention i butiksmiljöer där visuella signaler inte är tillgängliga. Tidigare forskning visar att multisensoriska upplevelser bidrar till konsumenters känslor och beteende, men det finns en kunskapslucka kring hur enskilda sinnen fungerar när synen utesluts. Mot denna bakgrund syftar studien till att skapa förståelse för hur konsumenter upplever ljud och doft, samt hur dessa upplevelser relaterar till emotionell respons och köpintention.

Den teoretiska utgångspunkten bygger på S-O-R modellen, där ljud och doft utgör stimuli, den emotionella responsen representerar organismen och köpintention utgör responsen. Modellen kompletteras med teorier som Multi-sensory marketing, som förklarar hur flera sinnen samverkar i en upplevelse, samt Affect Theory, som belyser känslornas roll i beslutsfattande. 

Studien genomförs med en kvalitativ forskningsansats och har en explorativ samt jämförande forskningsdesign i form av en fältstudie. Datainsamlingen sker genom triangulering, där både observationer och semistrukturerade intervjuer används. Totalt deltog 14 respondenter som exponerats för två olika butiksmiljöer. För att isolera ljud och doft uteslöts det visuella sinnet genom att respondenterna bar ögonbindel under observationen.

Resultatet visar att ljud och doft har en tydlig relation till konsumenters emotionella upplevelse av butiksmiljön. Miljöer med lågt ljudstimuli och tydlig doft upplevs som lugna och främjar ett utforskande beteende, medan högt ljudstimuli och otydliga dofter skapar stress och ett undvikande beteende. Frånvaron av syn förstärker dessutom ljud och doft, vilket visar hur sinnen samverkar och påverkas av kontext. Vidare framkommer att samspelet mellan ljud och doft är avgörande för hur butiksmiljön upplevs. När dessa sinnesintryck upplevs som samordnade skapas en positiv helhetsupplevelse, medan bristande samspel kan leda till en negativ upplevelse. 

Slutsatsen är att ljud och doft spelar en central roll i hur butiksmiljöer upplevs. Studien bidrar till en ökad förståelse för hur enskilda sinnen upplevs av konsumenter i en multisensorisk kontext.

En vetenskaplig essä ger en möjlighet till att reflektera över en situation. En händelse som utspelar sig på min arbetsplats, en intensivvårdsavdelning, som rör mitt yrkeskunnande.

Berättelsen handlar om en kväll på intensivvårdsavdelningen när jag och läkaren jag arbetar med har olika åsikter om hur djup patienten ska vara sederad. Läkaren grundar sitt ställningstagande i forskning och evidens. Jag grundar mitt ställningstagande i det jag ser hos patienten, att jag upplever honom obekväm och föreslår åtgärder baserade på vad som fungerat tidigare. Min erfarenhet, yrkeskunnande, får styra mina förslag av åtgärder.

De frågor som essän försöker besvara handlar om vetenskap och beprövad erfarenhet, om hur de förhåller sig till varandra. Hur ser yrkesansvaret ut för läkare och intensivvårdssjuksköterskor? Kan man genom en berättelse likt denna belysa yrkeskunnande?

Reflektionen tar stöd i filosofers olika teorier där Aristoteles kunskapsbegrepp, och då framför allt episteme och fronesis, blir centrala. Därutöver används bland annat Molanders (1997) Arbetets kunskapsteori som stöd i reflektionerna om yrkeskunnande. Att använda olika filosofers begrepp och tankar i reflektioner öppnar upp för annat tänkande och en djupare reflektion av det skeendet som är ens kliniska vardag.

Naturvetenskap är ett kunskapsideal i dag. Naturvetenskap kan inte säga något om hur vi ska agera. Där behöver vi använda vårt yrkeskunnande och fronesis är den kunskapsform som bäst kan användas för att lösa en enskild situation.  

Kenya is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, making environmental journalism a vital tool for survival. This study explores the safety and working conditions of Kenyan environmental journalists through a broad perspective, moving beyond physical threats to include digital, financial, and psychological dimensions.The aim is to identify the structural challenges facing these journalists and how these obstacles shape their reporting, as well as the way they understand their professional roles. Based on ten qualitative interviews with Kenyan environmental journalists, the study is theoretically grounded in concepts such as precarious labor, journalism culture, and market censorship.The findings reveal eight interconnected challenges:

1. Physical safety: Journalists face threats and surveillance when reporting on sensitive issues.
2. Linguistic barriers: A lexical gap makes it hard to translate scientific terms into local languages.
3. Technical complexity: A lack of science training makes it difficult to explain climate data.
4. Material precarity: Financial insecurity and low pay create constant stress for reporters.
5. Market censorship: Powerful advertisers influence what stories get published.
6. Narrative choices: Journalists are shifting toward solutions journalism to keep the audience engaged.
7. Source accessibility: It is often difficult to get information due to slow and complicated systems.
8. Institutional neglect: A lack of support from newsroom management leaves journalists feeling isolated.

The study concludes that these challenges are systemic rather than individual. Financial instability increases the risk of corruption, while linguistic and technical gaps detach climate issues from the daily lives of local people. Ultimately, the climate crisis in Kenyan journalism is an economic and political struggle, where structural insecurity threatens the spread of essential climate information.

Early childhood educators have a significant influence on how children are affected, both positively and negatively, through the norms conveyed in their work. These norms can shape children’s perceptions of themselves and others. Our previous experiences from professional internships and field-based training indicate that work with norms varies both in terms of pedagogical approaches and organizational conditions.

The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate how educators describe their strategies for addressing stereotypical norms in preschool and how they perceive their ability to work systematically with these issues. The study is based on interviews with four preschool teachers and two childcare workers working in the Stockholm area. The collected data was analyzed with reference to previous research and theoretical concepts such as norm criticism, intersectionality, and compensatory work.The results show that educators use language strategies and work with the environment and materials to counteract stereotypical norms. At the same time, the understanding of norms varies, with gender receiving the most attention while other perspectives are often overlooked. This work takes place primarily at the individual level and lacks common guidelines, and it is not prioritized at the organizational level despite an expressed desire for professional development.

Denna uppsats ämnar att undersöka och jämföra nyhetsrapporteringens gestaltning kring Charlie Kirks mord från svenska och amerikanska nyhetsmedier med olika politiska inriktningar. Frågeställningarna utgår från hur Charlie Kirks mord gestaltas i svenska jämfört med amerikanska medier, samt vänstermedier jämfört med högermedier. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten är politisk medialisering och gestaltningsteorin, och dagordningsteorin. Metoden är jämförande kvantitativ innehållsanalys av 200 nyhetsartiklar, med 50 stycken från respektive medium. Resultatet visar att den mest förekommande aktören var skytten Tyler Robinson, “annan” aktör eller Charlie Kirk för alla medier. Den mest förekommande gestaltningen var episodisk för amerikanska medier och sakfrågegestaltning för svenska medier. Det mest förekommande temat var social och medial respons för alla medier och mordet som fall för svenska medier. Inga uppenbara skillnader framträdde mellan tidningar med olika politisk färg. Slutsatsen som dras är att de svenska medierna konstruerar gestaltningen om mordet på Charlie Kirk mer som en nyhetshändelse än de amerikanska medierna. I USA konstruerar medierna sin rapportering om Kirk mer som en social, medial och politisk händelse. Därpå leder mediernas politiska tillhörighet inte till stora skillnader i rapporteringen. Faktorer som land, mediesystem och journalistiskt format verkar vara viktigare för gestaltningen.

Denna studie utgår från ett återkommande mönster i förskolans praktik där flickors svårigheter ofta förstås som personlighetsdrag, medan pojkars beteenden i högre grad kopplas till socialt konstruerade svårigheter eller diagnoser. Studien syftar till att undersöka hur genus påverkar förskollärares uppmärksammande och tolkningar av flickor med svagt uttryckta stödbehov i förskolan, samt vilka normer och föreställningar som formar dessa förståelser.

Med en kvalitativ ansats och semistrukturerade intervjuer analyserades hur förskollärare tolkar vardagliga situationer samt hur dessa tolkningar påverkar vilka barn som uppfattas som i behov av särskilt stöd. Studien vilar på ett socialkonstruktivistiskt perspektiv där genus ses som något som görs i interaktion, vilket möjliggör en analys av hur kategoriseringar och tolkningar produceras snarare än att fastställa vad som är sant eller falskt.

Resultatet visar hur genusnormer och föreställningar om kompetens samspelar i förskollärares resonemang, och hur detta kan påverka flickors möjligheter att uppmärksammas och få stöd i tid. Studien bidrar med kunskap om de ofta osynliga processer som formar bedömningar i förskolan och lyfter behovet av ökad normmedvetenhet för att stärka likvärdighet och barns rätt till stöd.

Wildfires are intensifying globally, demanding interdisciplinary approaches that integrate both the ecological and social dimensions of fire research. This thesis addressed this need through a holistic framework that examines wildfire impacts and post-fire recovery in Greece, a region highly prone to recurrent wildfires. The aim was to advance understanding of post-fire response, vegetation recovery and restoration, and wildfire risk through an Integrated Fire Management lens, using socio-ecological and geospatial perspectives.

Stakeholder views on post-fire management were explored through Q-methodology that combines qualitative and quantitative techniques to examine subjectivity. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 22 participants involved in wildfire management spanning 10 affiliations were conducted. From these interviews, 376 statements were extracted, of which 44 were selected for a Q study. Six distinct discourses were identified: Statist, Abstainer, Beneficiary, Pragmatist, Revolutionary, and Contextualist, revealing contrasting but complementary perspectives and highlighting communication gaps between institutions and actors. Conducted interviews were used to develop a framework for prioritizing areas for post-fire restoration combining stakeholder input with geospatial analysis. Areas covering 77 km² were selected for restoration depending on the fire history, slope, and designation as part of the protected areas. Three locations with a total area of 31 km² were highlighted as potentially needing special attention.

Post-fire vegetation recovery was examined using spatial analysis, statistical methods, and machine learning. Satellite data from MODIS and Landsat over 2013–2025 were analysed through a chrono-sequence approach employing NDVI, EVI, and dNBR vegetation indices. Random Forest algorithm was applied for downscaling climate parameters. By combining spectral indices, topographic variables, and climate data, predictive Generalized Additive Mixed Models were developed to evaluate regeneration patterns in fire-prone areas. Results indicated that recovery correlates positively with precipitation and evapotranspiration and negatively with temperature and elevation. A related research direction emerged around the issue of power line ignitions as a wildfire source. Analysis of official data from the Hellenic Fire Service and records from WWF Greece, media sources and volunteers, along with application of Sentinel-2 satellite imagery for validating fire scars revealed systemic data limitations and proved that a total of 237 km² of burned area of selected case studies from 2018 to 2025 were directly linked to electrical causes.

The findings showed the need for developing comprehensive mixed-method approaches and the necessity for improved transparency and infrastructure maintenance to mitigate wildfire risks. Interdisciplinary design and the outcomes of this thesis contribute to the evolving field of Integrated Fire Management by comprehensive understanding of wildfire dynamics and offering evidence-based insights to guide more adaptive and inclusive wildfire governance in the Mediterranean.

Denna studie undersöker hur svenska och amerikanska medier gestaltade den amerikanske rapparen ASAP Rocky (Rakim Mayers) i samband med hans gripande, anhållande och häktning i Stockholm sommaren 2019. Syftet är att analysera skillnader i hur de två medierna från de olika mediesystemen rapporterar om en misstänkt internationell kändis, med fokus på namngivning, bildval, språklig gestaltning samt röst och perspektiv i texten. 

Genom en kvalitativ textanalys med utgångspunkt i gestaltningsteori (framing) analyseras tio nyhetsartiklar från Aftonbladet och CNN, publicerade under perioden 3–25 juli 2019. Resultaten visar att Aftonbladet tillämpar en brottsgestaltning: fokus ligger på våldshandlingarna, en förändring sker i identifieringsramen genom skuldindikerande språkval, och bildvalet utgörs av ett laddat bildval som förstärker brottsramen. CNN tillämpar däremot en kändisgestaltning: artistens perspektiv dominerar, formuleringar som 'anklagad för' och 'hävdas' används konsekvent, och bilderna hämtas från röda mattan med ett fredstecken. Skillnaderna förklaras utifrån nationella medietraditioner, globala medielogiker och gestaltningsteoretiska mekanismer. 

The aim of this study is to examine which political areas are considered important when voting in Swedish elections and whether these priorities differ between women and men. The analysis is based on exit poll data from Swedish elections between 1998 and 2022. Using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), the study explores differences in the importance of political areas and whether these differences can illustrate the growing gender gap in party choice. The theoretical framework draws on Inglehart and Norris’ Developmental Theory of the Gender Gap, political sociology, and previous research on women’s voting behaviour by Oskarson and Wängnerud. The results show that women consistently rate education, healthcare, environmental policy, and gender equality as more important than men. Energy policy illustrates a growing gender gap, with no significant differences until 2022, the year with the largest divergence in voting behaviour. An unexpected finding is that women consider economic policy more important than men. Overall, some differences in the importance of political areas between women and men are increasing, others are decreasing or stable. While differences in priorities alone do not fully illustrate the gender gap, specific policy areas clearly contribute to it.

Denna studie undersöker hur USA:s president Donald Trump gestaltades i svensk press i samband med de rättsliga processer och åtal som väcktes mot honom 2023. Genom en jämförande kvantitativ innehållsanalys av totalt 200 artiklar från Aftonbladet och Dagens Nyheter analyseras vilka genrer, huvudfokus och gestaltningar som dominerat rapporteringen. Studien tar sin teoretiska utgångspunkt i gestaltningsteori, med särskilt fokus på sak-, spel- och systemkritisk gestaltning, såväl som teorier om medielogik och professionella objektivitetsideal.

Resultaten visar att spelgestaltning var den mest förekommande inramningen i det samlade materialet, där politisk dramatik regelbundet gavs företräde framför juridisk substans. En tydlig dikotomi framträdde mellan tidningstyperna: Aftonbladet uppvisar en medielogik präglad av personfokus och politiskt spel, medan Dagens Nyheter i högre grad tillämpar en sakorienterad rapportering med fokus på de institutionella och juridiska processerna. Sammanfattningsvis belyser studien hur val av medieplattform och tidningstyp avgör vilken typ av information medborgaren får ta del av i relation till komplexa rättsliga frågor.

Konstnärer och kulturinstitutioner är bland de första måltavlorna när fascistiska krafter manifesteras. Påståendet att historien upprepar sig, används inte sällan om fascismens utbredning i vår tid. Aktuell forskning inom fältet antifascistiska studier visar emellertid att det inte räcker att fokusera på fascismens och nazismens upprinnelse och spridning i 1920–40-talets Europa för att navigera i samtiden. För att bredda förståelsen för vad som bidrar till fascismens utveckling och vad som kan fungera som motståndshandlingar är det nödvändigt att se bortom de omedelbara analogierna.

Den här antologin fokuserar på antifascistiskt motstånd inom konst, litteratur och dramatik i Östersjöregionen under 1900-talets första hälft, ett hittills sparsamt studerat område. Genom att analysera och problematisera motståndshandlingarna, liksom dessas förmåga att sätta vår samtid i perspektiv, hamnar det antifascistiska motståndets då, nu och framtid i blickfånget.

In this scientific essay, I investigate whether being an artist is a profession and whether it suits us artists to be entrepreneurs or whether it could work just as well or better to organize our artistic work as an amateur. Using my own experiences and supported by Pierre Bourdieu's theories about the artistic field, I describe how the structure around the professional artist functions, in practice and in theory. I analyze how the idea of an entrepreneur has been formulated in one way by Joseph Schumpeter and used in another way within contemporary cultural policy action plans. I connect the knowledge an artist has about and through their own work with the concept of knowledge that Édouard Glissant calls The Imaginary. Supported by the imaginary, and against the background of Bourdieu's structuralist theory, I suggest that an artist should be able to reformulate their situation so that we could either act as amateurs or genuine Schumpeterian entrepreneurs, or a combination of the two. 

Värdnationerna för fotbolls-VM 2018 respektive 2022 fick stor medial uppmärksamhet på grund av deras brister inom bland annat mänskliga rättigheter. Studien syftar till att undersöka vilket utrymme de kritiska frågorna fick i svenska sportjournalistisk media samt hur värdnationerna gestaltades. Vidare kommer studien undersöka vilken yrkesmässig avvägning sportjournalister gör mellan saklig rapportering om fotboll och kritiska frågor om och kring sporten. För att förstå detta tar studien hjälp av dagordningsteorin, gestaltningsteorin och metajournalistisk diskursteori som fungerar som stöd till undersökningens kvantitativa innehållsanalys och dess semistrukturerade intervjuer.  

Studiens resultat visar att det fanns skillnader i rapporteringen om VM i Ryssland 2018 mot VM i Qatar 2022. Saklig sportrapportering tog en större del av utrymmet under mästerskapet i Ryssland, medan frågor om mänskliga rättigheter och sportswashing i större utsträckning präglade den svenska sportjournalistiska bevakningen av fotbolls-VM i Qatar. Studien visar även på att det fördes redaktionella diskussioner om hur värdnationerna skulle bevakas och gestaltas, men att det samtidigt inte fanns några redaktionella policyer att förhålla sig till. 

The purpose of this study is to examine students’ perceptions of teachers’ participation in play in school age educare. The study is based on a sociology of childhood perspective focusing on children’s perspectives, where students’ experiences and expressions are emphasized. Data was collected through interviews in the form of Socratic dialogues and questionnaires, enabling both in-depth and broader analyses. The results show that students’ need for adult participation varies depending on the situation. Three roles were identified: the “rule enforcer,” the “nurse”, and the “friend”. The rule enforcer maintains rules and prevents exclusion, the nurse provides safety and support, and the friend participates in a playful, relationship-building way. However, students stress that adult participation should not take over or limit their play. Students mainly request adult presence as support rather than active participation. At the same time, the students emerge as competent actors capable of organizing and negotiating their own play, understood through relative autonomy. While independent, they still need support in situations such as conflicts, exclusion, or injuries. Students can also be seen as complex biosocial hybrids, whose actions and needs are shaped through biological, social, and contextual factors, making them dynamic and situational actors.

 Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur några unga svenska kvinnor i 25-årsåldern resonerar kring kroppsideal på sociala medieplattformar. Utifrån syftet behandlar studien följande frågeställningar: (1) Hur har plattformens kontext betydelse för om unga kvinnor resonerar kring kroppsideal på sociala medieplattformar som skadligt eller inte? (2) Hur kan unga kvinnors resonemang kring kroppsideal på sociala medieplattformar förstås i relation till den egna kontexten? (3) Hur kan unga kvinnors resonemang kring kroppsideal på sociala medieplattformar förstås i relation till social jämförelse? Uppsatsen utgår från Hirdmans (1998) teori om tysta kroppar samt Halls (1980/2003) teori om encoding decoding. Studien är baserad på en kvalitativ metod där djupintervjuer har genomförts med fyra svenska kvinnor i 25-årsåldern. Utifrån det empiriska materialet har tre betydelsefulla slutsatser identifierats. För det första framgår det att plattformens kontext spelar en betydande roll för hur deltagarna resonerar kring kroppsideal som skadligt eller inte, detta baseras på den specifika plattformen, typen av innehåll och hur kroppen i innehållet kontextualiseras. För det andra framstår relationen mellan kroppsideal och den egna kontexten som avgörande för hur deltagarna resonerar kring kroppsideal, vilket grundar sig i deltagarnas känslor, deras relation till den egna bekantskapskretsen samt strategier för att förhålla sig distanserade. För det tredje framgår det att social jämförelse utgör en central faktor för hur deltagarna resonerar kring kroppsideal, något som tar sig uttryck genom främst uppåtriktad jämförelse, i viss mån nedåtriktad jämförelse samt att deltagarna anpassar sitt eget innehåll efter samtida kroppsideal för att passa in på sociala medieplattformar. Sammantaget besvaras syftet genom att belysa hur deltagarnas resonemang präglas av en samverkan mellan plattformens kontext, den egna kontexten och social jämförelse, där de två förstnämnda skapar förutsättningar för social jämförelse. 

Denna studie syftar till att undersöka hur unga svenska kvinnor förhåller sig till TikTok i sin vardag, med särskilt fokus på om, och i sådana fall hur, deltagande och digital disconnection kan samexistera inom vardagliga mediepraktiker. Studien utgår från följande forskningsfrågor: (1) Hur förhåller sig unga kvinnor till TikTok i vardagen, med avseende på hur deltagande och digital disconnection samexisterar i deras användning av plattformen? (2) Vilka handlingar använder de för att balansera mellan deltagande i och digital disconnection från TikTok? Den teoretiska utgångspunkten i denna studie utgörs av mediepraktiker (Couldry, 2004; 2012) i kombination med digital disconnection (Parry et al., 2025), där en analytisk modell belyser hur handlingar och upplevelser kan forma ett engagemang. Genom semistrukturerade intervjuer och mediedagböcker med fyra unga kvinnor i åldrarna 23-28 år samlades det empiriska materialet in, där resultaten visar att deltagande och digital disconnection samexisterar inom vardagliga mediepraktiker. Användningen av TikTok är djupt integrerad i deltagarnas vardag och motiveras av underhållning, inspiration, social interaktion och belöning. Samtidigt är de medvetna om de negativa effekterna, vilket visas i upplevelser av bland annat skuld eller överstimulans. Deltagarna använder mindre justeringar, såsom notisinställningar och tidsbegränsningar, för att skapa distans samtidigt som plattformen fortsätter integreras i vardagen. Digital disconnection framträder därmed praktiskt genom dessa handlingar, men även symboliskt i form av digital distansering, där reflektion över hur användningen borde se ut fungerar som ett sätt för deltagarna att skapa distans. Den analytiska modellen för handlingar, upplevelser och engagemang visar hur engagemang kan förstås som ett stabilt men förhandlingsbart förhållningssätt. Sammantaget bidrar studien med en nyanserad förståelse av unga svenska kvinnors användning av TikTok och visar hur deltagande och digital disconnection samexisterar inom vardagliga mediepraktiker.

Digitalization has fundamentally changed how e-commerce is conducted and how consumers make purchases, where digital payment solutions today constitute a central part of the purchasing process. In the fashion industry, which is characterized by fast trends and emotionally driven purchasing decisions, the development towards frictionless payments has created new conditions for impulse purchases, especially in relation to young women aged 18-35. At the same time, the introduction of these technical systems requires internal adjustments to the structures, resources and decision-making processes of businesses. Despite this, previous research has mainly focused on the consumer perspective, while the internal conditions of smaller e-commerce businesses and in relation to digital payment solutions have received limited attention.

The purpose of the study is to increase understanding of how organizational aspects shape the introduction and use of digital payment solutions by smaller e-commerce businesses in the fashion industry, as well as how the owner's own experiences affect these processes. In addition, how the businesses assess that these solutions relate to impulse purchases among young women. To enable a deeper understanding of these processes, a qualitative approach has been applied, based on semi-structured in-depth interviews with representatives from smaller fashion-oriented e-commerce businesses. The study is based on a combination of Diffusion of Innovations, digital transformation and the TOE (Technology–Organization–Environment) framework, which enables a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between technology, organization and the external world.

The results show that organizational aspects such as technical competence, internal work processes and strategic priorities are of crucial importance for how digital payment solutions are introduced and used in practice. Digital payments are perceived to contribute to a more frictionless shopping experience for consumers, which according to the owners can simplify the purchasing process and thereby increase the tendency to make impulse purchases. The study shows that the business’s priorities are mainly driven by structural and technical considerations, which means that impulse purchases are not a central goal or a driving factor in the decision-making processes when choosing a payment solution. The focus is instead on functionality, efficiency and long-term internal needs. At the same time, it appears that limited resources, dependence on external payment providers and external industry requirements affect the ability of smaller players to fully control and adapt the choice of payment solutions.

Introduction: In recent years, small businesses in Sweden have operated in an economic environment characterized by rising inflation, increasing costs and growing geopolitical uncertainty. These developments have affected firms’ financial conditions and raised questionsabout how small business owners make financial decisions under uncertain economic circumstances.Aim: The purpose of this study is to analyze how small business owners in Sweden make and reassess financial decisions regarding investments, financing and liquidity during periods of economic uncertainty.Theory: The study draws on research on small business financing and the Pecking Order Theory. In addition, literature on decision-making in owner-managed firms is used to understand how experience, risk perception and uncertainty influence financial priorities.Method: The study applies a qualitative research design based on eight semi-structured interviews with small business owners operating in restaurants, retail and service sectors. The empirical material was analyzed through thematic analysis focusing on how respondents describe financial priorities and strategic adaptations in uncertain economic conditions.Findings: The findings show that small business owners primarily prioritize liquidity, cost control and financial flexibility during periods of economic uncertainty. Investments and expansion plans are often postponed in favor of measures that strengthen short-term financial stability. Conclusion: The study shows that financial decisions evolve gradually over time as new uncertainties emerge. While the Pecking Order Theory partly explains the observed financing preferences, the results indicate that financial decisions are strongly shaped by the entrepreneur’s experience, risk perception and need for control.Keywords: Small business owners; inflation; geopolitical risk; financing decisions; liquidity; Pecking Order Theory

Abstract 

Denna studie undersöker svensk och spansk dagspressrapportering om Global Sumud Flotillas humanitära expedition till Gaza under hösten 2025. En kvantitativ innehållsanalys av artiklar från tidningarna Dagens Nyheter och El País studerar bevakningens omfattning och grad av domesticering, följt av en kvalitativ diskursanalys som tittar närmare på tidningarnas användning av diskursiva strategier och domesticering samt synliggör kopplingar mellan mediala och politiska intressen. Resultatet visar att El País framställer flottiljen som en större inhemsk angelägenhet, genom omfattande bevakning och hög grad av domesticering. Samtidigt tar tidningen öppen ställning med kritik mot Israel och stöd till flottiljen. Dagens Nyheter behåller en mer objektiv inställning, men är sparsam i sin rapportering och tar tydligt avstånd till expeditionen, dess budskap och inhemska aktörer. Båda tidningarnas bevakning kan ses återspegla ländernas olika mediesystem och politiska positioner i den eskalerade Israel-Palestinakonflikten som ligger till grund för Global Sumud Flotillas resa. Studiens bekräftar att internationella företeelser ges inhemsk mening genom domesticering, samt ideologisk mening genom diskursiva strategier som tenderar att reproducera hegemonisk makt.

Memories In the Hands of Photographers – A Study of Artistic Practices in Swedish and International Photobooks

This master thesis is a study of artistic practices that photographers use to narrate and visualize memories. As a conclusion of the thesis, I claim that the studied practices have identifiable characteristics that are possible to group and describe in generic terms, i.e. the descriptions are not based on specific artists or pieces of art. By providing generic descriptions, I argue that the outcome of the study can be used when analysing similar material by other photographers.

The studied material consists of Swedish and international artistic photobooks that in different ways are centred around memories. All in all, I analyse fourteen photobooks by eleven artists. Apart from the images, I also study texts that are related to the material, e.g. essays that are included in the photobooks or artist interviews that come from external sources.

As a theoretical framework for the thesis, I refer to a broad range of literature related to memory studies, and I discuss concepts such as individual memory, collective memory, cultural memory and postmemory. The approach is interdisciplinary, and, apart from art history, I refer to scholarly material from subjects such as psychology, history, and ethnography.

Furthermore, in the summary, I discuss how photography in relation to memory studies might evolve based on contemporary concepts such as the Anthropocene and deep time.

The English language plays a crucial role in Swedish society, with widespread exposure through channels such as media, education and work. Despite this widespread exposure, generational differences in English pronunciation among Swedish speakers seem to be noticeable. This study explores how the two English phonemes /tʃ/ and /θ/, which are known to be challenging for Swedish speakers, are pronounced across different generations. The present study is supported by the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH), which suggests that there is a critical time period for a person to learn a new language with native proficiency (Siahaan, 2022, p.40) The study consisted of recorded interviews with fourteen Swedish participants to investigate pronunciation differences across generations. The paper also considers individual differences such as traveling, education, and exposure to English content. The interviews were analyzed both in a quantitative way, by measuring pronunciation accuracy, and in a qualitative way, by comparing the quantitative results with individual background data.  The findings in this study display generational differences in the pronunciation of the target phoneme /tʃ/, where the younger group demonstrated higher pronunciation accuracy. In contrast, no clear generational differences were shown in the pronunciation for the phoneme /θ/. The results indicate that individual factors, particularly the amount of exposure to English content, are more likely to affect pronunciation accuracy than travel or education. The amount of English exposure may be related to age, with younger people being exposed to English to a greater degree than older people, especially during the critical period. Overall, this study contributes to a wider understanding of variations in English pronunciation among Swedish speakers. Furthermore, the study takes into consideration how factors such as age, traveling, education, and media exposure affect these variations. 

The aim of this study was to investigate how students in grades 2–3 experience participation in free play on the school playground within after-school care. To answer the purpose, the study was based on the following questions: How do students experience participation in free play? What do students describe as important for being included in a social community on the playground? The empirical study was conducted at one school where interviews and observations were used as methods. Five students participated in semi-structured interviews, and observations were carried out on the playground to examine how participation and inclusion are expressed in practice. The analysis was conducted using a sociocultural perspective, relational pedagogy, and peer culture theory. 

The study shows that participation is shaped through social relationships, communication and negotiation. Students often need to ask to join in play, and the way they ask affects their chances of being included. Playing in established groups can foster a sense of belonging but can also limit other’s participation. Exclusions occur in both direct and indirect forms, the study also shows that adult presence increases participation. Free play places greater responsibility on the students themselves, which can lead to varied outcomes. Overall, the findings highlight that participation is a complex and dynamic process shaped by social interaction, norms, relationships, and the environment.

Abstract

Staff in School-Age Educare and Children’s Participation: Factors for Enabling Everyone to Take Part

This study examines how staff in School-Age Educare describe their work with children’s participation in everyday activities and which factors they describe as significant for all children’s opportunities to participate. Participation is understood as children’s opportunities to express their views, influence activities, and experience belonging. The study is based on a practice-theoretical perspective and thematic analysis of qualitative semi-structured interviews, through the concepts of community of practice, shared repertoire, and legitimate peripheral participation. The findings show that the interviewed leisure-time teachers describe participation as more than physical presence. It involves being listened to, influencing activities, and experiencing a place in the group. Participation is described as being enabled through structured approaches and everyday situations where staff attend to children’s initiatives, needs, and interests. Adult presence, relationship-building, and smaller groups emerge in the informants’ descriptions as enabling factors, while group dynamics, lack of time, and organisational conditions are described as obstacles. The study therefore shows that the interviewed leisure-time teachers understand children’s participation as something shaped in the interaction between children, staff, and the organisational framework of School-Age Educare. Participation is closely linked to inclusion and requires both a conscious pedagogical approach and supportive organisational conditions.

This ethnographic qualitative, interview-based study investigates how residents of Håga,Uppsala, construct a sense of place and why the area is perceived as an attractive place to live.Drawing on Doreen Massey’s theory of place and Hartmut Rosa’s theories of socialacceleration and resonance, the analysis highlights practices related to nature and cultivationas especially meaningful. Parts of Håga can be classified as an ecovillage, and the study alsoexamines how the ecovillage vision and a sustainability initiative for the wider area haveevolved since the 1990s and the extent to which they were realized. The findings indicate thatthe sense of place in Håga is shaped by proximity to nature and by Håga’s position at a rurbaninterface, which can be said to be associated with sustainability. Social relations are groundedprimarily in neighborly acquaintances and coexist with a degree of friction, includingdynamics often described as “not in my backyard” (NIMBY). The attraction to nature andcultivation is interpreted as an expression of a need for resonance and a form of socialcritique. Although environmental awareness among residents is high, many of the area’ssustainability ambitions were not fulfilled, and renters now express concern about possiblerenovictions (evictions following renovations).

This Book of Abstracts accompanies the conference Rhetorical Citizenship and DemocraticEducation in the Baltic Sea Region, held at Södertörn University, Stockholm, in May 2026.The conference brought together researchers, teachers, and other participants interestedin rhetorical citizenship as an educational and civic practice.The conference took as its point of departure the civic potential of rhetoricaleducation: how rhetorical and deliberative competencies are cultivated in classrooms, howthey relate to schools' democratic mission, and how they may contribute to democraticresilience in the Baltic Sea region. Particular attention was given to language education,curriculum, and classroom practice, as well as to public reason and the epistemicconditions of democratic judgement in an age marked by polarization, disinformation, andAI-mediated communication.This volume includes the abstracts of the contributions presented at the conference.Together, they reflect the conference's aim to create an interdisciplinary forum forresearch- and practice-based exchange on rhetorical education, argument literacy,deliberative agency, and civic participation.

Hur vanligt är det att svenskarna protesterar? Vilka metoder använder de och vilka protestfrågor är viktiga för dem? Vilka typer av demonstrationer har de deltagit i – och vilka skulle de kunna tänka sig att delta i? Hur starkt är stödet bland svenskarna för rätten att demonstrera?

I den här forskningsrapporten undersöks hur människor i Sverige protesterat mellan 2022 och 2025 och hur de ser på olika protestmetoder. Rapporten bygger dels på en kartläggning av protester som uppmärksammats i svenska rikstäckande dagstidningar, dels på enkätfrågor som ställts till ett representativt urval av befolkningen. I anslutning till internationell forskning diskuteras både övergripande historiska tendenser och utvecklingen under senare år.

Politiska protester är i dag en etablerad del av den svenska demokratin. Nästan var tredje person har någon gång demonstrerat. Ännu fler är de som aldrig demonstrerat men skulle kunna tänka sig att göra det. Ytterst få motsätter sig den grundlagsstadgade demonstrationsfriheten. Fredliga och konventionella protestformer är kraftigt dominerande, medan våldsamma protester är sällsynta. Samtidigt finns det skillnader i vilka frågor som mobiliserar flest deltagare och vilka sociala och politiska grupper som oftast tar plats på gator och torg.

Rapporten har tagits fram av forskningsplattformen Omstridd demokrati vid Södertörns högskola.

Effectuation is comprehended as a strategy that is used in an uncertain context being explored in co-created opportunities orthe co-creation of markets. In discussions of effectuation asa theoretical model, branding is only briefly touched upon. This article aims to deepen the discussion of effectual branding byshowing how the personas of an entrepreneur can be importantfor sense-making and creating trust in an uncertain setting. Focusing on how the meanings of brands emerge from a network of stakeholders, this article suggests conceptual propositions regarding how the personas of entrepreneurs become important resources in the intertwined processes of co-authoring brandmeanings and co-creating new ventures. A case from the fashionindustry clarifies how these concepts provide insight into entrepreneurial venture processes.

The following study aims to answer two research questions, as it pertains to Kosovo Albanian religiousness. The first question deals with what kinds of life memories Swedish Kosovo Albanians associate with religion. The second question covers what importance religion has currently, for Swedish Kosovo Albanians. The study’s material has been gathered, with the help of three group interviews. Each group interview consists of two respondents from the same family, which have at least a generation gap of one generation between them. The theoretical framework which has been applied in the analyses of this study consists of two theories. The first part of the theoretical framework is Clifford Geertz’s description of systems of symbols, in relation to his theory of “Religion as a Cultural System”. This theory has been used to analyze how various parts of Kosovo Albanian life memories of religion, can be understood as symbols of meaning and therefore constitute an integration of various aspects of religion in the Kosovo Albanian culture. The second part is grounded in Cecilie Endresen’s description of “Albanianism”, which subsequently is expanded upon as a result of my own observations in this study. This theory is primarily used, to better understand and explain why religion might not be as important in constructing the collective Albanian identity. The prevailing factor can instead be understood as the ethnical background, which serves the function of uniting Albanians from numerous religious backgrounds. The conclusions which the study has reached are as follows. That life memories of religion among Swedish Kosovo Albanians correspond to two areas, bajram and activities which correspond with bajram, as well as memories of relative’s religiousness. The study also finds that these life memories in several instances, show signs of an Albanian culture where otherwise religious elements, have been integrated into Albanian culture. The study also concludes that religion today, serves at the most as a foundation for Swedish Kosovo Albanians. This is then also concluded to in part be understood in the confines of “Albanianism”, that Swedish Kosovo Albanians value ethnicity over religion and therefore view religion as less important in relation to their daily life.