Several longitudinal studies show that over time the American public has become more approving of euthanasia and suicide for terminally ill persons. Yet, these previous findings are limited because they derive from biased estimates of disaggregated hierarchical data. Using insights from life course sociological theory and recently developed cross-classified mixed effects logistic regression, I better account for this liberalization process by disentangling the age, period, and cohort effects that contribute to longitudinal changes in these attitudes. Findings indicate that while attitudes toward euthanasia and suicide have liberalized over time, they remained relatively stable over the past 10 years. Furthermore, this study finds significant age effects in which the probability of agreement to euthanasia and suicide steadily decreases throughout the life course. Contrary to previous research, this study finds that when controlling for age and period effects, there are no significant birth-cohort effects that contribute to longitudinal changes in these attitudes.

Land use and cover change (LUCC) is increasingly recognised as one of the most visible impacts of humans on nature. In rural areas, most of the observed LUCC is associated with agricultural activities. This has traditionally been attributed to the interplay of the socio-economic and political milieu, and the opportunities and constraints arising from the climatic conditions and physical attributes of land. Although there is no doubt that these factors influence farmer decisions, the mosaic of farming systems suggests that farmers do not always behave uniformly, even in areas with comparable socio-economic and environmental conditions. While the multi-facetted and varying nature of farmer decision-making is considered to be established knowledge in rural sociology, it is often neglected in LUCC models that typically describe it as homogeneous and rational in economic terms. This thesis presents an application of mixed-method social survey which aims at improving the representation of the diversity and complexity of farmer decision-making process in LUCC models. Different data collection methods (in-depth, semi-structured interviews, questionnaire) and analyses (thematic analysis, principal components analysis, cluster analysis, choice-based conjoint analysis) were used complementarily to identify the factors that facilitate or constrain farmer participation in environmental management practices (a), to identify the dominant farmer profiles (b) and to assess farmer preferences that influence land use decisions (c). Data collection was conducted in a study area located in the Canton of Aargau, Switzerland, where there is limited knowledge about farmer decision-making drivers and actions. Research findings were used to empirically inform an agent-based model that simulates farmer decisions. Paremeterised storylines were used to explore farmer decisions in alternative futures. An advanced and context-specific representation of human agents in modeling frameworks can make LUCC models valuable tools both for landscape analysis and policy making. In the face of new policy reforms, this thesis contributes to the achievement of this objective, by presenting an approach to explore and organize the heterogeneity of farmer behaviour and to make this usable in agent-based modeling frameworks.

Uppsatsen avser undersöka attityder till utomeuropeisk invandring i sex europeiska länder: Sverige, Norge, Danmark, Nederländerna, Frankrike och Storbritannien. Attityder till invandring undersöks utifrån de två begreppen essentialistisk homogenitet och kulturell homogenitet samt syn på invandrare. Även ett komparativt perspektiv tillämpas för att undersöka huruvida det finns skillnader i attityder mellan olika länder. Uppsatsens bakgrundsavsnitt ger en kort genomgång av immigrationshistoria och dagens invandrarstruktur samt ländernas olika förhållningsätt i mottagandet av invandrare. Därefter diskuteras uppsatsen teoretiska bakgrund i kulturforskning och postkolonialism, följt av den tidigare forskningen som genomförts på området attityder till invandring. I metodavsnittet beskrivs datamaterialet som är hämtat från European Social Survey, sedan förklaras de mått som avser att mäta attityder till invandring utifrån essentialistisk- och kulturell homogenitet samt syn på invandrare. Vilket följs av en diskussion om reliabilitet och validitet i uppsatsen och sedan en beskrivning av analysmetoden för denna studie, OLS-regression. Vidare ges en deskriptiv beskrivning av urvalet utifrån de variabler som ingår i analysen, uppdelat efter land. Därefter följer resultat och analys som visar att det förekommer en liten skillnad i attityder mellan länderna. Individer i Nederländerna, Frankrike och Storbritannien uppvisar i genomsnitt en mer negativ attityd till utomeuropeisk invandring än individer i Sverige, Norge och Danmark. Kulturell homogenitet visade sig ha ett positivt samband med attityder till invandring. De som föredrar kulturell homogenitet tenderar att ha en mer negativ attityd till invandring. Även essentialistisk homogenitet samvarierar med attityder till invandring, det vill säga att de som värdesätter essentialistisk homogenitet tenderar att ha en mer negativ attityd till utomeuropeisk invandring. Syn på invandrare har också en positiv effekt på attityder till invandring, det vill säga att de som har en mer negativ uppfattning av invandrare tenderar att ha mer negativa attityder till utomeuropeisk invandring.

La presente ricerca di dottorato si pone tre principali obiettivi: 1) studiare i processi di integrazione dei migranti, intesi nella loro bidirezionalità, multidimensionalità e processualità, con un focus specifico sulle pratiche di cittadinanza; 2) elaborare un set di indicatori al fine di misurare le pratiche di cittadinanza dei migranti nelle società riceventi; 3) identificare, tramite un modello di regressione logistica, la probabilità di essere un cittadino attivo considerando una serie di variabili indipendenti, quali classe di età, genere, background migratorio ecc. La ricerca è stata condotta mediante l’utilizzo combinato di metodi qualitativi e metodi quantitativi. Nello specifico in Svezia, paese scelto come caso studio, sono state realizzate 23 interviste semi-strutturate ad attori chiave della società, tra i quali rappresentanti istituzionali nazionali (Ministero del Lavoro), regionali e locali, sindacati, ONG, equality body, associazioni di migranti e migranti stessi. Successivamente, anche sulla base delle risultanze di questa fase, è stato elaborato un set di indicatori volto a misurare la partecipazione dei cittadini e, utilizzando tali indicatori, si è proceduto all’analisi secondaria dei dati della European Social Survey Round 6. / Citizenship practices are a central issue in migration studies, but not yet adequately reflected in the social sciences. In line with this, the three main objectives of this work may be summarised as follows. The first objective is to offer an analytical definition of citizenship practices capable of encompassing, both analytically and empirically, different forms of participation and at different levels (local, national, international, and transnational). The second is to elaborate a comprehensive set of indicators able to measure the level of migrant participation. Finally, an additional objective is to identify migrant-specific patterns of participation in Europe, with a particular focus on Sweden. The findings of my work are the result of the combined use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. I conducted 23 semi-structured interviews with key actors of Swedish society (institutional actors, representatives of NGOs and of equality bodies, representatives of migrant associations). In the light of the results of the desk research and interviews, I have constructed a set of 25 indicators aiming at measuring the level of migrant participation, in the political, socio-economic and cultural-religious fields. Thus, using these indicators, I analyse data of the European Social Survey Round 6.

Using pooled European Social Survey data (Rounds 4-7, 2008-2014), we investigate the relationship between intergenerational educational mobility and subjective wellbeing (SWB) for young Europeans (N = 16,050 individuals aged 25-34 from 18 countries). Previous research has been struggling with inconclusive results due to the methodological challenge of disentangling the independent (i.e., "net") effect of social mobility over and above the effects of social origin and destination. We contribute to this line of research by contrasting mobility effects estimated in a conventional linear regression framework with net mobility effects estimated by (non-linear) diagonal mobility models (DMM). We show how model selection influences estimates of mobility effects and how different specifications lead to radically different findings. Using DMM, we estimate how intergenerational educational mobility affects the SWB of young Europeans, differentiating between downward and upward mobility and different country groups. Our results suggest that status loss/gain across generations affects young adults' SWB in addition to the level-effect of ending up in a lower/ higher status position only in Continental Europe.

No description available.

Separating household waste into fractions at source is a common method of household waste collection in most European countries. In 1994 Sweden introduced producer liability legislation for packaging, which requires householders to sort, clean and recycle different types of packaging waste. The recycling behaviour of householders is complex and diverse and has been widely investigated. However, the recycling behaviour of householders living in multicultural urban areas has received less attention. Therefore, little is known about the recycling behaviour and attitudes of the ethnic minorities that comprise a sizeable proportion of many urban populations. This thesis examined recycling behaviour among multicultural householders in the urban area of Järva, north-west Stockholm, Sweden, which is home to a significant proportion of immigrants from different parts of the world. Three practical studies were conducted on the recycling behaviour of householders, with data collected through literature reviews, field screening studies for relevant cases, postal surveys and in-depth interviews with householders. A meta-analysis of studies on householder recycling behaviour published in the period 1990-2010 provided a conceptual framework for explaining recycling behaviour. It also revealed some specific features of the determining factors of recycling behaviour among householders in multicultural urban areas. For example, despite self-reported high levels of environmental concern among multicultural respondents in Järva, recycling behaviour was not determined by this factor but by attitudes towards recycling. The data also showed that the most widespread reason for participating in recycling schemes was acceptance of legal norms. The interview study indicated that providing clear, understandable and easily accessible written information in ethnic languages, supported by “word-of-mouth” information, would probably increase participation by Järva householders in recycling schemes. However, lifestyle and the ethnic origins of householders also influenced their waste generation and recycling behaviour. The methodological improvements presented here can help develop future strategies targeted at increasing the waste management behaviour of the important multicultural urban group, while also ensuring that limited resources are effectively used. / La separación de la basura doméstica en fracciones en el lugar donde se genera es uno de los métodos más comunes de recogida en la mayoría de países europeos. En 1994 se introdujo una ordenanza en Suecia sobre la responsabilidad del productor en el empaquetado. Esta ordenanza encomienda a los habitantes de las viviendas a clasificar los residuos, limpiarlos y clasificarlos en diferentes tipos. El comportamiento hacia el reciclaje de los habitantes es complejo y diverso al igual que otros comportamientos mediombientales y ha sido investigado en numerosas ocasiones. Desafortunadamente, este comportamiento cara al reciclaje en áreas urbanas multiculturales ha recibido poca atención y se conoce poco sobre la actitud hacia el reciclaje de las minorías étnicas que forman parte de la población urbana de Suecia. Esta tesis examina el comportamiento hacia el reciclaje entre los habitantes de una zona urbana multicultural del Noroeste de Estocolmo, Järva, en Suecia, en la que residen una proporción significante de inmigrantes procedentes de diferentes partes del mundo. Se han llevado a cabo tres estudios prácticos sobre el comportamiento hacia el reciclaje incluyendo datos recogidos en la bibliografía revisada, estudios de campo en algunos casos relevantes, encuestas a través de correo ordinario y entrevistas en profundidad con los habitantes. Los resultado del meta-análisis realizado sobre la actitud hacia el reciclaje publicados durante el periodo 1990-2010 indican un marco conceptual para la explicación de las formas de reciclaje. Sin embargo, los resultados de nuestro estudio revelan algunas especificidades en factores sobre el reciclaje en los habitantes de zonas multiculturales. Nuestros datos demuestran que, a pesar de un elevado nivel de compromiso medioambiental según las respuestas de los habitantes de Järva, el reciclaje no está determinado por este factor. Al contrario, las actitudes hacia el reciclaje tienen una correlación positiva y determinan los comportamientos entre los habitantes de Järva. Se ha demostrado que la principal razón para reciclar es la legalidad vigente. Los resultados de las entrevistas sugieren que una oferta clara, comprensible y de fácil acceso redactada en las diferentes lenguas de los grupos étnicos al igual que apoyada por la información transmitida “boca a boca” influiría en la participación de los habitantes de Järva. Los resultados han puesto de manifiesto que el estilo de vida y la diversidad étnica de la población influyen en la generación de residuos y el reciclaje. Esta tesis contribuye a un desarrollo metodológico que será útil para el futuro desarrollo de estrategias orientadas en la gestión de residuos al igual que asegurar un uso eficiente de los recursos. / Разделение бытовых отходов является распространенным методом сбора бытовых отходов в большенстве европейских стран.  В 1994 году Швеция ввела законодательную ответственность производителей упаковки, которая включает требование раздельной сортировки упаковочного материяла населением для последующей ее переработки. Вопрос мотивации и участия населения в раздельном сборе бытовых отходов является сложным и многосторонним и был широко исследован. Тем не менее исследованию поведения и мотивации жителей многокультурных городских районов уделялось значительно меньше внимания. Мало что известо о мотивах участия в раздельном сборе бытовых отходов в отношении этнических меньшинств, которые составляют значительную часть городских мегаполисов. Данный тезис рассматривает мотивацию и участие населения в раздельном сборе бытовых отходов в многокультурном городском районе Järva, расположенном на северо-западе Стокгольма (Швеция). Järva  явлается домом для большого числа иммигрантов из разных частей мира. Было проделанно три исследования по изучению участия населения в раздельном сборе бытовых отходов. Данные были собраны с помощью обозрений опубликованной литературы, непосредственного изучения поведения населения, анкетирования и развернутых интервью. С помощью мета-анализа литературы опубликованной в период с 1990 по 2010 годы были выделены концептуальные основы для обьяснения участия населения в раздельном сборе бытовых отходов. Также были выявлени характерные черты определяющие мотивы для участия населения из многонациональных городских районов. Не смотря на выявленный высокий уровень экологической обеспокоенности среди населения многокультурного района  Järva, участие в раздельном сборе мусора не определяется этим фактором. Тогда как персональная мотивация по отношению к  вторичной переработки отходов является движущим фактором к участию. Наиболее распространенной причиной для участия в раздельном сборе отходов стало принятие населением многокультурного района правовых норм. Интервью показали, что доступность ясной, краткой информации на национальных языках, так же как и передающаяся 'из уст в уста' информация увеличивает процент участия населения в раздельном сборе отходов. Тем не менее образ жизни и этническое происхождение влияет на состав произведенных населением отходов и их отношение к вторичной переработке. Результаты проведенных исследований направленны на усовершенствование будущих стратегий по привлечению населения многокультурных городских районнов к участию в раздельном сборе отходов, а также обеспечение того, что бы ограниченные ресурсы были использованны эффективно. / <p>QC 20120927</p>

Currently, nearly 25% of people living in Sweden have foreign background. With one in every four people having immigration background, the question “how does civic engagement and political trust of people differ depending on their immigration backgrounds?” becomes important. More to the point, how does civic participation and political trust differ amongst young people living in Sweden in relation to their immigration backgrounds?In order to answer these questions, this thesis uses data from the European Social Survey and looks into the political trust and civic engagement behaviors of young people living in Sweden who have different immigration backgrounds by forming three groups; native- Swedes, second-generation immigrant-origin individuals and first-generation immigrants.The analysis is done by using SPSS and performing statistical analysis. Chi-Square and Kruskal-Willis tests were used, as well as descriptive statistics and cross tables. The results show that there is a statistically significant difference for civic participation due to immigration background, but the same cannot be said for political trust.

The purpose of this study is to examine the connection between trade union membership and radical right attitudes in Poland. To achieve this survey data from European Social Survey (ESS) was used. One of the questions that the study aims to answer is whether trade union members are more likely to display radical right attitudes. Another is which trade union members are more likely to sympathize with the radical right, and the third question is whether there is any difference between previous and current trade union members in regard to radical right attitudes. Four hypotheses were formulated based on previous research regarding Polish history, the radical right and its ties to the catholic church, as well as populism and nationalism. The study found that those who have previously been part of a trade union are more likely to have radical right attitudes than those who are currently members, and within the group trade union members it is those that are low educated and highly religious that can be expected to sympathize with the radical right.

The first step towards developing targeted policies to boost political interest is to identify the main characteristics of individuals interested (and those who are not) in politics. This article aims at exploring the common factors shared by individuals with the same political interest. This is investigated through a cluster analysis, a rarely used technique in the field of political behavior, with data from the European Social Survey. The results are in line with the initial expectations and show that civic skills, represented by the educational background and the frequency of relational meetings, are determinants of political interest. Nonetheless, for those with the same civic skills, other socio-demographic, economic, and relational factors can diverge depending on the political interest. More in detail, the main attributes distinguishing individuals with the same level of civic skills but a different level of political interest are socio-demographic. In other words, among individuals with high civic skills, the main differences between those politically interested and those who are not are on the variables about age, gender and marital status. In addition, the research highlights the relevance of cluster analysis to obtain closer details on behavioral patterns than those obtained through regression analysis.