This thesis aimed to analyze how men and masculinity were portrayed in The Hunger Games. I intended to investigate the most salient masculine characters. I also wanted to analyse the one-on-one interactions between men as well as their group interactions. I sought to investigate if one could see any power relations between the male characters and if they were traditionally masculine or not in this interaction, and also if this book could be used for discussions in the work with the core values of the Swedish national curriculum. The questions used in the thesis were: ”How are the men portrayed, and how do they act, compared against a traditional masculinity norm?”, ”What happens in the homosocial interaction between the men?”, and ”How do the men treat Katniss, seen from a masculinity perspective?” The theories used in the analysis were found within the field of masculinity studies. Hegemonic masculinity theory was the first one, and the second theory was the theoretical framework of traditional masculinity ideologies by Mahalik et al., specifically the measurement tool of CMNI – Conformity to Masculinity Norm Inventory. The method used to collect the data for the analysis was Close Reading. In the analysis I compared the men to a set of masculinity norms. The measurement tool was the norm inventory of CMNI. The results of the analysis found that at all the men in the study lived in accordance with at least some of the traditional masculinity norms. Out of the four men analysed, three of them had a gender equal relationship with the female lead character. Some men in the book were shown to act based on a patriarchal power structure. It was found that the men who acted in accordance with this structure were conforming more to the traditional masculity norms in their interaction with other men than in their interaction with women.

Syftet med min studie är att undersöka hur flickor/kvinnor och pojkar/män framställs i den barnlitteratur som presenteras för barn genom högläsning i förskolan. Detta för att bidra med kunskap om genus i barnlitteraturen, vilket bidrar till att jag som pedagog utvecklar ett kritiskt förhållningssätt till de böcker jag väljer att erbjuda barnen. Genom analys av tre olika bilderböcker har jag sökt svar på hur manliga och kvinnliga karaktärer skildras, hur man kan urskilja könsstereotypa markörer och om litteraturen bekräftar eller överskrider och utmanar könsstereotyper.   Jag har närmat mig mitt material utifrån en kvalitativ forskningsansats. Jag har även använt mig av analysmetoder, vilka har hjälpt mig att hålla mig inom ramen för det jag ville undersöka. Två olika teorier, Hirdmans teori om genussystemet (2001; 2007) och Connells maskulinitetsteori (2008),  har gett mig möjlighet att förstå de resultat som mitt material visat. Min studie visade två olika sätt att skildra karaktärer, antingen genom ombytta egenskaper eller genom en stor variation av egenskaper och handlingar, oberoende av kön. Vidare visade den ett stort gränsöverskridande och utmanande av könstereotyper och därmed av den normen för hur kvinnor/flickor och män/pojkar bör vara. / The purpose of my study is to investigate how girls/women and boys/men are being portrayed in the children's literature presented to children by reading out loud in preschool. This is to contribute with knowledge about gender in children's literature, which helps me as a teacher to develop a critical approach to the books I choose to introduce to the children. By analyzing three different picture books, I have sought answers to how male and female characters are being portrayed, how one can see gender stereotyped markers and if the literature confirms or exceeds and challenges gender stereotypes.   The process is based on a qualitative research approach. I have also used analytical methods, which have helped me to stay within the framework of what I wanted to investigate. Two different theories, Hirdmans theory of the gender system (2001; 2007) and Connell's theory of masculinity (2008) has given me the opportunity to understand my results. My study showed two different ways to portray characters, either by reversed characteristics or by a great variety of characteristics, regardless of gender. Furthermore, it showed a large cross and challenging of gender stereotypes and with that the standard of how women/girls and men/boys should be.

The aim of this study is to examine how the word manly was used during the 19thcentury. Using the Corpus of Historical American English (COHA) it looks atcollocates, the spread across registers and semantic meaning, in order to gain a betterunderstanding of the word and its usage. Due to this term’s connotations with gender,the findings will finally be discussed in relation to Gender Performativity andMasculinity Theory.

Previous research has shown a post-disaster increase of Gender Based Violence [GBV], suggesting a need for further investigation of the phenomena and its causes. This research draws together a wide-ranging collection of secondary data sets concerning disasters and gender based violence. It analyses the social environment in post-disaster settings that breeds an increase in GBV with focus on Sexual Gender Based Violence[SGBV] and Intra Personal Violence [IPV]. Through a comparison of two case studies: (a) post-earthquake Haiti and (b) post-hurricane Katrina. The cases are analysed through an analytical framework constructed out of three theories, Eco-feminism, Hyper-masculinity and Situational Theory, which together could give a trustworthy explanation of the phenomena. The findings show that similar factors were prevalent in both cases, and in turn provides insights for the abductively derived framework that relates the causal mechanisms behind the phenomena of post-disaster gender-based violence, building on the commonalities between social environments and structures in the cases. In particular, it was found that a patriarchal root structure and high rates of frustration both provided explanatory causal mechanisms for increased GBV. Though changes in environments can affect the prevalence of GBV as it can provide easier access of victims and lower the risk of penalties in relation to the crimes. In order to address GBV associated with future disasters, post-disaster plans need to adapt a gender mainstreamed approach with focus on safe housing and rapid rebuilding processes for the grass root level.

Studying social work in Sweden is less popular among men than women. Only about one in five applicants who applied to the programme during the autumn of 2018 in Stockholm University were male, showcasing a gender imbalance. Thus, the aim of this study is to research why male social work students applied to the programme, how their environment influenced their choice, and their attitude towards working in a female dominated field. Furthermore, the study has a deductive approach where the two theories, socialization and Connells theory of masculinity, laid the groundwork for the analysis. Nine male students in Stockholm University were divided into two focus group interviews, and their discussions were later analyzed qualitatively. The empirical data was then constructed into four themes which were examined through previous research and the earlier mentioned theories. The results show that the respondents prioritize comfort and safety over status and income when choosing a profession, that they perceive important qualities in a social worker to be empathic yet assertive, that social work in general is viewed as an unclear subject which hinders others from seeing it as a viable career option and that men in social work are desirable in the labour market.