På vilket sätt vi slänger vårt avfall har betydelse för hur mycket som kan återvinnas. Enligt EU:s avfallshierarki måste hushållen som första steg minska sina avfallsmängder, därefter återanvända och materialåtervinna och sist energiåtervinna och deponera. Idag energiåtervinns 50% av hushållsavfallet i Sverige, vilket visar en möjlighet att flytta sig uppåt i avfallshierarkin.   Syftet med detta examensarbete var att kartlägga uppkomna mängder hushållsavfall i Småland under år 2012 och 2013 samt att diskutera förbättringsmöjligheter för att få en större del av hushållsavfallet att bli utsorterat och därmed möjliggöra att mer avfall kan användas cirkulärt i samhället.   År 2012 och 2013 genererades 393 000 respektive 407 000 ton hushållsavfall i Småland, och spridningen är stor i insamlade mängder per person och mellan kommuner. Fyra förbättringsmöjligheter för att öka utsorteringen av hushållsavfallet har identifierats. De är huvudsystemets betydelse, ekonomiskt styrmedel (viktbaserad avfallstaxa), samhällsplanering som styrmedel (matavfallssortering och materialströmmar) samt bättre statistiskt underlag. Studien visar att en ökad tillgänglighet till ÅVC/ÅVS kan bidra till bättre inlämning samt att om hushållen i Småland blir bättre på att sortera sitt kärl- och säckavfall kan avfallet till förbränning minskas med upp till 70%. / Samhällets restprodukter – framtidens resurser

Following essay examines the social and cultural patterns of southern rural Sweden between the years 1838-1845. The study is based on records from trials held by the district court of the district Norra Möre, which provides an insight to the everyday life in rural local community. Emphasis is put on exclusion and inclusion: the basis for community, codes for inclusion and exclusion, meaningful attributes, social and cultural capital etc. Questions concerning gender are raised as well as intents to discover whether modern ideas contrast early-modern, especially considering the process of individualization.   Results show that concepts of confidence and trust were extremely valuable and possessed significant meanings.  Confidence, which established itself on virtuous and honest life, created the framework for most aspects of social society: for example credibility inside and outside of court, maintenance of friendship and company, capacity of upholding a working life. Forfeit of trust, through extensive dissolute, mischievous and ill-considered way of life meant exclusion from the community and great vulnerability. Convicted criminals and alcoholics were particularly people at risk in encountering these problems due to their bad reputation and public stigma.   The sources reveal little of variations between men and women. It appears as if the confidence and trust derived from the same factors: the virtuous and honest life. Unfortunately it is unsaid whether virtuousness had different meaning to men and women. Regarding the process of individualization the sources present different results: a few indicating examples exist, yet a distinct connection between individuals and collectives is tangible.

The study is a qualitative textual analysis comparing how two newspapers fromSmåland reacted to Nazi Germany during the interwar period. The purpose of the studyis to illustrate how newspapers' political orientation may influence its content. Theexamined material is limited to letters to the editor, editorials and columns. The twopapers are of different political orientations, Smålänningen is bourgeois andKronobergaren is social democratic. The theoretical basis is founded in Klas Åmarksperspective on Sweden's position in the war, the so-called small state realistic paradigmand the moral perspective, as well all Kosellecks theory about the written word. Theresults of the study shows that what’s written in the editorials, columns and letterswidely differ depending on witch political orientation it has. The social democraticnewspaper, Kronobergaren, had a strong anti-Nazi attitude and wrote a lot about theNazis and Germany. There are many texts that ridicule and criticize Hitler and theNazis. The bourgeois newspaper Smålänningen had significantly fewer textscommenting the Nazi-Germany and their content is often contradictory. Some of thetexts are strongly anti-Nazi, some give their support to Germany and proclaimunderstanding of its actions. Kronobergaren is deeply sympathetic to the Jews andSmålänningen has an anti-Semitic tone in many of their texts. There are also similaritiesbetween the two papers, its joint condemnation of war and the recognition of its terribleconsequences. The study in many ways confirms the previous research available on thesubject.

This study examines patterns of consumption during the 1780s in Öjaby and Virestad parishes. I have examined the clothes and jewelry in estate inventories using the concept of status. Then I have used Pierre Bourdieu's theories to understand fashion mechanisms. I have identified five different groups, each distinguished by their formal wear. Men have similar clothes but in Virestad they have more items and more silver. Four people were divergent, they choose other materials and models. The women in the various parishes had differed significantly. In Öjaby women had more modern clothing and less jewelry in comparison, with Virestad. It is clearly visible that the people in the probate area in Virestad were spending more money compared to what they owned to be able to maintain a certain level of status. Status indications in clothes and jewelry were important in Virestad. Here is a more peasant-dominated culture which apparently made clothing more conservative. In both parishes people with a smaller percentage of balance spend more to maintain a certain standard. In Virestad women spent more than men on clothes in Öjaby it is the opposite. Dressing nicely seems important, after first set of clothing more expensive were purchased. Silver, number of clothes, expensive clothes, different material and color are factors that are available when the people created their wardrobe. Those with a high balance had several expensive items to show off their status with. Interesting is also that people continued to renew their wardrobe throughout their working life.

In this essay I analyze the stone circles known as domarringar in northern Småland. In order to understand the stone circles, one must understand the society that built them, I argue. Therefore I first date them so I can put them in a context. After dating them to late Roman Iron Age and Migration period, I discuss hill forts, gold bracteates and rotary querns as a starting point for understanding the society and ideology that built the stone circles. I argue that the stone circles are a product of the midgård-ideology and that they have to be understood in that light. The stone circles are always found close to a road and often relatively high in the landscape. They manifest boundaries in the landscape.

Kloka Anna was a folkloristic figure with multiple reocurring tales connected to her. But at the core of these stories were two distinct historical women, both living in the south of Småland, both from poor backgrounds, both living during the 19th century and both well- known wise women who were believed to have immense knowledge in magic, healing and the supernatural. My essay is about these women, what was said about them and what we can actually know about them. At the same time it is about the collective legendary figure Kloka Anna. I will discuss these aspects by using terms and theories from oral history theory and  from folkloristic research.

This paper aims at analyzing in what ways ethnographical stories such as myths, legends, and other stories about archaeological monuments can contribute to public archaeology. The public archaeology in Sweden is currently debating how to engage with the public in meaningful ways. At present, the general standpoint in archaeology is that ethnography is to be considered separately from archaeological monuments, as the ethnography is not part of archaeology. Several European and American archaeologists who have studied the use of folklore and similar ethnographies, however, argue that ethnographies can contribute to the understanding and social impact of archaeological monuments. Their theories are then applied to two Swedish archaeological monuments, Sandby borg on Öland and Högarör in Småland. The results are that ethnographical stories can be used in public archaeology to provide nuance to archaeological monuments. The ethnographies can also interest parts of the public who do not have a keen interest in archaeology. Furthermore, archaeology can play a part in producing new ethnographies about monuments, which is something archaeologists should be aware of. / Föreliggande arbete har undersökt vilka etnografiska berättelser som finns om utvalda arkeologiska platser och hur de berättelserna kan användas inom publik arkeologi. Utifrån det etnologiska synsättet i arbetet betraktas fornlämningar som något kulturskapande och analysen har visat att den kulturella påverkan av fornlämningar är viktig för arkeologin att ta hänsyn till. Det teoretiska fokuset för arbetet är artiklar av europeiska och nordamerikanska arkeologer som diskuterar hur etnografisk information om fornlämningar kan nyansera bilden av en fornlämning samt gynna förståelsen av fornlämningen. Diskussionen i arbetet tar sin utgångspunkt i de etnografiska berättelser som finns om Sandby borg på Öland och Högarör i Småland. Resultatet av diskussionen är att ett etnologiskt synsätt på fornlämningar kan gynna den publika arkeologin i att nyansera betydelsen av en arkeologisk plats. Den etnografiska information som finns om fornlämningar kan också vara av värde för människor som är mer intresserade av traditionen än arkeologin kring en arkeologiska plats.

Denna uppsats försöker utröna hur ett ruralt språkligt landskap (en miljö utan permanent mänsklig närvaro) kan vara konstruerat. Därför har det sedan år-hundraden välbesökta och välkända Skurugata naturreservat i norra Småland valts som studieobjekt i egenskap av textmiljö och område ägnat åt besöks-näring. Materialet kategoriseras i form av textsamlingspunkter som sedan analyseras utifrån olika kriterier som avsändare, funktioner och textinnehåll. Studien använder också en positioneringsmodell för att utreda på vilket sätt olika aktörer kommer till tals. Studien kommer fram till att tre olika lokala Skurugatadiskurser (förvaltarens, mytens och folkets) förhåller sig till en övergripande turismdiskurs och att det från den dominerande aktören, statliga reservatsförvaltaren, kan urskiljas en diskurshierarki som inte helt stämmer överens med hur besökarna (folket) agerar i reservatet. Studien kommer fram till en utgångspunkt för framtida studier: huruvida utvecklingen av förvalta-rens diskurs gjort att det rurala språkliga landskapet urbaniserats.

Småland is a region within Sweden that has many successful businesses that have internationalized to other markets with adequate results. IKEA, Husqvarna, Norden Machinery, and many more are prime examples of firms that have made successful entries to other markets. Therefore, this study aims to find the fundamental reasons why Småland businesses are so successful in their internationalization process, and how the culture of the region Småland may affect the process as a whole. Firms of different sizes have been given the opportunity to share their insights and opinions about their internationalization process, and how Småland functions as a suitable business environment. Furthermore, this study strives to give a dynamic and unique perspective of Småland’s business culture functions in the business world. The study has a qualitative method with a thematic and abductive approach which allows the authors to draw their own conclusions based on the appendix and ask open-ended questions as well as follow-up questions. Different theoretical frameworks such as the Uppsala Model, institutional theory, market selection process, and three pillars of Hofstede’s value dimensions have been used in order to conduct an adequate analysis of the research question. Moreover, the gathered data from the participants in the study has been used to link it to the different theories used, as well as emphasize our own opinion on the relevant matter. Småland’s business culture plays a vital role within organizations and their internationalization endeavors.

I föreliggande C-uppsats i Geografi söker jag ta mig an ett avgränsat ämnesområde i skolans värld genom att undersöka vad högstadieelever tänker och känner inför ämnet Geografi. Syftet med undersökningen är således att undersöka högstadieelevers tankar om och attityder till skolämnet Geografi. Undersökningens material och bakgrundsdata har inhämtats med hjälp av enkäter som elever i årskurs 7-9 vid en medelstor högstadieskola i staden Nybro i Småland har besvarat. Sammanlagt har ett sjuttiotal högstadieelever varit delaktiga i att delge sina tankar om skolämnet Geografi. Frågeställningarna som jag har utgått ifrån är följande: Vilka är elevernas tankar om, och attityder till, skolämnet Geografi? Vad har elevernas tidigare undervisning i Geografi omfattat? Hur uppfattar eleverna skolämnet Geografi – är ämnet viktigt, gillar eleverna Geografi? Vad anser eleverna vara det viktigaste att lära sig i Geografi? Att ha Geografi varje termin/läsår eller att ha Geografi varierande termin/läsår, vad anser eleverna fungerar bäst för dem? Hur rangordnar eleverna Geografi i förhållande till övriga SO-ämnen? Undersökningen ger vid handen att eleverna rankar ämnet Geografi högt. Resultaten visar dock att pojkar och flickor rangordnar SO-ämnena olika; pojkarna rankar bland annat Geografi högre än vad flickorna gör. För att med säkerhet kunna svara på varför det är just så, skulle förslagvis en longitudinell studie av elevernas attityder och tankar behöva utföras, vilket dessvärre inte ryms inom ramarna för denna undersökning, men som eventuellt skulle kunna komma att genomföras i framtiden.