<p>This thesis is an attempt to shed light on how the authors of the Swedish Government Official Report, SoU 1999:83, speak about how the globalization affects democracy. The method used is critical discourse analysis and ideological analysis, with the main emphasis on the former. The results of the analysis are then interpreted with central parts of Jürgen Habermas’ The theory of communicative action. One of the main conclusions is that an absolute majority of the authors, talk about how the globalization affects democracy in terms of the economic market and the European union. This is considered as problematic since these two big institutions are parts of what Habermas call the system, and therefore only carries a minor or non-existing potential for a democratic development of the modern society. The system can be said to have colonized the discourse. The final discussion ends at an attempt to explain why it seems so difficult to speak about democracy in a global context, and at the same time avoid that these discussions are dominated by the system-part of society.</p>

<p>ABSTRACT</p><p>There is no gainsaying the fact that the “moral” problems associated with corruption in Nigeria are the cause of poverty and hunger in the country. Political and economic inequality have become the order of the day as Nigerians struggle for survival and proper means of alleviation of these precarious situations. Proper understanding of the meaning of corruption and its moral implications are important in order to find a remedy to the problems that go with corruption. The demand for clarification of corruption and basis for its justification, “if any”, calls for a nationalist approach to harness the potentialities that abound in Nigeria.</p>

<p>Denna uppsats ämnar att studera den integrationskritiska tidningen Gringos syn på etnicitet samt integrationsrelaterade problem. Centralt för uppsatsen är problematiken kring hur begreppen svensk och invandrare byggs upp och ges betydelse i tidningen samt hur detta kan kopplas till dess syn på integration. Sammanlagt studeras 30 upplagor av tidningen mellan åren 2004 fram till 2007. Studien har avklarats med hjälp av diskursanalys som metod.</p>

<p>Issues of housing are becoming very important as the urban population grows at a very rapid rate, particularly in developing countries. The number of people who are homeless and those living in substandard housing in Zambia is enormous. A home ownership programme through the sale of public rental housing to sitting tenants was seen as one of the strategies under the 1996</p><p>National Housing Policy aimed at solving the housing crisis in the country especially among the low-income groups. There are indications that although some people benefited through this</p><p>scheme, the problem of inadequate housing has persisted.</p><p>This study is aimed at exploring the effects of Zambia’s home ownership scheme in helping the low income men and women realize their housing rights. This was achieved by finding out the</p><p>main reasons for the sale of public rental houses; determining the eligibility criteria as well as how affordable the houses were. Other research questions were to assess whether ownership of</p><p>houses had helped people improve their houses and their economic status; and how home ownership has affected people’s lives in different dimensions. The theoretical perspective used in</p><p>this study is based on alternative development and Gender and Development (GA) under which the concepts of house/home as well as empowerment and rights were used as a basis for analyzing the findings of this study. A qualitative methodology comprising in-depth interviews, group discussions and simple observation was employed in order to gain a deep understanding of</p><p>the impact of the scheme from both house owners and officials at implementation level.</p><p>The study found that houses were sold in order to: fulfill economic policies of privatization and Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs); detach housing provision from employment; and empower the low income to improve their poverty situation. To qualify for the purchase of houses, a legal tenant in possession of tenancy card needed to be a Zambian citizen. The cost of houses were considerably low, and many people bought their houses but a number of people</p><p>were evicted as they could not afford due to economic hardships and malpractices in the process. Some of those who bought face a challenge in maintaining houses and paying land rates. The</p><p>privatization of housing had both positive and negative effects on the poor. The different ways in which home ownership impacted on the people’s lives ranged from simply provision of shelter to economic, social and psychological aspects. Some house owners’ economic status or security have improved to some extent due to ownership of a house as an asset as they are now able to make savings, resale the house, sublet it or trade at home.</p><p>Ownership of houses has also enhanced people’s feeling of belonging, stability and personal security. As a result people are able to organize themselves and work collectively in order to improve their neighbourhoods. However, some people were denied their rights hence became disempowered as they could not afford the purchase of their houses. Financial instability put most poor people at the risk of losing their houses as they are already defaulting in rates and fail to maintain them. There were no measures put in place to help the poor realize their housing rights by protecting them from evictions and ensure that they acquire decent housing. Therefore, the housing did not provide a sustainable solution to economic insecurity neither did it lead to meaningful economic empowerment as people did not participate in the decision-making process.</p>

<p>Punjab, a modest-sized state tucked away on the north-western border of India, is often known as the bread basket of India. Huge grain surpluses produced by its farmers since the green revolution helped the country gain self-sufficiency in food. But there is growing perception in the sense of uncertainty regarding what the future holds for the state. After a spectacular growth rate during the sixties and the seventies, Punjab’s economy has decelerated during 1990’s. The state wonders whether the younger generation will grow in the most affluent and developed state in the country as their parents once did. Will the heady days of the ‘green revolution’ ever return to Punjab?</p><p>Such anxieties are not without reasons: there is stagnation in agriculture which is the most dominant factor in the states economy as the result Punjab, presently is one of the slowest growing Indian states. The agricultural practices in the state seem to be increasingly becoming environmentally unsustainable. The stellar growth of monocultural pattern of wheat and rice has resulted in manifestations of several adverse effects like groundwater exploitation, soil degradation. The stagnation in agriculture has also resulted in various socio-economic problems.</p><p>The primary reasons of stagnation were found to be over dominance of wheat and rice cropping system, over investment in agricultural machinery, over dependence on migrant labour besides some attitudinal changes in the behaviour of the farmers. The major agricultural institutions of the state seemed to be lacking in extension services and clear policies about agriculture. The farm size is decreasing, thus making agriculture non profitable for small farmers. Farmers are facing problems due to lack of infrastructure facilities in agricultural setup.</p><p>Agricultural diversification should be encouraged to reverse the trends. Government should encourage industrialization and investment in agro-processing industries. This study defines the present problem as the result of all the three participating actors in state’s agriculture; farmers, agricultural university and the government. The conviction of this study is that proper policies should be put in place to help farmers bail out of the present agricultural crises. If the coordination between these three is established, it can go a long way in turning Punjab’s uncertain future into promising outlook as once existed.</p>

<p>This is a study about vulnerability and risk of HIV/AIDS in Bawku East municipality of northern Ghana. The main objective of the study is to examine poverty as a likely determinant of HIV/AIDS. It also includes other factors which are contributing to the risk of HIV infection in the municipality.</p><p>The study makes use of concepts and perspectives linked to the risk theory, the human disease ecology model and ideas generated from structuration, diffusion theory and place and time.</p><p>The triangulation approach which encompasses multiple methods of data collection included questionnaire administration covering a purposive sample of 120 respondents, 12 in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and observations. Primary data was complemented with secondary data from Ghana sentinel HIV/AIDS data, statistics on PLWHA in Bawku and other sources of data.</p><p>The relationship between poverty and HIV/AIDS is complex. The prevailing poor conditions have led to various ways of coping with life. The study reveals that such livelihood strategies might catapult the risk of infection of HIV/AIDS among the vulnerable. Women are more at risk and are likely to adopt risky sexual behaviours that could put them in high positions for infection. The study reveals that women’s socio-economic dependence on men constrains them in negotiating protective sex.</p><p>The study further reveals that there are a wide range of cultural beliefs and practices that fuel the spread of HIV/AIDS in Bawku. The high value placed on marriage and the recognition of many children, widow inheritance, arranged marriages, bridal dowry, polygamy, female circumcision and religious beliefs in particular weaken the autonomy of women and deprive them the rights to decision making in the household. Early initiation of sexual intercourse and the number of sexual partners involved is also reported to be very high. A regression analysis performed on possible variables indicated significant positive association between age and personal monthly income with multiple sexual partners. It is recommended that HIV/AIDS prevention programmes should not only promote condom use but also initiate projects that will address the socio-economic, religious and cultural issues that entrap people putting them at greater risk of HIV infection.</p>

<p>The impact of globalization processes on women, such as the new economic division of labour and relocation of global production into Third World countries, is a frequently debated topic within the globalization and gender discourse. The opportunities for formal work for young women in export-processing industries and they have been able to earn an income and to contribute economically to the survival of their poor families are the main positive impacts of globalization. Further, they are able to experience economic and social independence and increased status within their families. Unfortunately, factory jobs do not only have the positive effect of enabling the women to enjoy the benefits. Research has also identified the negative socio-cultural and health impacts on women resulting from their employment in export-processing industrial work.</p><p>This thesis explores Sri Lankan female workers’ experiences of health relating to the work they do at EPZ factories and their gender roles, sense of place, self-identities, capabilities and empowerment. The principle objective of this thesis is to provide an indepth view of female export-processing workers’ experiences of health in Sri Lanka by using feminist research methodology. Sri Lanka entered into the globalization process through its adoption of economic liberalization policies in 1977. The country’s exportprocessing industries provide employment for c.400,000 people, of whom 80% are women. Fieldwork was conducted in the country’s largest export-processing zone located in Katunayake during the periods of January to May in 2002 and June to August in 2004. The study is primarily carried out using a qualitative approach. In-depth interviews with 25 female workers were conducted and women’s life histories and personal narratives were gathered. Further, key informant interviews with representatives from different stakeholders were conducted to identify their views of female export-processing workers’ health status. Furthermore, participant and non-participant observations and a questionnaire survey were carried to supplement the information gained through interviews.</p><p>The women identified Katunayake export-processing zone (KEPZ) area as an unhealthy place due to their experiences of health problems and various forms of harassment. Their narratives inform about five types of health problems, namely occupational health problems, mental health problems, reproductive related health problems, weight loss and malnutrition, and infectious diseases. The results of the research have made it possible to identify diversities among the female export-processing workers in terms of their experiences and perspectives of health, self-identities and coping strategies. There is also evidence that women who have fewer responsibilities with regard to their families in their home villages, increased status within the families, and who participate in organizational activities have a positive sense of places regarding home and the KEPZ area and also have positive self-identities. In particular, there is clear diversity between the women who participate and those who do not participate in nongovernmental organizational activities, in terms of their capabilities and empowerment relating to improving their health. Active participants’ choices and actions at different places demonstrate that they achieved individual, collective and organizational empowerment. Further, the women’s stories reveal that they have achieved several practical and strategic gender needs for promoting their health and well-being.</p><p>Institutions at local and national levels also play significant roles in women’s empowerment and capability building. The results of the study identify that many institutional strategies constrain women’s empowerment and capabilities by not providing the necessary information, knowledge, instruments, and social support that the women need, and subsequently the women are unable to live to their full potential. </p><p>The research concludes that female export-processing workers in Sri Lanka experience both positive and negative aspects of globalization. They have gained incomes for living independent lives while at the same time being helping their poor families. Some have even taken the initiative to secure their lives through improving their possibilities for self-employment. Meanwhile, they are exposed to various forms of health problems and harassment as a result of being EPZ workers. The successful stories of empowered women indicate that female EPZ workers have the ability to achieve better health status and to live successful lives as women with respect and dignity, but they need support from the socio-cultural, economic, legal, and political institutions in the Sri Lankan society to attain their goals.</p> / Paper 1 and 4 reprinted with permission of Taylor & Francis, paper 3 reprinted with permission of Elsevier

<p>Djurskyddsmyndighetens regler för hästhållning har skapat oenighet bland hästhållare. Vissa anser att regler behövs eftersom det finns människor som behandlar sina hästar illa. Andra menar att reglerna skapar problem för ridskolor.</p>

<p>I Hyllie stadsdel har 47 procent av barnen i åldrarna 6-15 utländsk bakgrund. Vilka försök görs för att få dem att känna sig delaktiga och engagerade i sitt område? Vad görs från skolans, stadsdelsförvaltningens och ideellt håll för att skapa bättre framtidsutsikter för barnen? Här finns svaren.</p>

<p>Med klimatförändringar och stigande oljepriser står vi inför en utmaning. Energifrågan måste lösas. Allt fler anser att vi måste satsa mer på kärnkraften istället för att avveckla de svenska kärnkraftverken.</p><p>Men det finns miljöproblem kopplade till kärnkraften, främst när det gäller uranbrytningen. Frågan om slutförvaret av använt kärnbränsle är inte löst. Med en mer global terrorism finns också rädslan för att terrorister ska komma över kärnvapen. Eller bygga egna.</p>