This thesis aimed to report on the qualitative research conducted which identified the role played by international television soap operas in identity formation and cultural change in relation to Kurdish women. Currently, Kurdish women live in a cultural context where traditional values often conflict with modern values when it comes to behaviour deemed appropriate for their gender. Through the impact of international television soap operas, Kurdish women come to identify themselves as being 'traditional' while at the same time they attempt to integrate non-traditional beliefs into their value system. This study looked at the relationship between Kurdish women's exposure to international television, soap operas and consumerism, as well as the problems which they create in terms of non-Western women's identity formation. This thesis has documented the lives and experiences of 21 female Kurdish participants, aged between 18 and 40, through in-depth interviews and observations. The thesis assumes that the views recorded are representative of the general viewpoint of viewers of the international soaps. Open-ended, in-depth interviews about women were used to explore viewing habits and preferences for various soaps. This thesis incorporates and expresses the ideas which were recorded with regards to the accepted 'typical' characteristics of men and 4 women - it is these characteristics which play an important role in selfformation. It became evident that these women had incorporated values from the traditional Kurdish culture and the modern way of life. The Kurdish women cannot be said to have a 'modernist' outlook on gender-appropriate behaviour, as they are still endemically entrenched in traditional Kurdistan worldviews. The qualitative research analysed the level in which the soap operas act as a kind of medium between the values of modernity and those of tradition. This study, in addition, demonstrates the appeal that soap operas can have on the norms, and other aspects, in the Kurdistan Region, and therefore illustrates that the soaps have an active role as a mechanism of change in Kurdistan. Thus, the research demonstrates the power of the soap operas and their effects on the Kurdish people in this region. Furthermore, this research explored the current media environment in the Kurdistan Region by reviewing the dependency of Kurdish viewers, and the Kurdish television channels, on foreign and imported television programmes into the region.

This thesis aimed to report on the qualitative research conducted which identified the role played by international television soap operas in identity formation and cultural change in relation to Kurdish women. Currently, Kurdish women live in a cultural context where traditional values often conflict with modern values when it comes to behaviour deemed appropriate for their gender. Through the impact of international television soap operas, Kurdish women come to identify themselves as being ¿traditional¿ while at the same time they attempt to integrate non-traditional beliefs into their value system. This study looked at the relationship between Kurdish women¿s exposure to international television, soap operas and consumerism, as well as the problems which they create in terms of non-Western women¿s identity formation. This thesis has documented the lives and experiences of 21 female Kurdish participants, aged between 18 and 40, through in-depth interviews and observations. The thesis assumes that the views recorded are representative of the general viewpoint of viewers of the international soaps. Open-ended, in-depth interviews about women were used to explore viewing habits and preferences for various soaps. This thesis incorporates and expresses the ideas which were recorded with regards to the accepted ¿typical¿ characteristics of men and 4 women ¿ it is these characteristics which play an important role in selfformation. It became evident that these women had incorporated values from the traditional Kurdish culture and the modern way of life. The Kurdish women cannot be said to have a ¿modernist¿ outlook on gender-appropriate behaviour, as they are still endemically entrenched in traditional Kurdistan worldviews. The qualitative research analysed the level in which the soap operas act as a kind of medium between the values of modernity and those of tradition. This study, in addition, demonstrates the appeal that soap operas can have on the norms, and other aspects, in the Kurdistan Region, and therefore illustrates that the soaps have an active role as a mechanism of change in Kurdistan. Thus, the research demonstrates the power of the soap operas and their effects on the Kurdish people in this region. Furthermore, this research explored the current media environment in the Kurdistan Region by reviewing the dependency of Kurdish viewers, and the Kurdish television channels, on foreign and imported television programmes into the region.

Children around the world suffer greatly due to conflicts. One of the most common interventions to support children affected by conflicts are Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs). Implemented within different cultural contexts, CFSs aim to be both culturally sensitive and contribute to gender equality, an interaction that can be complex. Previous research regarding CFSs is limited. As CFSs are commonly used in Humanitarian Action, further knowledge is central.This thesis aims to explore and compare how culture and gender appropriate responses in CFSs guidelines and manuals are expressed in order to gain an increased understanding of how these guidelines handle the interaction between gender norms in different cultures.In this study I discuss six CFSs guidelines and manuals by conducting comparative analysis and applying the Ecological Resilience Framework.The result suggests that culture and gender appropriate responses are central in all guidelines and manuals but emphasized in different ways. The participation of children, families and communities, as well as the adaption of activities, are all strategies aimed at cultural sensitivity. The result also entails that the equal inclusion of all children is a general gender appropriate approach. In addition, I claim that the main intervention, aiming to be both gender and culture appropriate, is separated groups between boys and girls. Finally, I argue that gender and culture may clash due to different perceptions of gender and culture appropriate responses.

Purpose and research questions: The purpose of this study has been to critically examine Esports through a gender perspective. The study therefore investigated the gender-typing of Esports and if these stereotypes affect players’ performance. The research questions were: Do players gender-type Esports to be a neutral, feminine, or masculine sport? Do gender stereotypes in Esports affect female players’ performance? Do gender stereotypes in Esports affect male players’ performance? Method: A quantitative research design was used, and two different surveys were sent out to respondents. Both surveys contained the exact same information and questions on the first page. These were aimed at answering questions regarding gender-typing (i.e. if the respondents perceived Esports to be a neutral, feminine or masculine activity and how appropriate they perceived Esports to be for women respectively men). The survey’s second page had identical questions on both surveys, however the respondents got to see different texts of information (stereotypes) depending on which survey they participated in. The first survey (Group 1) included two different conditions groups (women = stereotype threat; men = stereotype lift) and primed the respondents with the stereotype that “women are inferior to men in Esports”. The second survey (Group 2) also included two different condition groups (men = stereotype threat; women = stereotype boost) and primed the respondents with the alternative stereotype manipulation that “women are equally as good as men in Esports”. After participating in the surveys, the respondents played three games of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive that were then analyzed against the respondents’ three most recent matches before partaking in the study. As such, the players’ performance could be evaluated and a result could be determined (i.e. either an improvement or impairment in performance). A control group (Group 3) that did not partake in the surveys was used as a reference group and to evaluate the participants’ performances. As a total, 290 persons participated in the study, of which 50 were women and 240 men. Results: The results showed that the players perceived Esports to be more of a masculine sport. For the stereotype effects on players’ performance, an ANOVA of the results showed that stereotype threat had a statistically significant effect on female players’ performance (p = .008), whereas stereotype boost did not. For the men, the results showed that neither stereotype threat nor lift had any statistically significant effect on male players’ performance. Conclusion: The findings suggest that players gender-type different aspects of Esports in different ways. The participants perceived Esports to be more of a masculine activity but on the other hand to be almost equally as appropriate for women and men. As a whole, the respondents perceived Esports to be more of a masculine sport than neutral or feminine. The findings from this study also suggest that women in Esports are more affected by gender stereotypes than men are, and that negative gender stereotypes about women’s ability may impair female players’ performance. Finally, the findings suggest that the awareness as well as the occurrence of gender stereotypes in Esports are widespread among players. However, players in Esports consider themselves to not fully endorse these stereotypes but believe that other players do, especially the negative stereotypes about women’s ability in Esports. This finding generates an interesting area for further research and investigation. / Syfte och frågeställning: Syftet med denna studie har varit att kritiskt granska Esport ur ett genusperspektiv. Studien undersökte därmed könsstereotypningen (”gender-typing”) av Esport samt huruvida dessa stereotyper påverkar spelares prestationer. Frågeställningarna var: Könsstereotypar spelare Esport som en neutral, feminin eller maskulin sport? Påverkar könsstereotyper inom Esport kvinnliga spelares prestationer? Påverkar könsstereotyper inom Esport manliga spelares prestationer? Metod: En kvantitativ forskningsdesign användes, och två olika enkäter skickades ut till respondenter. Båda enkäterna innehöll exakt samma information och frågor på den första sidan. Dessa var ämnade att besvara frågor kring könsstereotypning (dvs. om respondenten ansåg Esport var en neutral, feminin eller maskulin aktivitet samt hur lämpligt de ansåg Esport vara för kvinnor respektive män). Enkätens andra sida hade identiska frågor på båda enkäterna men respondenterna fick ta del av olika texter av information (stereotyper) beroende på vilken enkät de deltog i. Den första enkäten (Grupp 1) inkluderade två olika tillståndsgrupper (kvinnor = stereotype threat; män = stereotype lift) och grundade respondenterna med stereotypen att ”kvinnor är sämre än män inom Esport”. Den andra enkäten (Grupp 2) inkluderade även den två olika tillståndsgrupper (män = stereotype threat; kvinnor = stereotype boost) och grundade respondenterna med den alternativa manipulationen av stereotypen att ”kvinnor är lika bra som män inom Esport”. Efter att ha deltagit i enkäterna spelade respondenterna tre matcher av Counter-Strike: Global Offensive som sedan analyserades mot respondenternas tre senaste matcher innan de deltog i studien. Som sådant, kunde spelarnas prestationer utvärderas och ett resultat kunde fastställas (dvs. antingen en förbättring eller en försämring i prestation). En kontrollgrupp (Grupp 3) som inte deltog i enkäterna användes som referensgrupp och för att utvärdera deltagarnas prestationer. Totalt deltog 290 personer i studien varav 50 var kvinnor och 240 män. Resultat: Resultatet visade att spelarna uppfattade Esport som mer av en maskulin sport. Angående stereotypeffekterna på spelarnas prestationer visade en ANOVA av resultaten att stereotype threat hade en statistisk signifikant effekt på kvinnliga spelares prestationer (p = .008), medan stereotype boost inte hade det. För männen så visade resultaten att varken stereotype threat eller lift hade någon statistisk signifikant effekt på manliga spelares prestationer. Slutsats: Resultaten tyder på att spelare könsstereotypar olika aspekter av Esport på olika sätt. Deltagarna uppfattade Esport som mer av en maskulin aktivitet men å andra sidan som lika lämpligt för kvinnor och män. Som helhet uppfattade respondenterna Esport som mer av en maskulin sport än neutral eller feminin. Resultatenfrån denna studie tyder även på att kvinnor inom Esport påverkas mer av könsstereotyper än män och att negativa könsstereotyper om kvinnors förmåga kan försämra kvinnliga spelares prestationer. Slutligen, resultaten tyder på att medvetenheten samt förekomsten av könsstereotyper inom Esport är utbredd bland spelarna.Spelarna inom Esport anser dock inte att de själva stödjer dessa stereotyper fullt ut men tror att andra spelare gör det, särskilt de negative stereotyperna om kvinnors förmågor inom Esport. Detta resultat genererar ett intressant område för vidare forskning och undersökningar.