This case study examines the impact of different perspectives in the planning process of a public swimming facility in Umeå. It is based on Peter Marcuse’s differentiation of planning practices into deferential planning, social reform planning and social justice planning, with emphasis on the last.A discourse analysis of interviews with five key planning actors comprises the core of the study, also supported by municipal documents and media publications.Expressions of social justice planning are found to be enabled through 1) individual planner’s benevolence, experiences and established trust relationships, 2) access to knowledge and know-how for advocating identified perspectives due to grass rootbased organizations and 3) legal support.Inhibiting conditions are further identified in 1) the prevailing economic-politicalorder, due to which the concept of the public has been renegotiated, 2) planning practices based on public-private partnerships mediated through person-centredpower concentration, and 3) a silenced ideological-political conversation. / Denna fallstudie granskar genomslaget av olika perspektiv i Umeås nya badhus,Navets, planeringssprocess. Undersökningen utgår från Peter Marcuses differentiering av planeringens praktik i de tre planeringstraditionerna teknisk planering, socialreformistisk planering och planering för social rättvisa, med tyngdpunkt i den sistnämnda.Studien baseras på en diskursanalys av intervjuer med fem centrala aktörer iplaneringsprocessen och stöds också av mediala publikationer samt kommunala dokument som utredningar och protokoll.Studien drar slutsatsen att uttryck för planering för social rättvisa möjliggörs av 1) enskilda planeringsaktörers välvilja, erfarenheter och tillitsrelationer 2) tillgång tillidentifierade intressegruppers perspektiv genom representanter med kompetens att föra deras talan samt 3) juridiskt stöd.Försvårande förhållanden identifieras istället i 1) den rådande ekonomisk-politiska riktningen, vilken utanför det politiska samtalet har omförhandlat synen på vilka som utgör allmänheten, 2) planeringspraktik baserad på offentlig-privata uppgörelser,medierad genom personcentrerad maktkoncentration samt, som en följd av detta, 3) ett tystnat idépolitiskt samtal.

This qualitative study has evaluated the economic development progression in the Russian Arctic over the 2008-2020 time-period. Departing from the qualitatively formulated official objectives in the Russian Federation’s Policy for the Arctic to 2020 (signed in 2008), this investigation sought to trace the implementation process and analyse the extent in which they have been met. A geoeconomic theoretical framework was used to guide this study through a dual case-centric process tracing and policy evaluation methodology. The data in this investigation mainly originated from news sources, think tanks, Arctic-specific foundations, and official reports from the Arctic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers. The investigation was not hypothesis driven but rather attempted to assess the extent to which Russia’s stated objectives corresponded with the economic reality in the Russian Arctic region. The investigation has focused on three separate but interrelated elements of the regional economic development, namely maritime activity, hydrocarbon resource development and demographic trajectory. The analysis found that economic activity in the Russian Arctic regions has increased over the time-period and the stated policy objectives are to be considered fulfilled.

Detta arbete ämnar diskutera och analysera mediamaterial i form av video och film från Sveriges Utbildningsradios mediaplattform UrPlay. Materialet analyseras via hur det förhåller sig till Skolverkets kursplan i geografi. Syftet med detta är att se hur väl materialet förhåller sig till de riktlinjer som finns för undervisning. Det syftar även till att undersöka vilken variation av material det finns i geografi och vad det säger om geografin som skolämne. Då både Sveriges Utbildningsradio och Skolverket är statliga organisationer bör det finnas samband mellan innehåll och läroplan. Hur mediaplattformar och användandet av film i skolundervisning redovisas med tidigare forskning om generellt filmanvändande som ej är specifikt för geografi. Forskningen är därför bredare än specifikt för geografiämnet och tar in en allmän synvinkel på film i undervisning. Senare redovisas även forskning och bakgrund om själva läroplanen samt dess kursplan för geografi. Metoden som använts i arbetet är en kvalitativ datainsamling och består av analys samt genomgång av fem videor som finnes under geografikategorin på UrPlays hemsida. Resultatet redovisar de kopplingar som finns mellan mediamaterialets innehåll och det centrala innehållet i kursplanen för geografi. Resultatet består av genomgångar av det utvalda materialet samt vilka delar av det centrala innehållet som de uppfyller. Analysen i arbetet ämnar för att kritiskt materialet i förhållande till läroplanen. Variationen samt utbudet jämförs även med andra tillgängliga ämnen på hemsidan. Här blir det tydligt att majoriteten av videor är ämnesöverskridande och till viss del fyller större delar av centrala innehåll i andra kursplaner än geografi. I arbetets slutsats redovisas att det tillgängliga materialet förhåller sig till kursplanen dock endast till en viss mån. Sedan presenteras en generell diskussion samt vilka brister detta arbete har. / This text aims to discuss and analyse media material in video form produced by The Swedish educational radio. The material is available to find on their website UrPlay and can be viewed by whomever. The material is analysed in relation to the Swedish curriculum and its course specific syllabus in geography. The aim is to get an understanding of how well the material produced meets the expectations of said curriculum. It also aims to see what variation there is to the material found under the geography category on UrPlay and what its variation says about geography as a school subject. Both The Swedish educational radio and The Swedish School board are organisations owned by the Swedish government hence there should be a connection between material and curriculum. The usage of media platforms and film in educational purposes have been researched and a broader perspective than just geography have been taken into consideration. Choice of methodology for collection data is a qualitative analysis and consists of analysis and general review of five videos found under the geography category on UrPlay. In the result part of this project, the connections between material and geography syllabus are demonstrated. The result is demonstrated by thorough briefings of chosen videos. It is then viewed in relation to the syllabus and what parts of the syllabus that are covered in said videos. In the analyse section of this text that aims to critically analyse the material in relation to the syllabus it becomes evident that the majority of videos are not subject specific to geography. It rather shares the content with other subjects and to some part fill more criteria of other syllabuses. However, it does fulfil some parts of the geography syllabus. In the conclusion the results are discussed and shows that the material fills the criteria of the syllabus to some extent. Thereafter a general discussion and flaws within the project are presented.

The inspiration for this paper came from a walk in Warsaw, Poland - a city that has a very unusual development pattern and owes its character largely to the last 75 years. The visible differences in development patterns occur in almost every neighbourhood and each of them is the result of a different conceptual approach, additionally shaped by the regulations and economic prosperity of the time. This has inspired to further analyse the social structures of these spaces and explore the factors that determine the appearance and characteristics of the different neighbourhoods. The aim of this study is to get acquainted with spatial differentiation and explain the internal structure of the city of Warsaw, to define what social, economic and developmental processes have led to the current spatial-social structure of the city and to determine what potential processes may occur in the space depending on the identified conditions. The research method used for this study is factor analysis, which is an inductive tool used to analyse the relationships between a variety of social, economic, demographic, and housing characteristics in the city of Warsaw. Its aim is to determine what, if and what common patterns exist in the studied subject.

In 1987 the Brundtland rapport was released which defines sustainable development as a development that satisfies todays needs without jeopardizing future generations. Sustainable development is very much a current topic, discussed in international settings and within countries. It is also very much a current issue in education. The aim of this study is to explore how sustainable development is portrayed in Swedish geography education in secondary and upper secondary school. It also takes interest in spatial perspectives of how sustainable development is described by applying keyword as scale, place and room. Sustainable development is examined through a qualitative method that interpret and analyses sustainable development with the help of two theoretical premisses, one categorizing sustainable development into different steps and one applying a spatial perspective. The studied material consists of curriculums and textbooks for both secondary and upper secondary school from 1970 to 2011. The analysis shows sustainable development takes up more room in curriculums and textbooks the closer to present time it is published. The spatial perspective is above all global and ecological factors take up most of the descriptions and discussions.

Today’s urban planners and scholars emphasize the necessity of a shift towards sustainable modes of transport. Among these, bicycle highways have emerged as an innovative infrastructure solution. Characterized by their broader lanes and separation from other transport modes, they offer a safer and more efficient alternative to traditional bike lanes. However, the implementation of bicycle highways presents challenges as they cross several municipal borders and involve multiple stakeholders across various governmental levels. This thesis explores the advantages and challenges of implementing bicycle highways in Skåne. By interviewing eight officials working with bicycle highway planning at various governmental levels, the thesis aims to explore and analyze the gaps in translating frameworks, such as multi-level governance, into practice. It also investigates the differences in frameworks, values, and attitudes to explore how these variations affect the conditions and efforts for collaboration across various governmental scales. The thesis discovers multiple advantages perceived by officials within the field in terms of a higher-quality design of the bicycle infrastructure, while also discovering the challenges of implementing such infrastructure. It also recognizes that collaboration within various governmental scales is needed to develop seamless bicycle highways. Different approaches among road actors related to prioritized values, allocation of budgets, political ideals, and timeframes are identified, and could affect the effectiveness of collaboration across scales. However, attitudes continue to be a crucial factor in the success of bicycle highways between urban areas.

Kollektivtrafiken underlättar resor för utbildning, nöje och arbete. Norrbotniabanan byggs för att förbättra förbindelser, minska utsläpp och möta transportefterfrågan i Norrland. Utveckling av järnvägsinfrastruktur är avgörande för hållbar tillväxt. Det behövs mer forskning om hur infrastrukturinvesteringar påverkar studenters uppfattning om arbetsmöjligheter och deras beslut att stanna kvar eller flytta efter examen. Studien undersöker därför om Norrbotniabanan påverkar hur studenter vid Umeå universitet uppfattar arbetsmöjligheter och upplevd sannolikhet att stanna i regionen efter examen. En blandad metod användes, med enkäter och fokusgruppintervjuer. Analysen inkluderade deskriptiv statistik med data från en webbaserad enkät och en tematisk analys för data från fokusgruppsintervjuer. Den teoretiska referensramen omfattar tillgänglighet, restid, kollektivtrafik och studenters rörlighet efter examen. Majoriteten av studenterna är osäkra eller vill inte stanna kvar i regionen efter examen, främst på grund av bristande arbetsmöjligheter och långa avstånd till familj. Jämfört med män, är kvinnor mer optimistiska till att Norrbotniabanan kan generera positiva effekter på arbetsmöjligheterna. Förbättrad kollektivtrafik anses vara en nyckelåtgärd för att främja ekonomisk tillväxt och underlätta för studenter att stanna kvar eller pendla till arbetsplatser utanför sin hemort. Trots att studenterna trivs i Umeå, skapar bristen på arbetsmöjligheter och bostäder osäkerhet i regionen, vilket driver dem att söka sig söderut. För att studenterna ska stanna kvar krävs regional tillväxt, och Norrbotniabanan framhålls som ett steg i rätt riktning. / Public transportation facilitates travel for education, leisure, and work. The Norrbotnia Railway is being constructed to enhance connections, reduce emissions, and meet transportation demand in Norrland. The development of railway infrastructure is crucial for sustainable growth. There is a need for more research on how infrastructure investments affect students' perceptions of job opportunities and their decisions to stay or move after graduation. Therefore, the study investigates whether the Norrbotnia Railway influences how students at Umeå University perceive job opportunities and their likelihood of staying in the region after graduation. A mixed method approach was used, including surveys and focus group interviews. The analysis involved descriptive statistics using data from a web-based survey and thematic analysis for data from focus group interviews. The theoretical framework includes accessibility, travel time, public transportation, and students’ mobility after graduation. The majority of students are uncertain or do not want to stay in the region after graduation due to lack of job opportunities and long distances from family. Compared to men, women are more optimistic about the potential positive effects of the Norrbotnia Railway on job opportunities. Improved public transportation is considered a key measure to promote economic growth and facilitate students' ability to stay or commute to workplaces outside their hometown. Despite the students thriving in Umeå, the shortage of job opportunities and housing creates uncertainty in the region, prompting them to seek opportunities elsewhere. Regional growth is necessary to retain students, and Norrbotniabanan is seen as a step in the right direction.

Temporary migrant workers and circular migration constitute a growing global phenomenon as the management of migration becomes increasingly important to policymakers. This thesis takes academic discussions on citizenship and migration as its starting point, and examines the role of employers in terms of defining temporary migrant workers and their role in the Swedish labour market. The concept of moral economy is applied in particular to analyse the justifications and negotiations through which working conditions of migrant workers, and their role in local and transnational economies, are established and contested. The role of capital in migration management is studied through ethnographic fieldwork and through interviews with managers in the Swedish wild berry and IT industries; two very different industries that are, however, both shaped by particular structures of seasonal labour and international outsourcing and that increasingly rely on temporary foreign workers from Thailand and India respectively. The conceptualisation of supply chains in these industries offers a particular framework through which relations, as well as management discourses, can be analysed. The study explores how notions of circularity, nation, cultural difference, and transnational economic difference, are managed by private sector actors. It also explores how managers relate to public discourse and emotions in the face of global economic restructuring and changing citizenship, which situates temporary migrants as part of, yet different from, Swedish labour. / Temporära migrantarbetare och cirkulär migration utgör ett växande globalt fenomen till följd av intresset bland regeringar och myndigheter att styra genom sk ”managed migration”. Denna avhandling tar avstamp i forskning om medborgarskap och migration för att undersöka vilken roll arbetsgivare får när det gäller att definiera tillfälliga migrantarbetare och deras roll på den svenska arbetsmarknaden. Begreppet moralisk ekonomi används för att lyfta fram och analysera de praktiker genom vilka migrantarbetarnas arbetsvillkor förhandlas och rättfärdigas, samt hur deras roller i lokala och transnationella ekonomier befästs eller förändras. Ekonomins roll i migrationshantering studeras i denna avhandling genom etnografiskt fältarbete och intervjuer med chefer inom den svenska bärindustrin samt IT industrin; två mycket olika industrier som dock båda struktureras av säsongsarbete respektive internationell outsourcing, och som alltmer använder tillfällig utländsk arbetskraft från Thailand respektive Indien. Genom begreppet utbudskedjor (supply chains) möjliggörs en analys av de relationer, samt de managementdiskurser, som påverkar dessa industrier. Avhandlingen utforskar hur föreställningar om cirkularitet, nation, kulturella skillnader, samt transnationella ekonomiska skillnader, förhandlas av aktörer inom näringslivet. Vidare diskuteras hur chefer relaterar till de diskurser och emotioner som en global ekonomisk omstrukturering och ett förändrat medborgarskap ger upphov till, vilket positionerar tillfälliga migrantarbetare som en del av, men ändå annorlunda än, svensk arbetskraft.

The main aim of this licentiate thesis is to examine how local actors in a medium-sized Swedish municipality, Värnamo, in their role as decision-makers at the local arena, describe and explain the preconditions and strategies for local economic and social development. The analysis uses semi-structured interviews to reveal the connections between the local actors representations of social and economic structures and their representations of central and future strategic choices. The local actors are represented by a) firm owners or central firm managers, b) local politicians in the municipal executive board, c) civil servants in central positions and d) key actors connected to local and regional organizations. The methodological approach is based on discourse analysis. The overall aim of the study is to understand how local discourses are constructed and communicated. The analysis is deepened by relating the local discourses to relevant theoretical models in contemporary economic geography. The economic-geographical theoretical models used in the analysis focus on industrial districts, clusters and innovation systems. Path-dependency, social embeddedness and creative class are other concepts of importance to understand the formation of the local discourse. The analysis shows how local discourses are affected by the perceived globalization process while being at the same time linked to a) specific historical and environmental factors leading to predominant behavioral norms and values stating that you should be hard working, economical, cooperative and trustworthy and b) the relative location, which is conceived to be central regarding communications and regional service functions. This is combined with an image of a creative and innovative local/regional production system, based on traditions in manufacturing and trade. The foundations in manufacturing and trade are however challenged by new sectors like logistics, design, and higher education in cooperation with universities in the region.

The agricultural sector plays a crucial role in securing a more sustainable livelihood for the world's growing population. An expanded cultivation of multifunctional and environmentally smart crops like industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) can thus be part of the solution in meeting the increasingly high demands of sustainable development. However, earlier research indicates that the global cultivation of industrial hemp is hindered, and that hemp is an underutilized resource relative to its potential benefits. During the 20th century hemp cultivation was banned in large parts of the world. Sweden lifted the ban in 2003, later than most other European countries. In 2017, Swedish hemp cultivation was by far one of the smallest in the European Union. This study thus aims to analyze the position of industrial hemp in Sweden – by using the theoretical framework of political ecology – to investigate which social and societal structures and processes that dictates the access to and the control of industrial hemp in Sweden today. A historical analysis of power relations as well as ideological and cultural contexts – with significance for the cultivation of hemp – is done to make the relationship between Cannabis sativa L. and Swedish society appear more clearly. The material for the analysis has been collected through a literature search and qualitative method using in-depth interviews with Swedish authorities and a national hemp association. The study discusses the relationship between hemp and human society, which is found to be characterized by a complex interconnectedness.  Furthermore, the study shows that Swedish industrial hemp production is negatively affected by, among other things, cultivation bans, strict regulations, government controls, drug conservatism, and group as well as state conformity. Through a more progressive policy, industrial hemp is expected to become a positive contributing factor to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and to a growing fossil-free bio-based industry.