This thesis follows the process of introducing natural gas in Sweden and the construction of a Northern European gas grid from 1967 to 1991. Natural gas is a relatively unnoticed fuel in Sweden today, but this relative anonymity stands in contrast to an extensive historical activity that has taken place behind the scenes of Swedish energy policy. The single pipeline constructed between Denmark and Sweden in the early 1980s was both preceded and followed by many other attempts to construct a larger natural gas pipeline in the region made in the last 50 years. Åberg traces these attempts while discussing the complex and messy process of constructing and managing a transnational energy infrastructure.Åberg follows actors in Sweden and other countries in their attempts to negotiate and construct a natural gas infrastructure, and puts this process into a national as well as transnational context. The perceived risks and opportunities surrounding natural gas are examined, together with factors that have influenced the development of natural gas in a broader sense. By seeing the changing and messy natural gas projects as arenas where different actors construct and negotiate risks and opportunities, as well as contexualize the projects, Åberg shows how the natural gas sector in Sweden has evolved and taken shape.The study shows that natural gas in Sweden has suffered from unstable actor coalitions on different levels, a difficult market situation, and a changeful political context, especially with regard to energy policy. The import status of the fuel and the consequential transnationality of the natural gas infrastructure have also made the process of constructing a pipeline more complex. However, natural gas was introduced in Sweden, showing that when a strong enough actor coalition agreed that there was enough reason to warrant a natural gas introduction and was ready to join this endeavor, a connection could be achieved. This puts into question to what degree general explanations in terms of finance and policy drive energy decisions, and makes a case for showing how these explanations are adapted into their social and historical contexts in sometimes surprising ways. / <p>QC 20130507</p> / The integration of energy markets across system and nation boundaries

In this essay the author has chosen to analyze the similarities and differences between some of the northern Europe’s late Mesolithic and Neolithic cultures. The research is of a processual standpoint and the information is mainly gathered from secondary sources as well as ethnological studies. The material collected has been analyzed in both a processual and a post-processual manner to most accurately study the foundations of the three primary theories describing the Pitted Ware Culture’s origin. During the course of the study the author also found a possible fourth alternative, and the possibility of exogamy as a factor in the emerge of the Pitted Ware Culture has also been questioned. This work has prompted for a rigorous collection of information to be able to properly present all theories strong and weak points, without bias for any theory. The conclusion of these studies is that it is very hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that has given the Pitted Ware Culture its typical cultural traits, although a possible sequence of events has been presented in this text.

Carbon storage in agricultural soils is an important measure to mitigate climate change. As the soil management techniques can greatly influence the amount of carbon stored in agricultural soils, the influence of different managements was analyzed in a literature review for northern Europe and Sweden. With a unique dataset, the temporal development of soil organic matter, and in a case study the influence of SOM on crop yield in Sweden was examined, as well as the relationship of SOM towards clay content and pH level. For northern Europe, organic amendments in form of manure and sewage sludge application and crop residue incorporation as well as nitrogen fertilization and diverse crop rotations indicate a positive impact on soil organic carbon. The influence of reduced tillage was found to be less impactful. Detailed development of SOM in Swedish agricultural fields remains unclear due to data restraints and scarcity, but for the Skåne region the data analysis suggests a stable SOM content for the time period analyzed. The relationship of SOM to crop yield remains unclear but indicates that SOM can have a positive effect on crop yield. More research is needed to understand underlying mechanisms of development, management influence and yield response on soil organic carbon for northern Europe.

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This thesis investigates the impact of digitalisation on sustainability performance within manufacturing firms in Northern Europe from 2010 to 2023 at the age of Industry 4.0. It explores how digital technologies like IoT, cyber-physical systems, and big data have transformed production processes, enhancing sustainability across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. The research employs a quantitative approach, utilising regression analyses of data sourced from the Refinitiv database to assess the influence of digitalisation on ESG performance in manufacturing firms across Northern Europe.  The theoretical underpinnings of this study are grounded in an integration of shareholder and stakeholder theories, which offer a detailed examination of how digital transformations are reshaping corporate governance dynamics. It also encompasses a discussion on agency theory and legitimacy theory, highlighting how differences in corporate governance outlooks impact sustainability initiatives. Moreover, the research evaluates the potential benefits and challenges associated with digitalisation through the lens of the resource-based view and the dynamic capabilities framework. This analysis elucidates how digitalisation provides a competitive advantage, for example, by promoting efficiency and decreasing energy consumption while acknowledging the possibility of increased resource use, a phenomenon referred to as the Jevon Paradox.  Findings indicate that digitalisation facilitates improved sustainability outcomes to enhance financial performance by optimising resource utilisation, reducing waste, and improving operational efficiencies. However, variations exist depending on the type and intensity of digitalisation. The results highlight that while digital technologies drive significant improvements in environmental management and operational efficiency, the benefits are not uniformly experienced across all firms, suggesting a differentiated impact based on company size and digital maturity.  This research significantly contributes to the academic literature by providing empirical evidence of digitalisation’s role in enhancing sustainability within the manufacturing sector. Importantly, it offers practical insights for policymakers and business leaders, equipping them with the knowledge to leverage digital transformation to meet sustainability goals effectively. Future research must delve deeper into the long-term effects of digital technologies on sustainability, investigate the impacts across different industrial contexts, and examine the role of regulatory frameworks in shaping digital transformation strategies. This thesis underscores the urgent need for manufacturing firms to harness digital innovations responsibly to foster sustainable development in the digital age.

Les emporia, sites commerciaux abritant des activités artisanales, apparaissent aux VIIe et VIIIe siècles sur les rives des mers du Nord, Baltique et Manche, alors que le centre de gravité économique se déplace de la Méditerranée vers le Nord, que les échanges se font plus massifs et que les pouvoirs politiques se recomposent. Situés à la fois à la périphérie des royaumes en train de se constituer et au centre des réseaux d'échanges, ce sont des lieux de rencontre (économique, politique, culturelle), où marchands anglo-saxons, francs, frisons, scandinaves et slaves échangent marchandises et idées, ainsi que des centres de consommation, de production, d'échange, de stockage et de transit. Leurs caractéristiques communes permettent de comparer les sites scandinaves (Birka, Kaupang, Hedeby, Ribe), anglo-saxon (Hamwic) et francs (Quentovic et Dorestad), en les resituant par rapport aux changements politiques, économiques et sociaux entre le VIIe et le Xe siècle. Pour cela, cette étude s'appuie sur des sources à la fois textuelles et archéologiques, dans le cadre d'une approche interdisciplinaire, sollicitant l'archéologie, la géographie, l'anthropologie. On se demandera comment les emporia et leurs hinterlands interagissaient, en termes d'approvisionnement, de diffusion des monnaies et objets, et quelles relations entretenaient ces ports avec les différents pouvoirs, en abordant leurs fonctions fiscales, administratives, juridiques et même religieuses, pour esquisser des réseaux sociaux, à des échelles différentes (du local aux réseaux d'échanges à longue-distance), tout en s'interrogeant sur les liens entre les différents emporia en Europe du Nord-Ouest, voire au-delà. / The emporia, trading-stations with manufacturing activities, appear during the 7th and 8th centuries on the North Sea, Baltic and Channel shores, when the economic axis moved from the Mediterranean Sea towards the North, when the exchanges become more important and the political powers are remodeled. On the periphery of kingdoms being set up and at the heart of exchange networks, they are meeting places, with economic, political and cultural aspects and where Anglo-Saxon, Frankish, Frisian, Scandinavian and Slav traders mingle with each other. They are also consumption centers and producing sites where exchanges, storage and transit can take place. Thanks to their common characteristics we can compare Scandinavian sites (Birka, Kaupang, Hedeby, Ribe), Anglo-Saxon site (Hamwic) and Frankish sites (Quentovic and Dorestad), in a context of political, economic and social changes during the 7th-10th centuries. To this end, this study rests on both written and archaeological sources, in an interdisciplinary approach using archaeology, geography, anthropology. We will wonder how the emporia and their hinterlands interact, as regards supply issues, coinage, importations and craft productions circulation. We will also examine the relationships between the emporia and various authorities, and elaborate on the fiscal, administrative, juridical and even religious functions of these trading ports, to outline social networks, on different scales (from local insertion to integration in the long-distance trade networks), while examining the links between the different emporia in Northwestern Europe and even beyond.

Notre nouveau défi est de protéger l’environnement. Pour réussir cette tâche, beaucoup considèrent qu'il faut réduire notre consommation énergétique. Le développement des énergies renouvelables permettra la réduction des gaz à effet de serre ainsi que notre consommation énergétique. Les pays nordiques ont mis en place des politiques énergétiques différentes selon leurs ressources et leurs expériences. Mais il n'est pas facile de réduire la consommation d’énergie quand les besoins augmentent et qu'il est nécessaire de conserver un haut niveau de vie. Les choix politiques sont très importants surtout pendant ces temps de crise. Il est cependant possible d'utiliser cette nouvelle révolution verte pour relancer l’économie, créer des emplois et bâtir un développement durable respectueux de l’environnement. C'est le défi auquel sont notamment confrontées les économies de l'Europe du nord. Les pays scandinaves partagent la même culture et la même histoire, mais leurs politiques énergétiques sont différentes. Ainsi, la Norvège exploite les hydrocarbures, le Danemark a opté pour l’énergie éolienne, la Suède et la Finlande recourent à l’énergie nucléaire et l’Islande développe son potentiel géothermique. Les choix énergétiques y ont souvent été argumentés par la réduction des gaz à effet de serre, même si la réalité est parfois divergente, les pays nordiques sont sur le bon chemin pour constituer un modèle dans le monde pour le développement durable et pour montrer une nouvelle façon de vivre et une nouvelle façon de penser aux générations futures. / Our new challenge is to succeed in protecting the environment; we have to reduce our energy consumption. The development of renewable energies will decrease greenhouse gases and our energy consumption. The Nordic countries have set up a different energy policy, depending on their own natural resources and know-how. It’s not easy to reduce energy consumption when needs are increasing. Political choices are very important, especially during this crisis period. We must use this new green revolution to revitalize the economy, create employment and build a good sustainable development, which respects the environment and society. The Nordic countries share the same culture, history and language, but their energy policies are different. Norway has chosen hydrocarbons, Denmark wind power, Sweden and Finland nuclear power and Iceland geothermal energy. These choices have always been an argument for the reduction of greenhouse gases, even if the reality is sometimes different. The Nordic countries are setting a good example to the world in sustainable development and showing a new way of life and thinking for the next generations.

In the wake of the Cold War, regional organizations have proliferated and are now a dominant theme in global politics. This study tests whether explanations for the Nordic peace can help to understand or construct other zones of peace in these increasingly important regional settings. With that in mind, this study compares the Nordic area of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden with the Southern Cone region–here defined as Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay–and both are treated as regional, subsystemic zones of peace. Its significance lies in analysis of two developmentally disparate regions not yet compared in zones of peace literature. Using structured, focused comparison, this study is guided by fundamental questions about each region that assess the relationship between explanations for regional peace and their respective historical records. Understanding the conditions that permit the endurance of peace in today’s global context has far-reaching empirical and theoretical implications.

The master thesis called Winter in genre painting of the Northern European region in the 16th and 17th-century focuses with the theme of winter period performed on the works of selected artists from Northern Europe. It deals not only with her impressive atmosphere but mainly observes the habits and traditions of the ordinary inhabitants of the villages or towns what is represented on the pictures. The attention of interest is also biblical scenes connected with the Nativity of Christ or folk celebrations of Christian feats during the winter. On selected themes can further explore the forms of winter pleasures of ordinary people or hunting. The purpose of this work is to reflect the importance of winter landscape with reference to the life of a common inhabitants taking into account the socio-historical context of the Netherlands 16th - 17th century. Keywords: genre painting, Renaissance, baroque, Northern Europe, winter, habits, tradition, meeting, sport, carnival, celebrations, ice skating, landscape, hunting, holidays

The diploma thesis is focused on the analysis of selected works of the winter landscape painting of the Norther European painters . Structurally, the work is conducted in such a way that it first introduces the evolution of landscape painting in the Northern Europe from 14.-16. century. In this context, three selected works are analyzed, whose scenes are set in the winter landscape. The cultural-historical context of the 16th-17th centuries is then outlined to familiarize with the circumstances of the time. century in the Netherlands. Then lives and works of the painters presented are briefly mentioned. The core of the thesis is the formal and iconographic analysis of selected works, especially from the workshop of the Brueghel's family and their followers. The landscape paintings with an impressive atmosphere are analyzed, observed are also habits and traditions of the ordinary inhabitants of the villages or towns whit is represented on the pictures. The attention of interest are also biblical scenes connected with the Nativity of Chist or folk celebrations of Christian feats during the winter. The purpose of this work is to reflect the importance of winter landscape with reference to the life of a common inhabitants taking into account the socio-historical context of the Netherlands 16th-17th...