This thesis discusses the impact of economic globalisation on Thai higher education and society. Thailand's severe economic crisis in the second half of 1997 through 1998 has led to education reform at all levels. Since the crisis, Thailand has been focusing on the development of its human potential and creativity and enhancing the capability of communities, societies and the nation as a whole. The education system of Thailand is being redirected away from nation-building objectives towards 'human capital' creation; education is seen as a form of economic investment. Thailand, like its industrialising neighbours in Southeast Asia and close Western neighbours, is striving to adjust to the pressures of economic globalisation. As a result, Thailand's higher education system is undergoing significant intellectual and strategic reorientation to meet the demands of the modern global economy. Urged by government and employers to produce graduates with more globally relevant knowledge and skills, Thai universities are attempting to redefine their relevance with increased emphasis on proficiency in English. This imperative explains the expansion of full-fee English-medium education and the emergence of government policies encouraging the internationalisation of curricula. Since the mid-1990s, successive Thai governments have paid some attention to the concept of internationalisation but have yet to produce a clear statement of what internationalisation means in the Thai context. Thailand's internationalisation policy, such as it is, aims to cultivate a globally skilled workforce and has directly encouraged the establishment of English-medium business graduate programs, branded as 'international' at a number of leading universities in Bangkok. This thesis examines concerns as to the level of English proficiency achieved by students passing through these programs and questions the appropriateness of the term 'international' for programs, many of which appear to be cloned from business studies degrees offered in major native English-speaking countries. While government policies assert the need to reform education at all levels, both the idea and the parameters of 'internationalisation' remain ill-defined. Consequently, this thesis maps out the scope of internationalisation in education from a global and a local Thai perspective to present a more integrated framework for analysing the implications of the policies. The approach taken presents a multilayered and holistic reading of significant economic and cultural change taking place in Thailand through the lens of higher education reforms and public debates about globalisation and education. More specifically, this thesis examines internationalisation of Thai higher education as an aspect of globalisation and 'global' practice at the 'local' level, observable in the policies, statements, actions and intentions expressed by political leaders, government officials, university administrators, teachers, students and employers. Significantly, Thai cultural characteristics have a profound impact on these key acto rs' attitudes towards practice of international education, particularly in the cross-cultural teaching and learning settings. This thesis argues that a more holistic and integrated approach to internationalisation across all related policy domains is needed if the country is to more effectively respond to the challenges of a globalising world.

Conflict in recreation is a major problem for recreation managers who are trying to provide satisfying experiences for all recreationists. This thesis is about conflict between mountain-bikers and trampers. Mountain-biking has grown in popularity in New Zealand over the last ten years, and these increasing numbers have threatened the quality of walkers' and runners' recreational experiences, particularly in peri-urban areas. Conflict is a complex social interaction process which occurs around times of change. It involves the interplay of perceptions and attitudes, behaviour, and an incompatible situation. This complexity required the use of a range of methods to successfully understand the conflict between walkers and mountain-bikers. Like many other recreational conflicts, the conflict between bikers and trampers is asymmetrical - walkers dislike meeting bikers much more than bikers dislike meeting walkers. A majority of walker respondents disliked or strongly disliked meeting bikers on walking tracks. Walkers' questionnaire answers indicated that their greatest concerns with mountain-biking are (in order of decreasing importance) track damage and other environmental damage, personal safety, and the feeling that bikes interrupt their peace and quiet. Further exploration during in-depth interviews show that the perception of these problems are closely related to the way different users feel about that places that they use, and the way meetings with other users can be incorporated into the experiences of the recreationist. For walkers, meeting bikers is far more intrusive than vice-versa. Political activity aimed at eliminating bikers from many front country areas means that bikers are now developing a dislike of trampers who they see as intolerant and arrogant. Therefore, behaviour affects the escalation of conflict. In addition, wider social change has had an influence on this conflict. Changing economic wellbeing, less regular work hours, a perceived lack of time and a wider choice of activities have all impacted on recreation patterns in peri-urban areas, and on this conflict situation. In addition, this study has indicated that the concepts of specialisation and substitution may need modification. The use of qualitative methods has highlighted the narrow focus that researchers have used when studying these concepts. Both must be seen more broadly in the context of individuals' changing recreational needs both over the life cycle, and in the face of social change as outlined above.

<p>This interdisciplinary study shows that because of the changing demands from consumer caused by the growing influence of the internet and file-sharing the Nordic Gaming industry is going through an economic evolution. This result was derived by using qualitative questionnaires directed towards Gaming industry decision makers in the Nordic region combined with critical discourse analysis based on the methodology of Norman Fairclough, using theories of different characters to understand the field.</p><p>In this thesis the case of the Nordic Gaming industry is used to assert that because of changing demands of consumers and an ever growing piracy movement, societies are evolving into transitional economies where it is increasingly harder to sell products consisting of pure information.</p>

<p>Den här uppsatsen behandlar virtuella communitys som en plats för social interaktion, kommunikation och identitetsskapande. Syftet med uppsatsen var att utforska hur relationer skapas, hur kommunikationen sker och hur individer framställer sin identitet på Internet. Studien har bedrivits genom en kvalitativ intervjustudie med fokusgrupper och målgruppen har varit unga vuxna i åldern 19-25 år. Som bakgrundsmaterial har vi undersökt tidigare forskning kring virtuella communitys, identitetsskapande, chattande och cyberkultur. Resultatet av studien kom att visa respondenternas användning av virtuella communitys och att dem ser det som en viktig del av det sociala livet. Forskningen visar att det finns många positiva sidor med den virtuella kommunikationen t.ex. anonymiteten, multiple kommunikation och att individer är fysiskt skyddade på grund av okroppslig kontakt. Den visar också nya möjligheter som finns i virtuella communitys och Internet i allmänhet kontra den fysiska världen. Trots att den virtuella kommunikationen spelar stor roll i det sociala livet sågs ändå den fysiska kommunikationen som viktig. Detta eftersom känslomässiga responser och fysiska uttrycks uteblir till stor del på Internet. Forskningen upprätthåller också ny fakta inom ämnet virtuella communitys och visar att användare ser mediet som ett sätt att vara social men ändå inte, något som de kallar “semiaktiv”. Virtuella communitys användes mestadels för att hålla kontakten med vänner, istället för att skapa nya som tidigare forskning mer syftar på.</p> / HT09 P6 Grp1

The ecological crisis, recognized by scientists as well as an increasing number of lay people urges a response from a variety of disciplines. The consideration of sustainability requires the help of a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, which can contribute an ability to identify cultural patterns that impede cultural change towards sustainability, skills to describe culturally appropriate responses to situations, and capabilities to cultivate changes in lifestyles as aspired to by the group. I tell the story of three groups focused on sustainable communities. I narrate these with a postmodern approach. In the case studies, I combined techniques from applied anthropology (rapid appraisal, participant observation, focus groups, and interviews) with postmodern techniques (consideration of context, shared authority, multi-vocality, and co-creative ethnography). This study explores the effectiveness of facilitating changes through the use of anthropology and empowering participants so they can continue to make changes. The study also explores the effectiveness of combining applied and postmodern techniques. One example of this, and the hallmark of the project, is the photographic, co-creative ethnography, which, representing the work of one local group, invited imagined future sustainable lifestyles, and continued to build community bonds between participants. The collaborative ethnography engaged individuals in the ethnographic process, inviting them to contribute their voices and images. In the case studies, I explored questions such as what are cultural obstacles to living a sustainable lifestyle, what specific cultural strengths can foster an ecological identity, and what can applied anthropology offer non-governmental organizations working on similar topics? I also explore emic definitions of what is the community, what are its needs, and what is sustainability? Further, objectives include reinvigorating community bonds, testing the assumption that public participation in the process is more effective than a process dictated by an outside expert, and exploring the dual role of participant and researcher. I compared the two local case studies of communities of interest in community and sustainability with a national organization working similarly towards sustainability. After analysis of my research questions, I discuss the potential for the applied anthropologist as midwife based on my experiences with the case studies. The applied anthropologist attempts to respond to local level concerns and issues about the environment and reducing human impact, while building community. The action-oriented approach is similar to that of a midwife, which facilitates empowerment of the community involved to birth a more ecological identity. The approach has eight phases (recognition of a need, contact, dialogue, definition of needs, definition of the community, developing a plan of action, implementation, and evaluation), which provide opportunities for changes to occur in the behaviors and beliefs of the participants. The approach incorporates systems thinking to comprehend complex situations and to bring systematic approach to the process. The applied anthropologist as midwife fosters development of a sustainable community identity through the unique process. / Graduation date: 2003

Vietnam is undergoing economic transition from a command economy to an economy with greater market characteristics. Transition is fundamentally reshaping the country through economic liberalization and increased exposure to foreign markets. The Vietnamese are developing institutions necessary for market growth and international tourists are arriving in ever-larger numbers. This research project is a case study of businesses that provide guided motorbike tours and evaluates the businesses based on two criteria: as a study of institutional growth during economic transition and as an examination of tourism production through guide interpretation. The author interviewed and observed sixteen guides in Vietnam—from Dalat in the Central Highlands to Tam Coc, just south of Hanoi—during two months of fieldwork research in summer 2010. The study identifies a variety of institutional types, from informal guides to formalized businesses with a high degree of support from market institutions. Though market activities are becoming increasingly complex and sophisticated, many services remain informal. The study also investigates how guides create products for tourists through interpretation. The guides draw upon the landscape, people and culture in Vietnam, and their own personal narratives to create a tourism product that they call the “Real Vietnam.” The guides sell access to Vietnam, and tourists purchase a sense of intimate knowledge of their destination. Together with tourists, guides participate in place-making interpretation that utilizes both the real geography of Vietnam and the imaginary geographies of foreign visitors. The research reveals the ways in which actors at the local scale adapt to large-scale processes, and in turn influence the course of economic transition in Vietnam and the content of international tourism.

Under 1990-talet uppmärksammade politiker och tekniskt näringsliv att antaletelever på teknisk gymnasieutbildning hade minskat kraftigt. Detta befarades kunna leda till brist på utbildade tekniker och ingenjörer och i förlängningen äventyra landets ekonomi. För att åter öka elevantalet inom teknisk gymnasieutbildning infördes höstterminen 2000 det nya Teknikprogrammet. I denna avhandling analyseras tankarna bakom Teknikprogrammet och hur detkom att utformas på tre olika samhälleliga nivåer. Avhandlingen undersöker hur teknikprogrammets syfte och innehåll förändrades från det politiska initiativet via Skolverkets operationalisering till hur programmet tolkats av lärare på skolnivå. I fokus för analysen står frågor om vad teknisk utbildning skulle innehålla och hur den skulle utformas för att kunna locka fler flickor till tekniken. Detta var nämligen en central tanke bakom reformen. Med hjälp av analys av utredningsmaterial, regeringsbeslut och dokument från Skolverket samt intervjuer av lärare från två gymnasieskolor, diskuteras i avhandlingen hur relationen mellan genus och teknik förstås och uttrycks på de olika nivåerna och vad det innebär för hur man ser på den tekniska utbildningens karaktär. Avhandlingen visar att en traditionellt tudelad bild av pojkar och flickor och deras respektive intressen dominerar berättelserna på den politiska nivån och skolverksnivån, men att en mer differentierad syn på genus framträder på skolnivån. Teoretiska begrepp, som gränsarbete och översättningar används för att visa på de komplexa översättningar av intentioner och perspektiv som sker inom och mellan nivåerna. Genus och teknik samkonstrueras på olika sätt på de olika nivåerna. / During the 1990s a drastic decline occurred in the numberof students at the technology orientation of Swedish upper secondary school. Politicians and representatives of industry reacted strongly and feared a potential lack of technicians and engineers, something which in the long run would threaten economic growth. A new Technology programme was therefore introduced in 2000 to increase the number of students oriented towards a technical education in upper secondary school. This thesis analyses the thoughts behind the Technology programme, and how it was framed as different stories of technology, gender and education at three different levels of society. It examines how the aims and contents of the Technology programme were translated and transformed from the political initiative to the operationalisation of the Swedish National Agency for Education, and finally in the teachers’ interpretations of the programme at the school level. In focus are issues of what kind of technology was relevant within a technical education, and how it should be framed and taught, in order to attract more girls to technology. This was one of the central objectives of the reform. With the help of documentary analysis and interviews with teachers in two upper secondary schools, the thesis discusses how relations between gender and technology were understood and constructed at the three different levels, and what this implied for how the character of the technology programme was interpreted. The dissertation shows that a traditional, dichotomized understanding of boys and girls and their respective interests dominates the stories given at the political level and the level of the Swedish National Agency for Education. At the school level, however, a more differentiated view on gender appears. Using the concepts of boundary work and translation, the analysis shows that complex transformations of intentions and perspectives took place between and within the different levels. Gender and technology were co-constructed in different ways at the different levels.

This interdisciplinary study shows that because of the changing demands from consumer caused by the growing influence of the internet and file-sharing the Nordic Gaming industry is going through an economic evolution. This result was derived by using qualitative questionnaires directed towards Gaming industry decision makers in the Nordic region combined with critical discourse analysis based on the methodology of Norman Fairclough, using theories of different characters to understand the field. In this thesis the case of the Nordic Gaming industry is used to assert that because of changing demands of consumers and an ever growing piracy movement, societies are evolving into transitional economies where it is increasingly harder to sell products consisting of pure information.

The pervasiveness of sexual violence on college campuses poses a significant problem for students and administrations that seek to promote healthy, safe, and equitable access to higher education. Although federal legislation under Title IX prohibits sexual violence as a form of gender discrimination, cultural climates that promote sexual violence—or rape cultures - continue to inform student experiences on college campuses. This thesis roots the discourse on campus sexual violence in the specific localized context at Scripps College. As a women’s college situated in a small, interconnected consortium of co-ed liberal arts colleges, the case of Scripps College raises critical questions about the ways in which gender and sexism play out on women’s bodies, and influence students’ experiences with embodiment on campus. In this thesis, I present a feminist analysis of the current institutional policies that address sexual violence on campus, in addition to the perspectives of eight student activists currently involved in gender justice work at Scripps College. Due to the fact that each of the Claremont Colleges, including Scripps, is currently in the process of re-evaluating their policies and grievance procedures that address sexual violence on campus, now is a key time to reflect on the past, present, and future of the Claremont Colleges and the role that these institutions play in either deconstructing or reinforcing patriarchal structures of power.

Since the start of the 20th century, the Black Middle Class (BMC) has been a creation of both direct and indirect government policy and action. More importantly, had it not been for government action directed towards blacks, the BMC that is visible today would not exist. During the time period of the great migration, blacks prospered from increased economic demand along with policy targeted both directly and indirectly at employing millions of blacks. During the 1960’s and 70’s, the BMC became a viable entity with civil rights laws that forced black men and women into higher education institutions as well as public and private employment. The policy implemented during this time sought to end discrimination by making it illegal and tightly monitoring it. As a result, the BMC saw accelerated growth in both educational attainment and wage. However, this immediate progress was brought to a standstill starting with a wave of conservatism sparked and led by the election of Ronald Reagan. Since that time, the BMC has made gains both educationally and economically, but the growth has been much less apparent. Also, many in the BMC have sought careers in the public sector due to discrimination that may exist because of a lack of governmental regulation and oversight in the private sector. There are many perils that face the BMC today, but most importantly the threat to massive reductions in the public sector federally and locally.