This thesis studies the history of the Scandinavian Currency Union, 1873-1924. It is divided into four analytical chapters, each dealing with a different aspect of the Union and each written as a separate paper. The conclusions of the thesis challenge existing views of the Union and examines new aspects of this episode in monetary history. It poses new questions and exploits and evaluates new sources. The first paper offers an original interpretation of the role of Scandinavianism in the monetary reform of 1873-1875. It is argued that its importance has been both exaggerated and misinterpreted. In fact, the monetary integration of those years was principally motivated by economic considerations. The second paper deals with inter Scandinavian monetary cooperation during the period 1873-1914. It argues that the process of monetary integration, later followed by disintegration, during these decades is best understood in the context of a trade off between financial efficiency and national economic vulnerability.  It provides a comprehensive analysis of the motives that underlay the principal extensions of the Union’s institutional framework.This includes, the formation, cancellation and renegotiation of the formal, Union based, clearing agreement, as well as the process leading to the free circulation of all Scandinavian notes throughout the currency area.The third paper studies the level of integration and efficiency of the Scandinavian foreign exchange market throughout the period. The paper applies theories and methods from modern economics and finance on a new set of historical financial data. It concludes that the currency union generally, and the clearing agreement in particular, significantly increased the degree of market integration. It also concludes that, during most of the period, the Scandinavian foreign exchange market was characterized by perfect arbitrage and efficiency. The final paper challenges the prevailing scholarly view of the dissolution of the Union. It argues that the break up resulted from the asymmetric shocks that the three countries experienced during World War I. These shocks, which differed as a result of varying national economic policies and structures, created tensions that required exchange rate adjustments to be resolved. / <p>Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2004</p>

The aim of this study has been to revaluate Bronze Age society using rock art as an archaeological material. It has also sought to question certain prevailing interpretative trends within the research of rock art; ascribing it as ritual practices, expression of a social elite and the adoption of symbols from cultures along the Mediterranean Sea. This has chiefly been made possible through the application of Slavoj Žižeks ideas about the ideological fantasy and the sublime object of ideology. The thesis proposes a connection between art and ideology. A selected sampling of rock carvings from three areas in Sweden has been made in order to further investigate the relationship between different figurative motives both at a regional level, as well as a local. This study claims that rather than having been under the control of an elite, rock art has been accessible for the majority of the population both to produce and view. The depiction of human representation as rock carving does not depict a clear social stratification. It is also argued that the idea of images displayed on the rocks having roots in the imagery of Mediterranean civilizations is a construct of current western ideology, as the symbolic connection between the cultures is tenable at best, according to this study.

<p>One of the most discussed archaeological subjects is the neolitisation, and the start of a neolithic lifestyle which is characterized by several significant events. The traditional view has been that settled people were cultivating and breeding, but this picture has been questioned and changed in later years. The development is principally based on two models; that already neolithic people immigrated and took over, or that the new lifestyle gradually developed out of the existing cultures. Southern Scandinavia was characterized by a settlement pattern with permanent settlements which were complemented by temporary special settlements, but in time more domestic settlements originated. On the British Isles the settlements didn´t consist of permanent agricultural settlements but instead did the people here move freely between several short term settlements.</p><p> </p><p> </p>

This study focusses on the relationship between social assistance and personal social services on the one hand and various forms of social insurance on the other hand. During the period the expressed objective was in both nations to replace the Poor Law with insurance, leaving only a small last resort assistance scheme. While Norway continued the pre-war practice of breaking down the Poor Law "from without" through the gradual extension of insurance, Britain attempted a more immediate transition through the creation of a universal National Insurance and a National Assistance freed from the cash-care multifunctional nature of the Poor Law. The comparison of the ensuing development rests on two postulates. First, Norwegian social insurance will be seen to have experienced a more favourable development in terms of coverage and levels of benefits. Second, in the case of assistance the Norwegian scheme covered a decreasing proportion of the population with a service bearing strong resemblance to those of the Poor Law. Britain, by contrast, experienced a growth in the number covered by assistance, in terms of numbers as well as need categories. The services obtained bear, however, less resemblance to the Poor Law compared to their Norwegian counterpart. For both nations it will be hypothesised that the scope and nature of assistance can be largely explained by the development of social insurance. The findings will be discussed in relation to Titmuss' models of welfare. The hypothesis is that while Norway on the whole has reached an income maintenance closer to the institutional model compared to Britain, a paradox emerges when we see that Norway also features a more residual assistance in comparison to services offered to equivalent groups in the UK. These findings are also discussed in relation to theories about the social division of welfare as well as different interpretations of determinants of welfare. The study is in two parts: Institutional and residual welfare. In the first we analyse first the emergence of the models of insurance in the two countries and, second, the 1946-1966 development of old age and disability pensions. The second part focusses on assistance and the changing nature of social work in the local authority personal social services.

This thesis aims to explain how politics in 14th century Scandinavia were structured by a set of rules or norms of conduct – rules which were neither codified nor enforced by any outside agency, yet had a very real impact on the patterns by which political action was conducted. Taking inspiration from historical anthropology, the study sets out to analyze the ways in which political tensions and relationships, primarily within the royal elite, were negotiated in various situations. The source material – mainly letters of treaties, but also contemporary literary sources – are treated as remains of political communication within a common discursive framework. The findings of the study go against some established notions about politics in the 14th century that are prevalent in current Scandinavian research. On the whole, patterns of political behaviour during the period show great similarities to those of the earlier Middle Ages, despite the discontinuity implied by the idea of the 13th century as the era of "state formation" in Scandinavia. Rather, the kings and princes of the 14th century appear to have been ruled by quite similar norms of behaviour to those of their predecessors, albeit on a more complex scale. The concepts of peace and justice are shown to have been central to the way that political action was legitimized. No functional difference can be shown to have been made between "feudal" or personal relations, and those of the state. Peace was conceived as a state of harmony, which could only be achieved through the establishment of mutual positive bonds, and an active striving for justice. The latter was achieved, both with the aid of mediators and negotiators, and through the demonstration of force, in patterns largely similar to the practice of feuding. Likewise, acts of supplication and reconciliation are shown to have played an active part in the way that political relations were reified during the process of ending an armed conflict.

7 BIBLIOGRAPHY Title of Thesis: Outdoor Activities in Finland as Offered by Czech Travel Agencies (case study of chosen travel agency) Author: Bc. Klára Hrbková Supervisor: Doc. PhDr. Jan Neuman, CSc. Year of Presentation: 2016 Abstract: Aims: This thesis is about the winter sport activities available in Scandinavian countries. It presents an analysis of travel agency Periscope Skandinávie, s.r.o. and examines Finnish travel agency Lapland Safaris' range of winter sport activities. This thesis also describes the outdoor activities available in Finland. Methods: The data presented in this thesis has been acquired by analysing documents produced by travel agencies (reports, figures, catalogues sold). The questionnaire method of research has been used to assess the level of interest future clients show in the offers promoted by the travel agencies. Details about working in travel agencies have been acquired through structured interviews with the general managers of the travel agencies. Conclusions: Finland is a promising country for Czech travel agencies (please see: Great Prospects for Outdoor Activities in Terms of Nature Conditions and Organisation). The travel agency being examined for the purposes of this thesis, Periscope Skandinávie, is successfully widening its range of winter tours in Finland. The...

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can be defined in many ways and there are severalstrategies present for managing, monitoring and implementing CSR and Codes of Conduct(CoC). In the thesis it will be regarded as those activities companies carry out, and maintain, tocreate a more sustainable business,- and global situation. Implementation of CSR is voluntaryfrom the purchasing companies perspective but mandatory for the suppliers. This means CSR andCoC is not legislated or in any other way strongly influenced by governments or NGO:s, but away to manage a supply chain to fulfil the company goals and public expectations.This thesis is based on three research questions, that provide an insight into managing,monitoring and implementing CSR and CoC in the developing nation Vietnam, based on theperspective of Scandinavian textile and apparel companies.The first question aim to give a background to strategies, found among in the study part takingcompanies, used to manage, monitor and implement CSR and CoC. Approaches such as, ownauditing divisions, joining initiatives, production manager inspects and so on, is gone throughwith emphasis on working methods. This is presented to give the reader a background onconcepts and an insight into common procedures. The second focus on factors influencing themanagement, monitoring and implementation of CSR and CoC in Vietnam. The three followingcategories wereselected to be presented and discussed, National culture, Middle Management andthe Future of CSR in Vietnam. As these topics were often mentioned in interviews withcompanies and organisations as influencing the CSR process. The final question is meant to tiethis thesis and the previous two questions together, how Scandinavian textile and apparelcompanies can co-operate with Vietnamese suppliers to create added value in the supply chain.This question goes back to the two previous ones seeking possibilities to use strategies forimplementation, adapted to factors influencing CSR in production in Vietnam.In chapter 5, a list of negative and positive characteristics of the situation for working with CSRin Vietnam is presented. The negative being, mild unorganized strikes, the ‘if you can hide it; itdo not exist’ attitude, middle management, foreign owned production facilities, and the one partystate. The positive aspects mentioned being, developing country, awakening public interest,workers reacting, and a positive attitude towards Scandinavians.Significant findings made in this thesis were that company size often dedict strategy andinitiatives chosen, CSR codes often directly correspond to the soft laws of the ILO conventions,middle management is a key to success and that the power of the buyer should not beunderestimated, but demands on production social standards should be stressed to cause change.Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, kan definieras på åtskilliga sätt och det finns flerastrategier närvarande rörande management, övervakning och genomförande av CSR ochuppförandekoder. I uppsatsen kommer CSR att betraktas som de aktiviteter bolagen bedriver, styroch underhåller, för att skapa en mer hållbar verksamhet och global situation. Att dessa utförsfrivilligt, utan att vara lagstiftning eller under stark påverkan från NGOs. Utan är ettförhållningssätt för hur företag hanterar denna del av försörjningskedjan för att möta sina mål ochallmänhetens förväntningar.Uppsatsen bygger på tre frågeställningar, för att ge en inblick i management, övervakningen ochgenomförandet av företagens sociala ansvar och uppförandekoder i den del av försörjningskedjansom är produktion. I denna studie i utvecklingslandet Vietnam. Från ett Skandinaviskt textil ochkonfektions företags perspektiv, gällande arbete kring styrning av inköp och produktion.Den första frågan strävar efter att ge en bild av de strategier som ofta används för management,övervakning och genomförande av CSR och CoC. Metoder såsom, egna auditeringsdivisioner, attgå med i initiativ och att produktionschef inspekterar under fabriksbesök, gås igenom medtyngdpunkt på arbetsmetoder. Dessa strategier presenteras för att ge läsaren en bakgrund tillbegrepp och en inblick i det praktiska arbetet kring arbetet med CSR. Den andra frågan fokuserarpå faktorer som påverkar förvaltning, övervakning och implementering av CSR och CoC iVietnam. De tre områdena nationell kultur, mellanchefsnivå och framtiden för företags socialaansvar i Vietnam, presenteras och diskuteras. Den sista frågan är tänkt att knyta uppsatsen, och detvå föregående frågorna samman, hur skandinaviska textil och konfektionsföretag kan samarbetamed vietnamesiska leverantörer för att skapa mervärde i leverantörskedjan. Denna fråga knyteran till de två tidigare, den första som söker möjligheter att använda strategier för genomförande,den andra påvisar faktorer som påverkar företagens sociala ansvar i produktion i Vietnam.Sammanfattningsvis presenteras en lista i kapitel fem, som redovisar negativa och positivaaspekter rörande styrning av CSR i Vietnam. De negativa är, milda oorganiserade strejker, den&quot;om du kan dölja det, finns det inte&quot; attityd som finns, mellanchefer, utlandsägdaproduktionsanläggningar och det kommunistiska enpartisystemet. Positiva aspekter inkluderar,utvecklingsland, ett spirande allmänhets intresse, arbetare reagerar, och en positiv inställning tillskandinaver.Anmärkningsvärda upptäcker som gjorts i denna avhandling var att företagets storlek oftapåverkar vilken strategi och initiativ som valts. CSR koder motsvarar ofta direkt mjuka lagar somILO konventioner, chefer på mellannivå är en nyckel till framgång. Köparens makt skall inteunderskattas, krav på att produktionen följer sociala normer bör krävas för att skapa långvarigförändring i försörjningskedjan. / Program: Textilekonomutbildningen

Meu trabalho propõe uma investigação sobre as possíveis representações imagéticas do heroi semilegendário Sigurðr Fáfnisbani em uma pequena ínsula no meio do Mar irlandês conhecida como Ilha de Man. Essa região foi habitada por populações celtas e cristianizadas desde o século V, mas assistiram a chegada de novas levas humanas provindas da Escandinávia em c.875. As representações evocadas foram cinzeladas entre meados do século X e o início do século XI sobre quatro lajes de pedra, ainda que elas componham um conjunto maior de monumentos congêneres. Após muitos séculos, a rigor, no final do século XIX, os quatro artefatos foram intitulados como Cruzes de Sigurðr. Minha preocupação inicial foi apresentar as cruzes de maneira abrangente, o contexto geográfico e sociocultural da Ilha de Man, tal como as mudanças políticas e religiosas que ela enfrentou durante a Era Viking. Tentei demonstrar como essas cruzes serviram como um índice do novo cenário de transformação socioreligiosa e de amálgama cultural em território manx. A seguir, propus debates teóricos sobre a runologia, o principal campo de estudos escandinavos dedicado a esses monumentos em pedra, e os estudos de estilos artísticos escandinavos, além de sua influência sobre o que os intelectuais manx propuseram sobre as Cruzes de Sigurðr. Após isso, fiz um balanço dos estudos sobre as representações de Sigurðr nas cruzes manx. Por fim, eu apresentei uma análise descritiva-formal e sintática das possíveis representações sigurdianas nas quatro cruzes. Minha conclusão foi que não é possível ter certeza que elas representam o herói, mas certamente são monumentos seculares com um relevante impacto na paisagem dos pontos de vista social e religioso, como demonstrações de poder e forma de controle sobre a sociedade circunvizinha. Elas também expressam possíveis alianças matrimoniais e políticas dos habitantes manx em uma sociedade muito transformada após a chegada dos novos colonos nórdicos. / My work proposes an investigation on the possible imagetical representations of the semilegendary hero Sigurðr Fáfnisbani in the Isle of Man, a small island in the middle of the Irish Sea. This region was historically inhabited by celtic and christians populations since the 5th century; However at the end of 9th century, they received a new contingent of inhabitants from Scandinavia. The representations above mentioned were sculptured between the middle of 10th century and the beginning of the 11th century on four cross slabs; Nevertheless they belonged to a major group of similar monuments. But only after many centuries, the four arctefacts were entitled as Sigurðr crosses (or slabs). My first concern was to expose the crosses in a broader view, their geographical and sociocultural context in the Isle of Man, as well as the political and religious changes beeing faced during the Viking Age. Ive also proposed that these crosses were an index of a new socioreligious scenario, in a deep cultural amalgamation and transformations in manx region. Hereafter, I have exposed many theories on runology, the main field of studies on these rock monuments, and also a summary of questions and characteristics of Scandinavian art studies, mainly about style studies. Both perspectives had a strong influence on manx intellectual milieu and their ideas about Sigurðr crosses. After this, I exposed briefly the main works about Sigurðrs representation on manx crosses. At the end, I proposed a descriptive, formal and syntax analysis of these possible representations of the hero. My conclusion was that it is not possible to be sure that the hero was displayed on these rocks. But, on the other hand, they certainly provided an important impact on manx social and religious landscape, as well as demonstrations of power and social control. They can also be taken as signs of matrimonial and political alliances of manx aristocracy.

Volunteering in non-profit organizations is characteristic for Nordic countries and Sweden especially. The most common gender division is, that men tend to be active within sports clubs, often in leading positions or as members at the board. For women it is more common to be part of social organizations, taking care of others. With this existing knowledge as a starting point, this study examines what motivates young men in Sweden who takes part in organizations that practice activities typically coded as feminine. The study is qualitative as we want to examine the intentions, and the feelings participants have about their engagement in these organizations. The collected data was analyzed through thematic analysis. For the purpose of this undergraduate dissertation the authors have studied an organization called Vän In Umeå and interviewed five young men involved in the organization as well as had informal conversations with women working in it. The theoretical framework for the study is based upon the concept of social capital, social exchange theory and theory of motivation. The results show that the young men´s social capital is important for how and if the engagement arises and develops. Another finding is that the will to grow as a person and to be a part of something bigger motivates the men in their volunteering, as well as feelings of doing something of value for another person.

<p>Scandinavian countries are usually assumed to be less disposed than other countries to involve associations as welfare producers. They are assumed to be so disinclined due to their strong statutory welfare involvement, which “crowds-out” associational welfare production; their ethnic, cultural and religious homogeneity, which leads to a lack of minority interests in associational welfare production; and to their strong working-class organisations, which are supposed to prefer statutory welfare solutions. These assumptions are questioned here, because they cannot account for salient associational welfare production in the welfare areas of housing and child-care in two Scandinavian countries, Sweden and Norway.</p><p>In order to approach an explanation for the phenomena of associational welfare production in Sweden and Norway, some refinements of current theories are suggested. First, it is argued that welfare associations usually depend on statutory support in order to produce welfare on a salient level. Second, it is supposed that any form of particularistic interest in welfare production, not only ethnic, cultural or religious minority interests, can lead to associational welfare.</p><p>With respect to these assumptions, this thesis supposes that political parties are organisations that, on one hand, influence statutory decisions regarding associational welfare production, and, on the other hand, pursue particularistic interests in associational welfare production. It is hypothesised that political parties attempt to mould statutory decisions on associational welfare provision in accordance with the interests of associations with “congruent constituencies.”</p><p>The aim of this thesis is to examine whether political party preferences for certain welfare associations might help to explain variations in statutory support for associational welfare provision. Two questions are raised: First, do parties differ in their attempts to influence statutory subventions and regulations of associational welfare provision, resulting in more or less favourable conditions for associational welfare? Second, do parties systematically differ in their policies with regard to more or less “congruent” associations?</p><p>In order to investigate these questions, a comparison is made between political parties’ attempts to influence statutory regulation and subvention of Norwegian and Swedish associations active in the areas of day-care and housing. For this purpose, information is drawn from public documents and official statistics in order to identify more or less favourable policies and related partisan policies. In addition, supportive parties and favoured associations are compared with regard to their “constituencies.”</p><p>The findings partly support the hypothesis. Although political parties partly pursued consensually association-friendly policies, they often varied their support for welfare associations, whereby both right-wing and left-wing parties partly advocated and partly rejected association-friendly policies in a conflicting way, resulting in varied degrees of statutory support. Furthermore, supportive parties shared “congruent constituencies” with those associations supported by respective parties’ policies. These findings indicate that partisan policies indeed make a difference for associational welfare production, whereby parties of any political colour can support associational solutions. Furthermore, partisan policies vary according to the involved associations’ more or less “congruent constituencies,” which can pursue welfare production out of various particularistic interests, be they religious-cultural or socio-economic in nature.</p>