This thesis explores what role Pentecostalism has as an emerging actor in Uganda in terms of empowering the largely marginalised youth population. Therefore, the purpose of the thesis is to examine how Pentecostalism may contribute to youth´s participation and influence in society and, as such, the realisation of their civil rights as the sovereigns of the country. Based on two months of field research, the thesis is constituted mainly by empirical material from interviews with Pentecostal youth1 in Kampala, as well as contextualising secondary material. This material is then analysed through a theoretical framework based, mainly, on agency theory as it explores the social circumstances in which the agency of the youth is both disabled and enabled, as well as marginalisation and identity-making theory. First, it is argued that the generational gap, characterised by patronage, as well as government`s deployment of physical and psychical violence against youth has worked against the youth and deprived them of their agency. Second, it is argued that Pentecostal churches empower youth to critically reflect over their marginalised position in society, out of which as sense of agency may grow at an individual level. Finally, it is argued that as the churches establishes constructive behaviours among the church youth, this has positively contributed to their social standing in society and the realisation of their civic influence. In turn, potentially contributing also to the wider youth population´s influence, as well as the democratic development and security in Uganda.

Uganda is known for its progressive refugee rights and policy framework towards South Sudanese refugees. The refugees are hosted in long term refugee settlements within host communities in northern Uganda. By using a rights and critical development perspective, this thesis aims to compare and critically review the legal protection of refugees and host communities’ the targeted area. The study identifies several challenges in realizing the aims of the strategic framework and discusses the legal protection of refugees and citizens. The discussion is based on theories from Hannah Arendt, Seyla Benhabib and Balakrishnan Rajagopal. The theories provide rights perspectives on citizenship and global human rights norms, as well as critical perspectives on development and how the human rights discourse can be exploited to the interests of the hegemonic world order. The study is based on a critical review of legislation, the policy framework, reports, and literature. The review has been supplemented with a limited field study in a refugee settlement in northern Uganda. Along with the field study, interviews were conducted with representatives from an aid organization that operates in the area. The results of this study show that refugees’ rights are generous and in line with global human rights norms. However, the review of the legal protection shows that all rights are not respected and the thesis highlight areas where duty bearers fail to maintain the protection. Interviews and field studies also show that integration between refugees and citizens is essential for the local legal protection. The thesis concludes that lack of local perspectives from rights holders in the refugee policy may prevent integration processes in northern Uganda. / Uganda är känt för sitt generösa flyktingmottagande och omfattande rättighetsskydd för flyktingar. Den här studien syftar till att med ett rättighets- och utvecklingskritiskt perspektiv jämföra och kritiskt granska flyktingars och ugandiska medborgares rättighetsskydd i norra Uganda. För att göra det ställs frågan om hur rättighetsskyddet ser ut för flyktingar respektive medborgare, hur flyktingmottagandet påverkar medborgares rättighetsskydd samt identifierar utmaningar med flyktingmottagandet. Studien är avgränsad till att undersöka rättighetsskyddet i norra Uganda eftersom det är dessa områden som tar emot flest flyktingar i landet. Detta görs utifrån Hannah Arendt, Seyla Benhabib och Balakrishnan Rajagopals teoretiska resonemang. Dessa bidrar med rättighetsperspektiv om medborgarskap och globala människorättsnormer samt kritiska perspektiv på utveckling och hur människorättsdiskursen kan utnyttjas till den hegemoniska världsordningens intressen. Studien bygger på kritisk granskning av lagstiftning, policyn för flyktingmottagande (ReHoPE) samt rapporter och litteratur. Granskningen har kompletterats med ett begränsat fältstudium i en av norra Ugandas flyktingbosättningar samt med intervjuer från personal som arbetar med flyktingmottagande. Resultaten visar att Ugandas flyktinglagstiftning är generöst utformad och i linje med globala människorättsnormer. Granskningen av det effektiva rättighetsskyddet visar dock att samtliga rättigheter inte respekteras och jag belyser områden där skyldighetsbärare misslyckas att upprätthålla skyddet. Intervjuer och fältstudium visar att integration mellan flyktingar och medborgare är viktigt för båda grupperna och för rättighetsskyddet, men att den hindras av att riktlinjerna i flyktingpolicyn saknar lokala perspektiv från rättighetsbärare.

Genom denna studie undersöker jag argumentationen som ligger till grund för den svenska lagstiftningen om barnäktenskap, med fokus på erkännande av utländska barnäktenskap. Jag beskriver argumenten för att generellt sätt motverka barnäktenskap. Därefter utvärderar jag argumentationen för att erkänna vissa utomlands ingångna barnäktenskap. Metoden för studien är argumentationsanalys och den teoretiska utgångspunkten är Kantiansk etik, som jag tillämpar på barn. Den svenska lagstiftningen om erkännande av utomlands ingångna barnäktenskap regleras i Lagen (1904: 26 s.1) om vissa internationella rättsförhållanden rörande äktenskap och förmyndarskap (IÄL). Jag undersöker argumentationen som ligger till grund för 1 kap. 8§a, som förbjuder utländska barnäktenskap, där det funnits anknytning. Samtidigt underkänns tvångsäktenskap, oavsett anknytning, utifrån samma paragraf. Det tycks motsägelsefullt att barnäktenskap kan erkännas inom svensk internationell privaträtt, då barnäktenskap förbjuds enligt 2 kap. 1§ Äktenskapsbalken (ÄktB). Syftet med studien är därför att undersöka om argumentationen bakom paragrafen, är hållbar. Studien visar att flera argument inte är hållbara, främst eftersom de inte är rimliga enligt Kantiansk etik, tillämpad på barn. Det går därför att ifrågasätta den sammantagna hållbarheten i argumentationen för erkännandet av utomlands ingångna barnäktenskap, ur ett Kantianskt perspektiv. / Through this thesis I examine the argumentation founding the Swedish legislation regarding child marriages, with a focus on the recognition of foreign child marriages. I describe the arguments for a general prohibition upon child marriages. Thereafter I identify the arguments regarding recognition of foreign child marriages. I use the method of argumentation analysis and the underlying theory is Kantian ethics, applied on children. The Swedish legislation for recognition of child marriages is regulated within Lagen (1904:26 s.1) om vissa internationella rättsförhållanden rörande äktenskap och förmyndarskap (IÄL). I examine the argumentation underlying the 1st chapter 8§a, which prohibits foreign child marriages, with a connection to Sweden. In the same time, forced marriages are prohibited in any case, through the same paragraph. It seems contradictory that some child marriages are recognized within the Swedish private international law, when child marriages are generally prohibited through the 2nd chapter 1§ of Äktenskapsbalken (ÄktB). Thus, the purpose of the study is to find out if the argumentation, on which the law is based on, is sustainable. The study shows that many of the arguments are not sustainable, mainly since they are not reasonable according to Kantian ethics, applied on children. Therefore it is possible to question the sustainability of the overall argumentation for the possibility of recognizing foreign child marriages, from a Kantian point of view.

Den europeiska domstolen för mänskliga rättigheter har tagit upp ett mål om tvångsarbete där de klargjort att en arbetsrelation kan utgöra tvångsarbete även om arbetaren initialt accepterat arbetsvillkoren om det finns exploaterande element. I uppsatsen används idé- och argumentationsanalys för att analysera domslutet genom applicering Iris Marion Youngs teori om fem ansikten av förtryck för att utröna om domstolens argumentation uppnår en nivå av moral i linje med teorin. Uppsatsen klargör bland annat, vikten av att domstolen sett till offrens hela livssituation från ett helhetsperspektiv och att de ansträngt sig att sätta sig in i sådant strukturellt förtryck som ofta är dolt i vardagliga beteenden. Uppsatsen visar att domslutet genom sitt tillvägagångssätt på ett tillfredställande sätt kunnat visa på förekomst av förtryck som annars kunde ha passerat ostraffat, och att motiven i beslutet utgår ifrån en moralisk grund i paritet med teorin. Argumentationen kunde dock ha innehållit en mer mångfacetterad beskrivning av strukturellt förtyck och dess konsekvenser på den sociala gruppen. / The European Court of Human Rights has made a judgement in favor of the workers in a case of forced labor in which they clarify that a working relationship can constitute forced labor even if the worker initially has accepted the working conditions if there are elements of exploitation. In this essay idea and argumentation analysis are used to analyze the judgement through the eyes of Iris Marion Youngs normative theory of the five faces of oppression, to explore if the courts argumentation reaches a moral standard in line with the theory. The essay reveals among other things, that an effort to explore the life situation of victims from a holistic perspective were crucial in the judicial process, as well as an effort to understand structural oppression hidden in the everyday life. The conclusions show that the judgment meets many aspects of Youngs theory in revealing oppression and giving arguments in line with its moral grounds. However, the argumentation could have been even more versatile around issues of structural oppression and consequences thereof on the social group.

This paper is an interview study with 12 women between the ages of 17-88 from Bohuslän, Sweden and their thoughts about female virginity and the hymen. Today it has been proven that there exists no hymen that breaks at a woman’s first sexual intercourse. Nonetheless, the study shows that the myth of the hymen is still alive even though it is fading in the younger generations. All the women in the study have at some point in their lives believed there was a hymen but many have via education or media been informed that that’s not the case. Despite education, the hymen was still related to blood, pain, difficulties using feminine care products, or thoughts that something might rupture due to sport activities, like horse riding. Based on the women’s reports, this paper interprets why female virginity has become something that is in need of surveillance and control. As understood from Lévi-Strauss’s theories on the kinship system, the woman becomes a gift unit through the ritual of marriage. The alleged presence of the intact hymen is the valorizing factor in said structure.      The semi-structured interviews were analyzed through a content analysis and interpreted by using the post-modernistic theoretical frameworks, with focus on the ideas of Michel Foucault. Further post-structuralist theories are applied to interpret how language and action create norms and truths. The results indicate that the belief in the existence of the hymen as an anatomical structure took hold in medical science and popular culture in line with the hypothesis that power creates knowledge. The results also show that knowledge is not constant: from being an established truth among the older participants in the study, to the youngest generation expressing that the hymen is something “old”. Simultaneously, all women expressed that the hymen and female virginity are connected to discipline and power asymmetries. The results show that the hymen, in this specific context can be seen as a social construction with the aim of maintaining unity and discipline.

The aim of this essay is to show how the relationship between credit and critique is important for Jacques Derrida’s deconstruction of law. I will start from Force of Law, in which law, as well as justice, is deconstructed by Derrida. My purpose is further to show how the two concepts, credit and critique, are intertwined in the discourse of law and thereby crucial for Derrida’s deconstruction. As Derrida always states, the rational projects need to have a master concept, which the project revolves around, and this master concept needs at least one other subordinate concept to contrast itself against. In this context, I argue that critique can be that master concept. I base this argument upon the fact that critique in its ancient Greek sense, krinein, can be translated into the verb ‘to separate’, ‘to decide’ or ‘to judge’, which shows that there is an obvious link to the task of a judge. This puts critique in center of the discourse of law. Credit on the other hand is not rational, which makes it opposed to critique, but it is still important for law. It is a typical subordinated concept that just appears in the discourse without any further explanation but is present by its implicit importance to the discourse. I argue that credit is the subordinate concept that is needed for the concept of critique to be a master concept. Both concepts are important for the foundation of law, and this is why I believe that Derrida in the end states the importance to take responsibility for the law. In other words, one must take responsibility for both founding aspects of credit and critique when deconstructing the law.

Identity and identity formation affects all people in life. There has been done much research on what can develop human identity. There are also theories about how people develop their identity and which factors affect people's identity. The aim of this paper is to examine the factors that affect the identity of religious youth. The purpose is also to examine the significance and place of religion in the lives of the informants and how the Swedish school presents students' own religious tradition in religion studies in school. The study was conducted through a qualitative interview study with four high school students. Furthermore, the results have been analyzed in relation to Anthony Gidden’s theory of identity, Thomas Ziehe’s theory about identity, and the socialization theory.                       The result showed that religion is a big part of informants' lives. It has been stated that fasting, prayers, and religious attire are factors that affect the lives of the informants. Furthermore, it emerged that religion, family, society, school, and social media are factors that affect the identity development of the informants. It is also expressed that the Swedish school presents the students' own religious traditions in a foreign way for those students who do not belong to the majority religion, Christianity. The conclusion of this paper is that religion and faith, family, school, society, and the internalized world are factors that shape the informants' lives in how they develop their identity.

Christ's words "do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:20) point to an eschatological realism realized in the gathering. The word of Christ institutes a liturgical praxis that was received by the ancient church and has since been practiced for several generations until today. The Syriac speaking churches, which are also in continuity with the Messianic faith, followed by the apostolic tradition, do not escape the question of eschatology, which is of great importance and central to Syriac Christianity. To answer the question of why eschatology is important in the Syriac tradition? is comprehensive, large and does not accommodate the scope of work. However, this work will try to answer the question of whether Jacob of Serugh's eschatological thinking develops in relation to Ephraim in comparison to Isaac the Syrian. Therefore, this work will try to get a glimpse of the eschatological basic view within the understanding of Syriac Christianity. There will be a positioning of Jacob of Serugh in relation to Ephraim the Syrian with comparison to Isaac the Syrian to gain a better understanding of the direction that emerges during the turning point of the fourteenth century in connection with those ecclesiological battles during that time. It may not provide an answer to everything but certainly an answer to where we started this development regarding eschatology. I want to thank my supervisor, Michael Hjälm for the good advice, support and guidance through the work. I also hope that reading this essay will be useful and continued studies in the subject.

The years around 1968 societal change was on the agenda of many political, cultural and other movements. This paper is about the role of Church of Sweden in relation to the demands of contemporary society. How did Church of Sweden approach the challenges that the time around 1968 presented in terms of vulnerability and human distress? In particular, what was the ability of the church and its members to be an active force in reducing the remaining pockets of poverty, to enhance equality? Did the church offer a possibility for the committed to participate through the church in improving human conditions in the world, something generally expected by a Christian church?     By the reading of the church weekly magazine, Vår Kyrka, and applying a theory on “space of action”, the paper concludes that it was hard to develop meaningful social work in the parishes, partly due to the Parish Governance Act, Församlingsstyrelselagen. It was the international work that offered a “space of action” for the active parish members. Lutherhjälpen (Church of Sweden Aid) and Svenska kyrkans mission (Church of Sweden Mission) grew in importance and affected parishwork and the witness of the church at the time.

Abstract. The overall aim of this study is to examine the Neo-Gnostic teachings of Samael Aun Weor (1917-1977). The research question will inquire his main ideas in relation to syncretism, cosmology, and sexology. Accordingly, based on the theoretical perspectives of Antoine Faivre, the gnostic doctrine of Samael Aun Weor is summarized, compared and examined in the light of the definitions of western esotericism. The purpose is on one hand to make an exploration of a relatively unknown esoteric author and on the other hand to place his vast teachings and interpretations within the esoteric context and in relation to the new era discourse. Methodically, a qualitative text analysis will be used to explore several books written by Samael Aun Weor which are further analysed with the help of secondary sources. The study concludes that the Neo-Gnostic ideology of Samael Aun Weor, despite being placed by scholars within the new era discourse, additionally matches within the framework of classical esotericism and that furthermore reveals revived and combined perspectives with interpretations that have seldom been transmitted before.