This essay compares three contemporary interpretations of Stoic philosophy with an academic account of Stoicism provided by Pierre Hadot. The comparison is made by performing a discourse analytical reading of three books about contemporary Stoicism, focusing on the presentation of Stoicism from two perspectives: Stoicism as a philosophy of life, and the metaphysical constituents of Stoic practices and principles. This is then compared with Pierre Hadot’s theory, Philosophy as a Way of Life, and his account of Stoic practices and principles underlying metaphysical constituents. This study is situated within an area of research that links philosophy and the study of religion. The study discovered that the contemporary interpretations of Stoicism differ in their relationship to Pierre Hadot's academic account of Stoicism. One book does not relate to Hadot's account of Stoic metaphysics at all, nor to his theory Philosophy as a Way of life, due to a lack of general discussion of Stoic theory. The other two books relate to Hadot’s academic account, but to varying degrees. This study's structure includes a summary of the current field of research, followed by a theoretical discussion of Stoic philosophy, metaphysics, and Pierre Hadot's theory. Thereafter follows a description of the method used in the study and the following analysis demonstrates how the interpretation of the texts was conducted. The study concludes with the results of the analysis and a discussion of the findings' implications for this area of research.

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This is a study of the memoir of Tage Carlsson, a man from the margin who lived between1908-2002 in the small town of Sillerud, Värmland. The purpose of this study is to show howmodernization affected him during the 20th century; what he valued, which ideals he tried touphold and the way he narrated his life. His narrative and character are studied through the lensof the Life Writing field. Previous research on the Swedish phenomenon “skötsamhet” (wellbehaved-ness) and “folkbildning” (education of the people) lays the foundation of this study aspart of the modernization process. The content of the memoir is analyzed thematically and isdiscussed in three parts: the well-behaved person, the educated person, and the modern person.Tage fits well into all the above, and this study encourages research on the margin as it showsthat it mirrors the ideas of the center, and vice versa.

This thesis explores the concept of public art within a Swedish state agency called Public Art Agency Sweden through ethnography conducted at their virtual meetings from the fall of 2020 to the beginning of 2021. With the analytical tool of assemblages, the concept of public art is explored in terms of becoming and contestation through looking at policies within the agencies in relation to employee’s everyday endeavours. I suggest that this gives an insight into the intersection between ideas and practices within a state agency that strives to make public art a meaningful contribution and integral part of Swedish society under the premisses of the Swedish national cultural political goal. As such the contribution of this thesis is analytical attention to public art in broader governance discourses within an area of the state and culture.

Den här uppsatsen argumenterar för att en ny identitetsdiskurs har uppstått under 2010-talet. Den nya identitetsdiskursen menar att det har uppstått ett nytt sätt att konstruera identitet i och med sociala mediers intåg i individers vardag. Diskursen undersöks utifrån de historiska källor som används i den för att på så sätt konstruera den nya identitetsdiskursens historiografi. Denna historiografi används sedan för att undersöka huruvida den nya identitetsdiskursen är ny i förhållande till dess argument att ett paradigmskifte skett kring identitetsskapande. Genom att analysera ett urval av författare inom den nya identitetsdiskursen dras slutsatsen att det inte är tydligt att identitet skapas på ett nytt sätt. Identitetsskapande processer som liknar de som återfinns i den nya identitetsdiskursen har beskrivits förut av främst sociologen Erving Goffman, men även Anthony Giddens och Michel Foucault. En nyhet som den nya identitetsdiskursen lyfter är lönsamheten hos de plattformar som utgör sociala medier och hur det medför att identitetsskapande processer blir lönsamma.

The following essay aims to further studies in the usage of a specific term among Swedish educators and informers during the 30s. The term in question is enlightenment. The enlightenment term during the 30s in Sweden was often associated, in specific contexts, with others like propaganda, information and advertising. Swedish public informers use the term to describe themselves as an enlightenment agency or upplysningsverksamhet. Their missions being to inform the public of knowledge. One such agency was the Swedish sexual educational journal Populär tidskrift för sexuell upplysning. In 1933 the journal was charged with being indecent and harmful of discipline. This essay follows the discussions in the court centering around the term and the journals defense in using the term. The purpose of the essay is to argue that enlightenment, when used by public informers, sets itself apart by drawing inspiration from its heritage. Contrary to earlier studies the result of this essay, although of a narrower scope, shows a more refined and less confusing usage of the term. The journal clearly arguments for what defines their agency and why the knowledge they provide should be deemed enlightening. Led by doctors the agency provides knowledge they deem essential for the wellbeing of the public. Their arguments are also well littered with inspiration from more classic ideals, akin to those of 17th and 18th century philosophers. Even though you can see the resemblance to other terms of informational themes, the study has shown that enlightenment in its Swedish 1930s usage distinguishes itself.

Why have Eastern European states adopted flat tax policies? That is what this dissertation answers. This is a curious development given that flat tax policies were noticeably absent from the landscape of most of the world, including Eastern Europe. Fives cases of adoption are examined, including Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. I argue that two simultaneous processes occur in Eastern Europe that makes adoption viable. First, at the domestic level, the idea of the flat tax is held in esteem by a number of actors, specifically: elite carriers, tax and financial ministers, think tanks and right-wing political parties. They champion this idea to its adoption, or at the least, introduce the flat tax into the policy-making apparatus. Second, at the international level, policy diffusion of the flat tax is taking place. In other words, the experience of previous adopters impacts the decisions of future adopters. Examining both cognitive heuristics theory and rational learning I argue that there are "varieties of diffusion" during the diffusion of the flat tax. Additionally, though this dissertation concerns itself primarily with adoption, I also investigate two cases of non-adoption in Poland and Hungary. What is argued is "diffusion without adoption" occurs. The idea of the flat tax diffused, but the adoption was not politically, ideologically, and economically feasible. / Political Science

"The Gordita's Guide to Body Positivity" is an autobiographical documentary reflecting on society's expectations of the female body image and how it affects Latinx women. Through personal recollections, media content, and archival material, the film explores beauty expectations, body discrimination, and body positivity. The document analyzes the documentary styles such as autoethnography and narration incorporated into the film and provides historical and theoretical context to body image in the Latinx culture and how the media has affected body image, beauty ideals, and eating disorders. In addition, the pre-production, production, and post-production process is detailed.