The purpose of this study is to examine the relation between the professional role of women in Prison and Probation Service and a qualitative equality perspective, as well as how they are treated by male colleagues and clients. In the annual report from Swedish Prison and Probation Service, it has been stated that the gender distribution is equal, which indicates quantitative equality. This study is based on a qualitative method, where interviews have been conducted with nine women between 25 and 65, who are working in custody or prison. The women have been given a chance to talk about their feelings and thoughts about their professional role in general and how they are being treated or affected by their male colleagues and clients.  The result has shown that women are far more affected by the power structures and norms. Several women mention that male colleagues see them as weaker and make judgements about their physical capabilities. They also talk about how they are more caring of their clients, whereas the men are more focused on showing their strength and superiority. Finally, the main conclusion of this study is that there is no qualitative equality because of how the male role sets the overall norm. This, in turn, significantly affects women in their professional role of the Swedish Prison and Probation Service.

Denna narrativa studie har analyserat de fyra kvinnliga huvudkaraktärerna i Sex and the City för att hitta mönster av hur patriarkala, icke feministiska samt feministiska aspekter äger rum i serien för att hitta traditionella och postfeministiska mönster. För att ta reda på detta har scener från sju olika avsnitt valts ut där relevanta samtal och händelser utspelas för att sedan analyseras utifrån metoden narrativ analys och  kvalitativ innehållsanalys. De scener som valdes ut innehåller händelser som speglar kvinnornas syn på dejting, relationer, sex eller kärlek samt scener där kvinnorna vistas tillsammans med män i dejting- eller relationssammanhang. Dessa scener delades in i sex olika tematiseringar för att kunna analysera alla relevanta aspekter för att kunna hitta mönster som ifrågasätter den feministiska stämpeln som serien har haft och fortfarande har än idag, 23 år efter premiäravsnittet. Dessa tematiseringar avhandlar kvinnornas syn på kvinnor  i relation till män, kvinnornas behov av män och deras självständighet och porträtteringen av de kvinnliga huvudkaraktärerna och män. Genom att analysera dessa aspekter besvaras studiens två frågeställningar: Hur porträtteras de fyra kvinnliga huvudkaraktärerna i Sex and the City? och Hur speglas patriarkala strukturer i serien Sex and the City?. Studien har använt Laura Mulveys den manliga blicken- och postfeministisk-teori, samt teorier om könsnormer och könsstereotyper.  Resultatet visar att serien Sex and the City, som har hyllats för att vara feministiskt banbrytande till stor del har feministiska aspekter då serien har fyra starka, kvinnliga huvudkaraktärer där deras liv och tankar skildras. Trots detta genomsyras serien av patriarkala strukturer och icke feministiska aspekter då kvinnornas huvudfokus är män. Större delen av deras samtal handlar om män och hur de ska anpassa sig själva för att vara åtråvärda för män. Osäkerheter som kvinnorna har grundar sig i en oro för att inte vara attraktiva nog för män och den säkerhet de känner kring sina utseende grundar sig till stor del i manlig bekräftelse. Kvinnorna visar tendenser på att trycka ner andra kvinnor på grund av egen osäkerhet när det kommer till män. Män och kvinnors beteenden i relationer porträtteras på ett könsstereotypiskt sätt där kvinnorna övervägande är mer omhändertagande, känslostyrda och anpassningsbara medan männen är mer känslomässigt stängda och mindre anpassningsbara. Serien handlar om kvinnorna, men fokuset hamnar ändå tillslut på män. Med dessa resultat som grund kan seriens traditionella feministiska samt postfeministiska aspekter ifrågasättas. / This narrative study has analysed  the four female main characters from the series Sex and the City, to find patterns of patriarchal, non-feminist and feminist structures that take place in the series, by applying the following theories - the male gaze by Mulvey and postfeminism, as well as theories of gender norms and stereotypes. Different scenes from seven episodes, of relevance to this study, have been chosen to perform a narrative analysis, along with qualitative content analysis. The scenes that have been considered, were chosen for containing events that reflect the main characters´ view of dating, relations, sex, and love, as well as scenes where the women are seen with men. The study has selected different themes to narrow the analysis, which are: women’s view on other women in relation to men, women’s need for men, and their independence, and lastly the portrayal of  the female main characters and men. By analysing the themes above, it makes it possible to answer and discuss the study´s two issues, how are the four female main characters portrayed in Sex and the City?, and how are patriarchal structures reflected in the series Sex and the City?.  The results show that Sex and the City, which has been praised for being feminist pioneering, demonstrates several postfeminist aspects, as the series incorporates four strong-willed women who openly expose their sexuality. Despite this aspect, the series is impregnated by patriarchal discourses and non-feminist views - men are the women´s main focus. Most of their conversations are about men and how they should adapt themselves to be appealing to men. Women's insecurities are based on an unaware concern of not being attractive enough for men, and the confidence they have is built up by mens approval. The main characters show tendencies to judge other women because of their insecurities and desire to be attractive for men. Men and women’s behaviors in relations are portrayed in a gender stereotypical way, where women are  predominantly more caring, emotionally driven, and adaptable while men are more emotionally closed, less adaptable and more dominant. Sex and the City is about women, but in the end, the main core of the series is men. Based on these conclusions, the series' postfeminist and feminist aspects can be questioned.

The master thesis Helimadoe and Petrolejové lampy: A Gender Analysis of Jaroslav Havlíček's Novels examines selected texts and conveys gender-focused interpretations. The analysis of both of Havlíček's novels is carried out within the context of feminist literary theories. The main methodological and theoretical foundations of the thesis are "resisting reading" as introduced by Judith Fetterly and Jonathan Culler's "reading as a woman". Since the thesis is also a qualitative sociological analysis, it uses the processes of discourse analysis as well. The text focuses on the issue of power relations and their gender dimension, on the construction of gender and gender identity of individual female and male characters, on their sexuality, on their gendered activities and on the description and interpretation of the environment that the literary characters inhabit. A special attention is primarily (but not only) paid to main female characters and their revolt against the patriarchal system of the society. In relation to this problem the thesis necessarily deals with the topic of the gender social order and it shows what influence this order has along with other factors on the lives of individual characters. Key words: feminist criticism, resisting reading, Jaroslav Havlíček, Helimadoe, Petrolejové...

The study investigates the factors that encouraged six Swedish students to choose a femaleor male-dominated field of study in higher education. This is of interest as gender normsand stereotypes may inflict and limit students' educational choices. The purpose is likewiseto elucidate the educational choices from a gender perspective. The study explores twoquestions: “Which factors may have encouraged the students to opt for a non-traditionalcareer?” “How can the students’ educational choices be understood from a genderperspective?”. To fulfil the purpose and question of issue a qualitative method was used,including female and male students aged 22–36. For the analyse of the interviews, the studyrelies on the theoretical framework of Linda Gottfredson – The Theory of Circumscription,Compromise and Self-Creation, Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) by Lent, Brown &Hackett and The Stereotypical Gender Contract by Hirdman. The results indicate thatstudents' non-traditional educational choices consist of both internal and external factors.On the one hand, it is possible to find explanations in upbringings that have been moretolerant regarding gender roles. It has also been shown that several of the students invarious ways have been exposed to the profession through past experiences. Nevertheless,there are also personal motives that led to the choice of education as well as a supportivenetwork in form of family members and significant persons in the environment. From agender perspective, this means that the students, through their upbringing, where it appearsto have been less strict attitudes concerning gender roles, also contributed to lessrestrictions on their educational choice. On the other hand, the results imply that harmfulgender norms and stereotypes still affect students’ choice of occupation why more work isneeded in order to stop these negative patterns.

Heteronormativity and norms concerning gender and sexuality are present in the entirety of Sweden, and their expressions are often wide and varied. This thesis studies the experiences of two upper secondary school teachers employed in Malmö through a case study in regards to work with gender and sexuality norms in religious studies. Additionally, how the pandemic COVID-19 and transit to digital teaching has affected work with gender and sexuality norms are explored. Using select parts of queer theory and thematic analysis, key components presented by the interviewees relating to work with gender and sexuality norms are identified and analyzed against the backdrop of previous research.

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This report explores the influence of influencer posts featuring paid collaborations for cosmetic surgeries on social media followers. Building upon the investigative SVT documentary "Priset vi betalar" by journalist Frida Söderlund, the documentary delves into the world of influencers and the dynamics behind their accounts. While the documentary primarily focuses on the influence of paid collaborations on the influencers themselves, this research shifts the focus towards the reception and impact of these messages and posts on the audience. The previously mentioned documentary predominantly examined sponsored posts for cosmetic surgeries from the perspective of influencers, neglecting a qualitative exploration of how individuals who view these posts perceive and are affected by them. The study aims to address this gap by investigating the experiences and responses of 18-25-year-old students at Linnaeus University in Kalmar, Sweden, who are exposed to influencer content featuring paid collaborations for cosmetic surgeries. Drawing from theories such as Giddens' theory of structuration, uses and gratifications, and parasocial relationships, the research aims to deepen our understanding of the perceived authority of influencers in relation to cosmetic surgeries and its impact on audience trust. A semi-structured interview methodology was employed, involving eight participants. The interviews were structured around three themes: media habits, the relationship with influencers, and perceptions of cosmetic surgeries. Through these interviews, the study explores how followers receive and interpret influencer messages related to paid collaborations for cosmetic surgeries. The findings indicate that followers are negatively affected by the presence of paid collaborations for cosmetic surgeries on social media, primarily in terms of their critical stance towards the marketing practices employed by clinics and influencers. However, the research also highlights a broader influence of cosmetic surgeries on the participants, beyond the context of paid collaborations. Participants expressed being influenced by influencers who showcase their own appearance on social media, suggesting that exposure to such content impacts individuals in various ways. This study contributes to the existing literature by examining the impact of paid collaborations for cosmetic surgeries from the perspective of social media followers. The findings provide insights into the reception of influencer content and its effects on audience attitudes and behaviors. The research underscores the need for critical evaluation of marketing practices surrounding cosmetic surgeries and emphasizes the role of influencers in shaping audience perceptions and trust.

The working life has changed through a new way of working that is more flexible in both spatially and temporally. This flexibility can bring both opportunities and challenges for employees. The essay examines flexible work from a gender perspective with the aim of describing how men and women experience opportunities and challenges within flexible work and analyze if and how these experiences differ between men and women from a work-life-balance perspective, and then analyze whether the flexible work reinforces or challenges traditional gender norms. The following research questions form the basis for fulfilling the purpose of the essay: How do men and women experience opportunities and challenges within flexible work? How does the experience of flexible work differ between men and women from a work-life balance perspective? How does flexible work reinforce/challenge traditional gender norms? The empirical material has been collected through a qualitative research method, where ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with five men and five women from the same organization. The results showed that both women and men generally had a positive attitude towards spatial and temporal flexibility. Women express to a greater extent than men that flexible work enables a satisfactory balance between work and private life. Respondents did not experience that traditional gender norms were reinforced by flexible work in their own organization, rather that flexible work can challenge expectations placed on women and men in various ways. However, most agree that traditional gender norms still exist in society and that they could have been reinforced by flexible work. The result in the essay shows an ambiguity that shows that flexible work in relation to traditional gender norms can be more complex than previously thought. / Arbetslivet har förändrats genom ett nytt arbetssätt som är mer flexibelt i både tid och rum. Denna flexibilitet kan medföra både möjligheter och utmaningar för medarbetarna. Uppsatsen undersöker flexibelt arbete utifrån ett genusperspektiv där syftet är att beskriva hur män och kvinnor upplever möjligheter respektive utmaningar inom det flexibla arbetet och analysera om och hur dessa upplevelser skiljer sig mellan män och kvinnor utifrån ett work-life-balance perspektiv, för att sedan analyseras om det flexibla arbetet förstärker eller utmanar traditionella könsnormer. Följande frågeställningar har legat till grund för att uppfylla uppsatsens syfte: Hur upplever män och kvinnor möjligheter respektive utmaningar inom det flexibla arbetet? Hur skiljer sig män och kvinnors erfarenhet av flexibelt arbete utifrån ett work-life-balance perspektiv? Hur förstärker/utmanar det flexibla arbetet traditionella könsnormer?  Det empiriska materialet har samlats in genom en kvalitativ forskningsmetod där tio semistrukturerade intervjuer utförts med fem män och fem kvinnor från samma organisation. Resultatet visade att både kvinnor och män generellt sett har en positiv inställning till den rumsliga och tidsliga flexibiliteten. Kvinnorna uttrycker i högre utsträckning än männen att det flexibla arbetet möjliggör en tillfredsställande balans mellan arbete och privatliv. Respondenterna upplevde inte att de traditionella könsnormerna förstärks av det flexibla arbetet i den egna organisationen, utan snarare att det flexibla arbetet på flera sätt kan utmana de förväntningar som finns på kvinnor och män. Däremot är de flesta överens om att de traditionella könsnormerna fortfarande existerar i samhället och de tror även att dessa hade kunnat förstärkas av det flexibla arbetet. Resultatet i uppsatsen visar på en tvetydighet vilket betyder att flexibelt arbete i relation till traditionella könsnormer kan vara mer komplext än vad man tidigare trott.

The significant growth of the social media platform TikTok over the past years has led to trends being evoked on the platform. One trend, of which this study explores, is content related to ideals of masculinity that includes how men can change themself to become successful and achieve wealth. This study “Boys focus on girls, men focus on money – A qualitative analysis of masculinity ideals on TikTok” aims to disclose how TikTok’s recommendation algorithm contributes to create and maintain ideals of masculinity on the platform, as well to identify discourses within the content of this ideal to gain an understanding on how they may affect gender norms from a societal aspect. This study finds that TikTok’s recommendation algorithm is able to create and maintain an ideal of masculinity by recommending content to the user that is sorted by patterns within the type content of which the user engages with. Three identified patterns that relate to content within the ideal of masculinity that we explore on TikTok are wealth, lifestyle change and motivation as well as world view. These three identified patterns conclude norms within these ideals of which we further research to enlighten the contents discourses. The analysis of these norms from a discursive perspective found that the ideal of masculinity on TikTok is established on men being expected to achieve institutional power and authority. This is problematic from the perspective of male supremacy and female subordination in an historical context of gender norms.

Young men and women growing up in Sweden today have to face several difficult issues regarding their sexuality, yet, it is rather unexplored how they navigate through them. Pornography, the focus of this study, is widely used by both young men and women. However, few studies are examining young people’s own narratives of their encounters with pornography. The aim of this study was therefore to explore young women’s experiences of pornography, as well as how they believe pornography affects both themselves and other adolescents in terms of sexuality and sexual experiences. Seven young women between the age of 17-18 were interviewed for this study and their answers were analyzed through thematic analysis. The results showed that the participants experienced a predominately negative effect of pornography on their sexual lives. Due to the participants’ feminist moral values, their pornography consumption caused them strong feelings of shame. Further, they all felt pressured to adopt a supporting role in sex and to perform in line with a pornographic script, thus compromising their opportunity to self-pleasure, ability to consent, and claim of sexual agency. It also became evident how difficult it is to navigate through the conflicting roles within a postfeminist media culture, with regard to feminism, heterosexual gender norms, and the strong ideal of being an “agent” in sex. The results highlight the need for social change rather than individualized responsibility, in the pursuit of every person’s right to sexual integrity and sexual self-determination.