ABSTRACT: Background: The United Nations states that "prisoners should enjoy the same standards of health care that are available in the community." However, persons in custody continue to face barriers to care worldwide. The health of persons in federal custody in Canada is governed by the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), which states that Correctional Services Canada is responsible for the provision of "essential health care" to all inmates. In the absence of concrete definition, these "essential" services provided in Canadian federal prisons often fall below standard. More research is needed into how "health care" is represented as a problem in Canada's federal prisons, and the impact on the incarcerated population. Methodology: Carol Bacchi's "What's the Problem Represented to Be?" (WPR) (Bacchi, 2009) framework was applied to the CCRA with a specific focus on health care. Questions one, three, and five of the WPR approach were applied, respectively, in order to analyze how the "problem" of "health care" is represented, how this particular representation came about, and the effects of this representation on the health of persons in custody. Findings: In applying the WPR approach to the CCRA, three main themes emerged. First, the notion of what services are constituted as "essential" in the context of federal prisons is more limited compared to the broader community. Second, the creation of the CCRA involved a great deal of discussion around the rights of persons in custody versus the protection of society, a dichotomy that has significant bearings on the treatment of those in prison. Third, this representation has negative effects on the health of those in custody. Conclusion: The representation of health care in the CCRA has negative effects on the health of persons in custody. Greater attention must be paid to these inequities in health care provision in order to meet UN standards. Keywords: Prison Health, Essential Health Care, Carol Bacchi, Inequity / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / LAY ABSTRACT The United Nations states that "prisoners should enjoy the same standards of health care that are available in the community." Despite this, persons in custody around the world continue to experience barriers to care and face unique health challenges. In Canada, the health of persons in federal custody is governed by the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. This legislation states that Correctional Services must provide "essential health care" and "reasonable access to non-essential mental health care" to inmates. Without clear definition, the interpretation of which services are "essential" is left to the discretion of correctional authorities, and as a result access and quality of care are significantly reduced in Canada's prisons when compared to the broader community. This thesis applied Carol Bacchi's "What's the Problem Represented to Be" analytical framework to examine how "health care" is uniquely represented as a "problem" for Canada's federal prison population, and the concerning inequities that are produced by this representation.

This essays main focus will be on emergency shelters in disasters, and their understanding in gender awareness, by focusing on the way gender is constructed and seen. This dissertation will examine documents from Australian Red Cross and IASC (Inter Agency Standing Committee) in order to explore how they work with gender and shelter related issues. The objective is to examine and with help from these documents see how gender is constructed. The method and theory is based on Carol Bacchis; What’s the problem represented to be approach? (WPR-approach). This means that the essay have a discourse analysis basis, which the essay is built on. This was chosen because Bacchis approach interrogates the documents and therefore it is easier to get different views of how gender is constructed. Which way it is constructed and what is not constructed as a problem. The main research question is: How is the construction of gender perspective in the documents that are intended to steer the planning of the emergency shelters?   The questions will be; What or which problems seem to represent these documents, regarding gender understanding in emergency shelters? Are there any assumptions behind these formulated problems? If so, what are they? During the review of the documents, is there anything left that is seen as a non-problem, not problematized? Are there any gap or invisibility or can the problem be seen as something else? This essay will show how gender is constructed based on power imbalance. The way gender is constructed is complex and difficult. One thing is clear and that is that the way gender is constructed and how gender is represented, matters in emergency shelters. Gender is still also a topic for crisis management to integrate.

Denna studie syftar till att studera hur jämställdhet fylls med innehåll i regeringens nationella strategi för regional hållbar tillväxt och attraktionskraft perioden 2015–2020 och handlingsplaner från tre valda regioner som alla ingår i projektet ”regional jämställd tillväxt”, samt vilka effekter det får för möjligheten att politisera kön. Detta görs utifrån Carol Bacchis metodologi för policyanalys som heter ”What’s is the problem represented to be?” Även den tidigare Alliansregeringen har drivit liknande projekt, men studien avgränsas till den nuvarande regeringens strategi. Utifrån Bacchis sex steg för policyanalys, som bygger på filosofen Michel Foucaults teori om styrning och makt som kallas för ”governmentality”, konstrueras tre forskningsfrågor som alla har en angränsande följdfråga: Hur representeras problemet av regeringen och regionerna och på vilka premisser dessa representationer bygger på? Hur legitimeras problemrepresentationerna och vad som lämnas oproblematiserat? Vilka effekter kan problemrepresentationerna innebära för jämställdhetsdiskursen, individernas liv och hur de ser på sig själv och andra, samt hur problemrepresentationen produceras, sprids, försvaras och hur den kan ersättas? För att kunna reflektera kring detta sista steg tillförs ytterligare teori i form av Chantal Mouffes och Ernesto Laclaus ”diskursteori”. Studien visar på att problemet är brist på kunskap bland de regionala aktörerna och kvinnors bristande kapacitet att verka på marknaden. Jämställdhet problematiseras inte utifrån ett rättviseperspektiv, utan ses som ett medel för ökad regional tillväxt. En problemrepresentation som legitimeras av en problematisk demografisk utveckling och globaliseringen. För att ta till vara på all tillväxtpotential framställs människor som kreativa, vars entreprenörskap ska främjas. En problemrepresentation som sprids genom stora internationella institutioner och framställs som moraliskt rätt. Problemrepresentationen kan ersättas genom att konstruera ett politiskt klimat där motståndares åsikter ses som legitima och därmed möjliggöra politisering av kön och även fler sätt för människor att identifiera sig på. / The purpose of this thesis is to study how gender equality is filled with meaning in the governments national strategy for a regional sustainable economic growth and attractiveness during 2015-2020 and in the strategies from three selected regions, that are all included in the project “regional economic growth with a gender equality perspective”, as well as it has on the ability to politicize gender. This is done with help of Carol Bacchis methodology for analyzing policy called ”What’s the problem represented to be?”. The former government Alliance for Sweden have been working with a similar project, but this thesis is delimited to the strategy of the current government. With starting point in Bacchis six steps for analyzing policy, based on the philosopher Michel Foucaults theory about governing and power called “governmentality”, there are three research questions constructed, and each one is associated with a follow up question: What is the problem represented to be by the government and by the regions and on what premises are they build upon? How has this problem representation been legitimized and what is not problematized? What effects can this problem representation generate for the gender equality discourse, the way the subjects think about themselves and others, their lives and how are this problem representation being produced, disseminated and defended and how can it be replaced? Too be able to reflect on this last step, Chantal Mouffes and Ernesto Laclaus “discourse theory” is applied. This thesis shows that the problem is represented as a lack of knowledge about gender equality among the regional actors, and women’s capacity to act on the market. Gender equality is not being problematized as a matter of justice, rather as a mean for an increased regional growth. The problem representation is legitimized by referring to a problematic demographic development and globalization. To take advantage of the potentials for economic growth, humans are being portrayed as creative, and their entrepreneurship needs to be promoted. This representation of the problem is spread through major international institutions and is being portrayed as morally correct. This problem representation can be replaced by create a political climate where other opponents opinions are seen as legitimate, which makes it possible to politicize gender and also for humans to identify in more ways.

Title: “Medial presentation of comorbidity - A discourse analytical study of the depiction of psychiatric comorbidity in nationwide newspapers. Tutor: Olov Aronson Examiner: Magnus Jegermalm   Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate how psychiatric comorbidity (comorbidity of addiction and mental illness) is portrayed in the Swedish media, and what effects the medial presentation may issue in. Method: Based on a qualitative social constructionist research design, Carol Bacchi's (2009) analysis method what´s the problem represented to be has been applied to analyze 15 newspaper articles from Swedish magazines: Aftonbladet, Dagens Nyheter, Expressen and Svenska Dagbladet. Results: The result presents two problem representations identified in the analyzed material: too complex for healthcare and criminal but marginalized.  Discussion: In the study's discussion, emphasis is placed on the multifaceted connection that exists between the identified problem representations. The problem representations are derived from discourses about what is considered to be normal in society and what is deviant and needs to be adjusted to become normal. The effects of the problem representations are also discussed relative to earlier scientific studies. / Titel: ”Medial framställning av samsjuklighet – En diskursanalytisk studie om hur psykiatrisk samsjukighet framställs i rickstäckande tidningartiklar.  Handledare: Olov Aronson Examinator: Magnus Jegermalm   Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur psykiatrisk samsjuklighet (samsjuklighet i from av missbruk och psykisk ohälsa) porträtteras i svensk media, samt vilka effekter den mediala framställningen kan antas få.  Metod: Utifrån en kvalitativ socialkonstruktionistisk forskningsdesign har Carol Bacchis (2009) analysmetod What´s the problem represented to be använts för att analysera 15 tidningsartiklar från tidskrifterna Aftonbladet, Dagens Nyheter, Expressen och Svenska Dagbladet. Resultat: I resultatet presenteras två problemrepresentationer som identifieras i det analyserade materialet: ”för komplext för vården” och ”kriminella men marginaliserade”. Diskussion: I studiens diskussion betonas det flerdelade samband som finns emellan de identifierade problemrepresentationerna. Problemrepresentationerna härleds till diskurser kring vad som anses vara det normala i samhället samt vad som är avvikande och behöver vårdas för att bli normalt. Även vilka effekter problemrepresentationerna bär med sig undersöks i förhållande till tidigare forskning.

The theme of this thesis is gender equality, and especially gender equality in school. The study assumes a poststructuralist position and aims to demonstrate how gender equality is problematized in the world of education. Through studies of documents and interviews with people in the school world, the representations of the gender equality problem were brought to light. A WPR-perspective helped in the process of revealing how gender equality is “made”. The material were reduced to three categories: gender roles, ethnicity, and knowledge. The research questions were based on Carol Bacchis WPR-perspective: 1) what is the problem with gender equality? 2) what assumptions underlie the problem? 3) What is left unproblematic? and 4) what are the effects? The result of the study shows that there are a lot of dichotomies in how gender equality is represented, but the primary representation is a matter of me/others. Through the problematization of boys (that is, students), culture (Swedish “equal” and non-Swedish, unequal “others”) and knowledge (unknowing, hence unequal other teachers) is the problem made someone else's and hence, ones own responsibility fails to represent the problem.

Försvarsmakten är en av Sveriges största statliga myndigheter, och samtidigt en av de mest jämställdhetssegregerade och manligt dominerade organisationerna. Från Försvarsmakten högsta organisatoriska ledning, impliceras att ökad jämställdhet ökar den operativa effekten. Studiens empiri består av tio respondentintervjuer med representanter från den högsta organisatoriska ledningen i Försvarsmakten. Vid analysen användes Carrol Bacchis kvalitativa metod ”What´s the problem Represented to Be”. Resultatet visar att två olika uppgifter i Försvarsmakten löper parallellt i organisationen. Operativ effekt beskrivs som organisationens huvuduppgift, och jämställdhetsarbetet tycks utgöra en skugguppgift. Jämställdhet ses som ett verktyg för att uppfylla mål med organisationens operativa effekt vilket är anledningen att uppgifterna länkas samman. Detta förfarande använder högsta organisatoriska ledning i Försvarsmakten som en balansgång mellan att å ena sidan hantera ett förändrat säkerhetshot i Sveriges närområde och å andra sidan hantera krav på tillväxt. Jämställdhet syftar till att möjliggöra rekrytering av kompetent personal. Den tycks inte vara en uppgift som finns för att jämna ut maktförhållandet mellan kvinnor och män som dessutom utgör en demokratisk rättighet. Det är kroppsräkning och den kvantitativa jämställdheten som existerar för att underlätta den operativa effekten. Ytterligare ett problem som presenteras är att organisationskulturen och de manligt kodade normerna inom Försvarsmakten försvårar rekryteringen av kvinnor eftersom kravet är att varje individ, kvinna som man måste socialiseras in i den rådande organisationskulturen. Den reproduceras i sin tur av både män och kvinnor i organisationen, vilket förhindrar att jämställdheten implementeras fullt ut. Fortsatt forskning och praktiska implikationer har diskuterats liksom konsekvenser av identifierade problempresentationer.

This study aims to examine how the city of Stockholm represents the problem with housing shortages for young adults in their policies for housing supply. How the problem is represented has an impact on which measures are implemented to combat the housing shortage in the municipality. Drawing on Carol Bacchi’s “what’s the problem represented to be” framework the analysis in the study seeks to enlighten the implicit assumptions and underlying reasons for the housing supply strategy. The result of the study showed that two main representations of the problem can be detected. The first one is related to the municipalities’ limited conditions for building houses that match the needs of young adults. The other representation of the problem is related to the young adults as an economically weak group who have difficulties buying a home that matches their needs.

In October 2022 the Swedish governing parties and the Sweden Democrats signed an agreement called Tidöavtalet. The aim of this thesis is to explore what the problem regarding criminality is represented to be in that political agreement. To answer the research question the analysis have been based on Carol Bacchi´s methodological and theoretical approach “What´s the problem represented to be?” (WPR) to through the suggested solutions understand the underlying representations of the problem. Additionally, theories of punishment have been used to better understand the material. Following four main problems have been identified: Insufficient laws and punishments, insufficient methods to solve crimes, gang violence and immigration. The method also targets what is left unproblematic and since drug policy and zero tolerance historically have been the salient topic of criminal policy in Sweden, the absence of a discussion regarding drugs in Tidöavtalet was surprising. Furthermore, the rehabilitative process of convicted criminals is also left unproblematic, and the deleterious consequences of incapacitation are not addressed. / <p>2023-06-09</p>

This paper analyzes two policies published by the Canadian Government, the Electronic Travel Visa and the Interactive Advance Passenger Information. These policies were initiated to close an integrity gap and to fight security issues resulting from globalization. These two documents are problematized by using Carol Bacchi’s analytical framework, What’s the Problem Represented to be, to dissect the underlying problem representations, the historical developments and the effects of these policies on migrants and travellers. Globalization, securitization and externalization in connection to Critical Border Studies are used for theoretical development. The results show that these policies have altered Canadian border management by pushing screening processes outside of physical sovereign boundaries and traps migrants in a web of offshore policing and securitization.

The planet’s biodiversity is in a worrying state. Palm oil production significantly contributes to biodiversity loss in Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia. Unfortunately, the different forms of public and private regulation in place have had limited success in regulating the sector and protecting the environment. Three of the biggest palm oil traders – Cargill, Musim Mas, and Wilmar International – were chosen as subjects of an embedded case study to answer whether their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts have the potential to drive transformation in the palm oil sector towards more environmental sustainability.  This thesis contributes to the debate around the role of business actors in Global Governance and their ability to tackle social and environmental problems caused by their business models with CSR. The thesis engages deductively with capitalism-critical theories on CSR. Carol Bacchi’s “What’s the Problem Represented to be?” (WPR) approach will guide a discourse analysis of the 2019 sustainability reports of the three companies regarding their efforts to improve sustainability in the palm oil sector. A comparison with research articles and NGO reports reaches the conclusion that the measures taken by Cargill, Musim Mas, and Wilmar are not enough to improve sustainability sufficiently.