This intersectional study explores how the social constructed categories gender and ethnicity interact with each other in photos picturing Swedish athletes. The studies empirical material is collected from the sport section of the biggest Swedish tabloid newspaper Aftonbladet, and was published during the period 23rd of November, 2012 to 23rd of November, 2015. The photos has been analyzed with a semiotic analysis which establishes that there are discriminating differences in how the athletes are being portraited. The most comprehensive differences are found between the groups ethnical Swedish men and ethnical non-Swedish women.

The Western beauty standard revolves around three main attributes: thinness, youth, and whiteness. Combined, this ideal corresponds with privilege. Past studies have explored how racism and ageism are embedded in the beauty standard, but little work has explored how classism is included in the Western beauty standard. Utilizing the classical theoretical work of Bourdieu and Simmel, I explore the ways in which the Western beauty standard is dependent upon privilege and cultural capital. Using the methodology of a content analysis, the current study examines four women’s fashion and beauty magazines. I find that the both the language and the imagery used in the magazines allows for classism to be explicitly and implicitly displayed. I also explore the intersectionality of classism, racism, and ageism to develop a clearer understanding of how the three types of privilege are sustained within the beauty standard.

This ethnographic research examines the social service encounter between private providers and child recipients involved in a faith-based afterschool program located in a southern US city. I specifically focus on the tensions and divisions that developed between staff members and participating families in daily programmatic interactions and rhetoric. I highlight how race, class, and gender intersected with age to shape children’s different experiences of the afterschool program and their lives beyond the agency. I also show how these social categories converged in local stories of religious poverty relief, which build upon cultural narratives about American welfare, to blind staff to the realities of children’s lives. These issues resulted in a program where staff members sought to transform children away from imagined social ills they associated with guardians to ideologically and programmatically isolate children from their families. I explore these conditions to draw attention to some of the ways structural inequalities can be reproduced and maintained in private service provision. It is in this context that I examine the increasing prominence of faith-based organizations within domestic poverty policy and relief services.

<p>Equality between men and women has as an ideal won an increasing impact on the contemporary Swedish society and has established as a factor influencing all areas of society from politics to business and private life. The focus of this essay is to explore the impact of equality on hegemonic masculinity and relations of masculinities. The aim of the essay has moreover been to investigate the consequences of an increased focus on men and critique of masculinity due to a growing influence of feminism and women’s movement in Sweden. The study is based on interviews with four members of staff working in a men’s clinic for sexual and reproductive health in Stockholm, Järva Mansmottagning. The clinic is an interesting object of study since it is the only one of its kind in Sweden and furthermore because of its explicit focus on the problems of masculinity and work with equality.</p><p>The main questions of the study have been: what forms of hegemonic masculinity are constructed in dialogue with discourses on equality; what make up counter images and deviating masculinities and how are these positioned in relation to hegemonic masculinity; and last what kind of complicity with hegemonic masculinity are the men visiting the clinic considered to have?</p><p>The theoretical framework of the essay has been social constructionist theories on masculinity as presented by Connell among others and theories on intersectionality, i.e. how masculinity interacts with other asymmetries of power such as ethnicity and sexuality. Closely linked to the theoretical stances are the methodological stances of discourse theory developed by Foucault and Laclau and Mouffe and dialogism developed by Bakhtin. These standpoints have guided my analysis of the material.</p><p>To sum up the most important conclusions of the study hegemonic masculinity in relation to equality is constructed from significants such as modernity, change and responsibility over oneself as well as in relation to partners and children. Non-Swedish and masculinities of an older generation are depicted as the counter images of hegemonic masculinity and are conceived as unsuccessful masculinities. Non-Swedish masculinity is expected more patriarchal and dependent on traditional and stereotype masculine ideals and masculinities of older generations are presumed isolated, irresponsible and unable to change. These contrasting masculinities are depicted as frustrated, fearful and worried due to loss of power and losers in relation to femininity. Equality is enforced as the solution to these masculinities and what constitutes hegemonic masculinity is the appreciation, understanding and conduct of equality by men. Marginalisation of masculinities is thus a consequence of establishment of hegemonic masculinity in relation to equality and heteronormativity is moreover reinforced in hegemonic masculinity. Firstly, as a consequence of the constant focus of men and women in relation in discourses on equality, secondly since heterosexuality is described as men’s complicity in masculinity. Nor is the dominance of masculinity threatened as traditionally feminine traits such as caretaking now are connoted as indisputably masculine. One interesting conclusion is how discourses on masculinity are employing discourses from feminism and women’s movement claiming status as individuals and subjects beyond sexroles. Being a man is no longer a guarantee for being considered an individual. Another interesting conclusion is that in spite of the male body remaining an important fundament in masculinity there is however an extensive critique of traditional conceptions on male sexuality as active, conquering and constant. The interviewed present alternative discourses on masculinity and sexuality with significant potential destabilising hegemonic masculinity.</p>

Domestic violence shelters offer services key to ending intimate partner violence, but the effect of a shelter stay on women has received little research attention. The present qualitative study examined how a shelter stay affects women’s sense of empowerment, and addressed the following questions: (1) How do women in shelter define empowerment? (2) What are the empowerment experiences of women in shelter? (3) How do shelters support, or hinder, women’s empowerment process? Nine interviews were conducted and analyzed using Fraser’s (2004) narrative method, which situates personal stories within their social context. Four interrelated empowerment processes emerged: self-reflection, gaining clarity, acquiring knowledge, and building community. Three primary shelter elements impacting empowerment were: increasing safety, forming connections, and promoting self-efficacy. This research situates a stay in shelter within the process of empowerment and highlights interpersonal, organizational, and structural influences on women’s empowerment. Suggestions regarding shelter practices and system policies are made. / February 2017

This synthesis article joins the authors of the special issue "Gender perspectives in resilience, vulnerability and adaptation to global environmental change" in a common reflective dialogue about the main contributions of their papers. In sum, here we reflect on links between gender and feminist approaches to research in adaptation and resilience in global environmental change (GEC). The main theoretical contributions of this special issue are threefold: emphasizing the relevance of power relations in feminist political ecology, bringing the livelihood and intersectionality approaches into GEC, and linking resilience theories and critical feminist research. Empirical insights on key debates in GEC studies are also highlighted from the nine cases analysed, from Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Pacific. Further, the special issue also contributes to broaden the gender approach in adaptation to GEC by incorporating research sites in the Global North alongside sites from the Global South. This paper examines and compares the main approaches adopted (e.g. qualitative or mixed methods) and the methodological challenges that derive from intersectional perspectives. Finally, key messages for policy agendas and further research are drawn from the common reflection.

The aim of this master’s thesis is to study in what ways an audience who does not identify as heterosexual reflect over the Norwegian TV-show SKAM’s non-heterosexual representations. The research was carried out through five focus group interviews with thirteen people and used theories on identification, stereotypes and the media together with queer theory and intersectional theories. The study’s interviews show that SKAM gives different opportunities for identification. The respondents all identifies with ways the show deals with coming out and how the process is shaped by subtle forms homophobia. The show’s focus on heteronormativity and internalized homophobia is also strongly identified with and considered to be skilfully told. How Isak and Even’s relationship is portrayed is appreciated as well, which was a source for positive identification. The character Eskild was also brought up as a clever way to show how stereotypical representations can be used in a positive and inspiring way. The show’s general lack of non-heterosexual characters and their portrayal as all white, cis, middle class men was critiqued, as well as how the show handled fetishzation of non-heterosexual relationships. It becomes clear from the interviews how the respondents negotiate the non-heterosexual representations in SKAM in order to find identification, which helps them validate their own sexual identities. Moreover, the study also shows how representations, how they affect and regulate people’s social lives and identities, can be better understood by favouring not only the media but the viewers as well.

Att vara homosexuell och att resa kan ge upphov till många problem trots uppfattningen att en homonormativitet håller på att utvecklas i dagens samhällen. Inom ramen för denna uppsats undersöks homosexuella svenskars upplevelser och behov som turister. Perspektivet intersektionalitet har tillämpats för att se eventuella privilegier och förtryck hos homosexuella män och kvinnor i en turismkontext. De metodiska angreppssätten är kvalitativa mejlintervjuer där ett snöbollsurval applicerats samt en temaanalys för att analysera respondenternas svar. Uppsatser har visat att när personerna reser till icke-gayvänliga destinationer och utrymmen blir de utsatta för förtryck i olika former. Både män och kvinnor reflekterar över sin säkerhet vid val av destinationer och i viss mån undviker att resa till vissa länder. Kvinnor avsäger behovet av specifika produkter och tjänster som homosexuella, medan männen bejakar gaykulturen. Kvinnor, i detta fall, kan vara mer benägna att utsättas för förtryck i många olika perspektiv. I viss mån anser författarna att ett heteronormativt förtryck existerar i dagens turism och att det är ett långsiktigt arbete för att rå bukt med de problem som homosexuella utsätts för. / Being gay and to travel can give rise to many problems despite the perception that a homonormativity is evolving in today's societies. Within the scope of this paper it examines homosexual Swedes' experiences and needs as tourists. The perspective of intersectionality has been applied to distinguish privilege and oppression of gay men and women in a tourism context. The methodological approaches are qualitative e-mail interviews with a snowball sample and a thematic analysis to analyze the respondents' answers. This paper has shown that when people are traveling to non-gay-friendly destinations and spaces they’re subjected to repression in various forms. Both men and women reflect on their safety when choosing destinations and to some extent avoid traveling to certain countries. Women disclaim their needs of specific products and services as homosexuals, while the men affirm the gay culture. Women, in this case, may be more likely to be subjected to oppression in many different perspectives. To some extent, the authors consider that a heteronormative oppression exist in today's tourism and it is a long-term effort to overcome the problems that homosexuals are subjected to.

The cultural defense is an informal term that describes the use of cultural information to mitigate criminal responsibility, often used in conjunction with traditional defense strategies such as provocation or insanity. Arguments for the cultural defense include respecting cultural practices under the liberal narrative that frames the United States as a multicultural and pluralistic society. Advocates of the cultural defense recognize the harmful effects of the false universalism of the law. However, the cultural defense has been criticized as essentialist and harmful as it has been used in high profile cases to justify violence against women of color. The cultural defense superficially prioritizes the needs of marginalized communities by acknowledging the importance of culture in the administration of the criminal law. The rationale behind the cultural defense is politically appealing, but the impacts of the defense are incompatible with the goals of antisubordination, which will be further described by Critical Race Theory. Because the debate surrounding the cultural defense has yet to make significant advances, I argue that Critical Race Theory offers an essential starting point in intervening in the debate, ultimately transforming the realm of legal jurisprudence through its explicit race consciousness and examination of racialized power. In particular, I will examine the concepts of intersectionality and interest convergence which will offer valuable perspective into the cultural defense debate.

This thesis investigates the experiences and strategies of queer migrants seeking asylum in Sweden due to sexuality and/or gender identity. By conducting ethnographic fieldwork and biographical interviews within the RFSL Newcomers support network, the thesis analyses how queer migrants navigate the Swedish asylum apparatus. Building on recent research in queer migration studies, it explores how power relations related to class, gender and race affect queer migrants’ strategies. Applying Bruno Latour’s Actor-Network theory, the thesis furthermore analyses the queer migrants in an actor network together with RFSL Newcomers and the asylum apparatus as independent actors. This thesis additionally aims to contribute to the sociological debate on categorization and construction of identity using Ian Hacking’s concept of the looping effect. Lack of social capital, of not having the right networks, gendered possibilities of visibility and speaking about sexuality can establish obstacles for queer migrants in the credibility assessment and the success of the asylum claim. The asymmetric power relation forces queer migrants into conflicting strategies. Forced visibility and hyper hiding are strategies that are specifically produced in relation to the asylum apparatus creating gendered risk and precarious living conditions. This thesis concludes that queer migrants and the RFSL Newcomers network, in their asylum activism both challenge the asylum apparatus and Western narratives of LGBTQ identity. Nevertheless, RFSL and the queer migrants become complicit in the production of official essentialistic LGBTQ identities when navigating the asylum apparatus. By exploring the Swedish context of LGBTQ asylum and categorization of LGBTQ identity in the asylum process, this thesis contributes to the somewhat undertheorized field of queer migration in Swedish academia.