This thesis project started out with an ambition to inspire more people to discover the mesmerizing landscape of the inner parts of northern Sweden by making it more accessible and attractive to persons usually not looking for outdoor adventures or the solitude and silence of wilderness.   By that initial aspiration I was led into an investigation of how constant connectedness affect us in everyday life, what performing “work” require and how the presence of nature and a challenging climate could be used as resources; offering more than nice views or weather to be sheltered from. Not only is the nature in the north fascinating on its own but the vast areas of almost untouched nature is becoming something unique in the world, an amazing resource most Swedes are more or less unaware of.   This project aims to test an alternative way of working, exploring the opportunities the technology provide us with while also offering time for reflection and inspiration. The program is a version of a work retreat; a facility that offers temporary work spaces away from the office and everyday life, allowing new social constellations, new ideas and work processes. / Detta examensarbete började med en ambition och en önskan om att inspirera fler att upptäcka det trollbindande landskapet i norra Sveriges inland genom att göra det mer lättillgängligt och attraktivt för personer som vanligtvis inte söker sig till vildmarksäventyr eller stillheten och tystnaden i skogen. Från den inledande ambitionen letade sig arbetet vidare till vitt skilda undersökningar av hur konstant uppkoppling (eller en ständig nåbarhet) påverkar människor, vad termen ”att arbeta” innebär samt hur natur och ett utmanande klimat kan användas som resurser och erbjuda mer än vacker utsikt eller ett väder man måste skyddas från. De stora orörda vidderna i norr är inte bara fascinerande i sig själva utan de börjar bli något helt unikt i världen, en fantastisk tillgång som de flesta svenskar är mer eller mindre omedvetna om. Projektet strävar efter att undersöka alternativa sätt att arbeta; att utforska möjligheterna som öppnas för oss med hjälp av dagens teknologi samtidigt som tid för reflektion och inspiration prioriteras. Programmet är en uppdaterad version av konferensanläggning, en plats som erbjuder temporära arbetsplatser långt från kontor och vardagsliv för att på så vis möjliggöra nya sociala samspel, tillföra nya idéer och arbetsprocesser.

This is a study of how industries develop in regions that are industrially weak, exemplified by Norrbotten, the northernmost province of Sweden. Developing industries are represented by three companies manufacturing prefabricated wooden houses, situated in the municipalities Övertorneå, Kalix (Morjärv) and Älvsbyn in the interior of Norrbotten.For the period ending in 1918, the economy of Norrbotten is analysed in terms of staple theory. Thereafter, an analysis in dependency theoretic terms is judged to be more relevant. The communities in which the house factories are located are described similarly.Övertorneåand Mor j ärv are in the periphery of a peripheral region. There has never been any locally generated economic life of any importance. The house factory in the community first mentioned was established there in 1970 by AMS (The Swedish Labour Market Board). The other one was started by a local entrepreneur in the 1930's. It has changed hands several times, being incorporated into ever larger conglomerates. The third company studied was started by a local carpenter who still controls it. The factory is located in Älvsbyn, near Piteå, which has to be considered the center of the periphery.The integration of these three companies with other local firms, and their economic importance was studied in terms of their buying behavior. The method of investigation was a study of the internal records of the firms.All three of the companies showed that a decrease in the local and regional shares of their total purchases took place between the sample years studied. A comparison of the companies showed the Älvsby factory, the one locally initiated and controlled, to have by far more solid local and regional foundations than the other two. This could partly be explained by firm-related theories but the most important factor seemed to be the industrial tradition in the communities. Industrial tradition is a factor mostly determined by the position of a community in a dependency hierarchy, in part however, it is controllable by local decision-makers and individual entrepreneurs.Even for the company with the best local foundations, there was a drop in local and regional shares of purchases. The reason for this is the size of the company in relation to other local industries. The company has reached the limits of the capacity of the local community to support it. Such limits exist everywhere but their exact level depends on the status of the community and region they are in, the line of industry, the nature of ownership, etc.A series of implications for regional politics can be derived from the present study. Economic measures designed to improve weak industrial areas should be undertaken with utmost care in order not to damage existing local economy. Much greater efforts should be made to study the conditions of existing economic life and its potential for change, i.e. to study the historical development. / digitalisering@umu

The distribution of the population has multiple implications on regional development and planning. In-migration is frequently seen as the only possible solution in order to rejuvenate the population and stimulate regional development in sparsely populated regions. A population increase results in greater tax revenues, meaning that local authorities can plan for their inhabitants and expenditures in a more sufficient way. In addition, certain professionals are needed in order to support essential local services such as schools and hospitals. Place marketing with the intention of attracting in-movers has become increasingly popular, especially for rural, sparsely populated Swedish municipalities. Still, the outcome from place marketing efforts are dubious and in addition, migration has a temporal aspect and individual migration propensity usually fluctuates over time. This begs the question – how long do in-movers stay? Is there potential for long lasting development in sparsely populated regions connected to in-movers or is it temporary? This study focuses on the duration of time until an in-mover re-migrates from Region 8 in northern Sweden and which socioeconomic and demographic factors that influences the out- migration. This is studied by applying an event history method with discrete-time logistic regressions. The study follows individuals in working age that moved to any of nine specified municipalities in Västerbotten and Norrbotten County, sometime between 2000 and 2011. Questions posed for the study is: i) On average, how long did people who moved to Region 8 between the years 2000-2011 stay in the region? ii) What are the socioeconomic and demographic factors that influence the out-migration from the region? iii) Do the influencing factors differ between women and men? The results show that the time perspective matters as the risk of moving out was highest in the initial years and that it declines with time. 30 % of the sampled in-movers had moved out again within the time of observation, and on average the in-movers stayed for nine years. The regression results indicated that the factors that had the greatest influence on the out- migration was unemployment, being between 20-26 years old, high education, having and unemployed partner, and having children below school age. Women had a slightly lower likelihood of moving out compared to men, and the most prominent influential factor to outmigration that varied between women and men was unemployment.

I arbetet har jag samlat in borrprovkärnor från 21st levande träd 218-27år gamla från en lokal nära Torneträsk, behandlat och analyserat borrprovkärnorna vad gäller ringvidd (TRW), eng. tree ring width, och densitet (MXD), eng. maximum density, samt studerat hur väl resulterande kronologier följer sommarmedeltemperaturerna från Abisko väderstation. I arbetet ges kort bakgrundsfakta om det valda geografiska områdets, Torneträsk, roll och betydelse i det aktuella forskningsområdet, dendroklimatologi, och beskrivningar av några för uppgiften viktiga aspekter och metoder och problematiken med fenomenet divergence phenomena (DP). Datat är förberett för att användas som en förlängning till den existerande kronologin. Dendrokronologin vid Torneträsk innehåller innan detta; TRW som sträcker sig över 7 400år (år 5704 f.kr. – år 2004) och MXD som sträcker sig över 1 563år (åren 441 – 2004). Vid insamlandet har unga träd inkluderats i proverna för att undvika DP vid skapandet av kronologin. / In this project I have sampled 21 living trees in the age range of 218-27years old in the Torneträsk area, northern Sweden. I have prepared and analysed the samples regarding ring width (TRW) and maximum density (MXD) and investigated the correlation to summertemperatures from the nearby wheather station in Abisko. The data has been prepared as an update for the now existing chronology from the area which up until this contains TRW data spanning over 7 400years (BC 5704 – AD 2004) and MXD data over 1 563years (AD 441 – 2004). Young trees as well as older were sampled in an attempt to avoid creating divergence phenomena (DP) from the update.

In March of 2017, Northvolt announced at a press conference in Skellefteå that they had received the green light on their factory Northvolt Ett, a lithium-ion battery factory running on 100 per cent renewable energy. The industrial establishment has meant a great increase in population and a consequent increase in demand for housing and services. Skellefteå kommun (municipality), located along the Baltic Sea coast, has had a long history of population- and demographic decline. Northvolt is the first among many similar industrial strides in Northern Sweden (Norrland) promoted by the provincial government, the state, and the European Union. The establishment of Northvolt is part of a larger vision for the entirety of Norrland, a move towards reindustrialisation and urbanisation - all in the name of sustainable development. This thesis aims to examine the role of spatial visions in policy within the multilevel governance system in the matter of urbanisation and green industrialisation. A study into the prevailing discourse into the development in Norrland and Skellefteå in light of historical and realistic conditions through a thorough theoretical- and empirical investigation into what the establishment of a large employer entails for the local community. Through a qualitative content analysis of seven policy documents from all levels of governance; transnational, state, region, and municipality, accompanied by a set of four interviews with local municipal politicians this thesis will test the two hypotheses formulated to be accepted or rejected: I. Policy documents on supra-municipal level are not in line with local, realistic-, and historical conditions for Norrland, II. The current discourse does not highlight the contingent risks the large-scale industrial investment means for the local community The performed study shows that the green reindustrialisation in Norrland, as promoted by the Swedish government and the European Union, is one of the most ambitious visions for the future in modern day. The conclusion is that there is a disconnect between visions on municipal and supra-municipal level, in addition there is no sense of risk in the development at hand. / I mars 2017 meddelade Northvolt vid en presskonferens i Skellefteå att de fått grönt ljus på sin fabrik Northvolt Ett, en toppmodern litiumjonbatteri-fabrik som drivs på 100 procent förnybar energi. Industrietableringen har inneburit en stor befolkningsökning och en därav ökad efterfrågan på bostäder och tjänster. Skellefteå kommun har en lång historia av befolknings- och demografisk nedgång. Etableringen av Northvolt är den första av många liknande industriella framsteg i Norrland som främjas av regionen, staten och EU. Northvolt är en del av en större vision för hela Norrland, ett steg mot återindustrialisering och urbanisering – allt i hållbar utvecklings tecken. Denna uppsats syftar till att undersöka hur geografiska visioner ger sig tillkänna i policy inom flernivåstyrningssystemet i fråga om urbanisering och grön industrialisering. Genom en studie av den rådande diskursen kring utvecklingen i Norrland och Skellefteå i ljuset av historiska och realistiska förhållanden genom en grundlig teoretisk- och empirisk undersökning av vad etableringen av en stor arbetsgivare innebär för lokalsamhället. Genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys av sju policydokument från alla styrelsenivåer; transnationella, staten, regionen och kommunen tillsammans med fyra intervjuer med politiker på kommunal nivå kommer denna uppsats att testa de två hypoteser som formulerats att antingen accepteras eller förkastas: I. Policydokument på överkommunal nivå är inte i linje med lokala, realistiska och historiska förutsättningar för Norrland, II. Den aktuella diskursen belyser inte de betingade riskerna de storskaliga industriella investeringarna innebär för lokalsamhället. Den genomförda studien visar att den gröna återindustrialiseringen av landsbygden i norra Sverige, som främjas av den svenska regeringen och EU, är en av de mest ambitiösa framtidsvisionerna i modern tid. Slutsatsen är att det råder en viss skillnad mellan visionen på kommunal- och överkommunal nivå, dessutom finns det ingen risk medvetenhet i den aktuella utvecklingen.

The geographical focus area of this essay is Holmöarna archipelago, which is a very large group of islands that are located a short distance to the east of the city Umeå, in northern Sweden, Västerbotten county. This essay is an attempt to uncover and provide knowledge regarding Holmöarna archipelago’s forgotten Iron Age period through the means of GIS-analysis, literary studies, a field visit, as well as morphological comparisons of ancient artefacts and monuments from the area. / Det geografiska fokusområdet i denna uppsats är Holmöarna skärgård, vilket är en mycket stor ögrupp som är lokaliserad ett kort avstånd öster om staden Umeå, i norra Sverige, Västerbottens län. Denna uppsats är ett försök att avslöja och förse information som har med Holmöarna skärgårds bortglömda järnålder att göra. Detta sker med hjälp av GIS-analyser, litterära studier, ett fältbesök, samt morfologiska jämförelser av artefakter och fornlämningar från området

The aim of this thesis is to analyse how politicians produce, reproduce and challenge notions of Norrland through newspaper media. The study is based on 60 different articles collected from three national newspaper agencies, Dagens Nyheter, Aftonbladet and Svenska Dagbladet. Adopting the discourseanalytical method called the logics approach, this paper explores which discourses dominate the politicians rhetoric about Norrland as well as how the discourses challenge and constitute conceptions about the northern region. The study shows that politicians often discuss Norrland in terms of economics, environmental issues or demographical conditions. Even though the politicians tend to reproduce notions of Norrland as a remote and rural region, thus enhancing conceptions of the place as a dying and problematic area, the study reveals attempts to redefine Norrlands' problems as a national matter and concern. By appealing to different subjects the politicians try to create feelings of recognition within the public to prevent the place from becoming the rural area they already represent it as. / Syftet med denna uppsats har varit att undersöka hur politiker producerar, reproducerar och utmanar föreställningar om Norrland via de rikstäckande tidningarna Aftonbladet, Dagens Nyheter samt Svenska Dagbladet. Med ett material bestående av 60 nyhets- samt debattartiklar så har materialet analyserats efter den diskursteoretiska analysmetoden The logics approach, även kallat logikperspektivet. Studien har visat att politiker tenderar att diskutera Norrland med grund i frågor beträffande ekonomi, miljö och klimat samt demografiska förutsättningar. Även om politikerna ofta representerar Norrland som ett avlägset och ruralt område, vilket förstärker föreställningar om Norrland som en döende och problematisk plats, så visar studien försök till att omdefiniera problematiken från att vara "Norrlands" bekymmer till att ses som en nationell angelägenhet. Genom att koppla samman olika subjektspositioner så försöker politikerna konstruera känslor av tillhörighet och igenkännande hos läsarna för att på så sätt förhindra platsen från att bli det rurala område som politikerna redan representerar det som.

Syftet med detta arbete är att, dels ur ett fastighetsrättsligt perspektiv, dels ett folkrättsligt perspektiv, utreda om Sveriges urbefolkning samerna kan sägas ha förvärvat en äganderätt till marken i Lappland enligt svensk rätt, eller om detta enbart handlar om en bruksrätt inkluderande renskötsel, jakt och fiske. Vad gäller det fastighetsrättsliga perspektivet har samerna haft en mycket stark fastighetsrättslig ställning på 1600- och 1700-talet. Då behandlades samernas lappskatteland som sådan skattejord, som skattebönderna sedermera genom lagstiftning automatiskt förvärvade full äganderätt till. Så skedde dock inte för samernas del. I stället trängdes de undan från stora delar av sina ursprungliga marker på grund av bl.a. kolonisation, exploateringsintressen, samt nedvärdering av nomadkulturen. Från att ha varit i stor majoritet blev de en minoritet på sina gamla marker. Dessa marker har sedermera kommit att betraktas som kronojord i statens ägo, vilket innebär en stor förskjutning av samernas fastighetsrättliga ställning inom loppet av fyra sekler. Gällande rätt garanterar inte samer som är medlemmar av en sameby någon starkare rätt än en bruksrätt, som till vissa delar är svagare än vad som gäller för andra bruksrättsinnehavare i Sverige. Praxis utesluter emellertid inte att renskötselrätten kan ha gett upphov till äganderätt, särskilt i nordligaste Sverige. Att samerna haft svårt att hävda sin äganderätt kan bero på att rättssystemet inte har haft en egentlig förståelse för rennäringens speciella förutsättningar, vilket gör att exempelvis beviskraven blir höga att nå upp till. Min slutsats är dock att övertygande bevis finns för att samerna har förvärvat en äganderätt, åtminstone till statlig kronomark i Lappland, oavsett om lagstiftningen för närvarande tillerkänner dem detta eller ej. Vad gäller vinterbetesmarker i Lappland föreligger inte lika starka bevis för att en äganderätt skulle ha uppstått, men däremot en bruksrätt som är starkare än dagens lagstiftning tillerkänner samerna. Vad gäller det folkrättsliga perspektivet ger de konventioner Sverige ingått inte uttryckligen stöd för att samernas markrättigheter skall erkännas, och svensk lagstiftning får sägas uppfylla de minimikrav de ställer. Sverige har dock fått internationell kritik för att inte ha funnit en lösning på och förbättrat rättssäkerheten angående samiska markrättigheter. Inte heller har Sverige ratificerat ILO-konvention nr. 169 om ursprungsfolk och stamfolk i självstyrande länder. Anledningen är just att bestämmelser som reglerar markrättigheter inte har ansetts förenliga med svenska rättsförhållanden. Man kan dock hoppas på att Sverige framöver kommer att ta intryck av den internationella utvecklingen vad gäller erkännande av urbefolkningars markanspråk. / The aim of this thesis is to examine whether the Sami people, who is an indigenous people living in the north of Sweden, could have acquired ownership of land areas in Lapland according to Swedish law, or whether they only have a right to use the land that they traditionally occupy for reindeer breeding, hunting and fishing. The question is dealt with from a land law as well as an international law approach. Concerning the land law approach, the Sami people has had a very strong position close to ownership during the 17th and 18th centuries. At that time, the Samis paid tax for their lands, which meant that they were not considered to belong to the Crown, but were treated in the same way as the independent farmers’ lands. However, while the farmers through a declaration from the King in 1789 automatically achieved full ownership of their lands, the Sami people did not. Instead, the Samis were pressed back from large parts of their original territory because of colonisation, exploitation and depreciation of their nomadic way of living. Once a majority, they found themselves a minority in their own land and their territory had become the Crown’s property. Undoubtedly, there has been an extraordinary shifting of the Sami people’s land rights within four centuries. Current law does only guarantee the members of the Sami villages the right to use land for reindeer breeding, hunting and fishing, and this right is in some aspects even weaker than that of other Swedish citizens with similar rights. Still, case law does not exclude the possibility that reindeer breeding could have originated right of ownership, especially in Lapland. My findings on this area are that there is convincing evidence that the Sami people has acquired right of ownership on the lands which they traditionally occupy all year around. On the lands that they share with others, they have a strong right to use the land during the winter, probably stronger than the legislation provides for. What concerns the international law approach, Swedish legislation does fulfil the minimum demands according to the conventions the country has ratified. Still, Sweden has been criticized of not finding a balanced solution to and improving legal certainty on Sami land rights. Sweden has not ratified the ILO Convention no. 169 con-cerning indigenous and tribal peoples in independent countries. The reason for this is mainly the article which aims at strengthening the indigenous peoples’ land rights, which Sweden does not find compatible with national law. Still, one can hope that the ongoing international development on the area will show the way, and that Sweden will pay attention to it in future legislation.

<p>Syftet med detta arbete är att, dels ur ett fastighetsrättsligt perspektiv, dels ett folkrättsligt perspektiv, utreda om Sveriges urbefolkning samerna kan sägas ha förvärvat en äganderätt till marken i Lappland enligt svensk rätt, eller om detta enbart handlar om en bruksrätt inkluderande renskötsel, jakt och fiske.</p><p>Vad gäller det fastighetsrättsliga perspektivet har samerna haft en mycket stark fastighetsrättslig ställning på 1600- och 1700-talet. Då behandlades samernas lappskatteland som sådan skattejord, som skattebönderna sedermera genom lagstiftning automatiskt förvärvade full äganderätt till. Så skedde dock inte för samernas del. I stället trängdes de undan från stora delar av sina ursprungliga marker på grund av bl.a. kolonisation, exploateringsintressen, samt nedvärdering av nomadkulturen. Från att ha varit i stor majoritet blev de en minoritet på sina gamla marker. Dessa marker har sedermera kommit att betraktas som kronojord i statens ägo, vilket innebär en stor förskjutning av samernas fastighetsrättliga ställning inom loppet av fyra sekler.</p><p>Gällande rätt garanterar inte samer som är medlemmar av en sameby någon starkare rätt än en bruksrätt, som till vissa delar är svagare än vad som gäller för andra bruksrättsinnehavare i Sverige. Praxis utesluter emellertid inte att renskötselrätten kan ha gett upphov till äganderätt, särskilt i nordligaste Sverige. Att samerna haft svårt att hävda sin äganderätt kan bero på att rättssystemet inte har haft en egentlig förståelse för rennäringens speciella förutsättningar, vilket gör att exempelvis beviskraven blir höga att nå upp till. Min slutsats är dock att övertygande bevis finns för att samerna har förvärvat en äganderätt, åtminstone till statlig kronomark i Lappland, oavsett om lagstiftningen för närvarande tillerkänner dem detta eller ej. Vad gäller vinterbetesmarker i Lappland föreligger inte lika starka bevis för att en äganderätt skulle ha uppstått, men däremot en bruksrätt som är starkare än dagens lagstiftning tillerkänner samerna.</p><p>Vad gäller det folkrättsliga perspektivet ger de konventioner Sverige ingått inte uttryckligen stöd för att samernas markrättigheter skall erkännas, och svensk lagstiftning får sägas uppfylla de minimikrav de ställer. Sverige har dock fått internationell kritik för att inte ha funnit en lösning på och förbättrat rättssäkerheten angående samiska markrättigheter. Inte heller har Sverige ratificerat ILO-konvention nr. 169 om ursprungsfolk och stamfolk i självstyrande länder. Anledningen är just att bestämmelser som reglerar markrättigheter inte har ansetts förenliga med svenska rättsförhållanden. Man kan dock hoppas på att Sverige framöver kommer att ta intryck av den internationella utvecklingen vad gäller erkännande av urbefolkningars markanspråk.</p> / <p>The aim of this thesis is to examine whether the Sami people, who is an indigenous people living in the north of Sweden, could have acquired ownership of land areas in Lapland according to Swedish law, or whether they only have a right to use the land that they traditionally occupy for reindeer breeding, hunting and fishing. The question is dealt with from a land law as well as an international law approach.</p><p>Concerning the land law approach, the Sami people has had a very strong position close to ownership during the 17th and 18th centuries. At that time, the Samis paid tax for their lands, which meant that they were not considered to belong to the Crown, but were treated in the same way as the independent farmers’ lands. However, while the farmers through a declaration from the King in 1789 automatically achieved full ownership of their lands, the Sami people did not. Instead, the Samis were pressed back from large parts of their original territory because of colonisation, exploitation and depreciation of their nomadic way of living. Once a majority, they found themselves a minority in their own land and their territory had become the Crown’s property. Undoubtedly, there has been an extraordinary shifting of the Sami people’s land rights within four centuries.</p><p>Current law does only guarantee the members of the Sami villages the right to use land for reindeer breeding, hunting and fishing, and this right is in some aspects even weaker than that of other Swedish citizens with similar rights. Still, case law does not exclude the possibility that reindeer breeding could have originated right of ownership, especially in Lapland. My findings on this area are that there is convincing evidence that the Sami people has acquired right of ownership on the lands which they traditionally occupy all year around. On the lands that they share with others, they have a strong right to use the land during the winter, probably stronger than the legislation provides for.</p><p>What concerns the international law approach, Swedish legislation does fulfil the minimum demands according to the conventions the country has ratified. Still, Sweden has been criticized of not finding a balanced solution to and improving legal certainty on Sami land rights. Sweden has not ratified the ILO Convention no. 169 con-cerning indigenous and tribal peoples in independent countries. The reason for this is mainly the article which aims at strengthening the indigenous peoples’ land rights, which Sweden does not find compatible with national law. Still, one can hope that the ongoing international development on the area will show the way, and that Sweden will pay attention to it in future legislation.</p>

Abstract Background. It is relatively well established in previous research that unemployment has direct health consequences in terms of mental and physical ill health. Recently, knowledge has emerged indicating that unemployment can lead to economic consequences that remain long after re-establishment in the labour market. However, few empirical studies have been able to apply a life course perspective asking whether there are also long-term health consequences of unemployment, and, when and in which context unemployment may affect the individual health status across the life course. The aim of this thesis was to analyse the relationship between unemployment and illness across the life course, and how it relates to individual and structural factors in the geographical setting of northern Sweden. In particular, three main areas have been explored: youth unemployment and illness in adulthood (Paper I and Paper II), contextual unemployment of national unemployment rate and neighbourhood unemployment (Paper II and Paper III) and lastly, social determinants of health inequality between employment statuses (Paper IV). Methods. This thesis is positioned in Sweden between the early 1980s and the mid-2010s, following two comparable cohorts sampled from northern Sweden (26 and 19 years follow-up time respectively from youth to midlife) and a cross-sectional sample from 2014 of the four northernmost counties in Sweden. The two longitudinal cohorts comprised the Northern Swedish Cohort and the Younger Northern Swedish Cohort, consisting of all pupils in the 9th grade of compulsory school in Luleå municipality in 1981 and 1989. The participants responded to an extensive questionnaire on socioeconomic factors, work and health, in 5 and 2 waves respectively of data collections. Neighbourhood register data from Statistics Sweden was also collected for all participants in the Northern Sweden Cohort. At the latest data collection, 94.3% (n=1010) participated in the Northern Sweden Cohort and 85.6% (n=686) in the Younger Northern Sweden Cohort. The cross-sectional study Health on Equal Terms is a national study, administered by the Public Health Agency together with Statistics Sweden and county councils with the aim of mapping public health and living conditions in the country over time. In this thesis, material from 2014 has been used for northern Sweden with a response rate of around 50% (effective sample n=12769). The statistical analyses used were linear regression, multilevel analysis and difference-in-difference analysis to estimate the concurrent and long-term health consequences of unemployment, and a decomposition analysis to disentangle the inequality in health between different labour market positions. The health outcomes in focus were functional somatic symptoms (the occurrence of relatively common physical illnesses such as head, muscle and stomach ache, insomnia and palpitation) and psychological distress. Results. Among men only, as little as one month of youth unemployment was related to increased levels of functional somatic symptoms in midlife, regardless of previous ill health or unemployment later in life, although only during relatively low national unemployment (pre-recession) when comparing with youth unemployment during high national unemployment (recession). This was explained by the health promoting effect of more time spent in higher education during the recession period. Furthermore, the health impact of neighbourhood unemployment highlights the importance of the contextual setting for individuals’ health both across the life course and at specific periods of life. Lastly, employment-related mental health inequalities exist for both men and women in all life phases (youth, adulthood and midlife). Economic and social deprivation related to unemployment and illness varied across different phases in life and across genders. Conclusion. The key findings of this thesis paint a rather pessimistic vision of the future: one’s own and others’ unemployment may cause not only ill health today but also ill health later in life. Importantly, the responsibility of unemployment and the associated ill health should not be placed on the already marginalised individuals and communities. Instead, the responsibility should be directed towards the structural aspects of society and the political choices that shape these. In other words, health inequality manifested by the position in the labour market is socially produced, unfair and changeable through political decisions. The results of this study therefore cannot contribute to any simple or concrete solutions to the concurrent or long-term health consequences of individual or contextual unemployment, as the solution is beyond the areas of responsibility and abilities of research. However, if there are long-term health consequences of one’s own and other people’s unemployment, labour market and public health policies should be initiated from a young age and continue throughout the life course to reduce individual suffering and future costs of social insurance, sick-leave and unemployment benefits.