Through discourse analysis of twelve Library and Information Science theses, covering the period between 1975 and 2007, this thesis examines representations of homosexuality and homosexual identities. By using queer theory as a point of reference aspects such as essence/construct, equality/difference, notions of gender and views on the historical and contemporary situation of homosexuals are brought to the fore in the analysis. It is shown how the material unequivocally posits the contemporary situation of homosexuals favourably in comparison to a past signified by prejudices and oppression. This can be seen as an implicit essentialism in the texts, though ambivalences open up the possibility that it in some cases may be only strategically used while explicitly adhering to constructionist views. In linking concepts of a homosexual difference to prejudices, frequently involving notions of inverted gender performances or sexual “extremes”, the discourse of progression posits normalcy and assimilation as positive values. At the same time the texts criticize an exclusionary heterosexuality (in the texts written after 2000 referred to as “heteronormativity”), a concept that, apart from its function as object of critique, in some texts allows for a non-essentialist understanding of homosexuality as a position relative a structure of power. By showing how these texts can be seen as both drawing on and questioning received notions of identity and sexuality, this thesis hopes to stimulate further critical analyses of the relation between LIS and identitystructuring power in the broadest sense. / Uppsatsnivå: D

This study is a text analysis of 30 master’s theses, written by students at the Swedish School of Library and Information Science in Borås 2005-2008, concerning the subject sociology of literature. The aim is to twofold; to show how the subject sociology of literature manifests itself within these LIS theses and to produce discourse arguments concerning sociology of literature as an LIS subject. The theorists I refer to in my study are Thomas. S Kuhn, Frickel & Gross and Richard Whitley, who devoted themselves to the theory of science. Their theories are used to explain how and why a subject, in this case sociology of literature, develops and why it is important to be able to justify and define limits vis-à-vis other academic subjects. Since LIS is an interdisciplinary based subject, it is interesting to try to find out what purpose and field of application the subject sociology of literature in specific has within the LIS field. This study has found that there are some common denominators in the analyzed theses concerning perspective, empirical material, theory and method. For example, a number of the authors used a gender perspective in their theses. If you choose to believe the authors of these theses, sociology of literature within Library and Information Science is necessary in order to remember the deeper meaning in literature.

The aim of this meta-study is to present an overview of the methods used in Master theses written at The Swedish School of Library and Information Science at the University of Borås, where all Master theses from 1999, 2004, and 2009 has been studied. The aim includes examining if there is a connection between college (Swedish term: kollegium) belonging and methods used but also to examine and compare the qualitative and/or quantitative approaches to the methods. In the 252 Master theses studied, 353 different choices of method are recognized. After taking note of the methods, six categories are created in which the methods are placed. The categories are: Interview, IR-test, Observation, Studies of Text, Survey, and Other. The result is presented in charts to give a clear overview and allow comparisons between years and/or colleges. The result of the study shows that over the three years the interview based studies is the most used method, followed closely by text analysis. Together these two categories represent three quarters of all methods used. The qualitative approach is the most commonly used. Furthermore the result shows that choice of method within a college shows similarities between the examined years, when, to an extent, the same methods are used similarly within all the examined years. A comparison between the colleges shows that there is a difference in choice of method depending on the college belonging.

This study is a statistical content analysis, of masters’ theses written in 2005 at the Swedish School of Library and Information Studies in Borås. The relations between their epistemological discourses, theories, methods, themes and chosen alignment within the education, the so-called ‘kollegium’/college, are examined. The results are put in relation to the concepts multidisciplinarity and interdisciplinarity to see what kind of discipline Library and Information Science (LIS) can be described as, on the basis of this material. As a theoretical framework, I have used theory of science and Bourdieu’s theories about social and academic fields. A selection of opinions and theories in research about LIS as a discipline are also recited and related to. LIS, in the implementation of the analyzed theses, appears to be mainly multidisciplinary even if also, in some respects, interdisciplinary. The analyzed texts show tendencies to specialize and form factions within the smaller subject areas of the discipline, which according to some earlier research applies to LIS generally. This may seem natural for a thesis and an alignment to do, but seen as a whole one can problematize whether such deployments are all consciously intended and/or fruitful. Signs of specialization and separation are visible within all of the analyzed variables. Hence the students, to some extent, can be said to choose direction in both epistemologies, theories, methods and themes, when they choose college. On the other hand, the boundaries do not seem insurmountable. There are factors that, at times, cross them or are held in common. / Uppsatsnivå: D

A quantitative and qualitative study of all LIS Master theses applying a gender perspective on children-centred issues previously published at the Swedish School of Library and Information Studies. Two hypotheses were investigated: 1) studies with explicit gender perspective express strongest urgency; 2) study results confirm predeclared assumptions. A content analysis of all theses, and closer thematic analysis of ten, form the main question: Is there a risk that the theses’ similarities in terms of urgency and confirmation create predictable conclusions? The theses’ motivations behind the choices of research problems are explored in the content analysis. Two categories of motivation can be identified: 1) personal; 2) generally applicable. The strength of each motive was rated and the procedure duplicated to improve rating integrity. High data agreement was generally obtained. The close thematic analysis of ten theses explores three given themes: 1) preconceived assumptions; 2) intended contribution of knowledge; 3) confirmation of initial assumptions. Principally, the hypotheses were confirmed. The theses demonstrate high internal resemblance within both categories of explicit and implicit gender perspective. Notably, the explicitly gender-themed theses motivate their choice of research problems using firmly grounded arguments which are highly personal, expressing urgency. Predeclared assumptions are also often confirmed. The implicitly gender-themed theses express less urgency, often satisfied to claim the subject to be interesting and having undergone little previous research. In conclusion, the similarities in expression may increase the risk of the theses being disregarded due to perceived predictability. / Uppsatsnivå: D