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The planetary crisis is a factor with undoubted effects on society. Education in Sweden concerns itself with preparing students for societal life through passing on values and emphasising the need for critical thinking. Many students today engage in environmental activism with the agenda to demand change from governing bodies to mitigate climate change. To understand the process of change, additional information is needed regarding what it means to be human. This text concerns itself with environmental teaching for the EFL-setting. Through focusing on literature, and contributing to an in-depth understanding of the characters, increased awareness about what it means to be human can be achieved. By selecting the short story “Bears Discover Fire,” it is illustrated how such an understanding can be found through fictional works. This paper covers an ecocritical reading focusing on how representation, relationship, and structures detrimental for the climate figure in Terry Bisson’s story. In addition, it argues that a deeper understanding of the characters results from applying the biophilia hypothesis. The findings from the analysis of characters and the representation of nature and relationships are applied to the EFL-setting, providing examples for how teaching can be conducted to promote further activism and strengthen the relationship between students and nature.

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether being with rabbits affected the well-being of the elderly. Well-being was measured using a quantitative questionnaire answered by caregivers in a somatic home for the elderly, which was divided into two groups: an experimental group (n=5) and a control group (n=5). A Wilcoxon Ranked Sign test showed a significant (p=,043) increase in the well-being of the experimental group, after the rabbits had been introduced to the elderly. Salutogenesis was used as a theoretic model for the significant increase in well-being through strengthened general resistance resources and a stronger sense of coherence. The biophilia hypothesis was used as a theoretic model to illustrate how contact with animals, in this case rabbits, can affect human well-being. / Syftet med studien var att undersöka om samvaro med kaniner påverkade äldres välbefinnande. Välbefinnandet mättes med hjälp av en kvantitativ enkät som besvarades av omsorgstagare på ett somatiskt boende för äldre, som delades in i två grupper: en experimentgrupp (n=5) och en kontrollgrupp (n=5). Ett Wilcoxon signed-rank test visade på en signifikant (p=,043) ökning av experimentgruppens välbefinnande, efter att kaninerna hade blivit introducerade på boendet. Salutogenes användes som förklaringsmodell till den signifikanta ökningen av välbefinnandet genom stärkta generella motståndsresurser och en starkare känsla av sammanhang. Biophiliahypotesen användes som förklaringsmodell för att belysa på vilket sätt kontakt med djur, i detta fall kaniner, kan påverka människors välbefinnande.

It has been observed in the past few years that a large number of migrants have arrived in Europe. The number of international students who come to Sweden each year is one of the most overlooked groups of immigrants. The immigrant students are experiencing difficulties in their health and wellbeing due to new country settlement challenges.Therefore, this study examines the relationship between immigrant students and their natural environments, focusing in particular on their wellbeing. In order to achieve this objective, a qualitative study of 11 semi structured interviews are conducted on two south Asian groups of immigrants studying in Gothenburg, Sweden.This study investigates how immigrant students cope with challenges in the host country by utilizing natural places. It also investigates how they can improve their psychological and emotional wellbeing by interacting with nature using biophilia and attention restoration theories.There are three primary domains in which immigrant students can establish meaningful relationships with nature and enhance their holistic wellbeing, according to the findings of this study. First, they can embrace nature by spending time in natural places every day. Second, they can participate in nature-based recreation that strengthens their connection with nature, helps them get ready for the challenges of living in a new country, and makes them feel healthy overall. Third, the bond they build with nature through daily interactions and outdoor recreation can improve their psychological and emotional wellbeing.

Ojämlikhet i hälsa kan bero på flertalet orsaker, exempelvis graden av delaktighet och inflytande i samhället. En grupp som vanligen isoleras från samhället är flyktingar, vars anpassning till det nya landet kan vara påfrestande samtidigt som de drabbas av psykiska, fysiska och sociala svårigheter. Av den anledningen krävs interventioner i syfte att underlätta integrationsprocessen samt skapa förutsättningar för en tillfredsställande och hälsosam tillvaro i det nya samhället. Studiens syfte var att undersöka genomförarnas uppfattningar av arbetet med integrationssatsningen för flyktingpojkar på Salaortens Ryttarförening. En kvalitativ metod användes för att besvara syftet och data samlades in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer där sex personer som arbetat med integrationssatsningen deltog. Insamlad data analyserades genom en manifest kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet visade att integrationssatsningen genererat flertalet positiva effekter gällande flyktingarnas mående. Det upplevdes finnas goda möjligheter kopplade till integration av flyktingar genom hästar och stallmiljö. Dessa möjligheter berörde inte enbart ökade förutsättningar för hälsa hos flyktingar, utan kunde även kopplas till en utveckling hos andra ungdomar och medlemmar i föreningen. Studien tyder på att hästar och stallmiljö torde kunna stödja integrationsprocessen hos flyktingar på liknande sätt som lagsporter, samtidigt som stallets unika miljö bringar ytterligare fördelar i form av exempelvis trygghet och vänskapligt stöd från hästen. / Inequalities in health can be due to several reasons, including the degree of involvement and influence in the society. One group of people commonly isolated from society is refugees, whose adaption to the new country can be stressful. Meanwhile, they often suffer from psychological, physical and social difficulties. Therefore, interventions to facilitate the integration process and creating conditions to a satisfying and healthy life in the new society are required. The purpose of this study was to investigate the implementers perceptions of working with the refugee integration projects implemented by Salaortens Ryttarförening. A qualitative method was used to answer the purpose, and data was collected by the use of six semi structured interviews. The collected data was analyzed with a manifest qualitative content analysis. Results showed that the refugee integration project had generated several positive effects related to the wellbeing of the refugees. It was perceived that good possibilities related to integration could be achieved through interaction with horses and being in a stable. These possibilities did not only affect the refugees through improved health conditions, but also affected the adolescents, and other members of Salaortens Ryttarförening. The study indicates that involvement with horses and the the environment regarding stables should support the integration process regarding refugees, similar to team sports. Meanwhile the unique environment of the stable can bring further benefits like a sense of security and friendly support from the horse.

abstract: ABSTRACT Recent studies indicate that there is a positive influence of nature and nature integrated built environments on human health and wellness in various physical, physiological and social domains. This thesis critically reviews formally and contextually three distinct residential typologies designed by renowned architects Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), Lina Bo Bardi (1914-1992), and Ryue Nishizawa (1966-), in different periods and countries; the United States of America (USA), Brazil and Japan. Yet, the buildings analyzed in the research are relatively connected by means of nature and the natural elements in their constructed essence. This research focuses on the features of the buildings that characterize the Biophilic Design, along with theoretical and practical ideas of the architects behind each building in their own process of formation. The Biophilic Design Framework has been developed out of the Biophilia Hypothesis (Fromm, 1973; Wilson, 1984) which puts forward an explanatory suggestion that human affinity and affiliation with nature are based on genetic and environmental adaptation processes. This research is designed to display how specific natural phenomena apply to the built environment within the Framework of Biophilic Design (Kellert, & Calabrese, 2015) and how the Biophilia Hypothesis translates into the built environment. To accomplish this, two primary and three secondary research questions were developed for the study. The research will provide an understanding of the Biophilia Hypothesis and its impact on the built environment through the evaluation of research variables on the case studies using the ‘twenty-four attributes’ indicated in the ‘three experiences’ of Biophilic Design. These architects’ approaches and the methods applied theoretically and practically to these research sites were unveiled and analyzed through three case studies. A positive correlation regarding the success of the case studies and their Biophilic characteristics is found by analyzing the research sites and critiques from the authorities in written literature. The applicability of the ‘Biophilic Design Framework’ was found and evidenced by the findings from these case studies designed by master architects and located in different climates, regions and contexts. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Architecture 2017

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This study was conducted to determine the change, and the factors influencing the change, in the participant’s affinity for nature resulting from an environmental education experience. In addition, this study also examined the change and factors of change in aspects of the participant’s affinity for nature that directly relate to marine and coastal resources and environments. An adapted version of the Affinity for Nature scale, an outcome measuring instrument used by the American Camp Association was used to collect data from participants (n=529) at Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School and Camp Ocean Pines, whose experience included an overnight component and a marine science component in the curriculum. Comparisons of overall mean scores were used to determine if affinity for nature changed due to participation in the environment education program. Analysis of variance was used to determine which participant characteristic and experiential variables had a significant influence on affinity for nature index scores. Findings indicated that participation in environmental education experience had a positive change on affinity for nature scores. Residence, ethnicity/language, and gender were also found to significantly influence sense of community various affinity for nature index scores.

The importance of stress management is emphasized throughout this study as well as the need to cater stress management programmes to the unique needs of individuals. The possibility of introducing an animal-assisted stress management programme into the work environment is explored by means of a qualitative study in order to test out the feasibility of such an intervention. The positive physical and psychological effects animals have on humans has been extensively researched and reported. Eleven participants were randomly chosen from within the same department by means of purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were held with each participant and thematic analysis was used to analyse the transcribed interviews. Various themes were identified and explored with the most prominent highlighting the need for privacy, respect and connection. Although animals do have positive effects on some employees, there are individual differences that need to be considered. An electronic animal-assisted stress management intervention is recommended. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

This thesis is an exploratory look into the use of mindfulness practice on in-depth nature experiences to determine if the practice has benefit to the participant, their outdoor experience, and overall connectedness with nature. An original research project examined three groups of adolescents from St. Michaels University School Outdoor Education program in Victoria, BC, Canada, as they hiked the Juan de Fuca trail. Two of the three groups undertook a simple mindfulness protocol to explore the outcomes. Based on participant-observation and interviews, mindfulness practice was determined to be a useful practice towards alleviating stress and anxiety associated with aspects of in-depth outdoor experiences, such as morning preparations. Participants who practiced mindfulness on the trip asked fewer questions about the future and remained present more often than those who did not practice mindfulness. A further finding was that there are aspects of mindfulness inherent in in-depth nature experiences, such as sitting around a fire. These inherent mindfulness moments should be encouraged as they provide benefit to trip experiences, and potentially towards greater connectedness with nature. Overall, this qualitative study suggests that mindfulness is a useful tool for the benefit of human well-being and nature connection. However, more research is needed to further identify the magnitude and mechanisms of the benefit. / Graduate