This study applies qualitative methodology to the study of sociopolitical development (SPD) among community and labor organizers of color. Participant data (open-ended applications) were obtained from a long-standing training institution, span 18 years (n=200), and equally represent Black, Latino/a, and Asian individuals. This study sought to reveal important dimensions of SPD and to identify contributing life experiences. Three SPD themes emerged: (1) social analysis, (2) commitment, and (3) empowerment. An organizer thus exhibits multidimensional insight into social injustice, commitment to taking action, and genuine belief in his/her individual and collective abilities. Four experiential domains contributed to participants’ SPD: (a) family, (b) social identity, (c) social injustice and (d) sociopolitical work. Each theme and domain is described in a multidimensional way. The relationships between life experiences and SPD themes are furthermore examined, and located within existing psychological research. Finally, implications of these findings for practitioners are discussed.

Older people should have a life with a sense of value and should feel confident. These ethical values, which are expressed in normative ethics, are expected to prevail in empirical ethics. Central components of nursing are the ethical issues of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and the principles of justice. The general aim of this thesis is to identify and describe the ethical values that are apparent in the caring encounter and their influence on the people involved. This is done from the perspective of the older person in study (I), next of kin in study (II) and nurses in study (III). In study (IV) the aim was to synthesize the concepts from empirical studies (I- III) and analyze, compare and interrelate them with normative ethics. Studies (I, III) were empirical observational studies including follow-up interviews. Twenty-two older people participated voluntarily in study (I), and in study (III) 20 nurses participated voluntarily. In study (II) fourteen next of kin were interviewed. In studies (I- III) constant comparative analysis, the core foundation of grounded theory, was used. Five concepts were used in the analysis in study (IV); three from the grounded theory studies (I- III) and two from the theoretical framework on normative ethics i.e. the ICN code and SFS law. Five categories; being addressed, receiving respect, desiring to participate, increasing self-determination and gaining self-confidence formed the basis for the core category ‚Approaching‛ in study (I). ‘Approaching’ indicates the ethical values that guide nurses in their caring encounters with older people. These ethical values are noted by the older people and are greatly appreciated by them, and also lead to improved quality of care. Four categories were identified in study (II): Receiving, showing respect, facilitating participation and showing professionalism. These categories formed the basis of the core category ‚Being amenable‛, a concept identified in the next of kin’s description of the ethical values that they and the older patients perceive in the caring encounter. In study (III), three categories were identified: showing consideration, connecting, and caring for. These categories formed the basis of the core category ‚Corroborating‛. Corroborating deals with support and interaction. Empirical ethics and normative ethics are intertwined, according to the findings of this study (IV). Normative ethics influence the nurse’s practical performance and could have a greater influence in supporting nurses as professionals. Criteria of good ethical care according to this thesis are: showing respect, invitation to participation, allowing self-determination, and providing safe and secure care. These criteria are elements of the concept of being professional. Professionalism of nurses is shown by: the approach nurses adapt to the performance of their duties, and their competence and knowledge, but also how they apply laws and professional codes

The welfare of the elderly population is one of the most important goals of the public health services. At macro level the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare state that the premier goal is for elderly people to have dignified and comfortable lives. They should have a life with a sense of value and feel confident. These ethical values which are expressed on macro level or as normative ethics are expected to prevail at micro level. In our study the micro level is the caring encounter between the elderly patient, next of kin and nurses. Ethical values and morals are important aspects that influence the quality of care, videlicet in empiric ethics. The aim of study (I) was to identify and describe the ethical values experienced by the older person in the daily interaction with nurses in a ward for older people during caring encounters. In study (II) the aim was to identify and describe the governing ethical values that next of kin experience in interaction with nurses who care for elderly patients at a geriatric clinic. Study (I) which was an empirical observational study included follow-up interviews. Twenty-two older people participated voluntarily. In study (II) interviews with fourteen next of kin were conducted. In both studies Constant comparative analysis, the core foundation of grounded theory was used. Five categories; Being addressed, receiving respect, desiring to participate, increasing self-determination and gaining self-confidence formed the basis for the core category in study (I): Approaching. Approaching concerns the way people become closer to each other in a physical space .It also includes how people become closer to each other in a dialogue, which involves verbal or bodily communication. Approaching indicates the ethical values that guide nurses in their caring encounters with older people. This ethical value is noted by the older person and has an individual value, as well as leading to improved quality of their care. The older person will be confident and satisfied with the caring encounter if the desired components in the nurse’s approaching are exhibited. Four categories were identified in study (II): Receiving, showing respect, facilitating participation and showing professionalism. These categories formed the basis of the core category: “Being amenable”, a concept identified in the next of kin’s description of the ethical values that they and the elderly patients perceive in the caring encounter. Being amenable means that the nurses are guided by ethical values; taking into account the elderly patient and next of kin. Nurses who focus on elderly patients’ well-being as a final principle will affect next of kin and their experience of this fundamental situation.

Syftet med studien är att öka kunskapen om elevers förståelse av sina skriftliga omdömen och om vilka faktorer som påverkar förståelsen av dokumenten. Forskningsansatsen är starkt inspirerad av grundad teori. Studiens resultat utgår dels från analys av intervjuer av elever i år två och dels från dokumentanalys av elevernas skriftliga omdömen. Dessa båda har i den avslutande analysen relaterats till varandra, vilket har resulterat i en teoretisk modell, EFO-modellen som står för Elevers Förståelse av sina Skriftliga omdömen.   Vid intervjuerna framkom att eleverna förstår omdömena på olika sätt och i olika utsträckning. Förståelsen påverkas av elevens motivation och koncentration, deras behov av bekräftelse samt deras språkliga förmåga. Förståelsen påverkas också av hur avancerat språk omdömet är skrivet på. Det språk omdömet är skrivet på relaterar även till omdömets innehåll.   Avslutningsvis diskuteras svårigheten med att skriva omdömen som kan förstås av eleverna samtidigt som de beskriver de kunskapskvalitéer som lyfts fram i läroplanen.

In the last three decades, complexity theory has gained a lot of importance in several scientific disciplines like astronomy, geology, chemistry etc. It has slowly extended its usage in the field of project management. While trying to understand the managerial demands of modern day projects and the different situations faced in projects, the term ‘complexity’ is progressively becoming a benchmark term. In the recent past some of the challenging projects that have been completed are the Heathrow Terminal 5 and the construction of venues for the Beijing Olympics. But can we call these projects complex?It is probably too simplistic to classify projects as complex or non-complex. What is particularly important is to identify the source of the complexity, the level and also the implications of the complexity. Several academicians have studied the different dimensions and established different classifications of complexity. These are put together into models of complexity.But is this classification well-grounded in reality? This is what we aim to explore through this research. The specific questions that we wish to explore by conducting this research are: How does the understanding of project complexity in actuality conform to the theoretical complexity models? In an effort to answer the primary question, our study will also throw some light on factors of complexity across different sectors. We hope that this distinction will pave way for further research within these sectors. This now brings us to our sub-question:- How do the factors that contribute to complexity compare across different sectors?At the outset of this research, the literature on complexity was reviewed. An attempt was made to understand what complexity means with a focus on the field of project management.It was observed that there is a new wave of thinking in this field and a camp which believes that regular project management tools and techniques cannot be used for complex projects. This has drawn several academicians to generate models of complexity based on various factors. In this research we have focused on some important models like that of Turner and Cochrane, Ralph Stacey, Terry Williams, Kahane and Remington and Pollack. We have tried to see if any of these models fit in with how practitioners understand complexity.To find out how practitioners comprehend complexity, we followed a grounded theory approach and also used quantitative methods to supplement the results in accordance in a mixed methodology. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with nine project managers from different sectors and different  geographical locations. The interviews were analyzed and the data was broken down to different categories referred to as open coding where labelling was done. This was followed by Axial coding where we describe the properties and build relations between these categories. The final stage is selective coding where the emerged theory is integrated and refined.Quantitative data was collected through a short questionnaire which listed out some factors which could cause or lead to complexity in projects. A total of 29 responses were obtained for the questionnaires. By analyzing this data we were able to determine the factors that project managers thought caused complexity in projects. A new dimension was also added by analyzing it sector-wise. Since we collected data from two different sources, via interviews and through questionnaires, it gave us the opportunity to triangulate the findings. Wesincerely hope that this piece of work will pave way for future research on similar areas like models of complexity and perception of complexity in project management

Min uppsats beskriver hur gymnasielärare i religionskunskap år 2010 kan förhålla sig till livsfrågor i undervisningen och den didaktiska problematiken med livsfrågor i klassrummet. Som teoretisk ram har jag tagit upp några olika definitioner av livsfrågor, gjort nedslag i den didaktiska historiken över livsfrågepedagogik, samt visat på de läroplansteoretiska utgångspunkterna för livsfrågor i undervisningen. Mitt perspektiv utgår från grounded theory och utifrån en hermeneutisk förståelsehorisont har jag genomfört kvalitativa intervjuer med fem verksamma religionskunskapslärare under vårterminen 2010.   Informanternas svar visar att livsfrågor kan tolkas på olika sätt vilket påverkar didaktiken. Det framkom även att de omgärdar livfrågedidaktiken med försiktighetsåtgärder vilka kan bero på omsorg om eleven, rädsla, kontrollbehov, praktisk pedagogisk kompetens grundad på erfarenhet, eller bristande kompetens. Livsfrågor introducerades i kursplanen för religionskunskap med intentionen att utgå ifrån elevens intressen och frågor. Men i praktiken kan det bli just de frågor som ligger eleven närmast som anses för känsliga och väljs bort i undervisningen.

Different Perspectives is a study of detainees' and guards' experiences of the remand prison. The result of the study shows that the remand prison brings forth the individuals anxiety, stress and fear. The individual detained in remand prison have a great need for contact with their families, but also with the guards. In the remand prison there is always a great level of control and always some kind of power practised. It is the guards who have the power and the competences to make the individuals detained in remand prison follow the rules and do what they have been told. The society possesses biases and a great curiosity about remand prisons and the people being there. This can lead to stigmatization among both the detained individuals as well as the guards.

Kars is an ethnically diverse city located at the North East Turkey, neighboring Armenia. In the year 2002, Nobel laureate author Orhan Pamuk published a political-historical novel named Snow, the story of which is set in Kars. The book created a public debate on national and global scale about cutting edge questions of Turkey. This thesis aims to address these questions from the perspective of inhabitants of Kars, who had reacted fiercely to the representations in the book Snow. By focusing on identification and boundary negotiation processes of people in Kars, this thesis and presents an ethnography of Kars, which was achieved by application of grounded theory method and by discussing local perceptions of ethnicity, nationalism and secularism at the periphery of Turkey.

Introduction: Community coalitions with public health-related missions are formal, semi-permanent, action-oriented partnerships comprised of community members, representatives of government agencies, policymakers, and academic partners. Despite their potential to promote sustainable change, coalitions have had mixed success in effecting long-term improvements in community health. There is a need to assist them in developing strategies for improving and sustaining their functionality. The purpose of this study was to improve understanding of the elements of coalition success and sustainability that are vital to health-related community-based participatory research. Methods: Although the literature describes coalition functions for effecting sustainable programs and policies, most research reports on individual programs only, rather than looking at the breadth of community coalitions and the commonalities that contribute to their effectiveness. Semi-structured interviews (N = 42) with academic and community partners followed by a grounded theory analysis of the data address this gap and provide theoretical underpinnings of factors sustaining coalition effectiveness. Results: Seven domains emerged: (1) Characteristics related to coalition structure and processes; (2) Partner characteristics, e.g., diversity, patience, flexibility, expertise; (3) Community characteristics, e.g., capacity, ownership; (4) Partnership dynamics and synergy; (5) Tangible benefits; (6) Available resources, and; (7) Project characteristics. In all, 70 elements representing these categories influenced coalition effectiveness over time. Discussion: Sustained effectiveness means continual improvement, ongoing development of skills and structures to support positive change, and expanded program or policy activities that benefit stakeholders. Whereas community researchers have yet to reach consensus on the universal elements of sustainability, this study expands knowledge of the factors contributing to coalition effectiveness beyond initial project implementation.

In August and September of 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast with damages estimated at $85 billion. Hurricane Katrina was so devastating that the number of lives lost and injuries sustained is still being calculated. Hurricane Rita, which made landfall in the southwestern part of the Louisiana just a few weeks after Katrina, did not cause as much damage as Katrina but was devastating nonetheless. In both cases, two Louisiana community colleges, Nunez Community College and SOWELA Technical Community College, were damaged to the point that many doubted that either college would have a future. Both community colleges, however, continued classes and are in operation today. This study examines the actions of the institutional leadership at Nunez Community College and SOWELA Technical Community College in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. A constructivist grounded theory approach was used to conduct case studies on each college. A substantive theory emerged from the findings explaining the resiliency of both institutions. / text