<p>In this thesis, I explore if Latvia has experienced, during the last ten years, a change in identity and threat perception that could allow for the building of a “cooperative security community” in Northern Europe. Recent constructivist researches contend that such change is in progress in neighboring Estonia. This research, performed through a discourse analysis of political elite’s speeches, reveals the presence – explained by the concept of interim inconsequentiality - of two opposite identity/security discourses. I link the first, inclusive, discourse to Latvia’s Western socialization, but not to a change in identity, as I contend that both threat images and identity have been instrumentalized for the sake of the accession strategy. As for the second, exclusionary, discourse that shows a persistent distrust of both Russia and the ethnic Russian minorities, and is the more prevalent in terms of political behavior, I link it to Latvia’s identity as a small ethnic nation vulnerable to external pressures - an identity strengthened during the period by Russia’s behavior. I verify this thesis by exposing the exclusionary discourse’s salience on the EU integration issue. I conclude that the period of reference, far from resolving the security dilemma, has, on the contrary, reinforced it.</p>

<p>Eco-labelling is a way to promote sustainable development. This is a quantified study about purchase behaviour regarding eco-labelled seafood in Sweden, based on interviews with a convenience sample of consumers in situ. The objectives were to establish how large the knowledge of eco-labelled seafood is, to investigate the reasons for acquiring the product and thus determine the prime driving force to do it. The willingness to pay for eco-labelled seafood was also investigated. The results show a low awareness where just about a quarter of the respondents knew that eco-labelled seafood existed. The willingness to pay was high; four out of five were ready to spend additional money on an eco-labelled product. Women displayed a higher willingness to pay than men, which supports previous research. Regarding the reasons to purchase the only options presented to the respondents were environmental concern, enhanced health or both alternatives in combination. Health as the single factor was the least preferred choice and the two other alternatives were favoured to an equal amount. A difference in purchase behaviour can be detected among respondents with awareness of ecolabelled seafood when compared to those without. Those aware stated a willingness to pay to a higher degree and also displayed more environmental concern and less health interest than those unaware of eco-labelled seafood.</p>

The aim of this study is to highlight civics teachers’ professional attitudes to grade related work in Samhällskunskap A (Civics), a compulsory course at upper secondary school. The methods employed are qualitative interviews and a compilation of tasks forming the basis of assessment in the current course. To gain a greater understanding of teachers’ grading difficulties, grading related dilemmas and strategies to deal with them have been identified. These are divided into three groups; dilemmas connected to the steering documents, dilemmas involving teachers’ own convictions, and dilemmas related to the school subject in question. Both dilemmas and strategies are mainly generic and the overall purpose expressed in the strategies is to help manage a demanding job situation. The professional attitudes reflect three areas of teacher work. The first is PCK aspects of assessment where teachers emphasize fact deepening tasks (faktafördjupare), news discussions and written tests (nyhetsdiskutant), a varied basis of assessment (samhällsguide), or pupils’ involvement through PBL and seminars (katalysator). Concerning the exercise of grading authority, teachers act as informal observers of pupils in the classroom, bureaucrats who clearly inform pupils of the grading criteria, professionals who are dependent on the cooperation with colleagues, and individualists who work alone. The development of democratic competence displays the teacher as a moderator who focuses on having pupils problemising and questioning social issues, as a co-operator who regards pupils as customers, or as a deliberator who emphasizes a permitting and open climate for discussions.

Under 1900-talet förändrades Sverige från ett jordbruksdominerat land till en industrination. Nya krav ställdes på staten som tog ett större ansvar för individens välbefinnande genom att bygga ut välfärdssystemen. Som en viktig del av välfärdssverige förbättrades situationen för dem som inte kunde arbeta och i början av 1990-talet var ersättningarna bland världens högsta. Ekonomen Assar Lindbeck menar att det finns en konflikt mellan höga ersättningsnivåer och sociala normer. Enligt Lindbeck har normen som förespråkar arbete reducerats i takt med att ersättningsnivåerna höjts, som en följd av detta kan missbruket inom sjukförsäkringen ha blivit mer förekommande. Syftet med uppsatsen är att inom ramen för teorin kring sociala normers betydelse för samhällseffektivitet undersöka överutnyttjande och bidragsfusk inom sjukförsäkringen. Arbetet avser dock inte att ge en fullständig redogörelse av sjukfrånvaron, alternativa orsaker till frånvaron kommer dock att beröras när de kan vara relevanta för diskussionen. Materialet som analysen bygger på är både kvantitativt och kvalitativt för att skapa en helhetsbild, existerande källor kompletteras med intervjuer. Det verkar finnas ett samband mellan höga ersättningsnivåer och utvecklingen av sociala normer. Den ökade förekomsten av missbruk indikerar att den sociala normen som förespråkar arbete reducerats. En sådan reduktion medför negativa effekter för samhället, både genom en lägre produktionsnivå och genom högre bidragskostnader. Ohälsan har ökat under de senaste åren och främst hos den arbetsföra delen av befolkningen. Det förklarar dock inte hela den ökade sjukfrånvaron, utan det är troligt att ett annat förhållningssätt till bidrag och bidragstagande också är en del i utvecklingen. Samtidigt kan begreppet sjukdom numera innefatta andra åkommor än vad det gjorde tidigare, ökad acceptans för psykosociala åkommor kan vara en orsak till den höga sjukfrånvaron. De åtgärder som genomförts från myndigheternas sida visar att ekonomisk teori används för att utforma olika insatser. Om det är en medveten utformning enligt de ekonomiska teorierna är dock oklart, diskussionen kring högre ersättningsnivåer i framtiden står i konflikt med den ekonomiska teorin. Samtidigt är problemet komplext eftersom det inte bara är missbruket som skall reduceras, de som är sjuka skall också ha en dräglig tillvaro.

This thesis rethinks the security dilemma within the context of the Cyprus problem. It analyzes and problematizes the established political discourses and societal insecurities in Cyprus. It basically contends that the Cyprus problem should be reconceptualized from a critical security perspective, utilizing the fatalist, mitigator and transcender logics of insecurity. In that regard, it advances the idea that the security paradox in Cyprus should be rethought with the aim of transcending it through reconciliation and trust-building. The thesis takes attention to the scope of human agency, both at the state and human society levels, in the processes of reconciliation and trust-building, and concludes that these processes are key in transforming the two communities in the island into a post-national and pluralistic community of Cyprus.

The concern for the environment and social aspects have been highlighting in the concept of ecotourism. Tourism is a growing industry, where ecotourism is one of the fastest growing components in tourism today. The increase of amount of travels and tourists in the world, has led to the acknowledgement of tourism as part of the emissions of greenhouse gases. Therefore, the framework of sustainable development in tourism has been developed as well as ecotourism. This thesis is aiming to study the ecotourism operators’ management of facing dilemmas in the ecotourism industry in Sweden. Therefore, the study is contributing to new knowledge in the lack of research in the field. We have identified the knowledge gap which is from the frontline practitioner’s, ecotourism operator point of view on how to manage dilemmas in this strong sustainable industry, ecotourism. We structure a literature review where we provide with broader definitions of the major concepts: tourism, sustainable development and ecotourism. Ecotourism is considered as possessing strong sustainability features. The literature review is focused mainly in Swedish context and literature supporting the business purpose of a small firm has been highlighted. The theoretical framework is also presenting research done about the different aspects of sustainable development (economic, social and environment) with the context in ecotourism, which is also presenting the dilemmas that can occur among the perspectives. The theoretical framework ends with some suggestions on how tour operators balance the three perspectives, i.e. economic, social and environment. The study takes form as a qualitative study with an exploratory approach. We are aiming at providing new information and knowledge in the field, which has been lacking in research in the Swedish context. By having telephone interviews with eight ecotourism operators across Sweden, we are aiming to gain heterogeneity in respondents’ selection and try to find out if there are any common thoughts and at the same time unique practices among the respondents. Our main conclusions are answering the question on how the ecotourism operators manage the dilemmas in the ecotourism industry in Sweden. We acknowledge that ecotourism operators are expected to aim at strong sustainability which concerns on the environmental and social issues. This frames their way of operating the ecotourism business. The ecotourism operators manage dilemmas by communicating, educating, cooperating, marketing, raising price (or no raise), limiting number of tourists and by being professional.

Syftet med denna uppsats var att undersöka hur studie- och yrkesvägledare på Jobbtorg arbetar med de dilemman som kan uppstå kring de etiska riktlinjerna. Författarnas hypotes har varit att det är svårt att tillämpa de etiska riktlinjerna i en målstyrd verksamhet som Jobbtorg. En kvalitativ metod har används där fem slumpmässigt utvalda studie- och yrkesvägledare på Jobbtorg Stockholm har intervjuats. Resultatet visar på att studie- och yrkesvägledarna upplever dilemman kring deras yrkesetik, men har utarbetat olika strategier för att hantera dessa dilemman. Det visade sig att studie- och yrkesvägledarna hade skapat sig ett stort arbetsutrymme kring studie- och yrkesvägledningen på Jobbtorg. Dilemman som de intervjupersonerna istället belyste var bland annat ekonomiska riktlinjer inom försörjningsstöd, att förmedla objektiv information och aspiranternas önskan om expertutlåtanden. / The purpose of this essay was to examine how the guidance counselour on Jobbtorg Stockholm works with the dilemmas which may arise over the ethical guidelines. The authors' hypothesis has been that it is difficult to apply the ethical guidelines of a targeted activity such as Jobbtorg. A qualitative approach was used in which five randomly selected guidance counselours on Jobbtorg Stockholm were interviewed. The result shows that guidance counselours experience dilemmas about their professional ethics, but have developed different strategies to deal with these dilemmas. It turned out that the guidance counselours have created a wide space around the guidance and counseling on Jobbtorg. Dilemmas that the interviewees rather highlighted, among other was economic policies, to provide objective information and the clients desire for expert advice.

Eco-labelling is a way to promote sustainable development. This is a quantified study about purchase behaviour regarding eco-labelled seafood in Sweden, based on interviews with a convenience sample of consumers in situ. The objectives were to establish how large the knowledge of eco-labelled seafood is, to investigate the reasons for acquiring the product and thus determine the prime driving force to do it. The willingness to pay for eco-labelled seafood was also investigated. The results show a low awareness where just about a quarter of the respondents knew that eco-labelled seafood existed. The willingness to pay was high; four out of five were ready to spend additional money on an eco-labelled product. Women displayed a higher willingness to pay than men, which supports previous research. Regarding the reasons to purchase the only options presented to the respondents were environmental concern, enhanced health or both alternatives in combination. Health as the single factor was the least preferred choice and the two other alternatives were favoured to an equal amount. A difference in purchase behaviour can be detected among respondents with awareness of ecolabelled seafood when compared to those without. Those aware stated a willingness to pay to a higher degree and also displayed more environmental concern and less health interest than those unaware of eco-labelled seafood.

No description available.

Lawrence Bonjour supported coherentism in the early period, but turns to foundationalism in the later period. In this paper I shall focus on two sides in relation to his epistemology. To understand his early and later positions, first, I shall explain his coherentism and foundationalism. Second, I shall consider what objections have been raised to each position. Thus we can evaluate why Bonjour abandoned his coherentism and why his foundationalism succeeds as a plausible theory for empirical justification.