Research in Canada and Turkey suggests that LGBTQ asylum seekers are particularly vulnerable among an already marginalized group, the refugee community, where different forms of structural violence manifest itself in particular ways towards gay refugees.Given that few studies exist in the Swedish context, the aim is to gain a preliminaryunderstanding of LGBTQ refugee’s experiences of structural violence in Sweden, legally,socially and economically.The material is based on interviews of four male gay refugees from different countries all living in Malmö.Using a thematic analysis by categorizing the material into patterns of meaning, two mainthemes have been identified: structural violence in the asylum system and structural violence in social life. The intersectionality theory will be applied in order to understand how oppression expresses itself in particular ways towards these individuals, because of their intersecting identity as gay and as refugee.The results indicate that LGBTQ refugees experience structural violence through economic marginalization and the re-telling of traumatic experiences in the asylum process. However, structural violence expressed via social marginalization they cannot be sufficiently understood through the intersectionality theory, urging future studies to further explore and expand the topic and scope of the thesis.

Med bakgrund i att begreppet matematiksvårigheter tycks tolkas olika och att det inte helt och hållet är klarlagt hur en lämplig undervisning ska bedrivas för elever med matematiksvårigheter så syftar detta självständiga arbete till att studera det närmare. Syftet med uppsatsen är att fånga speciallärarnas tankar och kunskap om fenomenet matematiksvårigheter och undersöka vilka undervisningsstrategier som kan användas för att stödja elever i matematiksvårigheter inom matematikämnet. Baserat på syftet av studien ska följande frågeställningar besvaras hur speciallärare uppfattar fenomenet matematiksvårigheter? Hur beskriver speciallärare relevant matematikundervisning för elever med matematiksvårigheter? För att uppnå syftet och besvara frågeställningarna har intervju samt fenomenografisk- och tematisk analys tillämpats. Intervjuerna genomfördes genom videokommunikation. Intervjuer genomfördes av sex olika speciallärare alla med speciallärarexamen, verksamma i olika kommuner runt om i Sverige. Svaren på frågorna 1–4 analyserades genom fenomenografisk analys och resterande intervjufrågor analyserades genom tematisk analys. Genom fenomenografisk analys framkom speciallärarnas uppfattningar om orsaker till matematiksvårigheter både gällande generella- och specifika matematiksvårigheter. Det som framkom är bland annat att utformningen av matematikundervisningen arbetssätt och lärmiljö kan bidra till att eleverna utvecklar matematiksvårigheter. Slutsats ur studien är att speciallärarnas erfarenheter och uppfattningar om orsaker till matematiksvårigheter tycks vara för stort elevantal, tidsbrist och bristen på studiero. En annan orsak till specifika matematiksvårigheter är att fel diagnostisering. Vidare framträdde speciallärarnas beskrivningar och upplevelser av relevant undervisningsstrategier genom tematisk analys. Sådan matematikundervisning är enligt speciallärarna att eleverna guidas från det konkreta till mer abstrakta delar i undervisningen och stegvis lösa matematiska uppgifter i explicit undervisning. Det är rimligt att anta att både explicit undervisning och undervisning som guidar eleverna från konkret och abstrakt stöttar elevernas kognitiva utveckling vilket är det mest relevanta och framgångsrika undervisningsstrategier för elever i matematiksvårigheter. / Given that the concept of mathematical difficulties seems to be interpreted differently and that it is not entirely clear how a suitable teaching should be conducted for students with mathematical difficulties, this independent work aims to study it in more detail. The purpose of the essay is to capture the special needs teachers' thoughts and knowledge about the phenomenon of mathematics difficulties and to investigate which teaching strategies are used to support students in mathematics difficulties in the subject of mathematics. Based on the purpose of the study, the following questions should be answered how special needs teachers perceive the phenomenon of mathematics difficulties? How do special needs teachers describe relevant mathematics teaching for students? To achieve the purpose and answer questions, phenomenographic interviews, transcription, phenomenographic and thematic analysis have been applied. Phenomenographic interviews conducted in video communication. The interviews were completed by six different special teachers, all of whom received special teacher degrees in different municipalities around Sweden. The results of the data collection were divided into the interview questions. Questions 1–4 were analyzed by phenomenographic analysis and the remaining interview questions were analyzed by thematic analysis.Through phenomenographic analysis, the special teachers' perceptions of causes of mathematical difficulties emerged, both regarding general and specific mathematical difficulties. It emerged, among other things, that the design of mathematics teaching working methods and learning environment can contribute to students developing mathematical difficulties. Another reason for specific mathematical difficulties is that incorrect diagnosis can lead to students having difficulties. Furthermore, descriptions and experiences of the special teachers went through thematic analysis. The relevant mathematics teaching according to the special teachers is that the students are guided from the concrete to the abstract parts of the teaching and explicit teaching. Some conclusions from the study are that it is possible to assume that the special teachers' experiences and perceptions that the reason why mathematical difficulties can arise is due to the design of the teaching regarding student number, lack of time and study leave. Also, that these problematic factors must change in the school world to reduce the number of students who end up in mathematics difficulties. It is also likely to assume that students with specific math difficulties do not need to be diagnosed to counteract misdiagnosis as a causal explanation for students ending up in math difficulties. The students in mathematics difficulties can, regardless of diagnosis, receive the support needed to stimulate and lead students in the subject of mathematics according to the Education Act. It is further reasonable to assume that both explicit teaching and teaching that guides student from concrete and abstract support students' cognitive development, which is the most relevant and successful teaching strategies for students in mathematics difficulties.

The imposition of European borders in North America has given rise to a need to inquire into the impact of the overlay of colonial borders upon earlier ideas of geographical boundaries, and upon indigenous border nations and their connections to places and ways of being. Here, we look to delineate a tentative approach to further such inquiries into indigenous border nations who have found themselves on or near an international border by examining the relationship with ancestral lands. A thematic analysis will be conducted in the framework of a case study research design. Two cases are discussed, which suggest the relationship with ancestral lands is often discussed in transboundary terms. The discussion further illustrates cross-border mobility enacts indigenous understandings of borders, governance, land, and selfhood, and has led to negotiations over the rights which flow from these. For the future, this suggests attention to transboundary indigenous nations is necessary.

We are currently in the golden age of sustainable investing much thanks to the increasedimportance of companies acting responsibly and sustainably. ESG reporting practices aredrastically improving globally. However, emerging market equities remain remarkablyunderrepresented compared to developed market equities in institutional investors’sustainability portfolios. One of the most popular sustainable investing practices is ESG investing. Over the years, institutional investors have developed several ESG investingstrategies. A relatively new and upcoming strategy which is expected to growtremendously over the coming years is thematic ESG investing which differentiates itselfcompared to more traditional strategies. To the author’s knowledge, very few studies havebeen conducted comparing the performance of ESG investment strategies against eachother, especially comparing thematic ESG versus more traditional ESG investingstrategies in emerging markets. This study found that emerging market based thematic ESG portfolios built around thetheme of clean energy perform better financially compared to more traditional emergingmarket-based non-thematic ESG portfolios. Hence, answering our stated researchquestion “How do Clean Energy focused thematic ESG investment portfolios performcompared to non-thematic ESG portfolios in emerging markets?”. Thematic clean energyportfolios rebalanced annually and quarterly performed better in almost every aspect(return, risk and risk/return) compared to broader non-thematic ESG portfolios during ourselected 5-year period, indicating that thematic investing may be the better strategy toadopt if investing sustainably in emerging markets. This study also found evidenceindicating that emerging market-based thematic clean energy portfolios may performbetter than their developed market counterpart. These findings should persuade investorsto finally break the norm and allocate more capital towards emerging market equities,unlocking the potential for previously hidden diversification opportunities. By analyzingthe performance differences through the lens of existing financial theories, this studymanages to also break new ground within the field of sustainable investing literatureadding new valuable insights while also challenging already existing financial theoriessuch as the efficient market hypothesis. This is a quantitative comparative study utilizing a deductive approach, where the authorshave created and compared the performance of sustainable equity portfolios in emergingmarkets. The Carhart four-factor model was applied through OLS regression to explainthe excess returns of the portfolios, Monte Carlo simulations were conducted to predictfuture movements of the portfolios while multiple performance metrics such as Sharpe,Sortino, and Treynor were calculated and compared.

Due to their influential roles in the lives of their players, understanding coaches' attitudes and perceptions toward LGBQ+ student-athletes is essential for assessing how safe collegiate sport environments are for LGBQ+ athletes. However, the research in this area has been limited. The present study aims to address this gap by investigating coaches' perceptions of LGBQ+ athletes to inform policy and education for promoting inclusive sport environments for these athletes. Participants were 1,533 collegiate coaches (Mage = 39.65 years; women = 41.3%; White = 83.7%; non-Hispanic = 86.4%; heterosexual = 74.9%) drawn from all three NCAA Divisions. In an open-ended, text response question, coaches were asked to identify the extent to which they would support and accept athletes on their teams being open about their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, and to describe the reasoning for their beliefs. Through reflexive thematic analysis, six higher order themes capturing coaches' rationales were identified: (a) levels of acceptance, (b) i coach, therefore i am…, (c) supportive environments are essential, (d) as a queer coach…, (e) limiting queerness, and (f) sexual orientation does not provide a competitive advantage. Analyses illuminate avenues for LGBQ+ athlete inclusion policies and training for coaches.

Yes / Over the last few decades the number of women becoming pregnant later on in life has markedly increased. Medical experts have raised concerns about the increase in the number of women having babies later, owing to evidence that suggests that advancing maternal age is associated with both a decline in fertility and an increase in health risks to both mother and baby. In recognition of these risks, experts have warned that women should aim to have their children between the ages of twenty and thirty-five. As a consequence, women giving birth past the age of thirty-five have typically been positioned as “older mothers.” In this paper we used a social constructionist thematic analysis in order to analyse how “older mothers” are represented in newspaper articles in the British press. We examined how the topics of “choice” and “risk” are handled in discussions of delayed motherhood, and found that the media position women as wholly responsible for choosing the timing of pregnancy and, as a consequence, as accountable for the associated risks. Moreover, we noted that newspapers also constructed a “right” time for women to become pregnant. As such, we discuss the implications for the ability of women to make real choices surrounding the timing of pregnancy.

Yes / Our aim is to provide an understanding of the experience of women with IBD who have made the transition to motherhood. Twenty-two mothers with IBD were recruited from around the UK. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis. The central concept – Blurred Lines – offers a novel frame for understanding the transition to motherhood with IBD through identifying parallels between having IBD and becoming, and being, a mother. Parallels clustered into three main themes: Need for Readiness, Lifestyle Changes, and Monitoring Personal and Physical Development. Hence, women with IBD are in some ways well prepared for the challenges of motherhood even though, as a group, they tend to restrict their reproductive choices. We recommend health professionals initiate conversations about reproduction early and provide a multidisciplinary approach to pregnancy and IBD in which women have confidence that their on-going treatment will be integrated successfully with their maternity care. / Crohn’s & Colitis UK [grant number SP2013/2].

Syftet med denna kvalitativa studie har varit att undersöka hur olika socialarbetare uppleverbehandlingsarbetet med våldsutövare samt vad socialarbetare tolkar som lyckat resultat vidbehandling av våldsutövare som använder våld i nära relation. För att besvara syftet harkvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer med socialarbetare som arbetar med våldsutövaregenomförts. Intervjuerna analyserades genom en tematisk analys där tre teman genererades.Dessa teman är: Motivation, skam och arbetsmetoder. Studiens teoretiska perspektiv byggerpå socialkonstruktivism, Webers modell om byråkrati och Webers teori om sociala handlingar. Skam har identifierats som en av de stora svårigheterna i arbetet med våldsutövare då dethindrar våldsutövare att söka stöd, samt att våldsutövare till följd av skam har svårt atterkänna sig själv som våldsutövare. Skillnader har även identifierats i hur olika svenskakommuner arbetar med våldsutövare i bland annat antalet socialarbetare som arbetar medvåldsutövare i varje given kommun och vilka behandlingsmetoder som kommunernaanvänder sig av. Genom resultatet identifieras två punkter som hade gjort det enklare attutföra behandling av våldsutövare, den ena är mer riktlinjer i hur arbetet ska utföras samt närbehandling är färdig. Den andra punkten som identifierats är att det behövs mer resurser tilldenna typ av arbete då det i många kommuner är ett lågt antal personer som arbetar medbehandling samt att det inte sker samma satsningar på utbildningar som det görs med andraavdelningar inom socialtjänst.

This thesis seeks to explore if and how college students' dating practices have changed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Through eight focus group interviews (n=51), participants discussed their dating practices, use of online dating platforms, and navigation of health and safety protocols. A thematic analysis was used to identify and define major themes from the focus groups. Findings revealed four themes in how college students define dating, which were relational investment, exclusivity labels, dating progression, and the role of hookup culture. When addressing how the pandemic has changed the way college students date, six themes were identified: importance of communication, technology as a tool, impact of family, violating safety norms, negative affect expression, and gaining perspective. This thesis extends academic research on how dating is defined and how uncertainty in the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted dating practices of college students at a large U.S. university in the mid-Atlantic region. / MACOM / This thesis explores the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on college students dating practices. It uses focus group interviews of undergraduate college students at a large university in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Participants discussed their definition of 'dating,' use of technology and dating apps, and navigation of health and safety practices during a dating climate characterized by high uncertainty. Findings revealed four themes in how college students define dating, which were relational investment, exclusivity labels, dating progression, and the role of hookup culture. When addressing how the pandemic has changed the way college students date, six themes were identified: importance of communication, technology as a tool, impact of family, violating safety norms, negative affect expression, and gaining perspective. These findings have implications in how we understand dating, especially during a global health crisis.

With the unprecedented growth of the Computer Science field, there is an underlying assumption that undergraduate students would naturally gravitate towards Computer Science courses or acquire related skills, irrespective of their career interests. However, this research challenged that assumption, focusing on the experiences and attitudes of Non-Computer Science majors enrolled in Computer Science courses. The objective of this study is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the experiences and attitudes of Non-Computer Science majors taking Computer Science courses. The research questions seek to uncover the factors influencing their engagement in Computer Science. This research employs a mixed-method study, starting with a quantitative phase followed by a qualitative one. Quantitative data is analyzed using factor analysis and inferential statistics, followed by thematic analysis on the qualitative data. The findings reveal that stereotypes associated with the Computer Science field are established as early as high school. These stereotypes, particularly affecting females, sometimes act as barriers, discouraging further pursuit of Computer Science. Addressing these stereotypes becomes crucial for fostering inclusivity in the field. To counteract these stereotypes, it is proposed that Computer Science and its applications should be promoted as early as freshmen year of high school. By introducing students to the field early, we can potentially mitigate the impact of stereotypes and encourage a diverse range of individuals to pursue Computer Science. Further exploration into the experiences of Computer Science majors is recommended to deepen our understanding and inform targeted interventions. / Master of Science / As Computer Science gains popularity, the assumption that all students, regardless of their career goals, naturally gravitate towards it is challenged. This study delves into the experiences and attitudes of Non-Computer Science majors taking Computer Science courses. This research aims to understand what influences Non-Computer Science majors' engagement in Computer Science, and the factors that shape their experiences and attitudes. Using a mixed-method approach, we first collect quantitative data through a survey, measuring various aspects. We then gather qualitative insights through interviews. Analyzing the quantitative data involves factor analysis and inferential statistics, while qualitative data is explored through thematic analysis. Our findings indicate that stereotypes about Computer Science are established as early as high school, often discouraging females from pursuing further education in the field. Addressing these stereotypes is crucial for fostering inclusivity. To counteract stereotypes, we propose promoting Computer Science from the freshman year of high school. By introducing students early, we can mitigate the impact of stereotypes and encourage a diverse range of individuals to explore Computer Science. Further exploration into the experiences of Computer Science majors is recommended to inform inclusive interventions.