Denna uppsats presenterar fyra obeslöjade svensk-muslimska kvinnors uppfattning och erfarenheter rörande slöjan, valet att inte bära slöja och samhällets syn på slöjan. Grundad på dessa kvinnors berättelser syftar uppsatsen till att undersöka vad det är som ligger bakom valet att inte bära slöja. Kvalitativ semistrukturerad intervju har används som metod för insamlingen av det empiriska materialet, och empiristyrd tematisk metod för analysen av det. De teoretiska begrepp som empirin vidare diskuterats utifrån är identitet, klassificering, symboler, normer och social kontroll. Informanterna i denna studie förklarar att de aldrig har känt sig tvingade till att bära slöja. De tycker inte att de behöver bära slöja för att kunna identifiera sig som muslimska kvinnor. Islam ligger inte i slöjan, utan i ens relationen till Gud. Vidare visar resultatet att de informanter som kommer från länder kategoriserade som muslimska länder har påverkats mer av det svenska sekulära samhället och dess normer än de som inte kommer från länder kategoriserade som muslimska länder. Hos alla informanter finns det ändå en rädsla för samhällets bemötande och potentiella hinder som får dem att stå fast vid beslutet att inte bära slöja. / This essay presents four not-/unveiled Swedish Muslim women's perceptions and experiences regarding the headscarf, the choice not to wear a headscarf, and the dominant understanding of the headscarf in Swedish society. Drawing on narratives of these women, this study aims to examine what it is that lies behind the choice not to wear the veil. Qualitative semi-structured interview was used as method for the collection of empirical data, and empirically guided thematic approach to the analysis of it. Moreover, set out from theoretical concepts of identity, classification, symbols, norms and social control, the obtained data is discussed. The participants in this study explains that they have never felt forced to wear the veil. They are of the opinion that one does not have to wear a headscarf in order to identify oneself as Muslim women. Islam, or ones level of religiosity, is not connected with a headscarf, rather, ones relationship as a Muslim is between that person and God. Moreover, the result indicates that the informants born in countries categorized as Muslim countries have been more affected by the Swedish secular society and its norms than those born in countries not categorized as Muslim countries. Nevertheless, they all fear potential rejection, negative sanctions and aggressions of society, causing them to stand by the decision not to wear a veil.

H.P. Blavatsky’s (1831-1891) Theosophy has been defined as central to the history of modern Western spirituality and esotericism, yet to this date no major study has mapped and analysed the major themes of Blavatsky’s writings, how Blavatsky used the concept ‘Theosophy’ or to what extent she was engaged with the intellectual contexts of her time. Thus the purpose of this thesis is to fill this gap. The proposed theoretical framework is based on the centrality of language in the production of intellectual products, such as texts—but contrary to the dominant focus on strategies, rhetoric and power this thesis will focus on the construction of meaning coupled with a set of methodological tools based on contextual analysis, intellectual history and intertextuality. In addition to an overview of Blavatsky research this thesis will map and analyse Blavatsky’s use of the concept ‘Theosophy’ as well as Blavatsky’s primary discourses, identified as: (1) discourse for ancient knowledge, (2) discourse against Christian dogmatism, (3) discourse against the modern natural sciences and materialism, (4) discourse against modern spiritualism, (5) discourse for system and (7) discourse for universal brotherhood. In mapping and analysing Blavatsky’s discourses, it was found that her construction of meaning was significantly interconnected with broader intellectual contexts, such as ‘modern historical consciousness’, ‘critical enlightenment ideas’, studies in religion, studies in mythology, the modern sciences, spiritualism, systemic philosophy, reform movements and practical ethics. It, for example, becomes clear that Blavatsky’s search for an ancient ‘Wisdom Religion’ was actually a part of a common intellectual occupation during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and that her critique of the Christian dogmas was equally a common intellectual trend. To read Blavatsky’s discourses as the idiosyncratic strategies of an esotericist, isolated from their larger contexts or only engaged with them in order to legitimise minority views would therefore largely fail to account for the result of this thesis: that in historical actuality, they were a part of the larger cultural web of meaning.