The diploma thesis focuses on comparative analysis of the EU countries, specifically of the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany. The paper is divided into four parts. The initial chapter is aimed at specification of the term competitiveness and the methods of measuring the competitiveness. The second and the third part focus on evaluation of chosen countries by using hard indicators and their placement in multicriterial rankings. The last chapter focuses on comparison between the competitiveness of United Kingdom and Germany

The master thesis describes social security of families with children in chosen European countries - in United Kingdom, Italy and Greece. The thesis is divided into six chapters. The first one deals with the development of social politics and the next one concerns international organizations which act also in the social security field. International documents of international organizations which till now form social rights and social state politics are defined. The next chapters describe social security of families with children of individual states together with their basic description and way of funding. Following, the benefits mostly designated for families with children are explained. In conclusion, all the information presented is summarised and compared.

Family reunification for unaccompanied refugee minors is one of the most debatable issues when it comes to deciding whether it should be viewed as a right or it can be justifiable for states to completely prevent it and rather provide it only as a privilege. The discussion in the legal sphere proved that the issue is still problematic in both international and European laws. In this thesis, I have analyzed this issue through assessing the three claims that were provided by the United Kingdom for its negative position on the case. Through the lens of the child’s best interests’ principle, the non-discrimination principle, and the global distributive justice theory, I argued for considering family reunification as a right rather than a privilege. Children should always be treated as children. It cannot be justifiable for states to completely prevent them from being reunited with their families for being refugees.

The aim of this thesis is to provide a deeper understanding of the construction of identity in relation to European integration and to discover how identities are constructed in relation to each other. The paper will therefore answer the question: ‘How can we understand the identity constructions in Wales during the political changes of Brexit, and what do these constructions reveal about the effects of European integration’. The EU advocates being ‘united in diversity’. This statement provides direction for this research, as it allows for a discussion of how various identities relate to each other. The paper will look into the political discourse of the Welsh government by applying Critical Discourse Analysis. By examining the speeches of Assembly Members, an analysis can be given of the construction of identity in the political debate in Wales. Consequently, it will look at the effects of European integration on identity construction. The analysed discourse illustrates the importance of national identity in the debate and the rather weak constructions of European identity. It also depicts that even though European integration is an important topic in the political discourse, its influence on identity construction is not strongly established. There are multiple actors that exert influence in Wales. Though, the most important is the interaction between Wales and England. The dividing factor in regards of identity construction is thus not in relation to the EU, but in relation to governance in the UK. The framework of multi-level governance in the UK is therefore an important factor in the construction of identity. The analysis indicates that even though European integration is fundamental for the development of regions such as Wales, national heritage and culture are still the most predominant in the construction of identity.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have important consequences for individuals and society. Extensive literature has shown that various individual factors impact STIs. However, much less is known about their structural causes and how they affect sexual behavior and sexual network formation. In the first two chapters of this dissertation, I investigate how sex ratios and ethnic divisions affect sexual activity and the spread of STIs. In the third chapter, I analyze the effect of ethnic-based romantic homophily on STIs. I provide a brief description of each chapter below. Chapter 1. We extend a theory of fidelity in a two-sided economy, and empirically discriminate between different rationales of sexual network formation by testing their implications for how sex ratios affect sexual activity, relationship stability, and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases in men versus women. We use a unique individual-level dataset in combination with census data from England and Wales, a setting where adult women outnumber adult men. Exploiting variation in cohort/ethnicity/region-specific sex ratios as a quasi-natural experiment, we find that a decrease in sex ratio imbalance decreases sexual infidelity and the number of serial partners, and increases the likelihood of safe sex. This in turn reduces the likelihood of acquiring a range of sexually transmitted infections and diseases, including chlamydia, gonorrhoea, genital warts, and herpes. Consistent with the rationale underlying the formation of egalitarian (in)fidelity networks, the effects of the sex ratio on sexual activity are larger for men compared to women, while its effects on sexual diseases are larger for women compared to men. The causality of these effects is established using classical and recent instrumental variables approaches and various robustness checks. For falsification, we show that sex ratios have no impact on several "atheoretical" health conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, chronic lung disease, heart attack, stroke, and diabetes, which do not arise from sexual interactions. Chapter 2. In societies organized around distinct racial and ethnic groups, limited communication between these groups might increase the search cost of sexual partners outside of own group, leading to racially segregated sexual networks and low risks of sexually transmitted diseases. At the same time, because sexual infidelity is more likely to be discovered when the cheated-upon individuals are co-ethnics, individuals in multiracial societies might find it cheaper to select sexual partners from diverse ethnic groups to hide their infidelity, which would lead to large interethnic sexual networks and high risks of STIs. We test these conflicting hypotheses by analyzing the causal effect of neighborhood-level racial diversity on sexual activity and STIs, using unique individual-level data from England, Wales, and Scotland. We find that individuals residing in multiracial neighborhoods have a greater number of sexual partners and are more likely to be infected with a wide range of STIs than their counterparts residing in more racially homogeneous neighborhoods. We use traditional and new instrumental variables approaches and various robustness checks to establish causation. Analyzing mechanisms, we find that within racially diverse neighborhoods, individuals who select sexual partners from diverse racial groups are more likely to be infected with STIs, holding the number of partners and other individual characteristics fixed. For falsification, we conduct a reverse-placebo test showing that racial diversity has no effect on a wide range of health conditions that do not arise from sexual interactions. From a policy perspective, our analysis implies that policies that promote racial and ethnic integration are likely to reduce unhealthy sexual activity and the spread of STIs in racially heterogeneous societies. Chapter 3. A classical hypothesis in social network theory holds that central individuals are more likely to receive and spread information than are their peripheral counterparts. We test this hypothesis in the context of sexual networks and sexually transmitted diseases, using data from the United Kingdom. Romantic homophily - the tendency to select sexual partners with similar ethnic background - is used as a measure of the extent to which an individual is peripheral in a sexual network. We find that more sexually homophilous individuals have a lower risk of sexual infections. This effect is causal, and larger for women, Whites, and heterosexuals.

Denna uppsats är en fallstudie av den Brittiska medierapporteringen runt och av rättsfallet Bell v. Tavistock mellan Oktober 2019 och Januari 2021. Uppsatsen består av en kritisk diskursanalys av de insamlade artiklarna som berörde ämnet under denna tidsperiod. Den utgår ifrån Foucaults diskursteorier samt Miranda Frickers ideer om epistemisk orättvisa för att undersöka hur de olika aktörerna, med fokus på transpersoner har porträtterats i denna rapportering. Uppsatsen har också tittat på den ideologiska vinkling som den brittiska rapporteringen har haft och hur de har valt att porträttera rättsfallet. / This paper is a case study of the British news media reporting surrounding the high court case Bell v. Tavistock with articles ranging from October 2019 to January 2021. The paper consists of a critical discourse analysis of the collected articles that discussed the case during this period. It’s based on Foucaults theories about discourse and Miranda Frickers concept of epistemic injustice to study how the different actors in the case, with a focus on transgendered individuals, have been portrayed in the media discourse. The paper has also looked at the ideological angles the british news media have had in their reporting and how they’ve chosen to portray the case.

An emphasis in political debates and much print media in the United Kingdom (UK) on perceived issues with ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity has contributed to a narrative of worry and fear. Despite such hostile discourse, people find ways of living together with diversity every day.  The encounters which I am concerned with in the following degree project are taking place through community theatre with Mafwa Theatre in Leeds where women from asylum seeker, refugee, and wider communities are socialising and cooperating over fun and simple drama activities. The purpose of this thesis is to better understand the different participants’ lived experiences of the theatre space, how they view their role in the group, and how they perceive diversity in the group. The research questions are explored with qualitative research methods of individual interviews with Mafwa members, the facilitators, and a volunteer, participant observation during the weekly drama sessions, and document analysis of printed, online, and audio materials. With this degree project, I aim to contribute to the discussion about everyday multiculturalism and living with diversity in the UK. The theoretical framework consists of the concept of hospitality which helps me explore how hospitable spaces are shaped and negotiated by different contributors, and conviviality which embraces the complexity of social relations without romanticising them and can help us reach a better understanding of how to live together without a fear for each other’s differences.  The findings show that the different participants view the drama group as a hospitable community of acceptance and respect within a hostile environment for asylum seekers and refugees at the national level. The space offers a well-needed opportunity for the women to have fun, develop their creative skills, and escape day-to-day concerns. Moreover, the study shows that besides being proud co-producers of artistic practice, all participants are also active co-creators of shaping the hospitable space and a ‘convivial culture’. Finally, despite misunderstandings and disagreements in the group, the participants express having bonded over similarities and learned from differences rather than describing diversity as something to fear.

Within the South African banking environment, mainstream bank clients earn interest on their investments and receive a tax exemption. However, Islamic banking clients, in keeping with the principles of Shari‘a law, do not receive interest. They are paid a profit share on their investments, and hence do not enjoy the tax exemption. The new section 24JA of the Income Tax Act has introduced tax treatment for the following Islamic financing transactions effectively removing 'interest' from the equation: <ul> <li> Mudarabah – Investment account</li> <li> Murabahah – Cost plus financing</li> <li> Diminishing Musharakah – Joint ownership</li> </ul> This study attempts to compare the tax treatment of Islamic financing products between the United Kingdom and South Africa. Moreover, this study also investigates the issues of the new section 24JA of the Income Tax Act as well as the United Kingdom‘s tax legislation, regarding Islamic financing, as to how far they ensure tax parity between Islamic financing products and conventional financing products. The case of tax regimes in Islamic finance operating in a conventional system was demonstrated in the two countries. The study is supported by a literature review related to Islamic finance tax background and Islamic finance products between the two countries. The major revelation of the study shows that the degree of parity of the Islamic income tax legislation leaves a lot to be desired in order to ensure a sense of confidence in the conventional financing environment. Its biggest challenge lies in its degree of simplicity and flexibility in order to address issues in tax that may be complex and fall between its requirements and the conventional and already popular systems. AFRIKAANS : Binne die Suid-Afrikaanse bankwese, verdien kliënte van die hoofstroom banke rente op hulle beleggings. Hierdie rente-inkomste is belasting vry. In teenstelling hiermee verdien kliënte van Islamitiese banke ʼn winsdeling in plek van rente, op hulle beleggings. Hierdie winsdeling beginsel word verplig deur die Shari‘a wetgewing. Bogenoemde winsdeling is nie belasting vry nie en word dus ten volle belas. Artikel 24JA van die Inkomstebelasting wetgewing behandel die hantering van Islamitiese Finansiering transaksies in fyner besonderhede: <ul> <li> Mudarabah – Beleggings rekening</li> <li> Murabaha – Koste plus finansieringskoste</li> <li> Diminishing Musharaka – Gesamentlike eienaarskap</li> </ul> Hierdie artikel verwyder effektiewelik die 'rente' komponent. Hierdie studie be‘oog om die belasting hantering van Islamitiese Finansierings produkte in Suid-Afrika en die Verenigde Koninkryk te vergelyk. In hierdie studie word die moontlike probleme ten opsigte van die nuwe artikel 24JA oorweeg. Spesifieke aandag word ook geskenk aan die belasting hantering tussen Islamitiese Finansierings produkte en die konvensionele finansierings produkte. Die studie word ondersteun deur literatuur wat handel oor Islamitiese belasting agtergrond en finansierings produkte tussen twee verskillende lande Die belangrikste uitkoms van hierdie studie, het bewys dat die Islamitiese Inkomstebelasting spesifiek met betrekking tot finansierings opsies steeds baie ontwikkel moet word. Bo en behalwe die uitkoms geïdentifiseer, is die grootste uitdaging daarin dat die Islamitiese belasting wet moontlik nie komplekse situasies sal kan aanspreek nie. Dit word toegeskryf aan die feit dat die wetgewing baie simplisties is. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Taxation / unrestricted

The MA thesis called "Transformation of the labour markets in the United Kingdom, Germany and France in 2007-2010" tests the theory underlying models of capitalism in the context of the EU's Europeanization policies. The theoretical concept is analysed through labour market reforms in the UK, Germany and France between 2007 and 2010. For the purposes of this work, the United Kingdom represents a liberal market economy, Germany a coordinated market economy and France is considered a state-influenced market economy. The time span of the present study is linked to the concept of flexicurity, i.e. the EU's policy aiming to modernize and harmonize the Member States' labour markets, implemented in 2007-2010 within the Lisbon Strategy. The primary objective of the present work is to verify whether the labour market reforms introduced by the British, German and French governments corresponded to their national models of capitalism in the period from 2007 to 2010. The present thesis also explores the degree to which the national governments and socials partners of the UK, Germany and France identified with the concept of flexicurity in 2007-2010. Using the method of a comparative synchronous case study, the research shows that not all labour market reforms were in full compliance with the national models....

This Diploma Thesis, called Three years after the Brexit referendum: Analysis of the "Leave EU" and the "People's Vote" Twitter accounts examines communication of two Twitter accounts of the interest groups Leave.EU and People's Vote. Through quantitative content analysis, the thesis analyses the communication of both accounts, agenda setting and framing of content. The goal of this thesis is to examine the behaviour and profiling of both accounts and to find out to what extent is the content created based on reactions of the followers and how is this content framed.