Med jämna mellanrum uppstår diskussioner där islams/muslimernas närvaro uppfattas vara problematisk, vilket brukar aktualisera begreppet islamofobi. Att fastställa vad som tillhör en hatisk och tillika sinister inställning gentemot muslimer och vad som utgör en uppriktig men likväl välvillig kritik av särskilda föreställningar inom islam tycks emellertid vara ett brydsamt företag. Ett utredande av begreppets innebörd är följaktligen angeläget. Uppsatsens syfte är att systematisera och kategorisera vad forskare menar med islamofobi när de använder begreppet. Uppsatsens frågeställning lyder: Vilka variationer finns det vid definitionen av islamofobi och hur kan dessa kategoriseras? Uppsatsen är en begreppsutredande studie och materialet består av 74 vetenskapliga artiklar med ”islamophobia” i titeln. Sammanfattningsvis har materialet indelats i fem olika kategorier; de som lämnar begreppet odefinierat, en definition av islamofobi som följer den definition som görs i the Runnymede Trusts rapport, islamofobi som känsla, islamofobi som rasism och slutligen ifall det är muslimer och/eller islam som är måltavlan för islamofobi. Att begreppet islamofobi inrymmer en mångfald av definitioner torde vara problematiskt utifrån ett forskningsperspektiv.Nyckelord: islamofobi, begreppsutredning, begreppsanalys.

A central problem with social science concepts is the process in which a theoretical concept gets translated into a more concrete element, and after that, an empirically valid concept. Because of the abstract nature of theoretical concepts there needs to be clear definitions of a concept. At least to the extent that the concept intends to explain empirical phenomena. In this paper the concepts of social marginalization, social exclusion and social alienation will be investigated with the theoretical assumption that a concept can be divided into (1) a basic theoretical element, (2) a constitutive element and (3) an operational indicator. After a review of different versions of the concepts in question, the paper examines the commonalities and differences between the concepts. As the concepts differ, the theoretical structure differs. After an analysis of the different concepts, the paper formulates a series of central commonalities and differences among the concepts. The first dimension has to do with the difference between an individual and structural viewpoint of the concepts. The individual aspects can in turn be divided into material and psychological aspects of the concept. The structures can be divided into economic, social and political dimensions. Another central point of the paper has to do with the absence of a clear boundary between what is necessarily a part of the concept and what is not. If A and B are apart och the more abstract concept C, there needs to be a clear statement about the question if C can still exist if only A or B exist. The alternative definitional path is to state that C exist only in circumstances when A and B exist simultaneously.

The term hybrid warfare is both controversial and debated. Those who favor the use of the term usually use widely different definitions of it. This makes the term problematic to use in an official and academic context, which may contribute to unjustified policy decisions. My thesis aims at using three existing theoretical definitions to identify a more sustainable definition of the hybrid warfare concept. And at the same time contribute to the debate about the usefulness of the concept.    The thesis analyzes three theoretical perspectives of the hybrid warfare concept, by adopting a conceptual study approach founded in Giovanis Sartori's theoretical framework. The result shows that a more sustainable definition of hybrid warfare primarily comprises the coordination of funds and methods for achieving political purposes. Based on this result can hybrid warfare primarily be understood as a management perspective.

The information arena is today incorporated into all types of conflicts and offers, in addition to conventional methods, different approaches whose purpose is to influence and undermine their adversaries and thus shape the battlefield to their own terms. Information warfare embraces everything from propaganda and disinformation to cyber warfare where the concept's embeddedness really depends on who uses it and in what context. The term tends to spread in its meaning in the sense that the definition differs within the discipline. In order to be able to perceive, understand and counteract threats linked to information warfare, an understanding of what the concept actually means is required. This study is based on a conceptual model consisting of John Gerring's theoretical framework "Good Concepts" and aims to explore the concept of information warfare, how it is understood and elucidate its multifaceted meaning. Gerring's criteria examines the concept's underlying attributes, which emphasizes that the concept itself risks conveying different meanings. The study highlights ambiguity by identifying for instance cyberattacks, psychological operations,electronic warfare, political / strategic objectivesand a mix of different methodssuch as possible perceptions linked to information warfare. The results of the study show that an ambiguity exists within the concept of information warfare and that an understanding of the concept is of importance in the discipline of war science. In the end, it is about an understanding of the threats that accompanies the concept, but also the current need for a critical approach to how others use and interpret the concept.

The concept of doctrine has existed for over a century and is still up for debate and research. A confusion about the meaning and the use of doctrine as a concept was identified. Several different definitions of the concept have been observed and some of them presents that doctrine is a belief system, institutionalized beliefs, principles how to fight or an instruction this has therefore created a conceptual confusion.   By examining the three foremost doctrinal researchers who examine the concept of doctrine in the modern time, the aim of the essay is to through Gerring's conceptual theory Good Concepts increase the understanding and meaning of the concept in the present and see which definition is the most sustainable. The result of the study showed that one of the perspectives on doctrine increased the definition and the meaning of it. This perspective is clearly described and well defined. It does also give the concept different tools to form a doctrine for special actions and uses. Gerring’s theory as a model contributed with a wider understanding and presented the most sustainable of the concept. The outcome also shows disputations around the concept and contributes to increased existing research debate.

What is manoeuvre and why is it important to comprehend its implication on contemporary naval theory? During the initial stages of the study a confusion regarding the use of manoeuvre as a concept was identified. The purpose of this concept analysis is to pinpoint the contents of the concept of manoeuvre for the field of war studies to enable further studies on the subject. The study utilises John Gerring’s meta theory Conceptual Goodness consisting of eight criteria used for concept analysis in social sciences. The study examines the three concepts of manoeuvre by Raoul Castex, maneuver by Milan Vego and maneuver by Wayne P. Hughes. The study confirms that a confusion regarding the understanding of the concept exists in contemporary naval though. It has also shown that manoeuvre acts as an important enabler for other processes on the field of battle. Both as a conceptual idea of how war can be fought and in the physical matter of moving platforms. The concluding discussion argues that well-defined concepts are essential for further empirical studies on theories and phenomena.

Today’s view on an ever-changing world brings new phenomena and consequently new concepts. Hybrid warfare is one relatively new concept, about which today’s scientists have a fragmented view, and this makes it a subject of research interest. By examining seven scientific articles about Hybrid Warfare from 2007 up to the present day, the aim of this study was to examine how the concept could be defined in today’s science, and in doing so, also increase the understanding of Hybrid Warfare. The research design is that of a concept analysis, using John Gerring’s Good Concepts theory as a model. The result of the analysis showed that a majority of researchers defined the concept as, at least, a mixture of conventional and irregular aspects of warfare and of terrorism, criminality and cyber warfare. However, the research also confirms that the concept is disputed. The study contributes to existing research by showing how a concept analysis model could be used to investigate contested concepts. It also strengthens the thesis that hybrid warfare lacks a universal definition.

Cyber is a multifaceted concept that is a relatively new area of research in war studies. When a con-cept contains several underlying attributes without a clear presentation, it can create ambiguities which attributes that explain what in a joint operation. It is important to have a similar understand-ing of how concepts are used to promote the ability to cooperate and enable the exchange of infor-mation and the implementation of activities in a similar way. A challenge in cyber operations is that the domain does not follow the natural boundaries that exist in the traditional domains, air, land and maritime. This argues that a cyber operation places greater demands on collaboration among the nations who´s going to conduct the operation. The purpose of this essay is that through John Gerring's concept theory "what makes a concept good?" analyze the concepts of cyber and how they are presented in Sweden's and NATO's doc-trines in joint operations, DGO and AJP-3. The result is then compared and presents an understand-ing of how it should be perceived in a joint operation. The results of this study show that the conceptual definitions of cyber differs between the doctrines to that extent that the definitions themselves are not comparable. But at the same time, there are similarities in several aspects such as within domain operations and risk/opportunity valuation.

Forskning om småstater är ett etablerat forskningsfält. Forskning om småstaters användande av luftmakt är mindre väletablerat men finns. I detta forskningsfält har fyra luftmaktsteorier identifierats och dessa teorier utgör materialet i denna studie. Teorierna uppvisar olika uppfattningar om vad en småstat är och teorierna har olika definitioner av småstatsbegreppet. Syftet med studien är att åskådliggöra småstatsbegreppet och sättet som småstatsbegreppet används i luftmaktsteorier.   Studien har genomförts med hjälp av en tematisk analys, som är en metod för att hitta olika teman i ett material. Resultatet har tolkats med hjälp av teorin Three-level Concepts för begreppsutredning. Resultatet visar att vissa teman på småstaten, som exempelvis numerärt svag, är genomgående i luftmaktsteorierna. Vissa teman, som exempelvis relativ litenhet, förekommer i en del av luftmaktsteorierna. Vissa teman, som exempelvis geografiskt begränsad, förekommer enbart i en av luftmaktsteorierna, men är ändå en intressant del i småstatsbegreppet inom forskningen om luftmakt. Bidraget denna studie lämnar är att den belyser hur småstatsbegreppet används inom forskningen om luftmakt.

Den här c-uppsatsen är en studie om hur av delar av Manuel Castells teorier om den digitala klyftan, den informationella revolutionen och flödesrummet överensstämmer med ett urval av akademiska artiklar som publiceras under åren 1990-2010 i databasen LISA (Library and Information Science Abstracts). Den digitala klyftan ett gap med ojämn tillgång till dator med internetuppkoppling. Studien är utförd med litteraturstudier och textanalytiska metoder. Castells fick stor uppmärksamhet för Informationsåldern: Ekonomi, Samhälle och Kultur, Nätverkssamhällets Framväxt. Syftet är att med en litteraturstudie undersöka om det skett någon förskjutning i förklaringen av den digitala klyftan. Studien är begreppsutredande och baserad på forskningsartiklar och litteratur. Studien undersöker om artikelförfattarnas teorier och forskning överensstämmer med Castells teorier om den digitala klyftan, den informationella revolutionen och flödesrum. IKT (informations- och kommunikationsteknik) har på kort tid slagit igenom och blivit en del av många människors vardag. De grupper människor som inte får tillgång till IKT riskerar att marginaliseras. Med tanke på den snabba teknikutvecklingen är det även relevant att undersöka om Castells teorier som numera (2013) är över ett decennium gamla fortfarande är aktuella. / This thesis investigates how parts of Manuel Castell’s theories about the digital divide, the informational revolution and the space of flows coincide with a selection of academic publications from the period 1990-2010 in the LISA (Library and Information Science Abstracts) database. The digital divide refers to unequal access to computers with internet connections. The investigation is based on literature studies and text analysis methods. Castells was widely recognized for The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture. The literature study aims to investigate whether there has been a shift in the explanation of the digital divide. The paper is a conceptual investigation and based on scientific publications and literature. The paper investigates whether the theories and research of the authors of these publications is in accordance with Castells’ theories about the digital divide, the informational revolution and the space of flows. ICT (information and communication technology) has emerged rapidly and become part of the everyday life of many people. Population groups without access to ICT face risks of marginalization. Considering the rapid technological development, it is also relevant to investigate whether Castells’ theories, which by now (2013) are more than a decade old, still are valid.