The negative effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has been felt on a global scale.This makes it more relevant than it has been in a long time to understand how to achievesuccessful mediation and negotiation between Russia and post-soviet states. By examining theRusso-Georgian War of 2008 and the Russo-Ukrainian War that began in 2022, and thencomparing the two cases. This paper aims to investigate what factors contribute to successfulmediation in these two cases, and to hypothesise what obstacles exist for achieving successfulmediation in the war between Russia and Ukraine. The method used for this purpose isprocess-tracing, and the theoretical framework that has been used is Zartmans ripeness theoryand its formula for the concepts of mutually enticing opportunity, mutually hurting stalemate,ripe moment, and way out. The results of this study shows that a ripe moment existed in theconflict between Russia and Georgia despite the weak grounds for the existence of a mutuallyhurting stalemate. The study also concluded that the ceasefire agreement between the twocountries included a strong presence of one of the subcategories of the mutually enticingopportunity concept. Furthermore, the study also showed that a mutually hurting stalemate doesnot exist in the war between Russia and Ukraine, but simultaneously indicated strong grounds fora mutually hurting stalemate developing in the near future. Finally, the study identified fourdifferent obstacles for successful mediation between Russia and Ukraine. These related to theexistence of a mutually hurting stalemate, the motivations of the two conflict parties, and thechallenge of developing a mutually enticing opportunity.

Syftet med studien är att bidra med ökad kunskap om attraktiva lekmiljöer i förskolan, utifrån barns perspektiv. Studien utgår från ett urval enskilda barns berättelser om förskolans lekmiljöer. Som metod för att samla in empiri har kvalitativa intervjuer använts. De har bandats och transkriberats för att ligga till grund för analysen som utgått från Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis IPA. Det är en metod som försöker ta reda på individers meningsskapande och upplevelser av ett fenomen genom ett hermeneutiskt tolkande och ett fenomenologiskt perspektiv. Resultatet i den här studien visar att barnen helst valde rum i periferin och att genomgångsrum valdes bort. I de attraktiva lekmiljöerna lockade främst konstruktionsmaterial och material som möjliggjorde rolltagning. Studien visade också att kamratrelationer utgjorde en del av den attraktiva lekmiljön. Utifrån de valen synliggjordes att barnen fann mening och lockelse i det föränderliga och möjligheten att själv påverka utformandet av sin miljö. De attraktiva rummens placering gav i sin tur möjlighet till ostörd fördjupning av lek, vilket upplevdes meningsfullt av barnen. Samspelet och relationen till nära vänner var i sin tur ytterligare en del av meningsskapandet i den attraktiva lekmiljön. / The purpose of this paper is to contribute with increased knowledge concerning attractive play-environments in the preschool from the perspective of children.  The study is based on a selection of individual children’s stories about play-environments in the preschool. Qualitative interviews have been used as a method of collecting empirical evidence.  They have been recorded and transcribed to form the basis for the analysis based on Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis IPA. It is a method that is trying to find out the individual’s perception and experience of a phenomenon through a hermeneutic interpretation and a phenomenological perspective. The result of this study shows that the children preferred rooms located in the periphery and avoided the passage rooms. What enticed most in the attractive playgrounds were construction materials and materials that enabled taking on roles. The result furthermore showed that companion relations were part of the attractive environment.  Based on the choices it was made clear that the children found meaning and enticement in the fluctuating and the ability to influence the design of their environment. The location of the attractive rooms in turn gave the opportunity for undisturbed immersion of play which was perceived as meaningful by the children.  The interaction and relationship with close friends were in turn another part of what created meaning in the attractive play-environment.

Title: Using Carrots to Bring Peace? Negotiation and Third Party Involvement Author: Martina Klimesova 284 p. (+references and appendices) March 2011 How to make peace? This dissertation answers what impact third party incentives have on peace negotiation, more specifically on negotiation strategies in internal armed conflicts based on self-determination grievances. This study further assesses when the ripest time for the employment of incentives is, and in what way external incentives have an impact on possible negotiation asymmetries. Incentives in the following negotiation processes were analyzed: GoSL-LTTE in Sri Lanka (Eelam, 2002-03; 2006), GoI-GAM in Indonesia (Aceh, 2000-03; 2005), and the GRP-MILF in the Philippines (Mindanao, 2001-08). The findings indicate that those third party incentives which are linked to the core conflict issues are most likely to have some impact on the negotiation, but that committed pro-process leadership by the conflicting parties is also a necessity. The research also indicated that third parties have only limited options in employing incentives that can have an impact on the core conflict issues; and that, in any case, they are rarely willing to pursue such options. Committed strong leadership, presence of ripeness (far more frequently stipulated by an MHS than MEO),...