Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur Falköping respektive Säffle kommun arbetar för att öka ungdomsinflytande och deltagande genom metoden att anställa unga kommunutvecklare. Datainsamlingen gjordes i form av intervjuer, både enskilda och fokusgrupper med nuvarande och tidigare kommunutvecklare, samt beslutsfattare. För det empiriska materialet användes en tematisk analys. De teoretiska perspektiven som resultatet analyserats och förankrats i är platsens betydelse, nivåer av deltagande med inspiration från Aflaki et al (2023) samt planeringsteorin kommunikativ rationalitet. Studien visar att kommunutvecklarrollen möjliggör en plattform där spridning av kunskapshöjande insatser till unga i kommunen ses som ett användningsområde för att bland annat sänka trösklar och minska avståndet mellan lokalsamhället och demokratiska processer. Likaså ses rollen som en länk mellan generationerna där ungdomsperspektiv har en tydlig väg in och kan bidra till ökad samverkan och dialog. Resultatet visar att känslan av ökad delaktighet i samhällsutvecklingen och att få sin röst hörd bidrar till ökad motivation och engagemang samt stärkt känsla av tillhörighet och platsanknytning. Detta pekar på behoven av att inom samhällsplaneringspraktiken stärka metoder i samarbete över generationer och nyttja ungas perspektiv som en potential att utveckla kommuner och regioner till platser där unga som vill stanna och påverka också har möjlighet att göra det.

Hållbar utveckling har gått från att ligga i bakgrunden av geografiundervisningen på gymnasiet till att bli en av de viktigare delarna av undervisningen. Inom detta ämne finns tre dimensioner, den ekologiska, ekonomiska och sociala, och det finns utmaningar för både lärare och elever i undervisningen kopplat till dessa. Syftet med arbetet är därför att genom en forskningsöversikt analysera vilka utmaningar som finns med dessa tre dimensioner inom hållbar utveckling i gymnasieskolans geografiundervisning utifrån ett elev- och lärarperspektiv. Analysen i denna uppsats visar att hållbar utveckling är komplext för elever, och de behöver stöttning av lärare för att förstå hur de tre dimensionerna hänger ihop. Den pekar också på att elever till stor del har en negativ framtidssyn, vilket kan leda till minskat engagemang i hållbarhetsfrågor. De kan också drabbas av kognitiv dissonans i sin vardagskonsumtion. Från ett lärarperspektiv visar analysen att lärare tenderar att lyfta fram de tre dimensionerna på ett obalanserat sätt. Den påvisar också att lärare bör förbereda elever för framtidens arbetsmarknad genom att bedriva undervisning som följer samhällsutvecklingen. Samt vara beredda att möta elevers negativa känslor i mötet med hållbar utveckling, som i sin tur kan påverka inlärningen negativt. Slutsatserna som dragits utifrån analysen är att ansvaret för en lyckad undervisning vilar på läraren och det behöver finnas en ödmjukhet i hur ämnet angrips eftersom det är ett relativt nytt och komplext arbetsområde. Geografilärare kan ta inspiration från denna uppsats genom att utvärdera sig själva och hur de använder de tre dimensionerna av hållbar utveckling i geografiundervisningen på gymnasiet.

The development of Property Technologies (PropTech) has been shown to have a disruptive effect within the traditional real estate sector. This study is aiming to provide an up-to-date overview of the PropTech landscape of the binational Öresund Region, and to analyse to which extent it can be characterised as a cross-border innovation ecosystem, a concept used as the key point of the theoretical framework. The analysis was conducted in the light of the stages of the real estate value chain to categorise the actors, and of the knowledge-intensive business services to explain among other the industry’s location patterns. The main findings of the study are that the Öresund PropTech industry is bringing together diverse companies while being characterised by a significant unbalanced between the Swedish and the Danish side in favour of the latter, in terms of both number of actors and range of activity. There is at the moment no sufficient evidence to qualify it as a cross-border innovation ecosystem, as the emerging PropTech network in the area is still to be structured. Coupled with this paper, the contribution of this research work is also including an interactive map accessible online.

The discourse on Norrland (literally ‘North land’ in English) as essentially ‘different’ has been(re)produced in literature, politics and science for as long as the idea of ‘Norrland’ has existed. Thus,when investigating the discourse that constructs the identity of Norrland in opposition to a Swedishnational identity, it is important to connect these representations to their contemporary (andchanging) political-economic contexts. The aim of this thesis is to analyze contemporaryrepresentations in news, film, advertising and interviews to show how representations constructstereotypes informed by neoliberal ideals and internationally familiar stereotypes of a traditionalintransigent population positioned in Norrland and a modern and progressive population in theurban South. The findings in this thesis can be summarized as follows. First, Norrland has beenconsistently reproduced, resisted and reworked through various discursive networks and practicesover centuries, as simultaneously authentic and obsolete. Drawing on these discourses makes therepresentations of Norrland in the news become part of a wider discursive network that representsNorrland as an ‘internal other’ within Sweden. Secondly, discourses on Swedish modernity and onneoliberal growth and competition reproduce Norrland and its people as inferior to the rest ofSweden. These representations are reworked and resisted and result in ‘real’ material effects in, forinstance, the news media, place marketing and film. Thirdly, in order to resist these representationsand become part of the ‘modern’, progressive world, places and people need to adjust to neoliberalideals of competitiveness and growth. And, finally, people’s identities are affected by theseneoliberal ideals as they have to relate and react to the representations of different places andpeople and the discourse on the urban as progress. This results in different strategies in theconstruction of narrative identities. I conclude by arguing that these representations serve not onlyas contrasts but also as strategies in the quest to scapegoat certain groups for problems that initiallyoriginated in unequal opportunities and structures of power related to, for instance, ethnicity, class,gender and disabilities – something that is exacerbated by neoliberalist policies and ideologies. Themore pressure is put on individuals and places to produce constant growth, the more certain peopleand places are viewed as ‘unproductive’ and problematic. The problems of depopulation anddiminishing job opportunities in the inland areas of Norrland are thus blamed on the population through the representations of Norrland as an internal ‘other.’ / Away from the periphery – migration, livelihood strategies and place discourse in the periphery of Norrland

Syftet med denna studie är att få en djupare förståelse för hur turismens utveckling på en destination i Stockholms skärgård påverkar destinationens hållbarhet. För att undersöka detta har studien avgränsats till Sandhamn då det är en av de populäraste destinationerna i Stockholms skärgård. I studien har både kvantitativ- och kvalitativ metod i form av en triangulering tillämpats. Den kvantitativa delen består av statistik från olika aktörer för att påvisa turismens utveckling i skärgården. Den kvalitativa delen utgörs av intervjuer och en observation som använts för att undersöka vad utvecklingen beror på, samt vad den lett till. Statistiken påvisar en stagnering av besökare i skärgården medan respondenterna motsäger sig detta och istället menar att det kommer mer besökare, dock under en kortare period. Utvecklingen är således inte hållbar då mängden turister som kommer under denna korta period tär på öns infrastruktur och överskrider öns bärkraft. Under den långa lågsäsongen, när turisterna inte kommer, uppstår istället lönsamhetsproblem för destinationens aktörer. Avslutningsvis kan det konstateras att det bristande samarbetet är en bidragande orsak till den förkortade säsongen och skulle behöva förbättras för att fördela besökarna jämnare över året. / This study is intended to gain a comprehensive understanding of how the advancement of tourism in Stockholm’s archipelago affects the destination’s sustainability. To examine the multitude of variables that affect sustainability, the paper is centered on Sandhamn, as it is one of the most popular destinations within Stockholm’s archipelago. Throughout the study, both the quantitative and qualitative methods were implemented in the form of a triangulation. In order to demonstrate the development of tourism within the archipelago, the study utilized statistics from various actors as the quantitative portion of this paper. The qualitative part consists of interviews as well as an observation that has been applied to investigate the integral components of development and its outcomes. The statistics show a stagnation of tourists in the archipelago; however, the respondents disagree and conversely argue that there has been an influx of tourists, but that they are staying for a shorter period of time. Thus, proving that the development is not sustainable; as the number of tourists who come during this shorter period have a significant impact on the island's infrastructure and exacerbates the island's sustainability. During the extended low season, when tourists are at their minimum, profitability problems arise; thereby, leading to an entirely new issue for the destination's actors. In conclusion, it can be inferred that the lack of cooperation is a contributing factor to the shortened season and would need to be improved to redistribute the visitors more evenly throughout the year.

As the world-economy becomes increasingly competitive, places adopt different methods to elevate their attractiveness. The paper examines how two medium-sized Swedish cities, Uppsala and Västerås, develop their own competitiveness, identities, and images in relation to the principles and concepts laid out by Simon Anholt in his book Competitive identity: The New Brand Management for Nations, Cities and Regions (2007). A qualitative approach to textual analysis is employed to gather the necessary research material to draw conclusions from, in addition to taking a theory-consuming perspective in order to limit the study’s generalization. The study adds to the field of city branding by analyzing real-life places using a conceptual framework, providing insight into the practical application of a theoretical model. The results show that Uppsala is trying to elevate itself to the international stage, while Västerås is remaking its identity almost completely. Uppsala must remember the city’s prerequisites and should look to Västerås for expertise regarding the railway sector. It is imperative that Västerås improves its innovative environments, while looking to Uppsala for knowledge of how to integrate innovative cultures in all sectors of society. Both cities are heavily dependent on their proximity to Stockholm, with Uppsala beginning to question their position.

This essay examines sanitation workers who work with solid waste management and analyses their ability to create a sustainable livelihood based on livelihood assets and strategies. The study was undertaken in Babati, Tanzania and a qualitative method was applied, consisting of interviews and observations. The main findings were that sanitation workers employed four livelihood strategies, however, only two of these were sustainable and contributed towards a positive livelihood outcome. Multiple stresses were identified, such as low wages, inability to save money, unsafe work conditions, exposure to bacteria and other contaminants and no access to social services. Shocks were identified as work-related injuries resulting in extended time off work, wages being paid out late and sudden illness. This made the sanitation workers terms of employment in Babati almost equivalent to that of waste workers and waste pickers in the informal sector, despite being employed by the local government authorities. As a result, the workers were not able to attain a sustainable livelihood and the livelihood outcome appear to be a vicious cycle of debt and vulnerability. A key characteristic for this study is its examination of Tanzania’s political context and institutional framework as important factors that affect the sanitation workers’ resource base and strategies as well as their exposure to vulnerabilities.

This thesis examines the role self-help microfinance Saving Groups play in women’s empowerment in villages in Mbale district, Uganda. Central for the study is to identify the challenges and opportunities that participation in Saving Groups brings in women’s everyday life. The thesis is a result of a qualitative field study in Uganda, where eleven mothers attending Saving Groups in the villages Nashikhaso, Bubuyera and Mulyuli were interviewed. The findings show that loans from the groups have allowed the interviewees to improve their farming and thereby gain an annual income which has led to several life-changing opportunities. The ability to pay for children’s education is recognized as most valued for the women’s self-esteem, self-confidence and hope for a better future. Moreover, the findings show that even though the Saving Group’s function as a financial instrument is important, their function as a center where women can socialize and find support and knowledge may be even more vital for women’s empowerment. Patriarchal structures are affected since the Saving Groups have given women that want to make a change an arena in which to do so. Thus, through the group, women have entered a traditionally men-only zone where they redefine roles and norms.

<p>The aim of this study is to analyze the choice of living in a peri-urban area as part of a livelihood strategy.</p><p>The method used for collection of primary data for the study was in-depth interviews and questionnaires, undertaken with residents of Mbezi Luisi, a peri-urban area in Dar es Salaam. In order to analyze this material, a theoretical framework consisting of both livelihood frameworks and migration theories was used. In addition, previous research made on migration patterns and livelihoods of the people living in peri-urban areas in Sub-Saharan Africa was reviewed. The result of the study shows that people make active decisions in order to obtain a better life. From a livelihood perspective it was found that the peri-urban areas present unique livelihoods opportunities in comparison to urban and rural areas. I also found that a livelihood perspective may help urban and regional planners in their work.</p>

<p>Transboundary protected areas are a fairly recent concept that have been increasing in popularity and are increasingly being integrated into large international organizations’ environmental policy making. This essay examines the phenomena through the cooperation between two national parks, Parc National des Pyrénées in France and Parque Nacional Ordesa Monte Perdido in Spain. The theoretical framework used in this essay is based upon border theory, focusing on the different factors that influence the behavior of the border dweller and how the different social conceptions of nature influence the way it is managed. The results in this study result from researching published and private documents from the national parks and interviews carried out with staff from the park administrations from both countries. The collaboration between these two national parks dates back twenty years and the cooperation has been carried out in many small projects. Historical ties between the villages in the border region, which also shares a common culture and lingual heritage, have inspired the cooperation. There are also economical benefits that influence the collaboration, such as the European Union’s regional policy that provides funds for transboundary cooperation. A mutual world heritage site, Pyrénées – Mont Perdu, is also situated within the parks’ territories, which should be managed conjointly by the national parks. However, an in-depth and well-integrated cooperation has not been found, as difference in the nature and how the organizations themselves are managed and regulated has generated a long and complicated course for decisions regarding cooperation. It appears that even if nature itself might be boundless, the national jurisdictions that prevail over nature are clearly adhered to and there are no available transboundary structures designed to handle a cooperation of this kind.</p> / <p>Gränsöverskridande naturvård är ett relativt nytt koncept som alltmer ökat i popularitet och även inlemmats i flera stora internationella organisationers naturvårdspolicy. Denna uppsats syftar till att undersöka gränsöverskridande naturvård mellan två angränsande nationalparker, Parc National des Pyrénées i Frankrike och Parque Nacional Ordesa Monte Perdido i Spanien. Uppsatsen har utgått ifrån gränsteoretiska utgångspunkter i form av vilka faktorer som påverkar gränsbeteendet och med särskilt fokus på hur föreställningar om naturen påverkar hur denna förvaltas. Samarbetet har granskats genom dokument publicerade av parkerna samt genom intervjuer med personal i de båda parkerna. Nationalparkerna har under drygt tjugo år haft en viss samverkan som konkretiserats genom flera småskaliga projekt. Samarbetet har inspirerats av en historisk samverkan mellan byarna i gränsregionen som har ett gemensamt språk och kulturarv samt ekonomiska incitament i form av den Europeiska Unionens stöd för samverkan mellan gränsregioner. Inom nationalparkernas område återfinns även ett gemensamt världsarv, Pyrénées – Mont Perdu, som skall förvaltas av nationalparkerna tillsammans. Studien visar dock att en fördjupad samverkan mellan parkerna inte har kunnats implementeras i praktiken, eftersom naturen förvaltas och regleras på olika sätt i de båda nationalparkerna. Skillnader mellan Parc National des Pyrénées och Parque Nacional Ordesas förvaltningsstruktur och administrationssätt gör att beslutsvägen för samarbetsfrågor blir lång och komplicerad. Även om naturen själv är gränslös, visar studien att de bestämmelser som råder över den, är starkt bundna till den nationella organisationsformen och att det i nuläget inte finns någon gränsöverskridande struktur som kan hantera frågor av detta slag.</p>