This thesis examines the relation between ascribed factors and the distribution of social capital among young adults. Information about the type of ties used in access to social capital is utilized to provide an understanding of the social contexts and mechanisms that play a role in the creation of social capital. The study measures social capital with a position generator methodology and utilizes the first wave of the Swedish LIFINCON survey, which is a study of 19 year olds of Iranian, Yugoslavian and Swedish origin. The results show that having socioeconomically advantaged parents and living in a large city region is associated with higher levels of social capital. Gender differences are found in the accessed range of social capital as women more often reached positions with the lowest prestige value. Background in Iran or Yugoslavia has a positive effect on social capital and parents’ class position in the country of origin is important for their children’ social capital. It is argued that social closure and social distance can explain why social background is important in determining access to high prestige social capital and that the composition of an individual network is affected by the average resources in a “group” or region.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between personal norms and pro environmental intentions of youth travelers in Sweden including the intention to involve in sustainable purchasing behaviors while travelling (IISPB), intention to involve in recycling activities while travelling (IIRA) and intention to preserve natural and local resources while travelling (IPNLR). Also the study aims to test the moderating impact that the environmental awareness and ascribed responsibility have on the relationship between personal norms and pro environmental intentions considered. Design/Methodology/Approach- The study distributed an online questionnaire among university students in Sweden employing non probability sampling methods of volunteering sampling and snowball sampling methods. Answers of 293 completed questionnaires were subjected to the analysis, employing structural equation modelling, muli group structural equation modelling. Findings – The results indicated positive and substantial relationships between personal norms and each pro environmental intention considered in the study (IISPB, IIRA & IPNLR). Both environmental awareness and ascribed responsibility could not be tested for its moderating influence on the relationship between personal norms and each pro environmental intention due to the existence of metric variance in the measurements. Practical Contribution –Considering the highly influential impact of personal norms on pro environmental intentions, the study proposes the destination marketing organizations across Sweden to address the moral obligations of young travellers to ensure environmentally friendly behaviors within their destinations. The study proposes to do this via implementing advertising and awareness campaigns, devised to activate the personal norms of young tourists. Value/Originality- This study contributes to the existing gap in tourism literature regarding the application of Norm Activation Model as a moderator model in pro environmental intentions of young travellers in Sweden.

<p>In today’s world, exposure to other cultures has become a symbol of increasing globalization processes. Many people leave their home area to embark on a voyage of discovery and learning that affects their original cultural identity.</p><p>This study explores the life experience of independent transcultural sojourners, i.e. people who freely decide to relocate to different cultural contexts after their formative years. The inquiry covers three major themes of their intercultural experience: Multicultural identity, processes of intercultural adaptation, and change and transformation ensuing from multiple intercultural relocations. The aim of this study is to show the effects of multiple intercultural experiences on the identity of transcultural sojourners, and how they dealt with relevant emerging processes of intercultural adaptation.</p><p>Following a format suggested by Seidman (1996), five respondents were asked to recount and reflect on their transcultural experience in three separate, asynchronous interviews that covered three dimensions of their intercultural experience: past, present, and reflections. The ensuing text comprised about 16,000 words and was analyzed using both a narrative and a thematic approach using a mixed typology of categories and sub-themes made up of indigenous typology stemming from relevant scholarly literature and researcher-constructed typology suggested by the researcher and the respondents.</p><p>The analysis indicates that personal factors like mindfulness, motivation, resourcefulness, and intercultural awareness strongly influence processes of Intercultural communication competence and Multicultural identity development. Contextual factors are also relevant, as they include issues of avowed and ascribed identity. The analysis also shows no specific, generalizable link between the presence of intercultural stimuli in the original cultural milieus and the decision to relocate across cultural boundaries. Furthermore, it points to a strong relation between Piagetian constructivist learning theories and the development of ICC competence. The study also indicates that independent transcultural sojourners are in a position to negotiate the level of their integration and marginality, which in turn affects the spectrum of their Intercultural communication competence.</p><p>Finally, this study indicates the limited applicability of traditional functionalist approaches to understanding and conceptualizing processes of intercultural adaptation and multicultural identity building. It also suggests the need for a shift towards a dialogical perspective informed by systems-thinking and Chaos theory.</p> / The author would like to acknowledge the inspiration and passion for intercultural issues provided over the years by the Intercultural Insights on-line community.Seattle, summer 2010.

In today’s world, exposure to other cultures has become a symbol of increasing globalization processes. Many people leave their home area to embark on a voyage of discovery and learning that affects their original cultural identity. This study explores the life experience of independent transcultural sojourners, i.e. people who freely decide to relocate to different cultural contexts after their formative years. The inquiry covers three major themes of their intercultural experience: Multicultural identity, processes of intercultural adaptation, and change and transformation ensuing from multiple intercultural relocations. The aim of this study is to show the effects of multiple intercultural experiences on the identity of transcultural sojourners, and how they dealt with relevant emerging processes of intercultural adaptation. Following a format suggested by Seidman (1996), five respondents were asked to recount and reflect on their transcultural experience in three separate, asynchronous interviews that covered three dimensions of their intercultural experience: past, present, and reflections. The ensuing text comprised about 16,000 words and was analyzed using both a narrative and a thematic approach using a mixed typology of categories and sub-themes made up of indigenous typology stemming from relevant scholarly literature and researcher-constructed typology suggested by the researcher and the respondents. The analysis indicates that personal factors like mindfulness, motivation, resourcefulness, and intercultural awareness strongly influence processes of Intercultural communication competence and Multicultural identity development. Contextual factors are also relevant, as they include issues of avowed and ascribed identity. The analysis also shows no specific, generalizable link between the presence of intercultural stimuli in the original cultural milieus and the decision to relocate across cultural boundaries. Furthermore, it points to a strong relation between Piagetian constructivist learning theories and the development of ICC competence. The study also indicates that independent transcultural sojourners are in a position to negotiate the level of their integration and marginality, which in turn affects the spectrum of their Intercultural communication competence. Finally, this study indicates the limited applicability of traditional functionalist approaches to understanding and conceptualizing processes of intercultural adaptation and multicultural identity building. It also suggests the need for a shift towards a dialogical perspective informed by systems-thinking and Chaos theory. / The author would like to acknowledge the inspiration and passion for intercultural issues provided over the years by the Intercultural Insights on-line community.Seattle, summer 2010.

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