The aim of this thesis is to describe, analyse and understand how children in preschool construct cultural diversity in their interaction. A wide definition of culture is being used, thereby stressing the cultural background of all children. The study is based on observations and conversations with children in three Swedish preschools. In observing and talking to the children the main interest has been on the extent to which experiences from the children’s individual backgrounds, called cultural impulses, are discernible in their play and interaction. In the analysis a theoretical framework of childhood sociology has been used in order to understand what meaning the children’s actions in their peer cultures have in the construction of cultural diversity. The activities going on in the peer culture have also been studied in relation to the pedagogical context. The findings show diversity within the peer group when it comes to gender and competencies but the actions within the peer cultures contain power game and inclusion as well as exclusion. These are results of hierarchies in the group, building on for example status and social position. These hierarchies are strong in the processes in which it is determined which of the cultural impulses from the children that will be a part of the play and which ones that will be rejected. In Swedish preschool one part of the pedagogical context is the seldom-questioned "fri lek". This is a period of varied length during which the children play by themselves with little or no interference from the pedagogues. The results from the observations indicate that this kind of play has very different meaning for the children. For some it is a possibility to make use of their own experiences in their peer culture and for some it means subordinating to those with higher rank in the hierarchy. / Felaktigt serienummer (#44) i avhandlingen.

The present study has a three folded focus, framed by one over all aim; to critically discuss and evaluate the constructions of women’s legal subjectivity in dominant feminist discourses on prostitution and trafficking. First, I set out to develop a gender theoretical understanding of prostitution. I relate prostitution to a context of reproduction and gender, where the separation between women’s sexuality and reproduction is understood as operating as creating a split femininity, and likewise to construct a unified masculinity. Secondly, I examine the discursive orders on prostitution and trafficking. I examine the frameworks of thought on prostitution and trafficking as they have been formulated in an international debate (on international law) during the last decades. Thirdly, focusing on the discourse that seeks to normalise prostitution as sex work, I examine how the creation of women's legal personhood with in this discourse takes place through an oscilliation between discursive orders on prostitution and trafficking, emphasizing some times different and conflicting ways of promoting women’s rights. One crucial question is how understandings of prostitution, when transposed to a context of trafficking, are expressed through a "judicial reasoning", and how these expressions might shed light upon the construction of women’s legal standing. The aim of the dissertation is to contribute to a comprehensive feminist theoretical understanding of the relation between, on the one hand, different positions on prostitution and trafficking within international law, and the discourses disputing its substance on the other.

Örebro University Department of Social Sciences Sociology and social psychology, Continuation course, 61-90 p. Essay 15 p, Spring -08. Title: ”Youth (work)seekers” Author: Karolina Lindell Abstract This essay focuses on young people’s social background when they apply for their first job. I have interviewed four young people from a small town in Sweden, to see how social background and identity affects their vital conditions in general. I’m interested understanding the relationship between structure and agency. I have used Anthony Giddens and Pierre Bourdieus theory’s about the link between structure and agency and have tried to see the similarities and the differences between the sociologist’s theories. Working class people have been affected in negatives terms by both the quality and quantity of jobs currently available that does not demand a degree from University. Work opportunities for working class people have shifted away from reasonably paid skilled or semi-skilled industrial work to much lower paid service and out-of-reach white-collar work. Young people are the ones who suffer the most from the new conditions in the labour market and the traditional transitions from school to work have started to collapse. It is the working class kids that have the most problems finding work. In the Swedish small town where I did my interviews the industrial and electronic companies have moved their production facilities and the small town suffers from mass unemployment. There is a great difference between what young people wants to work with and what opportunities they have on the job market. Young people without higher education have also a longer time to get a job, and to get their own accommodation, compared to their parent’s generation. The change in conditions for youth people have affected working class kids more negatively than kids from middle class backgrounds. On the other hand have the individualization changed the social class structure. It is difficult for all young people today to get their first job, no matter what social background they have. It is increasingly up to the individual to market herself on the job market and to be interesting for employers.

This examination project examines how masculinity and class affect upper secondary school guys relations towards school and education. The purpose of my project is to expand the understanding of why there is a relation between class, sex and results in studies. The examination is made according to the focusgroup method where two groupinterviews where made. One of the group consist of four guys from a practical upper secondary education and the other consist of four guys from a theoretical upper secondary education. As it shows in the resultchapter the groups also have a different class background.   The result is best understood as a cycle where class strengthen masculinities in different ways, different masculinities have different conditions in the schoolcontext, masculinities and school are factors that strengthen the class differences. In the result I show that both groups have similar view on what to consider masculine, but the guys from the theoretical group point out masculinitie as something negative in opposite to the guys from the practical group. The idea that schoolwork is something unmasculine is clear in the answers from the theoretical group but the same idea can not be found in the answers from the practical group. The attitude towards school and education separates the groups most clearly in the attitude towards university studies. The answers indicate that teachers are one factor to why the attitude towards schoolwork differed so widely between the groups.   In the ending a discussion is held about how school helps to maintain the patriarchy and class differences and how to counteract it.

Abstract The purpose of this study is to explore the organizational culture within the corporation The Body Shop. I have been working with two different question formulations. The first is to answer how the culture can be described. To answer this I have been using Edgar H. Scheins theory of cultural levels. I have been using the two lower levels, artifacts and espoused values. The second question formulation is to answer how the culture within The Body Shop can be reproduced. To my help to answer this I have been using John Van Maanens theory of strategies for socialization. I have been working with a qualitative approach. My data was collected through interviews, observations, printed texts and The Body Shops Swedish and global websites. My results using Scheins cultural levels points out that the culture within The Body Shop, at least outwards, is strong and distinct. The implementation of Van Maanens strategies of socialization indicates that the socialization of new members in the organization tends to have a high congruence with the organization´s culture and values. / Sammanfattning Syftet med den här studien är att undersöka kulturen inom företaget The Body Shop. Jag har arbetat utifrån två frågeställningar. Den första är att besvara hur kulturen kan beskrivas med hjälp av Edgar H. Scheins kulturnivåer. Den andra frågeställningen är att besvara hur kulturen reproduceras med hjälp av John Van Maanens socialisationsstrategier. Studien har gjorts med en kvalitativ ansats. Det insamlade datamaterialet består av två intervjuer med butikschefer inom The Body Shop, tryckta källor samt företagets svenska och globala hemsidor. Beskrivningen av kulturen inom The Body Shop är gjord utifrån Scheins två första kulturnivåer, artefakter och värderingar. Tillämpningen av Van Maanens socialisations­strategier har visat att kulturen inom The Body Shop reproduceras genom socialisationen av nyanställda butiksmedarbetare. Mina resultat tyder på att The Body Shop utåt sett har en tydlig och stark kultur. Resultaten tyder också på att de sätt man socialiserar nyanställda på medför att dessa genom socialisationen uppnår en hög överensstämmelse med företagets kultur och värderingar.

Background and problem:Theory and literature in the field of board recruitment are limited. The theory and literature that existed focused primarily on the recruitment of senior management and CEO. It was identified that no one had examined the factors that influence the recruitment of board members. The underlying factors might cause the board recruitment is not done from a purely efficiency perspective and therefore it is of interest to be examined. Purpose:The purpose of this thesis is to examine and give an insight into the underlying factors affecting the choice of new directors in large Swedish companies. Method:The thesis has had a deductive approach and been based on existing theory and literature to explain the factors that affect board recruitment. The study was quantitative and the sample consisted of all the major Swedish listed companies. Results and conclusions:The survey indicated that board members ethnicity and number of other board assignments were factors that influenced the board recruitment. The empirical results showed that these two factors had positive significant correlations with the survey and are therefore factors affecting that the board recruitment might not be done out of a purely efficiency perspective. Proposals for future research:Future research could conduct a qualitative study in which the backgrounds to the ethnic reproduction are studied in order to identify the underlying factors that may explain the phenomenon. Future research may also conduct surveys concerning the Board members' personal relationships with each other to create an understanding of network effects. A similar study for smaller firms to explore the differences between the companies' size and their board recruitment can also be performed.

Efter att ha läst mycket om pedagogik kopplat till barn, unga och skolan kände vi att vi ville skriva vår examensuppsats om något annorlunda. Vi fick höra talas om organisationen Senioruniversitetet och bestämde oss föra att skriva om äldres lärande, eller rättare sagt äldres motivation till studier på Senioruniversitetet. Denna undersökning är en kvalitativ intervjustudie där vi har intervjuat elva stycken medlemmar på Senioruniversitetet. Senioruniversitetet är en organisation som erbjuder olika kurser, aktiviteter och resor för seniorer. Det finns i flera städer i landet men vi valde att fokusera på Uppsalas Senioruniversitet. Alla som har fyllt 58 år eller har en partner som är medlem får ta del av kursutbudet. Senioruniversitetet startade sin verksamhet 1979 och har idag ca 2400 medlemmar bara i Uppsala. Vårt mål var inte att kunna generalisera vårt resultat till äldre i allmänhet utan att nå våra informanters personliga berättelser och tankar. Vi utförde semistrukturerade intervjuer då vi ville att våra informanter skulle få utrymme för egna reflektioner men samtidigt kunna styra samtalet mot våra frågeställningar. Våra intervjufrågor är delvis kopplade till vad som motiverar våra informanter till studier/medlemskap på Senioruniversitetet. Vi frågade även om informanternas bakgrund för att se om det finns något samband mellan deras utbildnings- och arbetsbakgrund och deras motivation till lärande på äldre dagar. Vårt resultat visade på mycket likartade svar. Informanternas berättelser skilde sig åt på många ställen men var mycket lika angående motivation till studier och vi kunde se tydliga kopplingar till deras bakgrund. De största motivationsfaktorerna till medlemskap vid Senioruniversitetet är att hålla sig aktiverad (både fysiskt och mentalt), lära sig nya saker, personlig utveckling, ta vara på och repetera tidigare kunskaper och att få sociala kontakter och social stimulans. Informanternas bakgrund, så som utbildning och arbetsliv, men även deras föräldrars yrken och syn på utbildning har haft en påverkan på deras val att studera och val av kurser. Teorier om social reproduktion, livslångt lärande och olika motivationsteorier lägger vi stort fokus på när vi presenterar, analyserar och belyser dessa individers berättelser.

The aim of this study was to investigate how four families in the Stockholm area reason, what kind of preconception they have and what their horizon of expectations is when they make the choice between sending their children to the profile class of municipal/free schools and sending them to the general classes in those schools. The main research questions asked were: What kind of preconception do the parents have about profile classes? What reasons do the interviewed parents have to send their children to a profile class? What are the interviewed parent’s expectations of the profile class choice? The study is built on qualitative interviews with the parents of the families. The empirical data has been analyzed using a framework of theories drawing on the theory of reproduction, the forms of social capital, the ideas created from the word profile and elite and the horizon of expectations. The results show that the parents of the families have a similar degree of preconception about profile classes. They presumed they were better than the general classes and had better teachers. The reasons they voice about the choice of classes are that they would like the children to have better way of life than themselves and that profile classes improve and nurture further studies through discipline and concentration improving assignments and activities. Their expectations were better conditions for further studies, reaching a higher social status through acquiring better tools and a better technique of studying.

Weltweit ist eine rasante Zunahme des Artensterbens auch bei der Klasse Aves zu verzeichnen. Durch Umweltveränderungen und unzählige andere menschliche Einflüsse (z.B. illegaler Handel) ist fast ein Drittel der Papageienpopulation (Psittaciformes) vom Aussterben bedroht. Eine Möglichkeit, diesen Trend aufzuhalten, besteht in der gezielten und effektiven Nachzucht bedrohter Arten in der Obhut von Menschen mit dem Ziel der späteren Wiederauswilderung. Leider waren bisher solche Bemühungen oft erfolglos. Dies ist der Tatsache geschuldet, dass fundierte wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Reproduktionsstatus nahezu fehlen und ein Transfer der hormonanalytischen Methoden vom Säugetier zum Vogel nicht so einfach möglich ist. Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war die Etablierung von Methoden zur Hormonbestimmung in verschiedenen Medien beim männlichen Papagei, mit deren Hilfe eine Einordnung des Reproduktionsstatus möglich ist. Im Vordergrund standen dabei vor allem nicht-invasive Techniken, die mit deutlich geringerem Stress für die Tiere verbunden sind. Als Vertreter für die Gruppe der Papageienartigen wurden Wellensittiche (Melopsittacus undulatus, n=11), Nymphensittiche (Nymphicus hollandicus, n=9) und Halsbandsittiche (Psittacula krameri, n=7) ausgewählt und endokrinologisch untersucht. Diese Vögel wurden vom Bundesverband für fachgerechten Natur- und Artenschutz e.V. (BNA) zur Verfügung gestellt. Die Hormonanalyse erfolgte in den regelmäßig gesammelten Blut-, Speichel- und Kotproben der männlichen Psittaziden. Neben dem Sexualhormon Testosteron wurden die Blutspiegel des Stresshormons Corticosteron bestimmt, da eine mögliche Beziehung zwischen Stress und Testosteronsekretion besteht. In den Vorversuchen wurden zunächst geeignete Methoden für die Hormonanalyse in den verschiedenen Medien beim Papagei entwickelt. Zur Extraktion von Testosteron aus den Blut- und Kotproben erwies sich Diethylether als gut geeignet, während Speichel direkt ohne Extraktion im Testosteron-Enzymimmunoassay eingesetzt wurde. Da Papageien hauptsächlich primär konjugierte Testosteronmetabolite (85%) ausscheiden, wurden die Kotproben nach dem Trocknen und Einwiegen mit Hilfe der β-Glucuronidase/Arylsulfatase hydrolysiert und dann mit Diethyether extrahiert. Die Corticosteronanalyse im Plasma der Papageien erfolgte durch Fällung der Proteine mittels absolutem Alkohol und Einsatz der Plasmaextrakte in den Radioimmunoassay. Bei den verschiedenen Papageienspezies traten während der Untersuchungsperiode vergleichbare Plasma-Testosteronkonzentrationen auf. Die höchsten Plasmaspiegel (0,36 ng/ml) wiesen die Wellensittiche im März 2007 auf, ähnliche Konzentrationen (0,34 ng/ml) erreichten die Nymphensittiche im Februar 2007. Demgegenüber zeigten die Halsbandsittiche geringere maximale Konzentrationen (0,26 ng/ml) im November 2007. Im Kot der Papageien wurden erwartungsgemäß deutlich höhere Testosteronwerte gemessen, weil die Steroidausscheidung im Kot kumulativ eine zurückliegende Zeitperiode und Blut den aktuellen Hormonstatus zum Zeitpunkt der Probennahme widerspiegelt. Bezüglich der Haltungs- und Umweltbedingungen zeigten die Papageien maximale Testosteronspiegel während der kalten Jahreszeit, bei kurzer (Halsbandsittich) bzw. zunehmender Tageslichtlänge (Wellen- und Nymphensittich) und Haltung in der Innenvoliere. Dabei spielte die Niederschlagsmenge in der gemäßigten Klimazone offenbar weniger eine Rolle in der aviären Reproduktion. Die Verlaufsuntersuchungen des Stresshormons Corticosteron im Blut der Papageien ergaben speziesspezifische Unterschiede hinsichtlich der Konzentrationen, zeitlichen Verläufe und in Bezug zum Testosteronspiegel. Auffällig hohe Corticosteronkonzentrationen zeigten die nicht domestizierten Halsbandsittiche (15,9 – 35,6 ng/ml) im Vergleich zu den Wellensittichen (1,76 – 17,1 ng/ml) und Nymphensittichen (4,06 – 12,1 ng/ml), bei denen sich vermutlich im Laufe der Domestikation eine verminderte Sensibilität der HPA-Achse ausgebildet hat. In Bezug zum Plasma-Testosteronspiegel war bei den Wellen- und Halsbandsittichen ein gegenläufiger Zusammenhang erkennbar, wobei beim Nymphensittich eine positive Korrelation zwischen der Testosteron- und Corticosteronkonzentrationim Plasma bestand. Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, dass durch die Testosteronanalyse in Kot und Plasma eine Einordnung des Reproduktionsstatus beim Wellen-, Nymphen- und Halsbandsittich möglich ist. Es ist jedoch sinnvoll, Proben zu verschiedenen Zeitpunkten vergleichend zu betrachten, um die tierindividuellen Unterschiede zu berücksichtigen. Offensichtlich stehen die Steroidhormone der Gonaden und der Nebenniere zueinander in Beziehung, sodass auch Corticosteron in der Reproduktionsdiagnostik von männlichen Psittaziden Anwendung finden sollte.

Uppsatsen analyserar huruvida rekryterings- och befordringsförfaranden som tillämpas inom ett logistik- och postföretag har betydelse för könsfördelningen på olika befattningsnivåer. Studiens frågeställningar är: Vilka rekryteringsförfaranden tillämpas inom organisationen? Kan rekryteringsförfaranden förklara hur en könsfördelning skapas och återskapas, i så fall på vilket sätt? De teoretiska utgångspunkterna behandlar i huvudsak utbuds- och efterfrågerelaterade förklaringar, samt olika rekryteringspraxis. Avsikten var att genom en jämförande fallstudie, mellan kontor med jämn respektive ojämn könsfördelning, analysera huruvida rekryterings- och befordringsförfarande kan förklara en ojämn könsfördelning.  Empirin inhämtades genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med fyra enhetschefer och två regionchefer. Följaktligen analyserades materialet genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultaten tyder på att användning av informella informationskanaler, exempelvis rekommendationer, kan leda till skapande av en ojämn könsfördelning. Resultaten pekar även på att en ojämn könsfördelning på en lägre organisatorisk nivå tenderar att skapa en ojämn könsfördelning på högre nivåer genom internrekrytering. Sammantaget är slutsatserna att en ojämn könsfördelning i synnerhet skapas när enhetschefer 1) rekryterar genom homogena sociala nätverk och 2) lägger stor vikt vid medarbetares demografiska likheter. Vidare är slutsatserna att 3) en jämn könsfördelning på en lägre organisatorisk nivå, kan ses som en viktig faktor för en jämn könsfördelning på en högre nivå och 4) redan kvinno- eller mansdominerade positioner återskapas genom att attrahera personer av samma kön.