”How the health situation of unemployed women can be understood from a " sociological perspective” The background to our essay is based on recent peer-reviewed research which proves the lack of research in the area, and the sociological interest on our part regarding the female exclusion in Swedish society, 2022. The purpose of the essay was to strive to answer the essay´s question, which examines how the unemployed women´s life situation and health are affected when they are outside the labor market. The method used by our sociological thesis is qualitative in-depth interviews where thematic analysis with the main theme has been interpreted and supported theoretically to extract sufficient sociological empirical evidence to be able to answer the question. The result that the thesis came to is that exclusion, ill health and reduced quality of life are an effect on the life situation of unemployed women. The summary is that more research in the area is needed and the problem must be raised more as unemployment has negative health consequences for the individuals that in this case are the swedish unemployed women. / ”Hur arbetslösa kvinnors hälsosituation kan förstås ur ett sociologiskt perspektiv” Bakgrunden till vår uppsats grundar sig i tidigare granskad forskning som bevisar bristen på forskning inom det valda området samt det sociologiska intresset från vår sida gällande kvinnligt utanförskap i svenska samhället 2022. Syftet med uppsatsen var en strävan på svar till uppsatsens frågeställning som undersöker hur de arbetslösa kvinnors livssituation och hälsa påverkas när de befinner sig utanför arbetsmarknaden. Metoden som vår sociologiska uppsats använder sig av är kvalitativa djupintervjuer där tematisk analys med huvudtema tolkats och stöttats teoretiskt för att utvinna tillräckligt sociologiskt empiriskt underlag för att kunna besvara frågeställningen. Resultatet som uppsatsen kommit fram till är att utanförskap, ohälsas amt sänkt livskvalitet är en effekt för de arbetslösa kvinnornas livssituation. Sammanfattningen blir att mer forskning inom området behövs och att problematiken måste lyftas mera då arbetslösheten ger negativa hälsokonsekvenser för individer som i detta fall är svenska arbetslösa kvinnor.

The aim of this thesis is to present the situation of the intravenous drug-users (IDUs) living with HIV in Romania, with a focus on Bucharest. The study follows the IDUs experiences from the environment they live in, to the day-to-day examples of structural violence they face. The questions followed regard the lives of the IDUs in Romania, as well as how they are handled by various authorities and institutions’ representatives such as medical staff in hospitals, the national healthcare system, social workers, law enforcement representatives and other public servants. The fieldwork was conducted around Bucharest through the use of observation while volunteering on outreach with an NGO, and interviews in the form of life histories in a hospital, as research methods. The thesis offers a background look at the communist and transition periods that influenced everyday life in today’s Romania. I argue that because of the stigma attached to them for being part of risk groups, the IDUs face many different forms of structural violence. Whether it comes to governmental authorities, law enforcement or medical staff, the IDUs, as well as other vulnerable risk group members, are continuously pushed outside of society through various measures. This creates a continuous state of isolation from which they cannot remove themselves without outsider help.

Denna studie undersöker ungdomars upplevelse av astrologi och annan spiritualitet i dagens senmoderna samhälle. Syftet har varit att komma åt ungdomarnas livsvärldar och undersöka på djupet hur de upplever astrologi och om det används för att hantera svåra livskriser, där fokuset främst har legat på covid-19-pandemin. Grunden till vårt syfte kommer från ett intresse för att undersöka hanteringen av coronapandemin på individnivå, där vi är särskilt intresserade av att undersöka om spiritualiteten har någon plats i ungdomars sätt att hantera svåra livskriser i det senmoderna samhället. Studien har sin teoretiska utgångspunkt i Giddens teorier om det senmoderna samhället, ontologisk trygghet och självets reflexiva projekt. Vidare har den tagit stöd i sekulärt existentiellt meningsskapande coping. Utifrån en hermeneutisk metodansats har tio semistrukturerade intervjuer hållits med ungdomar mellan åldrarna 18 till 25. Studiens resultat presenterar en huvudtolkning som belyser att dagens ungdomar tenderar att ta det som det kommer och lita på att situationer löser sig. Deras tillvägagångssätt för att klara av att finna sig i det varierar, men vi menar att astrologin och spiritualiteten ändå har en märkbar närvaro på ett eller annat sätt.

Urbanization is increasing uncontrollably with accelerating speed and the problems this is causing can be seen at the symptoms they produce. Gentrification, sprawl, slums, ecological disasters, psychological effects on people are some of many problems having to do with cities. Majority of the problems appeared after industrialization and most have not been dealt with and many more are emerging. As this situation continues, urbanism is gaining a lot of attention from theorists, scholars, and people around the world, as the field that studies the phenomenon of urbanization and the urban environment. However, urbanism, as a concept, is not clearly determined and as developed as the pace in which urbanization grows and the theories seem to lack awareness of the size of the issue. Urbanism remains passive to the contemporary problems that are appearing, because by the time a theory is providing strategies to solve existing problems, new ones are emerging. Adding to this, what urbanism is and how it is implemented are still vague questions with even more vague answers. Through my research, I did not find a clear, and acceptable by all, definition of urbanism and that shows the complexity of the subject. This is an issue that has contributed, together with the magnificent speed that cities have grown with, to the borders between urban and rural disappearing. The result is a situation that cannot be described yet, but must become a source of research within urbanism, in the upcoming decades. This research first tackles the questions of what urban and urbanism is, to later proceed to what urbanism is concerned with. The goal is to orient oneself to the making of urbanism. A detailed cataloging of all the theories that have emerged through the years in a historical and thematic context shows what the trend has been through the decades and which problems urbanism as a broad term has decided to work with. The hope is that there will appear a pattern that can teach all new urbanists about the history of the profession and the mistakes that have been made, so that in the future the discourse about urbanism can be made on more solid grounds and on pragmatic problem solution rather than futuristic hopes and assumptions. This research will reach contemporary years so that it can be understood where the field is headed to. Successively, it is an insight into where cities might be headed, if solution finding tackles problems that appeared in the past, up to contemporary ones and the possible ones that might appear in the future. Urbanism is a field of research and is in constant movement and in evolution. Therefore, this research is aware that by the time of its publication it will already be outdated. Nevertheless, the goal for this research is to provide a stepping stone to further research within the field.

Bipolar disorder is a condition rarely approached in anthropological research, and even less so through the eyes of people living with the disorder. Therefore, to focus on understanding the experience of the state in-between episodes, here referred to as a “white space”, is rare and in need of further examination. The aim of this study was to explore the various experiences of a “white space”, how it is constructed, disrupted, and maintained. The thesis is also an attempt to look at what factors affect these experiences using the anthropology of becoming, and concepts of power and agency. With the interviews of eleven individuals that have experienced different lengths of “white spaces”, a representative of a non-profit organization, a clinical psychologist, and minor participant observation, the author explores the complex views, interpretations, and experiences of a life within a “white space”. Apart from the sub-field of medical anthropology, the thematic framework and concepts involve the anthropology of becoming, agency, and power to explain and discuss the “white space” experience. The analysis shows that a “white space” has many different forms and that agency and power have a great impact on the experience. What the author also discusses in the analysis is the dynamic between what they define as knowledge-production and knowledge-sharing, alongside agency and power in relation to these “white space” experiences. The author emphasizes the importance in using these concepts to further understand and affect the experiences of “white spaces” positively. The conclusion summarizes the findings and emphasizes the need to explore this form of research further.

This thesis is an ethnographic research of the cultural heritage conservation practices in İzmir, focusing particularly on the heritage site Historical Port City of İzmir’s conservation on individual, local, and global levels from an anthropological point of view. With its ongoing inscription process to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the study aims, first, to understand the motivation behind this inscription, the current conservation practices in the city that are undergone by individual and local actors, and to analyze the impact and connection between the individual, local and global efforts to protect İzmir’s multicultural and multilayered heritage. Conducted during the 10-day long World Heritage Volunteers program “Heritage for the Future in the Historical Port City of İzmir” organized by the UNESCO World Heritage Education Program and Site Directorate of the Historical Port City of İzmir, the research employs the anthropological methods of participant observation, structured interviews, netnography, as well as multi-sensory ethnography. The study shows that the site’s WHL inscription is motivated by the desire to enhance the city’s further protection on different levels such as raising awareness, receiving financial help, and increasing its visibility to attract local, national, and international visitors and users. The same approach has also been observed within the current conservation practices conducted by local actors to preserve the multicultural values of the city and conserve its 8500 years of multilayered fabric that carries traces of Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Beylic, Ottoman, and Republican periods, stretching up to today. This short-term ethnographic research concludes that heritage conservation is a multi-level process where every level (individual, local, and global) and actor has an important role in the protection of the site’s integrity and the transmission of its values to future generations. Focusing on the current anthropological theories and studies on heritage and UNESCO, this case study of the Historical Port City of İzmir reflects that statement and points not only to the conservation of the city's past heritage but also to the fact that this cannot happen without addressing the city's contemporary needs such as sustainable development, cohesion, and the socio-economic prosperity of the city and its current inhabitants.

Iatrogenic injury resulting from psychiatric treatment represents a critical concern within the healthcare system and causes great harm to the afflicted individuals. This study delves into the multifaceted dimensions of iatrogenic harm attributed to psychiatric treatment, with a focus on the interplay between trust, accountability and recognition, and the social and relational experience of receiving treatment that ends up causing harm. The erosion of trust in psychiatric medicine on part of the individual, stemming from instances of iatrogenic injury where professional and systemic accountability was perceived as inadequate, challenges the foundation of the relationship between individual and treatment provider as well as the relationship between the individual and the psychiatric system. To mitigate this erosion, it is imperative to understand the factors that contribute to the individual’s lack of trust, in order to promote open communication and informed decision-making in psychiatric treatment. In that sense, being afflicted with iatrogenic injury is an inherently social experience. Furthermore, central to this study is the emphasis on recognizing the individual narratives of those who have experienced iatrogenic injury, as each individual’s unique circumstances and personal stories offer valuable insights into the human impact of medical maltreatment, and centering their experiences can contribute to a broader discourse on psychiatric care reform. This study underscores the need for a holistic re-evaluation of psychiatric treatment practices, where recognition of the individual’s experiences and open discussions on the limitations of psychiatric treatment are at the forefront. Ultimately, this study aims to contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding iatrogenic harm and the need for different pathways that improve the safety and quality of psychiatric care by focusing on the individual’s inherent right to control the process of undergoing psychiatric treatment and the right to not be harmed.

This ethnographic study examines the multiple ways in which a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 disease and infection is known in an academic research group in Sweden. This academic research group has been working to develop a vaccine since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. Theoretically, this study builds on a grounded theory methodological approach as re-worked by medical sociologist Adele Clarke in her 2005 work “Situational analysis”, as well as on studies of immunology and microbiology within anthropology, sociology, science and technology, and philosophy of science. The findings are generated mostly through interviews with scientists of the academic research group and through participant-observation of the group’s work during September 2020-April 2021. This thesis conceptualises the vaccine being developed by the research group as not one, but multiple objects of knowledge – the vaccine is namely known both as machinic and as a loved deity. These different knowledges of vaccine are constituted through different discursive practices in vaccine development work, and by differential relations between human and non-human actors including discourses that participate in these practices. These different knowledges of vaccine also entail different perspectives on whether the vaccine being developed by the research group is a solution for protecting people from COVID-19 disease.

More than one generation of Nubians have been living dispersed in various locations in Egypt. Decades after the latest 1964 displacement and the memory of the lost homeland does not seem to fade. Focusing on the memory of Old Nubia among younger generations, this research examines how they (re)construct their ethnic identity away from their ancestral homeland. Through in-depth interviews, the study uncovers the complex process of ethnic identity development among Nubians. The findings emphasize the profound influence of memory and imaginaries of homelands on Nubians' ethnic identity, contributing to a deeper understanding of contemporary Nubian community. Furthermore, the research sheds light on the interplay between displacement, diaspora, and memory, offering valuable insights for studies of ethnic minorities in the Middle East and North Africa. By exploring the intersections of diaspora, memory, and ethnic identity, this study illuminates the resilience and cultural continuity of the Nubian community despite geographical dispersal.

Det framgår tydligt i skolans styrdokument, såväl i skollag som läroplaner, att skolan ska varalikvärdig för varje elev. Trots detta är likvärdigheten omdiskuterad, och skolväsendetkritiseras stort för att inte vara likvärdigt. Individualisering och anpassningar lyfts somviktiga aspekter när det kommer till likvärdig bedömning, vilket gör det desto mer komplextnär klassrummen karaktäriseras av mångfald. Syftet med studien är att undersökauppfattningar om likvärdig bedömning, såväl utmaningar som möjligheter. Studien ämnarföljaktligen att åskådliggöra hur bedömning kan anpassas till en mångfald av eleversolikheter gällande bakgrund, förutsättningar och behov. Detta från både ett elev- ochlärarperspektiv. Följande frågor behandlas: (1) “Vad har eleverna för uppfattningar om hur deblir bedömda?”, (2) “Vad gör bedömning likvärdigt enligt lärarna?” och (3) “Vad finns detför utmaningar med likvärdig bedömning enligt lärarna?”. För att undersöka dessa frågor såhar data samlats in genom å ena sidan kvalitativa intervjuer med 4 gymnasielärare. Å andrasidan genom enkäter utförda på 43 elevrespondenter, detta av både kvantitativ och kvalitativsort. Resultaten visar att eleverna i stor utsträckning anser att bedömningen är likvärdig ochatt den anpassas efter dem, men att vissa elever tycker att lärare borde individualisera i högregrad. Lärarna i studien diskuterar både möjligheter och utmaningar med likvärdig bedömningpå nationell-, skol- och klassrumsnivå. Fynden från empirin visar bland annat att lärare anseratt det behövs en nationell samsyn på likvärdighetsbegreppet, att anpassningar är ett gottexempel för att jobba mot likvärdighet, men att det behövs mer tid och resurser för attsäkerställa anpassningar. Resultaten diskuteras utifrån studiens teoretiska ram, PierreBourdieus teori om “habitus” och begreppet “bias”. Det man kan se är att elevernas habitusstyr hur de uppfattar och värderar den sociala kontexten, i detta fall undervisning ochbedömning. Elever upplever i hög grad att de blir bedömda rättvist och likvärdigt utifrånderas habitus. På klassrumsnivå framhåller flera lärare utmaningen med den subjektivabedömningen. Vidare hör detta i sin tur ihop med bias, där den subjektiva bedömningen utgörvissa förväntningar på vilken nivå elever ligger på. En av studiens slutsatser är att lärare ochelever uppfattar likvärdigheten i bedömningen olika, vad det beror på, föreslås som exempelpå vidare forskning.