The objective of this study is to examine various aspects of the difference between the acquisition of English and Spanish by Swedish learners in compulsory education and its causes. The two subjects have the same syllabus, with the difference that English studies start 3 years earlier, but studies of the competences of the Swedish students in these two languages (see f.ex. First European Survey of Language Competences, 2012)suggest that the gap between the languages is bigger than what could be expected and that there is an existing difference in attitude towards the two languages. The conclusion is that the predominance of English in the immediate environment of the surveyed students is considerable. The study has shown large differences between the input in English and Spanish. Students receive input in Spanish, communicate in Spanish and acquire knowledge of Spanish / Latin American cultures almost exclusively at school. On the other hand, they acquire knowledge, receive input and interact in English both in school and in their spare time. We also found considerable differences in attitudes towards the two languages and the perceived ability of the students. The Spanish is perceived as more difficult, less necessary, less fun and less useful in their future lives. New technologies create new platforms for communication that allow students to participate in interaction in the target language. This study shows that these situations occur mostly in English but also in Spanish, which in our opinion could be more used in teaching.

This research project explores whether the delivery of positive psychology interventions in the workplace through an employee assistance program (EAP) can improve employees’ authentic happiness/flourishing as well as decrease symptoms of depression. A small convenience sample of 13 Manitoba public school educators accessing employee assistance were recruited for a quasi-experimental research design. Nine participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group and the remaining participants assigned to the control. Experimental group members participated in a six session psychoeducational, experiential, and process-oriented positive psychotherapy group that met once a week over six weeks. Experimental group participants’ scores on the authentic happiness/flourishing measure increased by a statistically significant 9% and depression scores decreased by a statistically significant 45% from pre-intervention to one month post-intervention. The study’s findings therefore provide promising confirmation that positive psychology interventions delivered through EAPs can make a meaningful difference as both secondary prevention and primary enhancement strategies in the workplace.

Fältet ledarskap är ett tidigare väl utforskat område, trots detta har relativt lite forskning inom ämnet berört svenska organisationer och än mindre statliga institutioner och myndigheter. I följande studie undersöks, vad chefer på en statlig myndighet upplever som faktorer för att utöva ett framgångsrikt ledarskap i sin organisation. Studien bygger på empirin från kvalitativa intervjuer med fem chefer på den statliga myndigheten Trafikverket. I och med denna studie har även en ny intervjumetod utvecklats, interaktivt tematiserad intervju. Där respondenten är en del i att skapa och utforma intervjuguiden. I resultatet av denna studie framkommer det att de undersökta cheferna själva upplevde att ett framgångsrikt ledarskap i sin organisation bygger på fyra faktorer. Dessa benämnda som relationer, beslutsfattande, utveckling och autenticitet. Slutsatserna som denna studie kan bidra med, utöver vilka faktorer som cheferna själva anser genererar ett framgångsrikt ledarskap, är också hur cheferna agerar för att utöva ett vad de upplever framgångsrikt ledarskap, men även vilka roller ett framgångsrikt ledarskap innefattar. Att rollen som chef, rollen som ledare och rollen som sig själv, påverkar tidigare nämnda faktorer, relationer, beslut och utveckling, och att samspelet mellan dessa roller och faktorer på olika sätt påverkar chefernas grad av upplevd framgång i sitt ledarskap. Studien visar även att Trafikverkets nya ledarskapsfilosofi stämmer väl överens med vad cheferna upplever som bidragande faktorer för att utöva ett framgångsrikt ledarskap. Samt att denna nya filosofi kan bidra till att cheferna till större grad kan utöva ett vad de själva upplever framgångsrikt ledarskap. / The field of leadership is a previously well-explored area, but relatively little research in the subject has concerned Swedish organizations and even less government institutions and authorities. In the following study, what managers at a government authority are perceived as factors to exercise successful leadership in their organization are investigated. The study is based on empirical evidence from qualitative interviews with five managers at the State Administration of Transport, Trafikverket. Through this study, a new interview method has also been developed, interactive themed interview. Where the respondent is a part in creating and designing the interview guide. In the results of this study, it is found that the investigated managers themselves felt that successful leadership in their organization is based on four factors. These are referred to as relationships, decision making, development and authenticity. The conclusions that this study can contribute beyond what factors the managers themselves consider generating a successful leadership are also how the managers act to exert what they experience successful leadership, but also what roles a successful leadership includes. That the role of the manager, the role of leader and the role as himself, affects the aforementioned factors, relationships, decision and development, and that the interaction between these roles and factors in various ways affects the managers' degree of perceived success in their leadership. The study also shows that Trafikverket's new leadership philosophy is in line with what managers perceive as contributing factors for the pursuit of successful leadership. And that this new philosophy can help managers to exert more what they themselves experience as a successful leadership.

This study was aimed at giving a voice to two people, constructed as anxious. The epistemological framework is social constructionism. Two in-depth interviews with individuals who constructed themselves, or accepted the constructions of others of themselves as anxious, were done. The 'case study approach' was chosen as most suitable method to gain access to the information. 'Thematic content analysis' was the method of analysis. The life stories of participants were reconstructed in terms of themes. Recurring themes in these life stories were elucidated and linked with the literature. This study allowed valuable and rich information about the life stories of two anxious people to emerge. Amongst the identified themes, 'sensitivity' and the need for 'authenticity' were identified as particularly important areas for clinical practice and future research. Lay people wishing to gain a better understanding of either their own or their loved one's anxiety could also benefit from this study. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Prophetic reports, constituting the second foundational source of the Islamic Weltanschauung, have been categorised in terms of their authenticity. The current work explores reports occurring in single transmission chains that are corroborated in word or meaning by other similarly narrated reports whose source at the level of Prophet Muhammad's companions could either be the same or different. Rules pertaining to this field have been amalgamated for the first time to simplify their application. Appropriated practical examples have been given to illustrate harmony between theory and praxis. Concentration has been restricted to a corroboration of reports by other transmission chains. An examination of the latter falls outside the scope of this investigation. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Islamic Studies)

The boundaries of normative Islam are critically explored in this thesis, which presents a translation of the most important aspects of a modern study on bid‘ah (heretical innovation), by the late Egyptian Reformist Scholar, Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazālī (1917 – 1996). The translator’s introduction contextualizes the life and work of the author and also briefly locates this particular study within the broader framework of classical and contemporary writings on the subject of bid‘ah. Only the book’s introduction, first three chapters (constituting the theoretical spine of the original work), and conclusion are translated. The first chapter is an introductory excursus into Islamic law, necessary to enable the reader to grasp the legal debate on bid‘ah. The second chapter casts a wider net, examining the influence of foreign elements upon Islamic thought, while the third chapter deals specifically with the topic of bid‘ah. The short conclusion reaffirms the importance of normative Islamic practice. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Arabic)

Arabic text. Arabic summary and keywords cannot be copied into meta data fields / The importance of this research is evident from the field related to it; namely, that of reports about circumstances for Qur’anic revelations. Without a comprehensive knowledge of it, many of the subtleties and nuances of Qur’anic discourse remain concealed from us. For this purpose, I used al-Suyuti’s "Lubab al-Nuqul fi Asbab al-Nuzul" for the pivotal and comprehensive role it occupies among works dealing with this discipline. Briefly, my methodology was the following: I first presented a summary of the author’s biography. Secondly, I edited the manuscript I had obtained of this book from the King Faisal Library in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Thirdly, I made comparisons between this version and numerous printed versions of this book in order to verify the authenticity of textual information I presented in this thesis by categorising Prophetic and other reports at the levels of their soundness and weakness so that the reader may obtain a firm insight into their status levels. Fourthly, I amended reports that al-Suyuti had omitted in relation to verses he had cited. Fifthly, I graded different reports on a topic according to established criteria in this subject; often reconciling them where it was possible. I interpreted verses in their general purport by indicating that the report/s relating to the circumstances for revelation was/were already embodied in their signification. I only deviated from this norm where I found that a body of reliable scholars had given preference to a particular report vis-à-vis a certain verse; in which case I adopted their opinion. Sixthly, I attached brief commentaries to relevant verses to enable the reader to gain a more comprehensive grasp of text within its context. Finally, I defined some peculiar terminology found in this book for the benefit of unfamiliar researchers. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Islamic Studies)

As theories on the process of reading have advanced so definitional changes have resulted. This in turn has impacted on the teaching of reading. Comprehension is not the result of successful word recognition, rather, meaning is constructed by the reader using various sources as a frame of reference. Reading requires an interaction between the reader, the text read and the context in vvhich it is read. Reader factors involve language competencies, prior knowledge, vocabulary, the use of strategies and attitudes and motivation. The text may be narrative or expository and encompasses instructional materials. The tvvo broad categories in the context are the classroom setting and the instructional context. An 'interactive' or 'organisational' paradigm underlying inclusion recognises individual differences as being a probable cause of failure but postulates that the school and all that it encompasses, can be a barrier to learning and development. As such it is not deficit driven, attributing failure to learners alone. In the case of reading, this means not attributing reading failure to the reader alone but acknowledging the role of the text and the context. This point of departure is confirmed by an interactive model of disability, which, while still explaining reading deficits, advances that alternative areas also be investigated. Focusing on abilities is conducive to proactivity in the prevention of barriers to learning and development. To be inclusive therefore, mainstream schools generally and classrooms specifically, will need to be reformed and restructured to be more responsive to learners experiencing barriers to learning and development. This will require enhanced teaching methods and flexible support systems. Accommodating diversity presupposes the acknowledgement of each learner's uniqueness in order to meet individual needs. This will be facilitated when in the compilation of a reading programme to meet individual needs, the reader, the text and context are matched through assessment and instruction . A reading programme to enhance the teaching of reading and thereby meet individual needs has been compiled and implemented in a mainstream, intermediate phase class. From this practical experience and the literature studied, guidelines for the teaching of reading have been formulated for teachers in the intermediate phase to use within the context of inclusion. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Orthopedagogics)

This study entails a critical investigation into the issue and trends that shaped Black perspectives on education in South Africa in the period between 1652 and 1993. A theoretical-philosophical exposition is presented to establish the fundamental characteristics of education and therefore characteristics valid for every human being under any circumstances at any time. These characteristics were used to eventually appraise the issues and trends underlying the shaping of Black perspectives on education in South Africa. This study has revealed that the shaping of Black perspectives on education in South Africa goes hand in hand with the growing realization among Blacks that education is not merely a political issue but also deeply imbedded in the interconnectedness and/or differences between social realities such as the church, the school itself, teachers' associations, the news media et cetera. This should be accounted for by every citizen in a responsible way. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (History of Education)

This study entails a critical investigation into the issue and trends that shaped Black perspectives on education in South Africa in the period between 1652 and 1993. A theoretical-philosophical exposition is presented to establish the fundamental characteristics of education and therefore characteristics valid for every human being under any circumstances at any time. These characteristics were used to eventually appraise the issues and trends underlying the shaping of Black perspectives on education in South Africa. This study has revealed that the shaping of Black perspectives on education in South Africa goes hand in hand with the growing realization among Blacks that education is not merely a political issue but also deeply imbedded in the interconnectedness and/or differences between social realities such as the church, the school itself, teachers' associations, the news media et cetera. This should be accounted for by every citizen in a responsible way. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (History of Education)