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Stockholm is a vibrant and attractive city. Surveys show that the residents in Stockholm are happy with their lives. It has also been proved that Stockholm is a highly socio-economic segregated city.Suburbs that are well known as segregated precarious residential areas in Stockholm, are Botkyrka, Tensta, Husby, Skärholmen, Rinkeby, and others. These suburbs were built during the 1960s-1970s as a part of Sweden’s Million Programme housing. Most of the residents are immigrants, and these areas are stigmatized as dangerous locations, it has been proved that non-European migrants face higher segregation than the European ones. These peripheries have mutual characteristics: they suffer from segregation, bad reputation, stigmatization, criminality, mistrust, and a high unemployment rate.Unfortunately when immigrant women; who used to live under patriarchal-male dominant oppressing societies, moved to democratic multicultural societies, found themselves in a stage of transition.

This thesis studied the relationship between current event knowledge and the ability to construct a mental map of the world. It was hypothesized that participates with more current event knowledge would demonstrate better mental mapping abilities. The study was designed using two activities recommended for 12th graders by Geography for Life, National Geography Standards 1994, and the theory of spatial familiarity (Kitchen, 1994b; Gale et al., 1990, Golledge & Spector, 1978). One hundred-twenty eight students drawn from two courses offered at Virginia Tech completed a participant profile questionnaire, a current event quiz, drew a map of the world outlining the seven continents, and located and labeled 27 cities on a world map. Using ATLAS GIS the sketch maps and place locations were digitally transformed and scored for accuracy. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze current event knowledge, place location ability, and sketch mapping ability. Using Spearman rank correlation, the relationship between current event knowledge and mental mapping abilities was assessed at a number of levels. Results indicate that participants with a stronger understanding of current events tended to create a more accurate mental map of the world. That is, place location accuracy and drawing accuracy correlated with current event knowledge. However, similar to previous research (Cross, 1987; Helgren, 1983; Muller, 1985) place location knowledge outside of North America and Western Europe was poor. The results of this thesis offer baseline data that can be used for future research to study the effectiveness of the national standards set forth in Geography for Life. / Master of Science

How are the neighborhoods of Aspudden, Telefonplan and Älvsjö perceived by the local population? And what role does transport infrastructure play in the construction of these neighborhoods? With modern-day planning ideals focusing on sustainable mobility and human-centered living environments, this thesis examines the subjective perception of the physical landscape and how neighborhoods are felt and experienced. By conducting qualitative mental mapping interviews, I aim to highlight and comprehend landscapes of everyday life. As this thesis studies what is considered important for the subjectively defined and constructed neighborhoods, and also what elements the neighborhoods consist of in terms of transport infrastructure and how these are perceived, a larger understanding of what qualities an area possess or lacks can be given. In relation to this thesis’ theoretical framework, I argue that mental mapping interviews provide good knowledge on how a neighborhood is constructed, both physically and socially. The created maps are compared to topological landscapes where focus is put on certain highlighted elements put in relation to each other, making neighborhoods flexible. Additionally, the results also point to the importance of transport infrastructure and of how it contributes to a mobile understanding and creation of neighborhoods. Large emphasis is put on the delineating characteristics of large-scale transport infrastructure but equally much on how the neighborhood is constructed through the relationship to other geographical locations. This thesis therefore contributes to the research field by shedding light on subjective understandings of the neighborhood impacts of transport infrastructure.

This thesis project aims to contribute knowledge to the field of user experience design in games by examining the relationship between presence and wayfinding in games in order to determine how one might design wayfinding systems that simultaneously facilitate player navigation and create a sense of presence. Based on examining and comparing existing literature on wayfinding and presence in games, and by analyzing existing games that accomplish the aforementioned dual purpose, I formulate a set of hypothetical design principles for presence-creating wayfinding design. The validity of these principles is then put to test by creating and testing a digital prototype where participants are tasked with navigating a virtual space. The testing of the practical application of these principles reveals them to be largely viable, demonstrating the viability of designing wayfinding solutions for games that simultaneously facilitate presence.

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Urban areas worldwide, including Stockholm, face increasing environmental challenges such as rising temperatures and heatwaves exacerbated by climate change and urban heat island effects. In response, nature-based solutions (NBS) have been proposed as a planning tool for enhancing urban resilience. However, evidence on the fine-scale effectiveness of NBS in addressing extreme events, such as heatwaves remains limited. Furthermore, the inclusion of subjective measures to enrich objective measures for increased NBS benefits and thermal comfort assessments is needed. This study investigates the cooling effectiveness of NBS, hence strengthening the resilience of the Stockholm Royal Seaport against heatwaves. Mental mapping interviews were used to explore residents' and expert advisors' perceptions of the cooling effects of NBS. Key findings reveal the significant cooling effects of large natural areas such as parks and waterbodies, notably the Royal National City Park. However, smaller NBSs, while contributing to the green aesthetic and climate regulation of the neighborhood, were not perceived by residents as cooling. The study emphasizes the importance of the proximity and size of NBS to residential areas and highlights the subjective nature of neighborhood boundaries that influence residents' perceptions of NBS cooling effects. A comparison of residents’ and advisors’ perceptions reveals differences between theoretical expert and experience-based knowledge. These differences highlight the need for participatory planning processes that have the potential to complement advisor knowledge with resident perception and contribute to user-based planning. Overall, the study contributes to understanding the role of NBS in urban resilience, advocates for participatory approaches to urban planning, and demonstrates the value of mental mapping in capturing nuanced community perspectives for future planning efforts by revealing experiential knowledge that may remain hidden in a dialogue.

The thesis studies feasibility of using mind mapping applications for IT project management. The main objective is the analysis of using mind mapping applications in the context of project management and finding the links between mind maps and components of project management. The thesis is divided into two parts -- theoretical and practical. In the theoretical part the author clarifies the mind mapping concept, how to create mind maps and the use of those. The relatively broad area of project management is introduced in the same manner starting with the main terms, brief overview of the project management methodologies and standards. The introduction further continues by describing individual project phases, their dimensions and provides examples of tools and techniques. The practical part consists of three chapters. In the first chapter the author analyses mind mapping SW applications, describes the mind mapping software market and explains the selection of an appropriate tool using multi criteria evaluation and using hands on experience with the tools. The second chapter demonstrates practical examples of project management topics with related instances of mental models and everyday activities where mind maps can be used. The last chapter describes a survey related to the awareness of mind mapping concepts which also gathers feedback about mind mapping application experience from IT project management professionals.

Western orientation of the interwar Czechoslovak foreign policy was based on a longterm effort to extricate the territory from a German sphere of influence and on the circumstances of its formation in 1918. A generally accepted narration about the friendship of France and Britain resulted in a deep mental shock after the messages about the signing of the Munich Agreement reached Czechoslovakia on the 30th of September 1938. Consequently, Czechoslovakia reoriented itself towards East. The aim of this diploma thesis is to capture this sudden turn through an analysis of the British image in selected Czech journals. Britain is in this regard examined as one of two most important interwar allies of Czechoslovakia. Discoursive analysis is applied to articles appearing in three periodicals, which represent three interwar ideological groups. Namely, the diploma thesis works with Lidove noviny, which were constructing an image influenced by the foreign policy orientation of the Castle, Venkov, which acted as a press agency of the most powerful political party, and Rude pravo, whose editorial line was comparatively noncomformist and thus represents a desirable alternative.

The aim of this diploma thesis is The teaching of region-general science on the Klatovsko example. In the first part of the work is the theoretical introduction composed from special literature which describes Klatovsko in many views. The region is characterized, defined and divided to the sub regions; either physical-geographical and socio-economical data as well as environment-conservation are reviewed in the theoretical part of this thesis. The work is not focused only on range of general science but also logical attaches it with information from regional geography. This data together gives allover review on the resolved region. The necessary part of this diploma these is own resolving which is based on seeking for knowledge about the region in 4th and 5th classes of elementary schools. The little spread method of mental mapping was used for research and the method was extended with questionary investigation. The results of own resolving are discussed and interpreted by suitable graphs. The teaching-utilities for either region-general science and geography were created on base of obtained results. The learning texts are prepared for direct-teaching of pupils and connected working sheets for reviewing their knowledge and quality-control of teaching were attached. As an alternative learning-method the funny projects are provided with this work. These projects are useful for teaching of Klatovy region.