Covid-19, also known as the coronavirus, took the world by storm after the outbreak in Wuhan in December 2019. A rapid spread of infection started and it is still ongoing. Many parts of the society are affected, and the flow of information to society has not been as important for long. That information is interpreted and transmitted correctly is of great importance. How are recommendations from responsible authorities interpreted at national level, at regional level, and at local level?    This policy study analyzes regulations and documents from national, regional and local levels of society on the basis of the theories Risk and Crisis communication, Distributed Cognition and quality theory. Finally, it contributes to an increased understanding of how public Risk and Crisis communication is interpreted from national to regional and local levels of society during an ongoing pandemic.   By analyzing the result with a WPR approach to analysis, the study finds a lack in communication, which leads to the information representation from regional and local society levels not being optimal during a crisis situation like COVID-19. The study finds patterns in the communication that can be improved and one conclusion is that DC can be used as an explanatory model to how information is being spread through different levels of society. Proposals for further research is to examine how DC can be applied in the development of communication for information transfer and how the quality theory can be applied to better the information transfer. / COVID-19, även känt som coronaviruset, tog världen med storm efter utbrottet i Wuhan december 2019. En snabb smittspridning startade och pågår fortfarande. Flödet av information till samhället har inte varit så viktig som i detta skede på länge i och med att många delar av samhället påverkas. Att information tolkas och överförs på rätt sätt är av stor betydelse. Hur tolkas information och föreskrifter angående COVID-19 från ansvariga myndigheter på nationell nivå till den regionala och lokala informationsrepresentationen?    I denna policystudie analyseras föreskrifter och skrifter från nationella, regionala och lokala aktörer genom att teorierna Risk- och Kriskommunikation, Distributed Cognition (DC) och kvalitetsteori används. Resultatet kan leda till ökad förståelse om hur offentlig risk- och krisinformation tolkas från nationell till regional och lokal nivå under en pågående pandemi.    Genom att analysera resultatet med en ’What´s the problem represented to be?’-analys (WPR-analys) finner studien brist i kommunikationen, vilket leder till att informationsrepresentationen från regional och lokal nivå inte är optimal vid en krissituation likt COVID-19. Studien finner mönster i kommunikationen som kan förbättras och en slutsats är att DC kan användas som förklaringsmodell till hur information sprids mellan olika samhällsnivåer. Förslag till vidare forskning är att undersöka hur DC kan tillämpas vid utveckling av kommunikation för informationsöverföring och hur kvalitetsteorin kan tillämpas för att förbättra informationsöverföringen.

Since the 2018 elections Swedish political parties have been eager to enforce civic and language tests as prerequisite for citizenship. This turn in citizenship ideology is studied through problem representations which intend to solve the social segregation, alienation and the supposed poor language skills of immigrants residing in Sweden. By using Carol Bacchi’s approach to policy analysis, What’s the problem represented to be?, this thesis uncovers how the problem representations contain invisible for the naked eye instruments which appear to address the immigrants’ problems but in fact directly benefit the citizenship-holders.

De senaste 30 åren har det grova och dödliga våldet mellan grupper ökat kraftigt i Sverige. De åtgärder som vidtagits har inte lyckats stävja våldet. Under 2018 startades därför pilotprojektet Sluta skjut upp i Malmö för att testa den amerikanska modellen Group Violence Intervention (GVI). Syftet med denna uppsats är att analysera på vilka sätt som processutvärderingen av Sluta skjut, vilken producerades vid pilotprojektets slutperiod 2020, förstår och förklarar våldsdrivande grupper. Genom detta ämnar vi bidra med en insikt i vägledande dokuments eventuella påverkan på det sociala arbetet. Studien utgår från ett kritiskt poststrukturellt perspektiv vilket utmanar upplysningens förgivettagande om vetenskap och förnuft, samt hur detta tankesätt kan leda till social ojämlikhet. Mer specifikt använder sig studien av metoden ”What’s the problem represented to be?” (WPR) utvecklad av Carol Bacchi (2009; Bacchi & Goodwin, 2016). Studiens resultat visar på tre problemframställningar: våldet är orsakat av (1) våldsbejakande grupprocesser vilka leder till att våldet (re)produceras inom grupperna, att (2) våldet inte beror på enstaka individers handlingar utan hela gruppers agerande, men samtidigt att (3) individerna själva ses som rationella och måldrivna, och är ansvariga för att söka hjälp och stöd själva. Dessa problemframställningar bygger på antaganden om grupprocesser vars mekanismer kan användas till att sprida önskvärda normer och värderingar, kallat informell social kontroll. Genom samverkan mellan myndigheter, samt mellan myndigheter och civilsamhälle, bygger aktörerna legitimitet för sitt handlande. Insatser mot eller frihetsberövande av enskilda individer som begår brott ses som ineffektivt. Detta lämnar vissa delar oproblematiserade. I samverkan framkommer en diskrepans mellan aktörerna samt en dominerande polisdiskurs vilket ibland leder till att de sociala insatserna hamnar i skymundan. Våldet betraktas som det illegitima, fysiska våldet från grupperna vilket gör att andra våldstyper inte hörs. Slutligen analyseras det individfokus som präglar de sociala insatserna i strategin, och bortfallet av andra faktorer problematiseras.

Title: “Medial presentation of comorbidity - A discourse analytical study of the depiction of psychiatric comorbidity in nationwide newspapers. Tutor: Olov Aronson Examiner: Magnus Jegermalm   Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate how psychiatric comorbidity (comorbidity of addiction and mental illness) is portrayed in the Swedish media, and what effects the medial presentation may issue in. Method: Based on a qualitative social constructionist research design, Carol Bacchi's (2009) analysis method what´s the problem represented to be has been applied to analyze 15 newspaper articles from Swedish magazines: Aftonbladet, Dagens Nyheter, Expressen and Svenska Dagbladet. Results: The result presents two problem representations identified in the analyzed material: too complex for healthcare and criminal but marginalized.  Discussion: In the study's discussion, emphasis is placed on the multifaceted connection that exists between the identified problem representations. The problem representations are derived from discourses about what is considered to be normal in society and what is deviant and needs to be adjusted to become normal. The effects of the problem representations are also discussed relative to earlier scientific studies. / Titel: ”Medial framställning av samsjuklighet – En diskursanalytisk studie om hur psykiatrisk samsjukighet framställs i rickstäckande tidningartiklar.  Handledare: Olov Aronson Examinator: Magnus Jegermalm   Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur psykiatrisk samsjuklighet (samsjuklighet i from av missbruk och psykisk ohälsa) porträtteras i svensk media, samt vilka effekter den mediala framställningen kan antas få.  Metod: Utifrån en kvalitativ socialkonstruktionistisk forskningsdesign har Carol Bacchis (2009) analysmetod What´s the problem represented to be använts för att analysera 15 tidningsartiklar från tidskrifterna Aftonbladet, Dagens Nyheter, Expressen och Svenska Dagbladet. Resultat: I resultatet presenteras två problemrepresentationer som identifieras i det analyserade materialet: ”för komplext för vården” och ”kriminella men marginaliserade”. Diskussion: I studiens diskussion betonas det flerdelade samband som finns emellan de identifierade problemrepresentationerna. Problemrepresentationerna härleds till diskurser kring vad som anses vara det normala i samhället samt vad som är avvikande och behöver vårdas för att bli normalt. Även vilka effekter problemrepresentationerna bär med sig undersöks i förhållande till tidigare forskning.

This study is a qualitative text analysis of the state's public inquiry (SOU 2018:57) according to Carol Bacchi's (2009) Foucault-influenced analysis tool: "What's the Problem Represented to be?" (WPR) which is based in poststructuralist theory. The policy's incentives are the international measurements of fourth-grade and 15-year-olds' reading comprehension, PIRLS and PISA respectively. Quantitative measurements in large population groups are generally stated as motives for initiating policies in contemporary welfare states. The starting point in this study is class as class aspects tend to be toned down in today's society despite the fact that parents' level of education has an approximately as strong connection with basic reading skills and in the long run school results as with the variables gender and Swedish/foreign background together. Based on class the purpose of the study is to investigate how the state's public inquiry, which addresses all children's and young people's reading, assumes that the spread of reading comprehension has increased for decades between socioeconomic groups of children and young people in Sweden alongside with school segregation. The conclusion is that the policy's represented "problem" is a decreasing reading interest in all student groups including the middle class which can affect personal finances and Sweden's position in competition between OECD-countries. The "problem" is furthermore that not all parents have similar resources or attitudes to their children's reading comprehension and reading habits, basically culture and education, as the ideal middle class parent. According to the WPR method "problem" representations within policies result in effects for people, and thus a large share of the population: the group of children, young people and their parents who are highlighted in the study tend, from the position from which the policy is produced, "the bourgeois gaze", to disappear and at the same time to be singled out through the neoliberal and neo-philantrophic discourses that underpins it.

The aim of this study is to examine how victims and perpetrators of honour-related violence are portrayed in discourses of Swedish administrative authorities who have a national mission to combat honour-related violence. Carol Bacchi’s what’s the problem represented to be is used as an analytical tool together with the concept of cultural and universalist speech. This is used to analyse the problem representations on which honour-related violence is based on, how victims and perpetrators of honor-related violence are portrayed and with what consequences. The analysis shows that there are three salient problem representations: “lack of knowledge”, “failed integration” and “inadequate cooperation”. The analysis also show how victims and perpetrators of honor-related violence are portrayed in both cultural speech and universalist speech in a complex and intertwined social construction.

By using a poststructural discourse analysis, this study aims to investigate how the Swedish Armed Forces formulates the preventive work against discrimination due to sexual orientation and transgender identity or expression. The aim is to also bring knowledge of how the preventive work affect the work environment and the possible consequences for LGBTQ-people within the organisation.  The method “What’s the problem represented to be” by Carol Bacchi is used to analyse the chosen material of policies and qualitative interviews to find out what shapes the preventive work, how it has come about and the effects on different groups in the organisation. Theoretical concepts as hegemonic masculinity, queer, heteronormativity, peripheral inclusion and homonationalism is used as theoretical frame and applied throughout the method. This study shows preventive work tend to focus on Pride and attitudes, rather than questioning structures within the organisation. As result, the heteronormativity and hegemonic masculinity within the organisation is not disrupted and LGB-people in the organisation still perceive homophobic tendencies as part of the work environment.

This study presents a critical discourse analysis of workplace health at the Swedish Church in Umeå. The analysis in this paper is based on Carol Bacchi‟s theoretical framework “What‟s the problem represented to be?”, which helps to build an insight on the common sense understanding that what we propose to do about something reveals what we think needs to change and hence what we think the „problem‟ is. The main area has been focused on (1) working hours and workload (2)competence transmission and (3) discrimination. The analysis of the policy documents shows that work hour and work load due an independent work enviroment for most of the professions in church, create an individual liability in relation to competence and qualification. It also reveals an assumption that the surrounding, a revival legacy where the Church of Umeå act, created a positive/affirmative action trough competence transmission between older vicars and younger female vicars to cope a long-term male dominated profession. The study also found that competence transmission between older and younger employees create an implied assumption of alack in competences among younger employees. To prevent discrimination a key concept was to promote good work relationships. That means through constructions of equality and gender equality. A possibly effect of the policy of equality, where it´s assumes that everybody has to take responsibility to prevent discrimination, but allows individual interpretations created a risk that the actions to whom it concerns fails. It also shows that the individual government was highly depending in the relations of power as the victim - violates and also in the relationship employee –employer as a junior partner or superior partner. / Syftet med denna uppsats att analysera hur framställningen av psykosocial arbetsmiljö är utformat i policydokument inom Svenska kyrkan i Umeå i relation till tidigare forskning. Analysen i uppsatsen baserar sig på Carol Lee Bacchis metod What´s the problem represented to be? som syftar till att ge en insikt av bakomliggande problem i policydokument och hur man ämnar förebygga arbetsrelaterad ohälsa. Utgångsläget var att studera det konkreta förslaget och utifrån det utläsa vad det egentliga ”problemet” är. Analysen resulterade i ett fokus på områdena för 1.) arbetstidens förläggning och arbetsbelastning, 2.) kunskapsöverföring och 3.) kränkande särbehandling. Studien fann att det förebyggande åtgärderna inom ramen för arbetstidens förläggning och arbetsbelastning utgår från att arbetsrelaterad ohälsa ska förebyggas genom arbetsgivarens ansvar för att arbetsbelastning och krav ligger i linje med medarbetarnas kompetens och förmågor. Flertalet yrken inom kyrkan förväntas själva kunna avgöra när arbetsinsatser är rimliga, varför det ändå kunde ses bli en individfråga huruvida arbetsbelastningen kan bli relaterad till kompetens och förmåga. Det återfanns även föreställningar om kön utifrån Umeå pastorats omgivning av väckelse arv som kan skapa en positiv särbehandling som diskurs genom kompetensöverföring mellan äldre och kvinnliga yngre präster för att hantera ett länge mansdominerat yrke. Studien fann även att ålder utifrån insatser om kompetensöverföring mellan yngre och äldre skapade en underförstådd föreställning om kunskapsbrist i relation till yngre medarbetare. Inom ramen för att motverka kränkande särbehandling blev nyckelkoncept som främjande av konstruktiva arbetsrelationer viktig. Det innebar att utifrån konstruktioner av jämlikhet och jämställdhet förebygga kränkande särbehandling. En effekt av policyn för jämlikhet där alla förväntas ta ansvar och att man tillåter egna tolkningar, riskerade att skapa en otydlighet till vem insatserna riktar sig till och där individe nblev produktivt styrande i maktrelationerna som den utsatte vs. den som kränker och som anställd i förhållande till arbetsgivaren.

This study investigates the discursive construction of masculinities of the Swedish Equality Agency. By using the WPR analysis strategy to examine underlying problematizations in the agency’s perspective on masculinity, the study seeks to generate an understanding of the direction in which the agency wishes masculinity to develop as a cultural phenomenon. The paper critiques that the new masculinity is primarily implicit and aims to make the new masculinity more explicit to enable proactivity. The study highlights the transition from an explicit masculinity to an implicit one and the effects of this ”implicitness”. The new masculinity is more implicit in terms of life advice, normativity, and ideals, making it more concealed and harder to follow, compared to a traditional masculinity and its values. The paper also explores the cultural ideal established by policy. The objectives primarily result in the ideals of everyone’s equal opportunities and rewards for studies and work, the sharing of household chores equally, and obtaining consent before engaging in anything that has to do with others bodily integrity. The reconstruction of masculinity can be seen as an attempt to insert cultural ideals into multiple masculinities or establish an upper masculinity, thus achieving a less polarized society. The study further explores the idea of that the current approach may be perceived to place more value on criticizing than implementing, making masculinity, like the problem of violence, reactive rather than a proactive factor. The concluding discussion suggests that masculinity is a tool, a frame of reference to relate to, and perhaps there is a need for guiding principles, commandments, and ideals to live up to. In the discussion I also suggest the implementation of the term ”submasculinity” to prevent holistic establishing and assemblage of negative aspects. The paper suggests in the concluding discussion that society can shape a new, explicit, and more identifiable masculinity and thus a meaningful, more explicit path to follow.

The disproportionate burden of covid-19 pandemic on racialized groups in developed countries has made socio-political and socio-economic inequalities even more apparent. This thesis utilizes critical race thoery (CRT), framing theory and the ”What’s the ’problem’ represented to be?”-approach to conduct a critical analysis of how the representation of the underlying causes of racial disparities in covid-19 mortality framed by the Swedish Public Health Agency. The published report on migrants and covid-19 ”Migrants and COVID-19 – Confirmed cases, ICU-cases and mortality from 13 March 2020 to 15 February 2021 among foreign-born in Sweden” is analyzed through qualitative content analysis. In the report, the Swedish Public Health Agency analyzes underlying causes to differences of covid-19 outcome based on country of birth, which suggests that the population born in other countries is affected by the covid-19 more than the population born in Sweden. The content analysis of the official document on foreign-borns and covid-19 mortality, released by the Swedish Public Health agency, suggests that the agency has represented the underlying causes of racial disparities in covid-19 mortality in Sweden with a socio-economic inequality frame, and from a CRT perspective, the representation is guided by colorblind ideology that does not problematize the role of racism in the society. The knowledge produced in this thesis aims to contribute to the field of CRT studies in Sweden with empirical knowledge about problematization of the covid-19 pandemic outcomes in Sweden