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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
251

Health care for intimate partner violence : current standard of care and development of protocol management

Joyner, Kate 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (DPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The World Health Organisation recognises intimate partner violence (IPV) to be of major consequence to women’s mental and physical health, yet in South Africa it remains a neglected area of care. Within a professional action research framework, this study implemented a previously recommended South African protocol for the screening and holistic management of IPV in women in order to test its feasibility and to adapt it for use in the primary health care (PHC) sector of the Western Cape. It also aimed to identify the current nature of care offered to female survivors of IPV. Thirdly, it aimed to learn from the process of training and supporting (nurse) researchers who were new to the action research paradigm and methodology. Successfully implementing and evaluating a complex health intervention in the current PHC scenario required a flexible methodology which could enable real engagement with, and a creative response to, the issues as they emerged. Guided by the British Medical Research Council’s framework for development and evaluation of randomised controlled trials for complex health interventions (Medical Research Council, 2000, p.3), this study was positioned within the modelling phase. Professional action research used a co-operative inquiry group process as the overarching method with the usual cycles of action, observation, reflection and planning. Altogether five co-researchers were involved in implementing the protocol and were members of the inquiry group. A number of techniques were used to observe and reflect on experience, including participant interviews, key informant interviews, focus groups with health care providers at each site, quantitative data from the medical records and protocol, field notes and academic literature. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Wêreld Gesondheidsorganisasie erken dat geweldpleging in intieme verhoudings (“intimate partner violence”, of IPV) ‘n groot impak het op vroue se geestes- en fisiese gesondheid, terwyl dit ʼn verwaarloosde area van sorg in Suid-Afrika is. Binne ‘n professionele aksie-navorsingsraamwerk, implementeer hierdie studie ‘n voorheen aanbevole Suid-Afrikaanse protokol vir die sifting en holistiese hantering van IPV by vroue om die uitvoerbaarheid daarvan te toets en om dit aan te pas vir gebruik in die primêre gesondheidsorgsektor (PGS) van die Wes-Kaap. Die projek poog ook om die huidige aard van sorg wat aan vroulike oorlewendes van IPV beskikbaar is, te identifiseer. Derdens het dit ook ten doel om te leer van die proses van opleiding en ondersteuning van (verpleeg-) navorsers vir wie die aksie-navorsingsparadigma en methodologie nuut was. Suksesvolle implementering en evaluering van ‘n komplekse gesondheidsintervensie in die huidige PGS scenario vereis ‘n buigsame methodologie wat betrokkenheid met, en ‘n kreatiewe respons tot, kwessies soos wat dit ontwikkel, moontlik maak. Gelei deur die Britse Mediese Navorsingsraad se raamwerk vir die ontwikkeling en evaluering van ewekansige gekontroleerde proewe vir komplekse gesondheidsintervensies (Mediese Navorsingsraad, 2000, bl.3), was hierdie studie binne die modelleringsfase geposisioneer. Professionele aksienavorsing het ‘n gekoördineerde ondersoekgroep as die oorkoepelende metode - met die normale siklusse van aksie, waarneming, reflektering en beplanning - gebruik. Altesaam vyf mede-navorsers wat lede van die ondersoekgroep was, was betrokke in die implementering van die protokol. ‘n Aantal tegnieke is gebruik om waar te neem en te reflekteer op ervarings, insluitend deelnemersonderhoude, sleutel-informant onderhoude, fokusgroepe met gesondheidsorgverskaffers by elke fasiliteit, kwantitatiewe data van die mediese verslae en protokol, veldnotas en akademiese literatuur.
252

Evaluating community participation in development projects

Dube, Nobayethi 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / Community participation is a concept that is frequently mentioned in community development. Practitioners in development believe that in order for projects to succeed, communities need to actively take part in designing, implementing and shaping the projects that affect them. The aim of this thesis is to evaluate community participation by measuring quantitative and qualitative indicators of participation. It is important to note that there are no universal indicators of participation. The thesis presents three projects as case studies. In order to measure participation in the three cases, the quantitative and qualitative indicators of participation of Oakley et al. are reviewed. The indicators are applied across all three cases and the analysis indicates whether they were high, low or absent. It is also important to note that to measure participation effectively requires one to spend lengthy periods at the project site and this proved to be a challenge, as will be shown in the thesis. The thesis also demonstrates that to a large extent community participation is contextual. Of the three projects, two were rural projects and one an urban project. The two rural projects, Mongoaneng Development Forum and TsweloPele Women‟s Co-operative, were initiated by members of the community and aimed at addressing issues of poverty. The urban project, Motherwell Youth Development Forum, was specifically targeting young people with the aim of providing them with skills. Key findings include the fact that each of the cases was highly diverse, and furthermore, when measuring these cases, a common thread was that not all participation indicators were present at any given stage. Another key finding is that co-operation amongst project members tends to yield positive results and the reverse yields negative results. Another finding relates to the sustainability of the projects, pointing to the fact that even though two of the cases were doing well, their sustainability was questionable.
253

Biological citizenship in Blikkiesdorp : the case of the disability grant

Kelly, Gabrielle Gita 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis examines local understandings and use of the Disability Grant in The Symphony Way Temporary Relocation Area, locally referred to as Blikkiesdorp (tin can town). The study takes an ethnographic approach and focuses particularly on a group of people accessing or seeking to access Disability Grants who formed a support group as a result of the study. Findings reveal that in a context of social and economic marginalisation, there is a high reliance on government grants for survival and a particularly high demand for Disability Grants by the unemployed in Blikkiesdorp. As social assistance in South Africa is categorically targeted at particular vulnerable groups, the majority of the unemployed of working age are not eligible for social assistance. As a result, Disability Grant recipients face significant pressure from their households and the community at large to share their grants with those who cannot find unemployment but are not catered to by the social security system. It also means that disability or illness is often valued over health. Given the use of the Disability Grant as a livelihood strategy within households and the related importance of Disability Grants to individuals and families, those who receive their grants on a temporary basis engage in a struggle to reapply for grants through performances of disability and humanitarian appeals to medical doctors who, as a result, are not only burdened by high numbers of grant applications, but also pressured to make decisions that go beyond their role as medical professionals. The analysis draws on the concept of biological citizenship to explore the relationship created between illness or disability of the bodies of marginalised citizens and the potential to access to social citizenship rights, enabled through the receipt of the Disability Grant. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek aan die hand van ʼn etnografiese benadering plaaslike begrippe en gebruike van die Ongeskiktheidstoelaag in Die Simfonieweg Tydelike Hervestigingsgebied, plaaslik bekend as Blikkiesdorp. Die studie fokus op ʼn groep mense wat die Ongeskiktheidstoelaag ontvang of probeer om daartoe toegang te verkry en wat as gevolg van hul deelname aan die studie, ʼn ondersteuningsgroep gevorm het. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat in ʼn konteks van maatskaplike en ekonomiese marginalisering, daar vir oorlewing tot ʼn groot mate op staatstoelaes staatgemaak word en dat daar spesifiek onder werkloses in Blikkiesdorp ʼn groot aanvraag vir die Ongeskiktheidstoelaag is. Maatskaplike ondersteuning in Suid-Afrika word op spesifieke kategorieë kwesbare groepe gerig en die meerderheid werkloses kwalifiseer nie vir maatskaplike ondersteuning nie. Om die rede verkeer die ontvangers van die Ongeskiktheidstoelaag onder besondere druk van lede van hul huishouding en ook van ander gemeenskapslede om hul toelae te deel met werkloses wat nie deur die maatskaplike sekuriteitsisteem gedek word nie. In dié konteks gebeur dit dikwels dat ongeskiktheid of siekte bo gesondheid van waarde geag word. As gevolg van die belangrikheid van die Ongeskiktheidstoelaag vir individue en hul gesinne is diegene wat hierdie toelaag op ʼn tydelike basis ontvang, betrokke in ʼn stryd om heraansoek deur die voorstelling van ongeskiktheid teenoor en humanitêre beroepe op mediese beroepslui. Hierdie beroepslui word derhalwe nie slegs belas met ʼn groot aantal aansoeke nie, maar verkeer ook onder druk om besluite te neem wat verder as hul rol as medici strek. Die konsep biologiese burgerskap word gebruik om die verband wat geskep word tussen siekte of ongeskiktheid van die liggame van gemarginaliseerde burgers en die potensiaal vir toegang tot maatskaplike burgerskapsregte deur die ontvangs van die Ongeskiktheidstoelaag, te ontleed.
254

Samhällskunskapslärares tankar om samhällsbegreppet i samhällskunskapsundervisningen. : En studie i metoden fokusgruppsintervju av nio yrkesverksamma samhällskunskapslärare på två olika gymnasieskolor. / Social science theatchers thoughts on societals concept in social studies. : A study in the focus group interview method of nine professional social sciense teatchers in two different upper secondary schools.

Andersson, Jemima January 2019 (has links)
The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate how social science teachers perceive and express the concept of society in social studies. The study consists of focus group interviews with nine social science teachers at two upper secondary schools and its results are analyzed against the theoretical backdrop of Odenstad's orientation topics, analytical subjects and discussion topics and Sandahl’s first-order and second-order concepts. In short, the two different conceptual devices can be described as the skills and abilities that are most important for the students to master in order to develop advanced thinking skills in social science. Particular emphasis is put on critical thinking, that is, the ability to seek, structure and evaluate information from different sources and to draw conclusions from this process. The emerging results show a certain consensus on the concept of society among social science teachers as the potential subject of study and analysis that would simplify and clarify the analyses of the different levels in society which, in turn, would contribute to adding significance and bringing cohesion to the subject as a whole. As for the skills and abilities that stem from Odenstad's orientation topics and Sandahl’s first-order concepts, the interviewed teachers all emphasize conceptual ability as well as good external knowledge to have knowledge of how society is made up. With reference to Odenstad's analytical subject and discussion topics and Sandahl's second-order concepts, it would seem that it is not only important but a prerequisite that students develop an analytical ability and critical thinking as well as the ability to sift through and process large amounts of information and assume different perspectives on the topic or issue at hand.
255

Deep dive into social network and economic data : a data driven approach for uncovering temporal ties, human mobility, and socioeconomic correlations / Immersion dans les réseaux sociaux et les données économiques : une approche orientée donnée afin d'étudier les liens temporels, la mobilité humaine et les corrélations socio-économiques

Leo, Yannick 16 December 2016 (has links)
Dans cette thèse, j'étudie des jeux de données concernant des liens sociaux entre personnes (appels et SMS), leur mobilité ainsi que des informations économiques sur ces personnes, comme leur revenu et leurs dépenses. Les sept travaux couvrent un spectre assez large et apportent des contributions en informatique des réseaux mais aussi en sociologie, économie et géographie. Les questions posées sont très diverses. Comment quantifier la perte d'information causée par une agrégation de flot de liens en série de graphe ? Comment inférer les mouvements des utilisateurs quand on ne connaît que les localisations des utilisateurs aux moments des appels, et que l'on ne détecte donc que les mouvements qui ont eu lieu entre deux appels consécutifs, sans connaître leur nombre ni les instants auxquels ils ont lieu ? Est-il possible de transmettre des SMS dans une région dense en utilisant la densité des téléphones, la mobilité des utilisateurs ainsi que la localité des messages échangés ? Est-il possible de comprendre les inégalités sociales avec une approche Big Data ? Cette dernière question fait l'objet d'une première étude socio-économique approfondie au prisme du Big Data. Il a été possible d'étudier à grande échelle la stratification de la société, l'existence de clubs de riches, la ségrégation spatiale et la structure des dépenses par classe sociale.Au delà de la variété de ces études et de ces nombreuses applications, cette thèse montre que l'analyse de données individuelles riches à l'échelle d'une population permettent de répondre à de nouvelles questions et à d'anciennes hypothèses avec une approche Big Data. Cette thèse tient à mettre l'accent sur la potentialité d'une approche Big Data mais aussi de sa complémentarité avec les approches classiques (modélisation, sociologie avec enquêtes, …). Un effort particulier a été mis dans l'explication des étapes qui amènent aux résultats et dans la prise en compte des biais ce qui est trop souvent négligé. / In this thesis, I have carried out data-driven studies based on rich, large-scale combined data sets including social links between users (calls and SMS), their demographic parameters (age and gender), their mobility and their economic information such as income and spendings. These seven studies bring insights in network science but also in sociology, economy and geography. The questions asked are very diversified. How can one quantify the loss of temporal information caused by the aggregation of link streams into series of graphs? How can one infer mobility of a user from his or her localisations of calls? Is it possible to transmit SMS in a dense region by using the density of phones, the mobility of users and the locality of the messages? How can one quantify and prove empirically the social stratification of the society at a large population scale? I present, for this last question, a first socio-economic study with a data-driven approach. It has been possible to study, at a very large scale, the stratification of the society, the existence of "rich-clubs", the spatial segregation and purchase patterns for each social class. Beyond the variety of studies and their numerous applications, this thesis shows that the analysis of individual rich combined datasets at a large population scale gives the opportunity to answer long-standing hypotheses and to address novel questions. This work not only points out the potentiality of Big Data approach but also its complementarity to classical approaches (modelization, surveys, …). Particular attention was given in order to explain each steps that lead to results and to take into account biases which is too often neglected.
256

How Attitudes towards Statistics Courses and the Field of Statistics Predicts Statistics Anxiety among Undergraduate Social Science Majors: A Validation of the Statistical Anxiety Scale

Obryant, Monique J 08 1900 (has links)
The aim of this study was to validate an instrument that can be used by instructors or social scientist who are interested in evaluating statistics anxiety. The psychometric properties of the English version of the Statistical Anxiety Scale (SAS) was examined through a confirmatory factor analysis of scores from a sample of 323 undergraduate social science majors enrolled in colleges and universities in the United States. In previous studies, the psychometric properties of the Spanish and Italian versions of the SAS were validated; however, the English version of the SAS had never been assessed. Inconsistent with previous studies, scores on the English version of the SAS did not produce psychometrically acceptable values of validity. However, the results of this study suggested the potential value of a revised two-factor model SAS to measure statistics anxiety. Additionally, the Attitudes Towards Statistics (ATS) scale was used to examine the convergent and discriminant validities of the two-factor SAS. As expected, the correlation between the two factors of the SAS and the two factors of the ATS uncovered a moderately negative correlation between examination anxiety and attitudes towards the course. Additionally, the results of a structural regression model of attitudes towards statistics as a predictor of statistics anxiety suggested that attitudes towards the course and attitudes towards the field of statistics moderately predicts examination anxiety with attitudes towards the course having the greatest influence. It is recommended that future studies examine the relationship between attitudes towards statistics, statistics anxiety, and other variables such as academic achievement and instructional style.
257

Samhällskunskapsundervisning och nationalism : En studie om fyra lärares erfarenheter, begrepps­användning och didaktiska överväganden i undervisning om nationalism / Social studies education and nationalism : A study of four teachers' experiences, conceptual use and didactic considerations in teaching about nationalism

Ridderskans, Sebastian January 2023 (has links)
Denna studie undersöker hur fyra gymnasielärare i samhällskunskap reflekterar över nationalism i deras undervisning. Fenomenet nationalism går att förstå som ett såväl snävt som brett begrepp och i denna studie intervjuas lärarna om hur de upplever att nationalism förekommer i deras undervisning som kunskap, perspektiv, fenomen och didaktisk utmaning. Studien är explorativ och använder Sandahls (2015) teori om samhällsvetenskapligt ämneskunnande samt begreppsklassifikationer om sunt förnufts-uppfattningar och naturaliserade axiomer. De teoretiska perspektiven används för att bringa klarhet i vad lärarna ser som relevanta kunskaper och erfarenheter av nationalism i undervisningen och för att belysa vilka didaktiska utmaningar fenomenet kan skapa. Resultaten visar att nationalism är ett återkommande perspektiv i samhällskunskapsundervisningen, som ibland berörs öppet och direkt, i andra fall mer subtilt och indirekt. Fenomenet beskrivs av lärarna som en byggsten i elevernas utveckling av de kunskaper och färdigheter som Sandahl (2015) beskriver som samhällsvetenskapliga tankeredskap. Lärarna beskriver nationalism på ett likartat sätt men skildrar i intervjuerna hur fenomenet ges olika stort utrymme och förmedlas på olika sätt beroende på faktorer såsom gymnasieprogram, gruppsammansättning och mängden samhällskunskap som eleverna läser. De lärare som primärt undervisar på högskoleförberedande program beskriver en mer indirekt förmedling av nationalism som perspektiv och förlitar sig på historieundervisningens innehållskunskaper och den kunskapsprogression eleverna genomgår under deras tre gymnasieår. Lärarna på yrkesprogrammen beskriver snarare att de på ett direkt sätt ger utrymme åt innehållskunskaperna om nationalism i deras undervisning. Resultaten visar även att nationalism upplevs som ett kontroversiellt ämne i klassrumssituationer, där en del elever ger uttryck för antingen sunt förnufts-uppfattningar eller naturaliserade axiomer vilka utgör didaktiska utmaningar i undervisningen. Slutligen visar resultaten på att det finns flera utmaningar kopplat till lärarprofessionen i undervisning om nationalism. Dessa utmaningar rör såväl värdegrund, vetenskaplighet och elevers förförståelse som kräver didaktiska övervägningar i samhällskunskaps­undervisningen. / This study examines how four high school social studies teachers reflect on nationalism in their teaching. The phenomenon of nationalism can be understood as both a narrow and broad concept and in this study the teachers are interviewed about how they perceive that nationalism occurs in their teaching as knowledge, perspective, phenomenon, and didactic challenge. The study is exploratory and uses Sandahl's (2015) theory of second order concepts of Social Science as well as the conceptual classifications of common-sense notions and naturalized axioms. The theoretical perspectives are used to bring clarity to what the teachers see as relevant knowledge and experiences of nationalism in teaching and to highlight the didactic challenges the phenomenon can create. The results show that nationalism is a recurring perspective in social studies teaching, which is sometimes touched upon openly and directly, in other cases more subtly and indirectly. The phenomenon is described by the teachers as a foundation block in the students' development of the knowledge and skills that Sandahl (2015) describes as second order thinking concepts. The teachers describe the concept of nationalism in a similar way but describe in the interviews how the phenomenon is given varying amounts of time and conveyed in different ways depending on factors such as the high school program, group composition and the number of social studies classes that the students attend to. The teachers who primarily teach in university preparatory programs describe a more indirect conveyance of nationalism as a perspective and rely on the content knowledge of history teaching as well as the knowledge progression the students undergo during their three years of high school. The teachers on the vocational programs rather describe that they directly give time to the content knowledge about nationalism in their teaching. The results also show that nationalism is experienced as a controversial topic in classroom situations, where some students express either common-sense notions or naturalized axioms which pose didactic challenges in teaching. Finally, the results show that there are several challenges linked to the profession in teaching about nationalism. These challenges relate to foundation of values, scientific rigor, and students' pre-understanding, which require didactic considerations in social studies teaching.
258

Social and natural reality : prospects for a consilient theory of nationalism

Swerhun, Bryce 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MA (Political Science))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Nationalism is quite easy to understand, but somewhat difficult to explain. In terms of understanding nationalism, we do not need to know anything more about society and sentiment than what is taken for granted in everyday life. An individual who ‘drops’ into a foreign culture may know absolutely nothing about its people’s songs, rituals, amusements and traditions: why some customs evoke tears, and others, bravado. This person would feel no sense of collective awe or inspiration when touring historic battlefields and monuments of an unfamiliar country. Nevertheless, he or she would likely understand and appreciate that all of these things are steeped in meaning and identity. These instances of meaning and identity may not be felt, shared or even fully known, but their role as expressions of nationalism can be readily appreciated. The global spread of nations entails an array of mutually unfamiliar national identities, but the actual phenomenon nationalism is rarely foreign to anyone. From an outsider’s perspective we do not know how certain expressions are significant to a particular group, but we do understand that they are expressions of national belonging. Explaining nationalism is more difficult for the simple reason that experiencing and recognizing a phenomenon is not sufficient to account for its existence. Customs and rituals are two suggested properties of nationalism, but what is the causal relationship between such properties and the end phenomenon (how does custom actually lead to nationalism, if at all)? The answers to these questions are still a matter of debate. The situation is only made worse by the fact that most theories explaining nationalism seem to rest on a tower of abstractions. For instance, it may seem uncontroversial for some to argue that nationalism is an outgrowth of ethnic identity. However, this just begs the question. What is ethnicity? The potential for regress to abstraction is a major impediment to theory. This thesis will examine the problem of explanation: the reasons why theories of nationalism have struggled with explaining nationalism, and a discussion on how to overcome these difficulties. Specifically, this thesis will show that: 1) The problem of explaining nationalism is due in part to the ‘classical’ problem found in the literature: whether nationalism is an ‘ancient’ social phenomenon, or a ‘modern’ phenomenon which can be dated (roughly) to the late eighteenth century. 2) Debates regarding the classical problem are closely affected by philosophical issues in the social sciences. 3) The incorporation of a consilient methodology (i.e. a research program that unifies theories of social science with theories of natural science) can provide a new strategy for future theories of nationalism and work to solve the classical problem.
259

Att hoppa av; plugga annat eller flytta. : En beskrivande studie av avhoppade studenter på fem samhällsvetenskapliga program vid Luleå Tekniska Universitet / To drop-out; study other subjects or move away. : A descriptive study of student drop-outs from five programs within social science at Luleå University of Technology

Karlsson, Jonathan January 2017 (has links)
I denna uppsats försöker jag att fylla ett tomrum inom forskningen om studenter som väljer att hoppa sina programutbildningar inom samhällsvetenskapliga program riktade mot en kandidatexamen. Syftet med detta arbete är att presentera en bild av avhoppade studenter inom kandidatprogram, och därmed utgöra en beskrivande studie för fortsatt forskning och fördjupning inom området. Jag har samlat in och analyserat statistik om avhoppade studenter från fem samhällsvetenskapliga program vid Luleå tekniska universitet. Med hjälp av statistisk analys ger jag en detaljerad bild av studenterna som väljer att hoppa av sin samhällsvetenskapliga universitetsutbildning. Resultaten visar på en skillnad mellan könen, där männen generellt är underrepresenterade inom de flesta program men har samtidigt högst sannolikhet att lämna programmen. För båda könen är det inte ovanligt att de fortsätter studera ett annat program eller kurser vid samma universitet efter att de har hoppat av. Denna sannolikhet ökar ännu mer ifall de ursprungligen kommer från närliggande orter till universitetet. För avhoppade studenterna som kommer från andra delar av Sverige råder det omvända förhållandet, om dessa individer fortsätter att studera sker det oftast vid ett annat universitet eller högskola. Med de tillgängliga data som använts går det dock ej utläsa ifall de avhoppade studenterna väljer att studera liknande program eller kurser vid nya utbildningsorter. Det finns även en skillnad mellan könen när man gör en åldersindelning, där äldre kvinnor oftare forsätter att studera än män. Jag diskuterar mina resultat med hjälp av etablerad forskning inom utbildningssociologi, där man studerat hur kulturellt kapital, habitus, könsskillnader påverkar engagemang gentemot skolan och hur väl man lyckas prestera inom skolväsendet. Genom att koppla resultaten mot teorier inom utbildningssociologi kan detta arbete vara en utgångspunkt för att utveckla nya frågeställningar och hypoteser om avhoppade kandidatprogram studenter. Och därmed bidra till fortsatt forskning inom området. / In this paper I try to fill a gap in the studies of students who drop out of higher education in Sweden. The gap consists of students who choose to drop out of educational programs aimed towards bachelor degrees in the social sciences. The aim of this study is to present the reader with a picture of students who drops out of bachelor programs and by doing so I hope to provide a stepping stone for further research in this area. I collect and analyze statistical data on drop outs from five programs at the University of Technology in Luleå. With this I provide detailed presentation using statistical analysis of the students who choose to drop out of higher education in the social sciences. The analyzed data shows a discrepancy between the genders, where even though men are typically underrepresented at the programs at a whole, they are still the most likely to leave the programs. But even when they drop out of a program there is a high probability that they continue to study at the same university, this is true for both gender but slightly more so for women. This also increases greatly if you are from the surrounding area of the university to begin with. For students who drop out and originated from other parts of the country, they are more likely to continue their studies at a different university. With the current data available in this study, there is no way to know what type of programs or courses they choose to study at their new choice of university. There is also a difference between the genders when accounting for age, where older women have a slightly higher tendency to continue to study after they drop out.  I discuss my results with established research in the field of sociology of education, on how culture capital, habitus, and differences in gender effect how students engage and perform in education. By using theories of sociology of education, this study can be used to further develop research questions and explore new premises within the subject area.
260

Sustainable Food Consumption Practices : Case Studies and Contexts from Edmonton, Canada

Touchie, Rachel January 2017 (has links)
The globalized food system poses many systemic challenges that have significant impacts on the environment and human health. In order to tackle these challenges, especially those relating to climate change, it is assumed that consumers need to be accountable for the role they play in these issues, requiring them to alter their harmful consumption habits. In terms of the food system, this means that people need to evolve into ethical consumers and become more invested in what and how much they eat, where it comes from, etc . However, throughout the literature and in policies, there remains a focus on altering what people buy, rather than reducing waste from their overconsumption. Reducing waste and consumption would have a more beneficial impact for the environment, human health, and urban sustainability, yet it remains secondary to the narrative of buying sustainable alternatives. A waste reduction narrative would encourage sustainable behaviours that would also be more accessible to households of various socioeconomic backgrounds, and would provide more tangible results in terms of money saved, reduced greenhouse gases and waste output, and increased sustainability. However, food consumption is the result of many ingrained daily food practices influenced by a multitude of factors that prevent people from consciously considering the consequences of their actions. Food consumption and waste management as a phenomenon can therefore be interpreted using Social Practice Theory (SPT), which states that all humans act autonomously and according to social norms. This means that practices are recursive and routinized, subject to change, yet somewhat unconscious. All practices lead to consumption in some way, and changing such deeply embedded routines to become more sustainable requires a full understanding of these deeply entrenched practices. Practices can be broken down into three main components that drive how practices are formed and maintained:materials, competences, and meanings. This project uses mini-ethnographic studies to highlight SPT in order to understand the factors (contextual, materials, competences, and meanings) influencing households in Edmonton, Canada as they navigate the current sustainability narrative, and how they approach sustainable food consumption and food waste management. The results from this study lend some insight into what materials, competences, meanings, and other factors drive people already somewhat aware of sustainable food consumption issues to practice such types of behaviour. These influential elements have been found in many other recently published works, and give further insight into how broad external factors and specific internal factors can drive consumption practices. Prevention and reduction behaviours were already somewhat prevalent in this group. It is important that education programs targeting sustainable food consumption behaviours understand what drives certain food related practices, and how they can target the barriers that prevent certain groups of people from adopting more sustainable habits.

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