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Study-abroad in the United States traces its roots back to early colonial times. The concept of spending a semester or year abroad during the undergraduate degree programme is not a new one; however increasing emphasis has been placed upon the need for acquiring a global education to cope with the demands of an ever increasing internationalised world. The traditional locations for American undergraduates who chose to study-abroad have always been and continue to be Western Europe. Yet, with a culture similar to that of the United States, the question of what intercultural learning takes place is an apt one. Emphasis on non-traditional locations is increasing, yet few studies have been undertaken which examine the experience of American undergraduates who do choose non-traditional destinations for their study-abroad experience. This research examines, through a qualitative study, using in-depth, semi-structured descriptive interviews, the experience of six American undergraduates who chose to spend a semester in South Africa from January to June 2004. A focus group of professionals within the American university study-abroad setting was also interviewed in May of 2003 to determine factors of interest to professionals within the field. The major findings included: The traditional barriers to study-abroad were not applicable to the students studied, however, barriers dealing with lack of information or inaccurate information regarding South Africa and non-promotion of South Africa as a first world country were found to be relevant as deterrents to students choosing South Africa as a destination for study-abroad. The most relevant factors that influenced students to study-abroad in South Africa were found to be: prior academic coursework in African studies at the home institution, the perception that it was a destination that offered opportunities for personal enjoyment and learning prospects in a unique cultural setting in addition to the fact that the host institution's language of instruction was English. Based on these findings, relevant recommendations for further research in this field were suggested. / Educational Studies / DED (COMP EDUCATION)

Study-abroad in the United States traces its roots back to early colonial times. The concept of spending a semester or year abroad during the undergraduate degree programme is not a new one; however increasing emphasis has been placed upon the need for acquiring a global education to cope with the demands of an ever increasing internationalised world. The traditional locations for American undergraduates who chose to study-abroad have always been and continue to be Western Europe. Yet, with a culture similar to that of the United States, the question of what intercultural learning takes place is an apt one. Emphasis on non-traditional locations is increasing, yet few studies have been undertaken which examine the experience of American undergraduates who do choose non-traditional destinations for their study-abroad experience. This research examines, through a qualitative study, using in-depth, semi-structured descriptive interviews, the experience of six American undergraduates who chose to spend a semester in South Africa from January to June 2004. A focus group of professionals within the American university study-abroad setting was also interviewed in May of 2003 to determine factors of interest to professionals within the field. The major findings included: The traditional barriers to study-abroad were not applicable to the students studied, however, barriers dealing with lack of information or inaccurate information regarding South Africa and non-promotion of South Africa as a first world country were found to be relevant as deterrents to students choosing South Africa as a destination for study-abroad. The most relevant factors that influenced students to study-abroad in South Africa were found to be: prior academic coursework in African studies at the home institution, the perception that it was a destination that offered opportunities for personal enjoyment and learning prospects in a unique cultural setting in addition to the fact that the host institution's language of instruction was English. Based on these findings, relevant recommendations for further research in this field were suggested. / Educational Studies / DED (COMP EDUCATION)

Internet and websites are today one of the most important communication channels of almost all companies. They offer a simple, fast and effective way of communication, which is also available worldwide in a few seconds. With the globalization of market, more and more companies try to expand their business beyond the territory of the home state. In the current time of start-ups is the Internet also often a medium that allows formation of new spheres of business for which the website is absolutely essential channel. This type of business is internet based and has very often international ambitions from the very beginning. Given that each country (or region) can be seen as distinctive culture, it is advisable to locate websites for the needs of the foreign country. This is exactly the theme of this thesis. The concrete objective of this thesis is to offer a methodology for website localization in terms of webdesign. The basic building block is the delimitation of a multidisciplinary theoretical framework that examines the concept of culture and extensive literature review allowing current insight into the linking of website and culture, i.e. cultural website localization. Suitable method for gripping such a complex concept as a culture emerge from a theoretical framework as well. As the most appropriate method were determined Hofstedes cultural dimensions, which are then used for the analysis of cultural determination of web elements. Data collection for the purpose of analysis of web elements cultural determination is performed using a content analysis of websites from nine different countries. The results of the analysis are compared and synthesized with the findings stemming from a literature review. The final artifact of this thesis, a methodology for website localization from the perspective of web design, is based on this ground. Validation of the proposed methodology is done on the basis of assessment of the methodology for a domain of web design. This assessment is based on interviews with experts from different countries as well as presentation of concrete example of methodology use within a midsize website.

Целью данного исследования является определить роль национально-культурных объединений в социально-культурной адаптации мигрантов, прибывающих в Россию из Кыргызстана. Исследование проводилось на примере Кыргызской диаспоры "Кыргызстан-Урал". Работа состоит из введения, трех глав, заключения и списка литературы. В первой главе рассматриваются проблемы социально-культурной адаптации мигрантов в условиях современной России. Во второй главе работы анализируется роль национально-культурных обществ в этих процессах и, в частности, рассматривается деятельность национально-культурного организация «Кыргызстан-Урал». Третья глава работы носит практический характер. Содержание работы изложено на 127 страницах. / The purpose of this study is to determine the role of national and cultural associations in the socio-cultural adaptation of migrants arriving in Russia from Kyrgyzstan. The study was carried out on the example of the Kyrgyz diaspora "Kyrgyzstan-Ural". The work consists of an introduction, three chapters, a conclusion and a bibliography. The first chapter examines the problems of social and cultural adaptation of migrants in the conditions of modern Russia. The second chapter of the work analyzes the role of national-cultural societies in these processes and, in particular, examines the activities of the national-cultural organization "Kyrgyzstan-Ural". The third chapter of the work is practical. The content of the work is presented on 127 pages.

This study explores the manifestation of religiosity among young Syriac Orthodox Christians in Sweden. Focusing on the age group of 20–29, the thesis delves into how religiosity is expressed within this community, both in public and private domains, such as church, family, workplace, and social media. The research highlights the interplay between religious identity and secular society, examining the impact of cultural and generational differences on religious practices and beliefs. Methodologically, the study employs qualitative analysis, drawing on interviews to understand the personal and collective aspects of religiosity in a multicultural and secular context. The findings reveal diverse expressions of faith, shaped by the dynamics of community engagement, cultural adaptation, and individual spirituality, offering a nuanced view of young adults navigating their religious identity in modern Sweden.