The purpose of our study is to investigate children's perceptions of gender stereotypical norms in the preschool environment. The focus will be on children's statements about gender norms. Our aim is also to study whether hierarchies arise in free play and what these can be interpreted as being based on. Through our study, we want to contribute to putting gender back on the agenda, this time from the children's perspective. Our research questions concern what factors contribute to hierarchical arrangements in free play and whether children perceive and express stereotypical gender norms in the activities. We have used qualitative focus group interviews with children aged three to six years. As a basis for the interviews, we have read the fictional children's book Dom som bestämmer - Lisen Adbåge (2018) together with the children. We have also conducted observations with the same children, focusing on children's hierarchical orders, gender making and access strategies in free play. We have analyzed our collected material with the help of Corsaro's theory of peer cultures and Hirdman's gender theory. The overall results that emerged are that children use a wide variety of strategies to get into peer-play and gain influence over the content of the play. Furthermore, it appears that the children in the study see age as the most important marker of power and how they continue to express gender stereotypical norms in their everyday lives. / Syftet med vår studie är dels att undersöka barns uppfattningar av könsstereotypa normer i förskolemiljö. Här kommer fokus ligga på barnens utsagor kring könsnormer. Vårt syfte är också att studera om det inom den fria leken uppstår hierarkier och vad dessa kan tolkas vila på. Vi vill genom vår studie bidra till att sätta genus på agendan igen med utgångspunkt i barnens perspektiv. Våra forskningsfrågor rör sig kring vilka faktorer som bidrar till hierarkiska ordningar i den fria leken samt om barn uppfattar och ger uttryck för stereotypa könsnormer i verksamheten. Vi har använt oss av kvalitativa fokusgruppsintervjuer med barn i åldrarna tre till sex år. Som underlag till intervjuerna har vi tillsammans med barnen läst den skönlitterära barnboken Dom som bestämmer - Lisen Adbåge (2018). Vi har även genomfört observationer med samma barn med fokus på barns hierarkiska ordningar, görande av kön och tillträdesstrategier i den fria leken. Vi har analyserat vårt insamlade material med hjälp av Corsaros teori om kamratkulturer samt Hirdmans genusteori. De övergripande resultaten som framkommit är att barn använder sig av en stor variation av strategier för att ta sig in i lekar och skaffa sig inflytande över lekens innehåll. Vidare framgår att barnen i studien ser ålder som den viktigaste markören för makt samt hur de fortsatt ger uttryck för könsstereotypa normer i sin vardag.

This dissertation examines the flow of economic news in Africa, in order to investigate the potential existence of regional hierarchies in international news flow. The research was based on a framework of theories on international news flow. A quantitative and qualitative content analysis of a sample of news articles published in Africa Investor, African Business and Business in Africa during 2007 and 2008 was analysed. The quantitative results showed that South Africa received the highest level of coverage and was covered to a greater extent than any other African country. The qualitative results indicated that there was clear evidence of regional hierarchy in the coverage of African countries: South Africa received extensive coverage probably due to the fact that it is the largest, most advanced and influential economy in the continent. The study showed that inequality in news coverage is not only a global issue, but also a regional one. / Communication Science / M.A. (International Communication)

This dissertation examines the flow of economic news in Africa, in order to investigate the potential existence of regional hierarchies in international news flow. The research was based on a framework of theories on international news flow. A quantitative and qualitative content analysis of a sample of news articles published in Africa Investor, African Business and Business in Africa during 2007 and 2008 was analysed. The quantitative results showed that South Africa received the highest level of coverage and was covered to a greater extent than any other African country. The qualitative results indicated that there was clear evidence of regional hierarchy in the coverage of African countries: South Africa received extensive coverage probably due to the fact that it is the largest, most advanced and influential economy in the continent. The study showed that inequality in news coverage is not only a global issue, but also a regional one. / Communication Science / M.A. (International Communication)