Abstract The construction of human-controlled watercourses to meet the need for hydroelectric power has substantially changed freshwater ecosystems, as well as the cultural dynamics of local communities along the Kemi River. At the moment there are 21 hydropower plants in the Kemi River basin, and further building is still topical. The construction of hydropower plants gave benefits but it also caused damages to the people living along the Kemi River. It was a deathblow to salmon migration. The alteration of the river has radically changed the water environment, the landscape and the usage of the river environment. The processed conflicts and paid compensations are always connected to economic losses, but the river has also many other aspects and meanings from the viewpoint of a riverman. The planning and building of hydroelectric plants took place at the same time with other significant events in northern Finland. The rise of the forestry industry, the Second World War, post-war reconstruction and structural changes in society framed the electrification of northern rivers. The transformation from an agrarian society to a service and information society happened unusually fast in Finland. It involved every aspect of local people’s lives, as the physical environment, local culture, social relations, means of income and the surrounding society changed in a short period of time. In my research I examine the changes caused by the electrification of the Kemi River in their temporal and spatial context. The focus is on the perspectives of local people and their personal relationships with the environment, but on the other hand also on the power relations within various actor groups. From my interview data I have identified four different adaptation strategies: compliant builders, those in denial, resigned bystanders and opposing resisters. These strategies may be found overlapping in the stories of the interviewees. Local residents have had an opportunity to realign themselves with various available subject positions, as well as decline or remould them. Remoulding takes place in various situations, and local people broadmindedly understand the benefits and disadvantages of hydropower, in spite of their own attitude. The alteration of the Kemi River has been a cultural trauma for the people living along the river, and the ones who experienced the change maintain a constant negotiation with the matter. / Tiivistelmä Kemijoen ensimmäinen voimalaitos valmistui vuonna 1949 sodanjälkeisen voimakkaan sähköntarpeen sanelemana. Kemijoen valuma-alueella on nyt yhteensä 21 voimalaitosta, ja jatkorakentaminen on yhä ajankohtainen asia. Vesivoimarakentaminen aiheutti hyötyjen lisäksi myös vahinkoa jokivarren asukkaille. Joen rakentaminen esti vaelluskalojen nousun jokiin ja muutti vesiympäristöä, maisemaa ja joen käyttöä voimakkaasti. Kemijoen kalakorvauskiista lienee tunnetuin rakentamisen aiheuttama konflikti, mutta myös muita ristiriitoja, pettymyksiä ja vahinkoja on paljon. Käsitellyt ristiriidat liittyvät aina taloudellisiin menetyksiin. Joella on sen rannalla asujalle kuitenkin myös muita kuin taloudellisia merkityksiä. Samanaikaisesti voimalaitostöiden kanssa käynnistyi yhteiskunnallinen rakennemuutos, joka tapahtui Suomessa poikkeuksellisen myöhään ja nopeasti. Muutos löi läpi koko elämänalan, kun fyysinen ympäristö, paikalliskulttuuri, sosiaaliset suhteet, toimeentulo ja yhteiskunta muuttuivat lyhyessä ajassa. Vesivoimarakentaminen vauhditti jokivarsien modernisaatiota entisestään, eikä nopea muutos tarjonnut asukkaille yhtä pitkää sopeutumisaikaa kuin muualla. Käsittelen tutkimuksessani vesivoimarakentamisen aiheuttamia muutoksia Kemijoen vesistöalueella. Tarkastelen muutosta paikallisten asukkaiden näkökulmasta sekä sidottuna rakentamisajan historialliseen ja tilalliseen kontekstiin. Tutkimuksen keskiössä on paikallisen asukkaan henkilökohtainen ympäristösuhde mutta toisaalta myös eri toimijaryhmien väliset ja sisäiset valtasuhteet. Jaan aineistosta esille tulleet jokivarren asukkaiden sopeutumisstrategiat neljään kategoriaan: rakentajiin, selänkääntäjiin, alistujiin ja vastustajiin. Tilanteesta riippuen suhtautumistapoja saattoi ilmetä limittäisesti, ja ne saattoivat olla keskenään myös ristiriidassa. Jokivarren asukkailla on ollut mahdollisuus omaksua tai torjua erilaisia tarjolla olleita toimija-asemia tai muokata niitä erilaisiksi. Muokkausta tapahtuu tilanteesta riippuen, ja jokivarren asukkaat ymmärtävät hyvin joen rakentamisen sekä hyvät että huonot puolet, vastustuksesta, puolustamisesta tai vetäytymisestä riippumatta. Joen muutos on ollut paikallisille asukkaille kulttuurinen trauma, ja muutoksen kokeneet ovat sen kanssa jatkuvassa neuvottelusuhteessa.

自從習近平在「莊園會晤」時向歐巴馬提出，中美共同建立新型大國關係，中共在亞太地區已經是掩蓋不住大國崛起的態勢。此時的平壤早已察覺到大國的壓力，面對中美關係日趨緊密，北韓為維持政權延續以及從中獲取利益，盡其所能提高在中美大國競爭時的籌碼，尤其是在東北亞各國政權更替時，施展戰略邊緣政策。 美國藉由北韓核試爆議題，成功部署軍事規劃、高舉國際輿論的大旗，迫使中共不得不對北韓施以必要措施。對於北韓不斷的舉行核試爆與導彈試射，中共在維護其重要國家利益與面對美國再平衡戰略的考量下，轉而借力使力，運用北韓核議題的持續發酵，得以延長應對美國及國際壓力。 因此，整個東北亞的關係結構，就是有關各國在中共與美國之間，取得對自己最大利益的位置。 / Xi Jinping proposed to Obama in the "Ennenberg Estate” summit in California during June 2013, Beijing has aftermath tried every effort to establish a “New Type of Great Power Relations” with Washington. China rise has been an obvious trend in the Asia-Pacific region. In this critical moment, Pyongyang has been aware of the pressure of big powers, in the face of China and the United States increasingly conciliatory relationship. In order to stabilize the North Korean regime and continue to take advantage of power politics in this area, North Korea tries to facilitate its bargaining gravity within the Sino-American interaction when they seek to use Pyongyang to counterbalance against each other. Particularly North Korea tends to exert its caliber of brinkmanship policy while it notices that the East Asian area is in the process of regime reshuffles. . Against the backdrop of North Korea's threat of continuing nuclear tests, Washington successfully accomplished military deployment and dominate direction of world public opinion in forcing China to impose the necessary measures on North Korea. For North Korea's ongoing nuclear test and missile test, China intends to manipulate its advantage based on its national interest. In the meantime, China implements this policy to counterweight the US “Rebalancing” strategy. Beijing goes to use the issue of North Korean nuclear development to further exert its strategy in responding to the pressures from both the United States and international community. Therefore, the international structure in the Northeast Asia, therefore, is that the concerning countries are seeking for their maximize advantage in the Sino-U.S. strategic engagement.

Les concepts de nature – compris à la fois comme environnement et paysage – et de durabilité sont depuis quelques années devenus centraux dans les discours politiques sur la fabrique urbaine. Ces-derniers sont largement mobilisés, devenant notamment des mots-clés incontournables dans les politiques du vivre-ensemble et de la rénovation urbaine. À travers le monde d’anciennes friches industrielles ou espaces vacants sont reconvertis en espaces (nature) publics. Or, plusieurs s’interrogent sur la capacité réelle de ces concepts – et de ces espaces – à répondre aux défis non seulement environnementaux, mais surtout sociaux des métropoles d’aujourd’hui. On doute de leur capacité à faire espace public. Sous couvert d’aménagement favorisant le bien-être de toutes et tous et de mécanismes décisionnels participatifs, les nouveaux espaces produits semblent au bout du compte favoriser une certaine vision de l’urbanité, de la durabilité et de la nature qui correspond à celle de la majorité. En prenant pour étude de cas l’ouverture d’un nouveau parc environnemental à Montréal – le parc Frédéric-Back établi sur une ancienne carrière – nous nous proposons de questionner les modes de production d’un tel espace situé à la frontière de quartiers péricentraux. Il s’agira alors d’interroger les jeux d’acteurs et les rapports de domination qui ont généré cet espace ainsi que la capacité des discours mobilisant les concepts d’espace public, de nature et de développement durable à – réellement – répondre aux enjeux socio-écologiques des populations locales. / Nature – viewed as both environment and landscape – as well as durability are becoming key concepts in how we think the urban fabric. They are increasingly used as buzzwords in social mixing and renovation debates. Around the world, old industrial sites or vacant spaces are being transformed into green public spaces. However, many scholars are beginning to question whether those strategies will be able to answer not only environmental, but above all social challenges facing our contemporary cities. Many are doubting their ability to create public space. Under the guise of social and participative urban planning, those new spaces seem more and more designed to promote the widespread understanding of key concepts like urbanity, durability and nature. In building our research around the case of Frédéric-Back Park – an old quarry redesigned as an urban park – between two peri-central Montreal districts, we hope to re-assess the ways we produce those kind of spaces. Our goal will be to pose a critical view on the power-play between actors and the power relations which gave form to the park as well as the capacity of nature, public space and durability – as concepts – to provide answers to socio-ecological challenges faced by local populations.

La stigmatisation territoriale est un concept qui soutient que certains groupes de personnes sont discrédités, dévalorisés et entachés par la réputation de leur lieu de résidence réel ou supposé. Ce mémoire cherche à illustrer la stigmatisation territoriale opérée sur Montréal-Nord — un arrondissement de la ville de Montréal touché par des enjeux de pauvreté et dont une grande partie de la population est issue de l’immigration. Affecté par une réputation peu enviable au sein de l’imaginaire spatial québécois, Montréal-Nord est généralement perçu comme le « Bronx montréalais » : un espace fréquenté par des gangs de rue et associé à un secteur enclavé de faible qualité urbanistique. Ces représentations, mettant l’accent sur le caractère dangereux et criminel de cet arrondissement, ont été renforcées suite au meurtre de Fredy Villanueva abattu par un policier en 2008 dans un parc de Montréal-Nord et des révoltes urbaines qui ont suivi. Or, dans quel contexte de production les récits médiatiques sur Montréal- Nord sont réalisés ? Et surtout, quelles actions sont proposées par les institutions publiques, les organismes communautaires et certains collectifs citoyens afin de renverser une image jugée négative et de cesser la paupérisation de l’arrondissement ? Grâce à une base de données regroupant les articles publiés sur l’arrondissement de Montréal-Nord par huit journaux de la presse écrite montréalaise entre 2006 et 2016, il est possible d’illustrer des processus de mise en visibilité qui concentre l’attention sur le caractère dangereux du quartier. De plus, 25 entretiens semi-dirigés avec différent·e·s acteur·trice·s issu·e·s de Montréal-Nord permettent de souligner l’influence que les récits médiatiques ont sur la production de l’espace urbain. L’émergence de collectifs citoyens performant une nouvelle citoyenneté sera aussi documentée afin d’illustrer une forme de réappropriation du discours sur Montréal-Nord. À l’intersection des enjeux de race, de représentations et de réparations, cette recherche vise à souligner les mécanismes ségrégatifs à l’oeuvre au sein de l’espace urbain et médiatique montréalais. / Territorial stigmatization is a concept that argues that certain groups of people are discredited, devalued and tainted by the reputation of their real or perceived place of residence. This research seeks to illustrate the territorial stigmatization of Montréal- Nord—a borough in the city of Montréal that is affected by poverty issues and where a large part of the population is of immigrant origin. Affected by an unenviable reputation in Quebec’s spatial imagination, Montréal-Nord is generally perceived as the “Montréal Bronx”: a space occupies by street gangs and associated with a landlocked area of poor urban quality. These representations, emphasizing the dangerous and criminal nature of this borough, were reinforced following the murder of Fredy Villanueva by a police officer in 2008 in a Montréal-Nord park and the urban revolts that followed. However, in which production context the media stories about Montréal-Nord are being made? And above all, what actions are proposed by public institutions, community organizations and certain citizen collectives in order to reverse an image deemed negative and to stop the impoverishment of the borough? Thanks to a database of articles published on the borough of Montréal-Nord by eight Montréal print media newspapers between 2006 and 2016, it is possible to illustrate processes that focus attention on the dangerous nature of the neighbourhood. In addition, 25 semi-directed interviews with various actors from Montréal-Nord highlights the influence that media stories have on the production of urban space. The emergence of collectives performing a new type of citizenship will also be documented in order to illustrate a form of recuperation of the discourse about Montréal-Nord. At the intersection of issues of race, representation and reparations, this research aims to highlight the segregating mechanisms at work within Montréal’s urban and media space.

This research concerns disciplinary practices within a school system in Lesotho. The school that has been researched is a girl’s high school in Maseru (the capital of Lesotho). The school belongs to the Anglican Church. I (the researcher) am a Mosotho man and an English and Religious Studies teacher in this school. For a while I have been concerned about the way punishment happens in the school, often leaving girls feeling shamed and powerless in the face of authority. I have also noticed that these disciplinary practices are losing their effectiveness, in that girls are showing resistance to the system. In other words corporal punishment, which has been the traditional form of discipline, is proving ineffective in today’s world. The researcher also considers this form of discipline abusive of power. It is in the light of this that I worked within this system, both with pupils, as well as teachers, to explore alternative practices that might work with pupils, that are respectful of all parties concerned. The research is a participative action research, using collaborative narrative practices in working with both students and staff at the school. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

Den här studien ämnade undersöka utommusikaliska dimensioner av gymnasieskolans ensembleundervisning, med fokus på pop- och rockensemble. Ambitionen var att identifiera möjliga roller och identiteter hos elever för att synliggöra eventuella maktrelationer. Detta för att bidra till ökad kunskap i strävan efter en jämlik och inkluderande musikundervisning. Datainsamlingen skedde genom enskilda semistrukturerade intervjuer och fokusgrupper med gymnasieelever vid estetiska programmet. Dessa transkriberades till text och analyserades tematiskt utifrån diskursteorins begreppsapparat.  Resultatet visar ojämlika maktrelationer där framför allt gruppbildningar utifrån könsidentitet och instrument avgör vilka som kan inta attraktiva positioner och roller. Dessa maktrelationer upprätthålls genom att utesluta subjekt och grupper som kan förstås som motsatser. Vidare synliggör resultatet att ensembleformatets utgångspunkt i genrepraktiken pop- och rock kan ses som en anledning till att normer och stereotyper upprätthålls. Slutsatserna visar ett behov av en breddad undervisningsrepertoar, en bredare representation samt en ökad social medvetenhet bland lärare och elever. / This study intended to examine the extra-musical dimensions of upper secondary school ensemble teaching, pop and rock in particular. The ambition was to identify the student’s possible roles and identities in order to make any power relations visible in order to contribute to increased knowledge in the pursuit of an equal and inclusive music education. Data collection was made through individual semi-structured interviews and focus groups with students off the upper secondary high school arts program. These were transcribed into text and analyzed thematically based on the concepts of discourse theory. The results show unequal power relations where, above all, group formations based on gender and instruments are the decisive factor in who can take attractive positions and roles. Positions of power are maintained by excluding other groups that can be understood as opposites. Furthermore, the results show that the ensemble’s starting point in the practice of pop -and rock genre can be seen as a reason for norms and stereotypes to be maintained. The conclusions show a need for a broader teaching repertoire, a broader representation and an increased social awareness among teachers and students.

Le système de santé libanais connait une évolution chaotique de son secteur sanitaire, dans un univers en concurrence croissante. De plus, dans l’organisation de ce système, divers groupes d’acteurs évoluent et influencent directement ou indirectement les prises de décisions stratégiques dans les établissements de santé libanais. Voilà pourquoi, dans un contexte où évolue une pluralité d’acteurs qui sont interdépendants et poursuivent des objectifs divergents, la prise de decision stratégique semble un défi de taille. La présente étude vise donc à comprendre et à analyser les processus dynamiques des décideurs ayant une influence sur la prise de décision stratégique dans une organisation de santé, en contexte pluraliste, où diverses forces externes et internes exercent une influence sur ce processus décisionnel. Pour y arriver, la prise de décision stratégique est analysée selon une perspective de relations de pouvoir, en partant des acteurs de l’organisation de santé et du contexte dans lequel ils évoluent. Cette recherche propose un modèle conceptuel qui s’appuie sur les concepts généraux de l’analyse stratégique de Crozier et Friedberg (1977) jumelés au modèle de la poubelle « Garbage Can ». Les éléments proposés de ce cadre conceptuel sont pertinents pour expliquer l’interaction entre la liberté des acteurs et les relations de pouvoir qui en ressortent, la présence fortuite des courants menant à la prise de décision et l’environnement dans lequel baignent les acteurs et l’organisation, qui influencent de façon majeure l’élaboration de la prise de décision stratégique dans un établissement de santé pluraliste. Afin de répondre à l’objectif de cette recherche, nous nous sommes basés sur une revue de littérature sur la prise de décision stratégique en contexte hospitalier pluraliste. Ensuite, nous avons procédé à une démarche qualitative basée sur les entrevues semi-structurées et l’analyse documentaire, dans le cadre de deux hôpitaux libanais, représentatifs du bassin hospitalier libanais. Cette étude de cas a permis de retracer 4 cas traceurs à partir desquels les comportements stratégiques mobilisés par les acteurs concernés par le processus décisionnel ont été mis en évidence. Pour ne citer que quelques stratégies répertoriées, nous prenons l’exemple des stratégies d’adaptation à l’environnement, d’implication des acteurs externes ainsi que de collaboration et de négociation qui prennent en considération l’environnement turbulent dans lequel baignent ces établissements de santé. En outre, l’interprétation des résultats a mis l’accent sur les stratégies d’acteurs internes et externes qui ont mené à la formation d’une constellation de leadership élargie, composée d’acteurs stratégiques multiples en constante interaction. Ces jeux de pouvoir ont influencé le processus décisionnel et ont permis la rencontre des processus formels et « informels » de prise de décision, menant à une meilleure compréhension du cheminement décisionnel stratégique dans les établissements de santé pluralistes. En conclusion, des recommandations concrètes sont formulées à l’intention des décideurs en santé. De plus, la rencontre théorique développée pour la première fois dans cette thèse, apporte une contribution intéressante aux théories des organisations. Ultimement, la thèse ouvre la voie à des pistes de réflexion prometteuses sur la prise de décision stratégique, en contexte pluraliste. / The Lebanese health system is experiencing a chaotic evolution of its health sector, in a world of increasing competition. In addition, in the organization of this system, various groups of actors evolve and influence directly or indirectly the strategic decision-making of the Lebanese healthcare establishments. In a context in which evolves a plurality of actors who are interdependent and pursue divergent objectives, strategic decision-making seems a major challenge. Therefore, the present study aims to understand and analyze the dynamic processes of decisionmakers having an influence on strategic decision-making in a healthcare organization, in a pluralistic context, where various external and internal forces exert an influence on this strategic decision-making. To achieve this, strategic decision-making is analyzed from a power relation’s perspective, starting with the players in the health organization and the context in which they operate. This research proposes a conceptual model based on the general concepts of strategic analysis of Crozier and Friedberg (1977) combined with the garbage can model. The proposed elements of this conceptual framework are relevant for explaining the interaction between the freedom of actors and the power relations that emerge from it, the fortuitous presence of the currents leading to decision-making and the environment in which the actors are immersed which have a major influence on the development of strategic decision-making in a pluralistic healthcare establishment. To meet the objective of this research, we started with a literature review on strategic decisionmaking in a pluralistic context. Then, we used a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis, within two Lebanese hospitals that are representative of the Lebanese hospital basin. This case study made it possible to trace 4 decisions from which the strategic behaviors mobilized by the actors were highlighted. To cite only a few listed strategies, we take the example of strategies of adapting to the environment, involving external actors as well as collaboration and negotiation that take into consideration the turbulent environment in which these establishments are surrounded. The results of this thesis show how the strategies developed by internal and external actors led to the formation of a broad constellation of leadership. This constellation is composed of multiple strategic actors who are in constant interaction, thus influencing the decision-making process through their power relations and strategic plays. Also, the results of this thesis highlight the 7 political decision-making process that takes place in a pluralistic health care organistion, leading to a better understanding of the strategic decision-making process in these establishments. In conclusion, concrete recommendations are made for decision-makers, to better manage health care organisations. In addition, the theoretical encounter developed for the first time in this thesis, makes an interesting contribution to the theories of organizations. Ultimately, the thesis opens the way to promising lines of reflection on strategic decision-making, in a pluralistic context.

Denna studie är ett examensarbete utfört som en del av socionomutbildningen på Malmö universitet. Syftet är att undersöka vad personal på HVB har för perspektiv på var gränsen går mellan att vara privat och personlig i relationen till ungdomarna. Till detta hör också vad för professionella gränser som är nödvändiga att upprätthålla gentemot de barn som placerats på hemmet samt vad för närhet och distans som förväntas, är förhandlingsbara eller helt förbjudna. Sex stycken semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med personal på HVB för att undersöka deras perspektiv och resultaten sammanfattades i teman. Dessa teman var “Relationen mellan personal och ungdom”, “Gränsen mellan privat och personligt”, “Konflikter mellan personlig och professionell”, “Gränssättningar och maktrelationer” samt “Hantering av olika förhållningssätt på arbetsplatsen”.Huvuddragen av vad som framkom var att det är viktigt att vara personlig med ungdomarna på HVB, men det får inte vara på bekostnad av professionalitet. Att vara privat med ungdomarna kan innebära att interaktionen är för personalens skull istället för ungdomarna, därför är det viktigt att göra gränssättningar mellan det privata och det professionella. Exakt vart denna gräns går är dock inte tydlig och är dessutom mycket individuell både i form av var personalen är bekväm med att sätta sina gränser och vad ungdomen har för behov. Genom att kartlägga och konstruktivt samtala om gränserna mellan personal och ungdom skapas tydlighet / This study is a thesis carried out as part of the social work education at Malmö University. The aim is to investigate what the resident staff's perspective at Residential care homes for children and young persons is on where the line is drawn between being private and personal in the relationship with the residents.This also includes what kind of professional boundaries are necessary to maintain towards the children who are placed in the home and what kind of proximity and distance is expected, negotiable or completely prohibited. Six semi-structured interviews were conducted with staff at residential homes to examine their perspectives and results summarized in themes. These themes were "The relationship between staff and youth", "The border between private and personal","Conflict between personal and professional", "Boundaries and power relations" and "Managing different attitudes in the workplace". The main feature of what emerged was that it is important to be personal with the residents, but this must not be at the expense of professionalism. Being private with the residents can mean that the interaction is for the benefit of the staff instead of the resident,therefore it is important to draw boundaries between the private and the professional. However, exactly where these boundaries are placed is not clear and is also very individual, both in terms of where the staff are comfortable setting their boundaries and what the residents' needs are. Clarity is created by charting out and having constructive conversations about the boundaries between staff andresidents.

The following thesis is at once a somewhat rudimentary attempt to relate the history of the classroom while describing the potential impact on the space of learning by the introduction of a new type of computer program into a school setting. It asks the question: how is the space of learning affected by the use of this specific type of computer program as an educational tool? In order to begin to formulate an answer to this question I have drawn upon the theorizing of Foucault and Deleuze in particular. Establishing the modern classroom as a relative of sorts to the disciplinary spaces of the past, I conclude that the means and practices by which pupils are being controlled within the space of learning have shifted from discipline being extorted exclusively by the teacher – who in turn is aided by the physical and temporal constraints of the classroom – to control being applied by each individual pupil through technologies of the self. This, in turn, led me to the conclusion that although there are certainly quite tangible effects on the space of learning itself, the actual mode of learning may very well be kept intact through techniques designed to control the behavior of the individual pupil beyond the disciplinary spaces of the past.

I Sverige ökar antalet kvinnor som är intresserade av ett jobb inom IT-branschen medan andelen kvinnor som arbetar i branschen minskar. Denna studie utforskar detta fenomen ur ett företagsekonomiskt och ett medie- och kommunikationsvetenskapligt perspektiv. Genom intervjuer med tio kvinnor med erfarenheter från den svenska IT-branschen syftar denna studie till att förstå de huvudsakliga barriärerna som kvinnor upplever i branschen. Vi finner tre huvudsakliga barriärer: (i) Maskulin organisationskultur där vi upptäcker att kvinnor anpassar sig till de maskulina kulturerna, (ii) Sociala förväntningar på feminina och maskulina stereotyper där vi kan se att kvinnor förväntas ta ett mer socialt ansvar på arbetsplatsen och (iii) Ifrågasättande av kompetens där vi finner att kvinnors kompetenser ifrågasätts både av andra parter och av sig själva. Till skillnad från studier om samma fenomen i andra länder identifieras inte konflikter mellan privat- och arbetsliv som en framträdande barriär. / In Sweden the number of women who are interested in a job in the IT industry is increasing, however the existing portion of women working in the industry is decreasing. This study explores this phenomenon from the business studies perspective, and the media and communication studies perspective. Through interviews with ten women, with experiences from the Swedish IT industry, this study aims to reach an understanding of the main barriers that women experience in the industry. We find three main barriers: (i) Masculine organizational culture where we detect that women are adjusting to the masculine cultures, (ii) Social expectations of feminine and masculine stereotypes where we discover that women are expected to take on more social responsibility at the workplace and (iii) Questioning of competence where we find that women’s competences are being questioned both by other parties and by themselves. Unlike studies of the same phenomenon in other countries, conflicts between personal life and work life is not identified as a distinctive barrier.