Mental health care, other than being a critical medical service, is a centrally important cultural institution, shaping individuals’ understanding of their lives and problems. This dissertation consists of a multi-method investigation examining the U.S. mental health care field from these two intersecting perspectives. To achieve this, it examines (1) how structural conditions determine different social groups’ access to different mental health care services; (2) what effects these disparities in access have on individuals’ experiences when seeking care and on the outcomes they face; (3) how the stratification of the mental health care field exposes different Americans to different sets of cultural scripts and understandings, generating correspondence between sociodemographics and intimately-held meanings and normative action scripts for mental well-being. Its four chapters thus tackle mental health care’s social significance from multiple angles, using geospatial, computational text analysis, and audit methods, seeking to provide actionable, public health policy-relevant empirical research concerning inequalities in access to care, as well as to address key theoretical problems regarding the segregation of meaning-making with which sociology has long contended.

This thesis addresses the persisting gendered division of parental leave in Sweden, where despite policies promoting equal sharing, women still take 70 % of the leave. Aiming to analyze what hinders and what enables equal division of parental leave, I conduct in-depth interviews with eight parents who equally share leave and six parents who do not. Thematic analysis is initially used to explore motivations for parental leave division. Subsequently, I use a theoretical framework focused on motherhood, fatherhood, and care ideals aiming to scrutinize how these ideals influence the division of parental leave. The equally sharing respondents constitute a unique group and by comparing their motivations to respondents who do not share equally, the study does not only generate knowledge about what hinders equal sharing of parental leave, but also highlights what enables it. This is important for gender equality in general and a clear political goal for Swedish family politics. The results indicate that the equally sharing group are guided by ideals of shared parenting, gender equality, and active involvement in both work and caregiving, emphasizing early bonding with both parents. In contrast, the non-equally sharing group, while expressing some desire for gender equality, leans towards more traditional motherhood ideals, legitimizing mothers' preferences for extended leave. Both groups share a commitment to involved fatherhood, but fathers in the non-equally sharing group encounter additional constraints tied to financial considerations and tend to perceive paternity leave as optional rather than obligatory.

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This dissertation contends that to appropriately address the state of political equality and pursue democratic interest(s) in an increasingly commodified world, we must understand the more complex, socio-legal, and interdependent actions, actors, discourse, laws, and ideas which have grown increasingly important within campaign finance judicial out-comes, as these impact political equality and democratic governance. Consequently, this dissertation examines the largely underexplored factors that shape judicial outcomes and practical application of campaign finance policy which are explanatory of the distribution of electoral participatory power. This electoral participatory power is a key indicator of political equality in democratic nation states. The underexplored factors that I examine include corporate identity as an analytical concept and power resource, commodification of political speech, constitutional constraints, intergovernmental dialogue, regulatory ac-tors, and varied judicial and legislative commitments to democracy. To do so, the thesis utilizes and modifies insights from historical institutionalism, power resources models, neopluralism, and dialogue theory literature, to contribute to knowledge about how and why campaign finance policies and electoral participatory power of individuals, groups, and corporations have changed over time through judicial outcomes, practical administration, and related reforms. Through this demonstration, the analysis of this thesis opens up space to explore and identify sources and modes of gradual institutional change within the context of campaign finance judicial outcomes. Specifically, this thesis documents and critically examines the actions, actors, discourse, laws, and ideas which have permeated judicial conflicts in Canada and the United States over several decades and illustrates how they have determined the scope of corporate constitutional rights and freedoms, potential for money in politics, and the distribution of political equality in these two advanced democracies. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This dissertation examines the sources and modes of gradual institutional change within the context of judicial campaign finance conflicts and related reforms. It argues that the scope of corporate constitutional rights, the commodification of political speech, and the distribution of electoral participatory power are best understood through an analysis that utilizes and modifies insights from historical institutionalism, power resources models, neopluralism, and dialogue theory literature. To demonstrate this, this thesis critically examines the complex, socio-legal, and interdependent actions, actors, discourse, laws, and ideas which have grown increasingly important within campaign finance judicial out-comes, as these impact political equality and democratic governance. Consequently, this thesis illustrates how the scope of corporate constitutional rights and freedoms, potential for money in politics, and the distribution of political equality in the context of elections in Canada and the United States have changed over time, and the reasons for which they have.

The study aimed to examine the contributions of two corporate, non-health, transnational, Sustainable Healthy Workplaces (SHWs) to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGS) in Nigeria. The research questions in this study sought to determine the contributions made by SHWs to combating malaria and ‘other diseases’ and ensuring gender equality in health at work, thus ascertaining the contributions of the studied organisations to the MDGs 3 and 6 in Nigeria. A qualitative, eclectic case study of two SHWs was carried out. Data were sourced through documentary analysis and the use of semi-structured interviews, with 22 and 13 purposive sampled participants at organisations ‘A’ and ‘B’ respectively. Also, descriptive and thematic data analyses were utilised for numerical and textual data respectively, and these analyses were then compared and interpreted. The results showed that both organisations contributed to the achievement of the two MDGs studied with policies and practices that were available but inadequate. Both implemented relevant and gender-specific policies but conducted inadequate workplace health promotion programmes (WHPPs). Organisation ‘B’ had basic structural facilities to promote healthy lifestyle choices, which were missing at organisation ‘A’. Given this, there was no record of significant levels of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at organisation ‘B’, unlike organisation ‘A’ with its remarkable record. A decline in reported cases of malaria (a communicable disease - CD) occurred throughout the study period at organisation ‘A’, with the highest recorded in 2012 (25.4%) and the lowest in 2014 (21.8%). No pattern was observed at organisation ‘B’ but the highest incidence of this disease was recorded in 2014 (75.6%) and the lowest in 2013 (30.7%). At organisation ‘A’, there was a steady rise in sickness absences among male employees, contrary to the documented decline among that of female employees. No consistent pattern was observed regarding sickness absence for gender categories at organisation ‘B’. Deaths were recorded at organisation ‘A’ during the study period, except in 2014 when there were none. Organisation ‘B’ had no recorded mortality throughout the entire study period. The findings from the literature review, using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) and Clearinghouse for Labour Evaluation and Research (CLEAR) checklists for quality assessment of the selected articles, showed that any effort aimed at preventing and combating diseases while ensuring gender equality in health among the workforce had a positive impact on stakeholders. This led to the most important element of the social and economic development agenda, including the MDGs, being addressed. Additionally, findings from organisations ‘A’ and ‘B’ revealed positive, but inadequate, and varied contributions to the attainment of the MDGs, with better performance recorded at organisation ‘B’. This implied the need for these organisations to have done more in order to make a better contribution to the MDGs. The MDGs had 2015 as their target date, but they have now been replaced by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hence, the lesson learnt from MDGs can be transferred to the implementation of the current SDGs, which are termed the ‘Global Goals’.

This essay demonstrates what affordances for learning the dystopia The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood has in upper secondary school to promote gender equality. The importance of covering gender equality is evident since Skolverket decided to include the topic in every subject in the Swedish upper secondary school with the start of July 1, 2022. This essay explores a possible way of covering the topic in the English subject with the help of fiction. The essay uses the concept of Louise Rosenblatt's transactional model of reading and literary analysis to explore The Handmaid's Tale's potential. The analysis demonstrates teaching potential, several aspects of "sexualitet, samtycke och relationer" 'sexuality, consent, and relationships', and educational outcomes of The Handmaid’s Tale.

The present thesis aims at exploring and analyzing elementary school music teachers’ work from a perspective of gender equality. Previous research shows differences between boys’ and girls’ choice of musical instruments, school performance and claiming of space in a music classroom. The purpose of the study is to investigate these gender-related phenomena that occur in elementary school music education, how music teachers perceive these phenomena and their methods for integration of gender equality. The theoretical framework of the research is based on gender theories and phenomenography. Qualitative semi-structured phenomenographic interview was applied as the methodological approach for collecting data. In order to fulfill the purpose of the study, two female and two male music teachers from four different elementary schools in southern Sweden were interviewed. The results reveal that the participants perceive the gender-related phenomena differently. The majority of the respondents point out that boys prefer louder music instruments, such as drums and electric guitar, while girls choose piano and singing, which confirms the conventional gender norms. Some of the respondents assert that girls earn better grades in the subject of music because of their faster neurological development. Regarding claiming of space, two of the interviewed music teachers utter that boys tend to dominate in the classroom soundscape, which seems to be a consequence of their masculine and attention-seeking behavior. Additionally, the results of the research expose that the music teachers experience difficulties in applying the national policy documents concerning gender equality. However, the study discovers various methods for integration of gender equality in the interviewed teachers’ work.

This degree project will include a document and discourse analysis on diversity and integration strategic work in the Falun municipality. Three steering documents will be evaluated regarding diversity in Falun municipality in relation to appropriate guidelines, as well as collected information from executive directors of administration regarding implementation of steering documents and of diversity and integration work, as well as evaluation material on the public health policy and other written material connected to the policies. The aim is to understand and evaluate the diversity and integration strategic work within Falun and Falu Municipality (both as geographical area/city and as the employer), understand if you can reach social change through the policies related to diversity and integration strategic work, and what role the citizen plays in that process. I aim to analyse and highlight the major findings and concluding with ideas for further research or development areas. The research question is; How are diversity and integration strategic work defined and communicated in Falun municipality through their policies and can a participatory approach to policy and policy-making lead to social change?The result show that steering documents – policies - somewhat works as the platform for strategic diversity and integration work in theory, but not in practice. National and international guidelines regarding the subject has proven to be used very well in the case of Local Public Health Program, but not as well in the Integration Policy Program or in the Plan for equal rights and possibilities 2012-2014. Collected information from executive directors of administration regarding implementation of the Integration Policy Program and implementation of diversity work, as well as evaluation material on the public health policy showed very little implementation, and very little participation from the executive directors, employees and the citizens, which raises questions regarding availability of the programs. In order for policy making to be successful executive directors, employees and citizens need to be participating in the policy-making process, as well as the implementation and evaluation. If not; policymaking is only by politicians, for politicians and therefor it will not reflect on the developing society as a whole.

No / United Kingdom equalities legislation places general and specific legal duties upon higher education institutions to promote equality and diversity positively. This includes an increased emphasis on training and development, especially in the context of promoting and raising awareness of equality and diversity within an organizational setting. The authors evaluate the impact and effectiveness of drama as a means of delivering equality and diversity training. The legal, business, and moral case for diversity is explored, highlighting and investigating the important role of effective equality and diversity training. Drama‐based diversity training is considered within the context of a local university initiative aimed primarily at middle management. Within this initiative, professional actors explored the effects of discrimination in the workplace. The authors frame their findings in the evaluation model proposed by Kirkpatrick (1998). The authors argue that drama‐based training is an effective tool for delivering equality and diversity training and present evidence for such training as having a positive impact. In particular, drama‐based training increases the confidence and capacity of university middle managers to challenge inappropriate behavior in the workplace.

Yes / Over the past 30 years, the term the ‘glass ceiling’ has come to be known as a metaphor for vertical segregation, symbolising an invisible barrier that prevents women from progressing in their careers. Increasingly women are found in higher level positions and mentoring has often been touted as an important way to help women break through the glass ceiling. This paper explores the continued relevance of the glass ceiling and the use of mentoring programs as a means to help women to overcome it. The findings suggest that although some women have penetrated the glass ceiling, further work is needed if a more equitable number of women are to advance to senior level positions. Whilst mentoring can play an important role in helping women to achieve more senior positions, mentoring is not a panacea but only one of many strategies that must be adopted to effectively address the phenomena of glass ceiling.