Through my own professional experience, the essay explores how place may have significance for exercising practical knowledge. It also sheds light on the conditions and qualities surrounding my, as therapist, presence in interpersonal meetings, as well as perspectives in relation to meetings around life issues. Of special notice is place as nature and garden. With support in stories as representations and in dialogue with philosophers, several different perspectives and analyses are shown about the place's importance for the pursuit of practical knowledge. The drive of the research is supported by three themes, place, body, meeting. They lead the survey forward in dialogue with Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Martin Buber preferably together with geography professor, Edward Relph and researchers and writers within the fields of practical knowledge and naturebased interventions. The essay uncovers a complex area of understanding. It puts emphasis on the relationship between us as humans and our environment. In this relationship, place is of importance to practical knowledge. Interplay and movement between different approaches emerges as a common denominator.

The present study has a threefold aim: First, the theoretical aim is to give a contribution to refinement of the theory of dialogue based feminist ethics, concerning the understanding of judgment and narration within such an ethics.  The study also has an empirical aim, defined as to clarify what kind of knowledge, relevant to the moral judgment of an engaged outsider actor, can be received from dialogical interpretation and analysis of a limited selection of critically reflecting life stories. Third, a methodological aim is defined as to develop an approach to interpretation and analysis of reflecting life stories, which renders the storyteller visible as a reflecting moral subject, and makes the story accessible as a source of knowledge for the moral judgment of an engaged outsider actor. The thesis combines philosophical reflection and argumentation, with a narrative-hermeneutic method for interpretation of life stories, relating the two to each other in a hermeneutic process.  The theoretical reflection draws on Seyla Benhabibs theory of communicative ethics. A dialogue based model for moral justification and a likewise dialogue based model for political legitimacy are at the heart of this universalistic theory, although in combination with a conception of a narratively and hermeneutically constituted context sensitive moral judgment, based on Hannah Arendt’s concept “enlarged thought”. In the reflection, this model is related to other feminist theorizing within the tradition of dialogue based feminist ethics, as found in the works of Iris M. Young, Georgia Warnke and Shari Stone-Mediatore. The empirical study draws on three critically reflecting life stories from Israeli-Palestinian women activists for a just peace. The methodology for interpretation and analysis that is worked out combines dialogical interpretation as presented in Arthur W. Frank’s socio-narratology with a method for structural analysis derived from Shari Stone-Mediatores theory of storytelling as an expression of political resistance struggle. The results show that some stories drawing on marginalized experiences have a potential­ to stimulate further public debate through their capacity to enable a stereoscopic seeing, elucidating a tension between ideologically structured discourse and non-linguistic experience; implying that narrative-hermeneutic competence should be considered crucial for public debate.

I denna uppsats har jag studerat Konflikten i Antiochia, utifrån två aktuella perspektiv på Paulus - ”Nya Perspektivet på Paulus” och ”Paulus inom judendomen”. Syftet har varit att definiera och klarlägga den huvudsakliga innebörden i de två respektive perspektiven samt att utifrån den förståelsen göra en jämförande analys med hjälp av den valda perikopen. Jag har också sökt analysera vilka konsekvenser perspektiven kan få för vår förståelse av Paulus. För att avgränsa uppgiften har jag utgått från ett urval av forskare inom respektive perspektiv. Dessa är för NPP: E. P. Sanders, James D. G. Dunn och N.T. Wright. För PIJ har jag främst utgått från material av Mark Nanos och Magnus Zetterholm. För att kunna göra perspektiven rättvisa presenterar jag också en kort beskrivning av det ”Traditionella Perspektivet på Paulus” eftersom det är det perspektiv som i lite varierande form har varit det dominerande genom historien. Jag har också gjort några förhoppningsvis förtydligande utvikningar kring hur det gick till när judendom och kristendom skiljdes åt samt ett kort avsnitt kring begreppet bordsgemenskap. Slutsatsen i uppsatsen är att perspektiven förvisso skiljer sig åt på flera punkter men att de till övervägande del ligger nära varandra. Detta är särskilt tydligt vad gäller de vetenskapliga drivkrafterna och metoderna som respektive perspektiv använder sig av.

Hur tillskriver vi moraliskt ansvar, och varför? Inom filosofin debatteras häftigt huruvida vi har fri vilja eller ej, och således ifrågasätts om vi kan tillskrivas moraliskt ansvar över huvud taget. Ett av argumenten som sägs hota den fria viljan är den omfattande situationistiska litteraturen, som verkar visa på att människors beteende påverkas mer av situationella faktorer än av personlighetsdrag. EH (Explanation Hypothesis) är en psykologisk hypotes som, förutom att redogöra för vardagliga moraliska bedömningar, kan reda ut filosofiska frågor såsom varför våra intuitioner kring moraliskt ansvar ter sig inkonsekventa. Denna studie testade EH experimentellt med en enkätstudie som dessutom undersökte folks intuitioner i moraliskt signifikanta situationer med kopplingar till den situationistiska litteraturen. Resultaten stärkte EH i enlighet med tidigare resultat, samt visade på att folks moraliska bedömningar inte påverkades av vetskapen om starka psykosociala fenomen som kan ha haft inverkan på agenternas beteenden. Implikationerna för den filosofiska debatten kring fri vilja och moraliskt ansvar, liksom begreppet determinism, diskuteras och förslag på fortsatt forskning läggs fram. / How do we attribute moral responsibility, and why? The notion of free will is heavily debated within philosophy, thus questioning whether we can truly be morally responsible for our actions. One of the arguments said to threaten the notion of free will is the vast collection of situationist literature that seem to show that human behavior is often more influenced by situational factors rather than personality traits. The Explanation Hypothesis (EH) is a psychological hypothesis that make general claims about everyday moral judgements, as well as accounting for philosophical issues such as the inconsistency of folk-intuitions on these issues. This study used surveys to test EH experimentally, also investigating folk-intuitions on moral responsibility in scenarios related to the situationist literature. The results support the hypothesis according to an earlier, similar study, as well as showing that the participants moral judgements were not influenced by being made aware of strong, psychosocial phenomena that seem to have had an impact on agents behaviors. The implications for the philosophical debate on free will and moral responsibility as well as the notion of determinism is discussed and further research is proposed.

This study discusses the Christian churches crisis management in one of modern time´s most expansive and deadly pandemics, Covid-19. The main purpose of the study is to find out if the churches were equipped with a crisis management plan to handle an external crisis of this magnitude. The thesis also studies to what extent it affected the parishes and their members. The dissertation as well aims to find out whether other actors or decisions could have led to a milder impact on the Church, but also their parish members. Other aspects investigated were emotional and social impacts of active/paused church activities, and whether digital services would replace the physical Sunday services to a degree.The study employs qualitative methods and social and crisis management theories to explore the topic. Anonymous in-depth interviews with church personnel and parish members allowed deep and honest conversations, providing rich data for analysis. Analysis of the discussions in the interviews demonstrated that the churches were not ready to handle the Covid-19 crisis. The research also presents the importance of faith in hard times and the value of faith in the parish members lives.The results indicate that a great sadness arose among many members in this crisis. Not only because you could not go to God's house to pray, but because many isolated themselves during the pandemic, which led to poor health, specifically among families with children and the elderly.

Syftet med denna uppsats var att redogöra för det förebyggande arbetet kring hot och våld men också hantering av hot och våld i gymnasieskolan. Därmed användes en kvalitativ intervjustudie med rektorer, lärare samt en kurator som gav svar på följande frågeställningar; hur förebyggdes hot och våld i gymnasieskolan, hur identifierades hot och våld i gymnasieskolan samt hur bemöttes hot och våld i gymnasieskolan. Personalens svar på dessa frågeställningar analyserades utifrån Paulo Freires befrielseteori och därmed gavs en tydligare bild av skolans situation gällande hot och våld. Medvetandegöra-(conscientização) innebar att handlingsplanerna kritiskt reflekterades över som uppdaterades årsvis samt granskning av elevenkäter och medarbetarenkäter. I arbetslaget samtalades och delades erfarenheter som var en del i att hot och våld medvetandegjordes. Förutom i arbetslaget delades olika erfarenheter genom föreläsningar, litteratur och poddar, vilket ökade kunskapen om hot och våld. Eleverna diskuterade värdegrunden, normer och de förtryckta samt förtryckarnas världsbild. Därtill fick elever kännedom om den hjälp som fanns såsom kurator, socialtjänst och utväg om de hamnade i en våldsam eller hotfull situation. Det förebyggande arbetet kring hot och våld sammanfattades i följande strategier: skapandet av en trygg arbetsmiljö samt ökning av elevers och lärares kunskap. Dessutom behövdes både teoretiska och praktiska kunskaper om hur elever och lärare skulle agera vid hotfulla och våldsamma situationer. Olika handlingsplaner tillämpades vid olika hotfulla och våldsamma situationer. Vid övning av inrymning förbereddes lärare och elever hur de skulle agera vid våldsamma och hotfulla situationer. Dessutom behövdes kännedom om vilka aktörer som fanns inom skolan såsom elevhälsoteam, som oftast bestod av kurator, psykolog och skolläkare. Därutöver bestod en krisgrupp av andra professioner såsom pastor, diakon, mentor, präst eller imam. I samhället fanns det vid större katastrofer och olyckor stöd och råd från socialtjänsten och POSOM-gruppen att tillgå. Begrepp: Hot och våld medvetandegjordes, i skola, i nära relationer, i hemmet, barn for illa, elevhälsoteam, Krisgrupp, Socialtjänsten, Polisen, POSOM-gruppen / The purpose of this essay was to account for the preventive work on threats and violence but also the management of threats and violence in high school. Thus, a qualitative interview study was used with principals, teachers and a counselor´s who provided answers to the following questions; how threats and violence were prevented in high school, how threats and violence   were indentified in high school and how threats and violence in high school were adressed. The staff´s answers to these questions were analyzed on the basis of Paulo Freire´s liberation theory and thus gave a clearer picture of school´s sitaution regarding threats and violence. Awareness-raising (conscientização) meant that the action plans were critically reflected on, which were updated annually, as well as a review of student surveys and employee surveys. The work team discussed and shared experinces that were part of raising awareness of threats and violence. In addition to the work team, different experiences were shared through lectures, litterature and podcasts, which increased knowledge about threats and violence. The students discussed the values, norms and the world of oppressed and the opressors. In addition, students become aware of the help that was available, such as a counselor, social services and a resort if they ended up in a violent or threatening situation.  The preventive work on threats and violence was summarized in the following strategies: the creation of safe working environment and an increase students and teachers knowledge. In addition, both theoretical and practical knowledge was needed about how students and teachers should act in threatening and violent situations. Different action plans were applied in different threatning and violent situations. When practicing accomodation, teachers and students were prepared to act in violent and threatening situations. In addition, knowledge was needed about which actors were present within the school, such as student health teams, which usually consisted of a counselors, psychologists and school doctor. In addition, a crisis group consisted of other professions such as pastor, deacon, mentor, priest or imam. In the event of major disasters and accidents, support and advice from the social services and the POSOM group were availible. Concepts: Threats and violence were made aware, in school, close relationships, at home, children got hurt, student health team, Crisis-group, Social services, Police, POSOM group

Climate change litigation is expanding at fast speed throughout various jurisdictions around the world. Citizens are taking states’ lack of climate mitigation measures to courts, demanding that more has to be done on the climate crisis. More often now, litigants use human rights based argumentation which relies on international human rights law: human rights treaties, conventions, and precedent from human rights courts. According to litigants, states are therefore seen as both creating and prolonging this threat against the lives of their citizens, violating some of their most basic human rights, such as the right to life. Coupling these human rights obligations with climate treaties such as the Paris Agreement has proven effective when attempting to establish a causal connection between state emissions and climate change’s threat to citizen’s lives. This is sometimes characterized as a global ‘rights turn’ or a ‘greening’ of human rights. While a climate litigation case was denied to be brought up in Swedish courts in 2016, the Swedish government is now in 2021 finding itself tested again. Several children and youths in Sweden are currently suing the Swedish state, claiming that Sweden does not live up to its international human rights obligations. The claim is based on a human rights framing and is more similar to other ongoing or successful climate litigation cases at present time. While also facing a lawsuit as defendants in a case under the European Court of Human Rights, Sweden is now finding itself in the midst of this new phenomenon. Since, however, the issue of climate litigation in Swedish courts is quite new, the results of a new case in Sweden based on different grounds and on the precedent established in other successful cases in other similar jurisdictions, could be different.  The overall purpose of this thesis is to shed light on the intentional human rights obligations that the Swedish state is bound by internationally which can be used in a climate litigation case based on human rights argumentation. The issue at hand is therefore to ascertain what, how and why those obligations concerning the climate and human rights makes it possible or challenging to pursue a case against the Swedish government, and what these obligations entail. If the case is tried in Swedish courts, it will establish the current obligations concerning climate change and its threat to human lives under international human rights law, as well as Sweden’s mitigation duties.

This essay is based on trying to understand the relationship that exists between Josephus’ writings and the pseudepigraph Assumptio Mosis. Although the comparisons made between the texts in this essay are not enough to give a definite answer, none of the examples exclude that Josephus may have used Assumptio Mosis as a primary source. Rather, there are indications in which a direct relationship between Josephus and Assumptio Mosis potentially could explain from where Josephus acquires some of his source material, especially for his narrative of the time period around 4 BCE–6 CE. / Denna uppsats bygger på att försöka förstå relationen som finns mellan Josefus skrifter och pseudepigrafen Assumptio Mosis. Även om jämförelserna som görs mellan skrifterna i denna uppsats inte räcker för att ge ett säkert svar i slutändan, utesluter inga av exemplen att Josefus kan ha använt Assumptio Mosis som direkt källa. Snarare finns indikationer i vilka en direkt relation mellan Josefus och Assumptio Mosis skulle kunna förklara varifrån Josefus hämtar en del av sitt källmaterial, inte minst för hans narrativ om tiden runt 4 f.v.t–6 v.t.

In this essay I explore how dance can be interpreted as a theological practice. I stage an encounter between the lived experience of the dancer’s body and word-based tradition of theological discourse. This encounter between the word and the image of dance reveals the limitations of theological discourse to account adequately for the full range of human and creaturely experience that have its sources in colonialism and imperialism. This paper argues that introducing the image of dance and the lived experience of the dancer into theological discourse then will serve to reduce the effects of these dangerous prejudices. This essay will use two of Simone Weil's most well-known concepts, attention and presence. They will serve as the interpretive bridge for a dialogue between dance and theology. I will focus on the experience of dancing and explain how this subjective, embodied practice of movement can enhance theology. At a time of great instability and uncertainty globally with ecological crises, racial injustice, and economic disparity on one hand and the rise of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and despair on the other hand, it is important that we find new ways to cultivate inner peace and encourage responsible action. And important way to do this is to welcome the creative opportunities of instability and uncertainty, of the unknown and the unexplored.  Dance and theology—in collaboration and conversation—can offer useful resources for cultivating these practices that allow us to meet these challenges with faith, hope, and love.

This essay examines Jesus' conflict counseling in the Gospel of Luke, by conducting a literary analysis of Luke 9:46-48, 12:13-21 and 22:24-30, which are stories of conflicts where Jesus himself is not involved. The texts have been analyzed in their historical context and are illuminated by heuristic use of contemporary conflict theory and moral psychology. Through this reading, a pattern emerges: Jesus' main method of dealing with conflicts is to correct the attitudes of those involved in conflict.