Kazakh Capitals and the Construction of Kazakh National Identity in the post-Soviet Period (1991-2011) Nariman Shelekpayev This thesis explores the urban landscapes of the two major cities in post-Soviet Kazakhstan: Astana and Almaty. Analysis of their urban architecture, organization of public spaces and toponymy provides information about the identity and the identification of the country in the twenty-first century. The main sources for this research are the texts produced by geographers, graphic representations (mainly photographs and postcards) and several textbooks on the "History of Kazakhstan". The primary research questions include how historical and political change (mainly the transition from Soviet to national in 1990s) influenced the urban landscape, the role of the urban landscape in construction of national (self-) identification, and what symbolizes "Kazakhness". From the temporal point of view, the study attempts a diachronic comparison of Soviet and post-Soviet Kazakhstan. From the spatial point of view, the analysis of the urban landscape in two cities located in different parts of the country with different history and geography helps to see different, heterogeneous territories which are part of one country. Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan, a city with the sharpest contrasts between...

The master thesis is a story about (lost of) memories of a place and seeking the identity of Valachia via objects of small architecture. The theoretical part of the thesis deals with issues of landscape as a totality - it studies the region in the georaphical, antropological and cultural context on the background of fundamental historical events. The design part of the thesis outlines the "landscape plan" and defines the landscape elements through an analysis and interpretation of signs of individual landscape formations.

This thesis examines the link between landscape and identity among the Sami in HandölsdalensSame village (sameby), one of the 51 administrative units that regulate traditional resourceuse in Sami areas in Sweden. Handölsdalen is situated in the Åre area in the southernpart of the Swedish mountain range. By tradition, the area is inhabited by South Sami, butother Sami groups have migrated into the area, partly as a result of government re-localizationpolicies. The study focuses on the period from around 1900 to the present. Thus study concentrateson the role of landscape in processes of identity formation, relating these processes alsoto various external influences, such as government policies concerning Sami culture and landuse, as well as the general modernization of society. Focusing on landscape and territoriality,the thesis traces the ways in which the Sami respond to, and perceive, the forces of change.The study is based on interviews with Sami who have access to the Sami village, on fieldobservations, as well as on a survey of literature and documents related to the area’s history.Thus, the study is an attempt to approach processes of identity formation from, as it were, theperspective of local Sami as well as the state. The thesis demonstrates, firstly, that the landscapeis an important part of Sami identity, on the individual and collective level. This landscape-based identity is affected, however, by state policies and what many Sami perceive asencroachments by the non-Sami society, as well as the modernization ways of life. Secondly,the thesis demonstrates that there are differences concerning the relationship between landscapeand identity. The dividing line seems to run between Sami who practice reindeerherdingand those who do not, but also between South and North Sami. / Forskarskolan i Geografi

The island of Gotland is associated with a distinctive nature, high biodiversity and a rich cultural history. However, these values have generated landscape management challenges due to shifting land use. The thesis proceeds from the peninsula of Östergarnslandet which has been recognized as one the most exposed areas to current changes. Simultaneously, Östergarnslandet has been acknowledged to sustain a traditional expression to a greater degree than other highly exposed places. By external recognition and ambition to preserve landscape values, this thesis suggests that there is a venture in altering the identity of the landscape when preserving the tangible. The purpose of this thesis was to show that safeguarding landscapes are far more than just biology but also about recognizing the people living within them. By using the methodology of the EU-horizon project RURITAGE the aim was to understand the area of research and find potential future approaches. By proceeding from Östergarnslandet, the main objective was to explore mental and factual landscapes with an aim to understand current landscape management of the area. Through this, the thesis has also aimed to answer how to safeguard landscape identity in changing landscapes. This was conducted by studying three different Nature 2000 and policy documents in relation to theoretical literature. The study suggests that there is an authorial division recognizing different values within the same landscape. At the same time, locality and the social impact is sometimes overlooked. To find sustainable approaches for safeguarding the landscape identity of Östergarnslandet, this thesis has looked at areas of recognized successful redevelopment. The areas are Southern Öland and Bråbygden. Gathered lessons were discussed in relation to the current landscape management of Östergarnslandet. In this part, two models were presented. The first model shows how transparency of the different sectors’ valuation of the landscape can be a tool to gain understanding and bridge different perception of value. The second model suggest how landscape identity can be sustained through external recognition generating pride and increased local participation.

Uppsatsens syfte är att undersöka hur användandet av mobilapplikationen ARK56, har påverkat användarens friluftsliv, platsanknytning och landskapsidentitet i området Blekinge Arkipelag. Projektet ARK56 utvecklades i biosfärområdesarbetet, som ett nätverk av leder för friluftsliv och aktiviteter kopplat till näringslivet i området. Mobilapplikationen ARK56 har en viktig del i detta projekt, och innehåller ett interaktivt kartverktyg baserat på Naturkartan, och filterfunktioner som ger användaren möjlighet att skräddarsy den information som presenteras i mobilapplikationen. Tidigare studier på mobiltelefonanvändning i friluftslivet visar på att tillgängligheten till områden har ökat men att tekniken även kan påverka hur vi uppfattar omvärlden. Även studier på hur anknytning och identitet kan inverka på boendes ställningstagande i frågor rörande plats och landskap i ett biosfärområde visar på vikten av informationsspridning. Då det saknas forskning på hur en mobilapplikation som ARK56 påverkar friluftsliv, platsanknytning och landskapsidentitet, skapades en web-baserad enkätundersökning som skickades ut i mobilapplikationens nyhetsflöde. Denna undersökning riktade sig till användare inom kommunerna i Blekinge Arkipelag där enkätundersökningen innehöll frågor om friluftsliv, platsanknytning och landskapsidentitet kopplat till användandet av mobilapplikationen. Resultatet visar att över åttio procent av användarna har besökt en plats som de tidigare inte varit på, och mer än hälften av de svarande anser att mobilapplikationen ARK56 har bidragit till fler friluftsbesök. Resultatet visar även på en komplex och individuell platsanknytning, och en landskapsidentitet hos användarna som innehåller karaktärer vilka är känsliga för framtida förändringar. / The purpose of the thesis is to investigate how the use of the mobile application ARK56, has affected the user's outdoor recreation, place attachment, and landscape identity in the Blekinge Archipelago area. The ARK56 project was developed in conjunction with the biosphere reserve,  as a network of trails for outdoor recreation and activities linked to the business community in the area. The mobile application ARK56 has an important part in this project and contains an interactive mapping tool based on the Nature Map, and filter functions give the user the opportunity to customize the information presented in the mobile application. Previous studies on mobile phone use in outdoor recreation show that accessibility to areas has increased, but that technology can also affect how we perceive the outside world. Studies on how attachment and identity can affect residents' stance on issues concerning place and landscape in a biosphere reserve also show the importance of disseminating information. As there is a lack of research on how a mobile application such as ARK56 affects outdoor recreation, place attachment, and landscape identity, a web-based survey was created which was sent out in the mobile application's news feed. This survey was aimed at users within the municipalities in Blekinge Archipelago, where the survey included questions about outdoor recreation, place attachment, and landscape identity linked to the use of the mobile application. The results show that over eighty percent of the users have visited a place they have not been to before, and more than half of the respondents believe that the mobile application ARK56 has contributed to more outdoor visits. The results also show a complex and highly individualized place attachment. Further, results also reveal user landscape identity inclusive of place characteristics that are sensitive to future changes.