This research was conducted to study the social integration of Syrian refugees in Sweden and their feeling of inclusion in the Swedish society, or exclusion from it. The research also targeted illuminating and analyzing potential reasons for the social exclusion of some Syrian refugees according to first-hand experiences, perspectives, and opinions collected by semi-structured interviews with 10 informants who left Syria due to civil war and sought asylum in Sweden. This paper serves as a platform on which voices and views of Syrian refugees were echoed, and conclusions on their settlement and inclusion in their new country were based on their own feelings, struggles, and matters of their social lives. To achieve that, social, cultural, and human aspects were prioritized over mainstream economic and legal aspects as all informants were documented and integrated into the Swedish labor market or education system. 

Nonetheless, the study results have shown a worrying lack of social inclusion that Syrian refugees have experienced so far in their new country, reducing them into underprivileged, ethnic social circles where they had limited access to social networks from different backgrounds, resources, and opportunity. The nature of the Swedish society, as well as the negative image of Syrian refugees, Ethnic-segregated residencies, cultural incompatibility, and racism, were found to be the main reasons behind this phenomenon 

This thesis project explores combining interactive technology and the natural world, through a more-than-human design approach. This project aims to step away from an industry-driven design by valuing plants as equal in the design process. Throughout this report, an overview of the relevant theory and examples are elaborated on. This overview has informed the project in two ways. It formed the foundation of a concept aiming to improve the user’s interconnectedness with nature and it formed the foundation of an evaluation tool developed for aiding designers in design for plants by addressing three design fields: Design for Care, Design for Cohabitation, and Design for Noticing. The concept and the evaluation tool have been developed in parallel and informed each other throughout the project. The final concept contributes to the discussion about addressing more-than-human actors in design. In this case by addressing plant blindness. The evaluation tool contributes to more-than-human design as a tool to evaluate ideas and projects. This project included an extensive analysis of a design collection, workshops regarding the materiality of living plants and assessment of the evaluation tool, an interdisciplinary design approach, and a prototyping phase during which assumptions regarding the concept were tested.

This thesis aims to explore the video game medium in depth, to relate it to the stories foundon Internet communities about users’ gameplay experiences during burdensome moments inlife. To achieve that, the phenomena is explored through the lenses of Uses & Gratificationstheory by means of a netnography on the ‘/Persona 5’ official subReddit; interpreting, codingand analyzing all narratives that fit the criteria with the help of a proposed ‘USE’ system. Themodel is in charge of classifying the information into explicit displays of ‘Dissatisfaction’,‘Motivation’, ‘Immersion’ and ‘Emersion’. The resulting codification enabled the creation ofeight different types of reports among a sample of one-hundred threads, all in correlation withthe varied aspects of the game that act as categories. The data derived from the conclusions ofthis study shows that players are not motivated to use the video game for any other purposesthan mere entertainment. Yet, the immersive potential of the virtual world addressed theirdissatisfactions and made them emerge back to reality with, mostly, not-sought gratifications. Still, not all players were able to control their video game uses to regulate their emotions,further implying the importance to continue researching cases of media immersion toestablish guidelines of ethical design and appropriate production and consumption practices. 

Women’s social and economic freedom is violated on both in the private and public life, and this needs to be resolved in order to achieve a society which realizes human dignity. This thesis aims to position the sex work on OnlyFans within the realization of women’s social and economic freedom. Using argumentation analysis through the theoretical frameworks of liberal feminism and radical feminism, this thesis investigate whether the sex work on OnlyFans is compatible with the social and economic freedom of women. The analysis was further divided into the factors of safety, economy, and agency. Based on both academic studies with interviewed sex worker as well as statistic sources on the question, this thesis engages with the question of online sex work with the added elements of the gig-economy and celebrity-influence to fully grasp the scope of the issue and its consequences for women. The findings show that both liberal feminism and radical feminism recognize that OnlyFans have major safety deficiencies which poses a threat on women’s social freedom. Furthermore liberal feminism recognize that the possibilities of economic gain for sex worker women exist, but radical feminism finds that these possibilities are slim and require skills in marketing and technology, and lastly the findings showed that in line with liberal feminism, the free will of sex workers is to be fully realized and respected, but at the same time radical feminism shows that there are elements of coercion and financial pressure present when agreeing to provide certain sexual content and services which does not comply with the realization of women social and economic freedom. 

As museums face conflicting demands on maintaining and caringfor their collections, opening for visitor engagement, and beingmore inclusive in their practice, new approaches are needed tomuseum work. This article introduces a democratic and inclusiveapproach focusing on the relational properties of the artefact–the Method of the Thing (Tigenes Metode). We use interviewswith different museum professionals in Sweden. The methodallows knowledge to emerge from the convergence of differentactors within and outside the museum who negotiate theirexpertise, (professional) roles and technical infrastructure of themuseum by foregrounding the object rather than the curators’story. We use the encoding/decoding model to discuss thestrengths and weaknesses of the method where centring theobject allows for a process of democratisation and polyvocality totake shape, thus allowing divergent narratives to emerge.

With the rise of Hallyu, or the global export of Korean culture also commonly known as ‘The Korean Wave’, South Korea has become a big trendsetter in recent years: whether it be within fashion and K-Beauty skincare or Korean movies and drama series, to Korean popular music, also known under the umbrella term K-pop. What these categories have in common are their strong ties to visual aesthetics and K-pop is known for its very colourful and maximalist design, which is also a key characteristic to why K-pop as a phenomenon has been particularly attractive and has managed to captivate fans all over the world. In the marvelling K-pop universe, the goal is to engage all the senses for a complete and interactive sensory experience, making the visual just as important as the auditory, and this can also be applied to the physical album design. Physical K-pop albums sell better than ever despite the digital streaming services dominating our digital age. A visual analysis was conducted on selected contemporary K-pop albums together with a survey on Swedish K-pop fans, in order to discuss how packaging design of K-pop albums can influence consumer behavior. The study showed that interactive packaging design and extra album inclusions like photocards, photo books, postcards etc. makes the fans more likely to want to collect albums and merchandise, which on its own can be viewed as a collectible item. The packaging design both facilitates and encourages fans to interact with the design not only visually, but also in a tactile way, by engaging in participatory behavior such as filming unboxing videos and posting them on social media, and it can also be associated with identity making, i.e. how they identify themselves as fans in relation to their favorite artists or towards other fans. Lastly, it is interesting to discuss how K-pop design can be heavily influenced by American and Western concepts despite being marketed as a Korean phenomena and innovation; from the visual analysis it could also be concluded that contemporary design trends draw inspiration from Western concepts such as the y2k millennium bug, retro and technology. 

With the rise of Hallyu, or the global export of Korean culture also commonly known as ‘The Korean Wave’, South Korea has become a big trendsetter in recent years: whether it be within fashion and K-Beauty skincare or Korean movies and drama series, to Korean popular music, also known under the umbrella term K-pop. What these categories have in common are their strong ties to visual aesthetics and K-pop is known for its very colourful and maximalist design, which is also a key characteristic to why K-pop as a phenomenon has been particularly attractive and has managed to captivate fans all over the world. In the marvelling K-pop universe, the goal is to engage all the senses for a complete and interactive sensory experience, making the visual just as important as the auditory, and this can also be applied to the physical album design. Physical K-pop albums sell better than ever despite the digital streaming services dominating our digital age. A visual analysis was conducted on selected contemporary K-pop albums together with a survey on Swedish K-pop fans, in order to discuss how packaging design of K-pop albums can influence consumer behavior. The study showed that interactive packaging design and extra album inclusions like photocards, photo books, postcards etc. makes the fans more likely to want to collect albums and merchandise, which on its own can be viewed as a collectible item. The packaging design both facilitates and encourages fans to interact with the design not only visually, but also in a tactile way, by engaging in participatory behavior such as filming unboxing videos and posting them on social media, and it can also be associated with identity making, i.e. how they identify themselves as fans in relation to their favorite artists or towards other fans. Lastly, it is interesting to discuss how K-pop design can be heavily influenced by American and Western concepts despite being marketed as a Korean phenomena and innovation; from the visual analysis it could also be concluded that contemporary design trends draw inspiration from Western concepts such as the y2k millennium bug, retro and technology.

This thesis examines how member nations manage their national identities within the supranational context of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) and the significance of the ESC in creating a shared European identity. Patterns of identification and attitudes relating to culture, ethnicity/nationality, religion/faith, and gender/sex are discovered by studying the winning submissions from 1998 to 2022 through content analysis and discourse analysis. The ESC acts as a soft power instrument by encouraging member nations' sense of solidarity and cultivating respect for and understanding of other cultures. It serves as a platform for cross- cultural dialogue, self-promotion, and nation branding, fostering diplomatic connections and providing opportunities for commercial and cultural exchanges. 

The ESC emphasizes the dichotomy between national and European identity, but it also demonstrates how these identities intersect and support one another. It advances the formation of a European identity while giving states a forum to showcase their national and cultural identities. The ESC influences notions of European identity and defines what it means to be European. 

Denna uppsats undersöker genusrepresentation inom skejtkulturen, genom att i en fallstudie analysera omslag, bildspråk, språkbruk av Thrasher Magazine. Magasinet är en månatlig utgåva som startades år 1981 i San Francisco och har sedan dess varit mycket prestigefyllt och tongivande inom skejtkulturen. Analysen tar avstamp i socialfeminism där genusfrågor och hegemonisk maskulinitet står centralt, liksom teorier om representation och normkritisk design. Inom ramverket av dessa teorier används metoderna semiotisk analys och diskursanalys för att dissekera och studera materialet och föra angränsande resonemang om hur grafisk design kan utmana och bryta normer. Resultat visar att Thrasher Magazine förkroppsligar en hegemonisk maskulinitet och sociala och subkulturella dimensioner av manlig makt som präglar skejtkulturen. Diskussioner om representation förs och kopplingar till skejtkulturen som helhet dras, vilket i förlängningen kan ge användbara insikter om andra subkulturer och samhället i stort. Till sist diskuteras det hur en i sitt yrke som grafisk designer kan påverka genusrepresentation.

 Every human being enjoys human rights. Human rights should be enjoyed regardless of the state of the individual or the demographic features of an individual. A country is bound to host refugees and immigrants due to the existing geopolitical conflicts in various countries. In Sweden, there has been a rise in the number of immigrants and refugees due to conflicts in neighboring countries (United Nations 2021). This thesis addressed the human rights of immigrants and refugees in Sweden between 2015 and 2022. The thesis used secondary data from journal articles to examine how human rights have been impacted for the duration. The research found that the human rights of immigrants and refugees that have been negatively affected relate to employment, housing, and language barriers (Hamza 2021, p. 2). This thesis compared the human rights of these people in Gothenburg and Stockholm municipalities. The thesis concluded that there is a need for non-governmental organizations to lobby for better laws favoring immigrants and refugees and monitor the actions of governmental bodies. The effectiveness of addressing the human rights of refugees and immigrants was associated with better levels of socioeconomic sustainability. 

This paper investigates the cultural, social, and economic factors contributing to inequality and discrimination experienced by midlife women at home and work in an extreme case. The paper focuses solely on midlife women's issues to explore the intersection between age and gender factors. Previous research has found that personal beliefs influence midlife crises and can affect both men and women. Furthermore, previous research has considered the factors of inequality for midlife women at home and work separately. The factors of inequality identified in previous research include discrimination and stereotyping based on age and gender, as well as violations against women. Furthermore, previous research has categorized the factors of inequality within families as individual and structural. This study aims to develop a better understanding of an extreme case of inequality in Malmö, Sweden. The study analyzes and compares the content of four qualitative interviews conducted with foreign and Swedish-born midlife women and one expert from Malmö. The job search expert illustrates how government policies force people, especially women, to work in harmful conditions. Additionally, this study discusses how economic factors, such as the new austerity policies, contribute to social inequality.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate from a constructivist perspective, what protective measures managers take against violence and threats for social workers. The focus will be on two occupations: Social Services and Health and Care services. Also, to compare their protective measures and investigate if there are other protective measures to improve the safety of social workers. The method that has been used is the qualitative method, because the constructivist theory is best achieved by a method that goes in-depth and searches for context. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by using a strategic selection. The selection was homogenous, consisting of three managers from each occupation. The results show a constructed image made by the managers of a low rate of threats on the two occupations. The results also show similar constructed protective measures. For instance, a social worker can speak with the manager, have a personal alarm at home, or speak with a safety coordinator. Other common measures include contacting the occupational health service and handing over the matter to another employee. There is the possibility of bodyguard protection and taking a taxi from and to work in times of discomfort. Some differences are found as well, such as there are always two social workers for home visits in social services while there are only two social workers for first-time visits in Health and Care services. In conclusion, there are differences and similarities regarding the constructed protective measures employed in both occupations. Another conclusion is to develop and introduce new protective measures. There is a lack of research on how social workers experience the protective measures against violence and threats in the working places. Therefore, more research must be done on their experiences.

The study is located in feminist studies through the lens of cultural theory, more specifically in the area of "Girlhood studies", developed in the 1990s. The development of the field correlates with the rise of cultural goods targeted at girls: movies, music, and magazines as well as the development of teenagehood as an identity of its own right. "Girl studies" or "Girlhood studies" focuses then on the relationship between "girls" as a social group to modernity. Pioneer authors such as Catherine Driscoll explore the idea of a "girl culture" and retrace the history of girlhood in an attempt to create a "genealogy of girls". Angela McRobbie, coined "Bedroom culture", which designates the way girls and women have been historically confined to their homes and bedrooms and how they developed their own ways of participating in cultural activities from within the house. Girlhood has been historically associated with modernity. Thus, Catherine Driscoll, states that "feminine adolescence is necessarily shaped by and a component of capitalism as the dominant political organization of late modernity (Driscoll, 2002). Therefore, the existence of girlhood and "girl culture" seem to be biased and somewhat inauthentic. In this way, girls are often dismissed as cultural agents of their own. 

In the frame of girlhood studies, I intend to deepen our common understanding of how girls and young women make use of digital platforms today. In this case, I'll be focusing on the Discord server created earlier this year the GirlBlogSphere by Zoe London, or 'pauvreoison' on Instagram. Through the study, I wish to put girls and young women's online productions to the forefront and to get an overview of the way they create communities, share, produce culture, and craft their identities. The GirlBlogSphere is a perfect case of community and participatory-based initiative that showcases major and interesting aspects of girl culture. I conducted email interviews to accommodate each of the participant's schedules and time zones. Conversations and pictures shared in the server were also used to illustrate theories, hypotheses, and data extracted from the interviews. 

This article explores the views on medical knowledge and its circulation from the perspective of a privileged group – the scientists themselves who are the main actors in producing medical knowledge. The concept of sharing knowledge helps to highlight how knowledge circulation is affected by digitalisation, which changes scientific working conditions and sometimes makes sharing problematic. It reveals the underlying idea of knowledge as an exclusive property and the frictions that occur when this idea is challenged.

The connection between neuroscience, popular media and lay perceptions of thebrain involves the framing of complex scientific processes and results throughfamiliar cultural narratives and metaphors. Such narratives are often built onthe premise that neuroscience, with the help of powerful new technologies,will finally solve the mysteries of brain and mind, consciousness and morality.At the same time, popular culture—especially the science fiction genre—tendsto focus on worst case scenarios of the implementation of technology. Thisarticle explores cultural narratives of what the brain is and how it functions intwo different contexts—among neuroscientists and within popular culture. Inparticular, narratives about technology and the malleable brain as well as thenotion of the mad scientist are studied. The article explores how these narrativesare presented and used in popular culture and how neuroscientists relate to thenarratives when describing their work. There is a contrast, but also a blurring ofboundaries, between actual research carried out and the fictional portrayals ofscientists constructing, or altering, fully functional brains. To some extent, thenarratives serve as a background for the public’s understanding of, and attitudetowards, neuroscience—something that must be taken into consideration whendealing with the therapeutic treatment of patients. The narratives of neurosciencein popular culture are to a certain degree shaped by actual scientific practices andfindings, but neuroscience is also influenced by laypeople’s perceptions, whichoften have their roots in the narratives of popular culture.

The overall expectation placed upon individuals to take responsibility for their own life, has in cultural studies been described in terms of neo-liberalism and defined as an internationally prevailing ideological paradigm (Dean 1999; Smart 2003; Gilbert 2008). In this thematic section of Culture Unbound there are many examples of how, if and when these ideas affect people’s everyday life. The discussions revolve around living with long-term sickness, the organization of healthcare, and questions concerning well-being. This is a special issue that analyses how cultural ideas about self-care and self-care management take practical form, looking for those social practices that are uncertain and ambiguous (Reckwitz 2002). In this introduction, we as theme-editors present the predominant themes that are discussed in more depth in the individual articles. In view of how personal strategies for living and life planning are open to continual revision and how those strategies increasingly emphasize the relationship between identity and the biological (Kaufman 2010), we seek to explore how this is translated into practice. Self-care and its technologies take place in everyday life, and will be examined using an ethnographic approach.

The overall expectation placed upon individuals to take responsibility for their own life, has in cultural studies been described in terms of neo-liberalism and defined as an internationally prevailing ideological paradigm. In this thematic section of Culture Unbound there are many examples of how, if and when these ideas affect people’s everyday life. The discussions revolve around living with long-term sickness, the organization of healthcare, and questions concerning well-being. This is a special issue that analyses how cultural ideas about self-care and self-care management take practical form, looking for those social practices that are uncertain and ambiguous. In this introduction, we as theme-editors present the predominant themes that are discussed in more depth in the individual articles. In view of how personal strategies for living and life planning are open to continual revision and how those strategies increasingly emphasize the relationship between identity and the biological, we seek to explore how this is translated into practice. Self-care and its technologies take place in everyday life, and will be examined using an ethnographic approach.

This essay "Down but Not Quite Out: Portrayal of Poverty and Inequality in Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America Through Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London " analyzes the portrayal of poverty and inequality in Barbara Ehrenreich’s book Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America and a George Orwell classic Down and Out in Paris and London. By studying and analyzing Ehrenreich’s text in the scope of Orwell this study will be able to look at what poverty tropes are different, similar, or looked through in a different perspective. While both Ehrenreich and Orwell face the theme of poverty and inequality their experiences differ yet possess noticeable similarities. Orwell familiarizes the reader with the heaviness of being down and out through his personal experience whilst Ehrenreich pushes through and navigates the precarious edges of poverty, barely getting by. This research seeks what tropes of “down and out” are similar or different to the tropes of “getting by". This will be done through close reading of different passages of the books. The analysis shows the different depictions of poverty in Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America and Down and Out in Paris and London might depend strictly on the term “precariousness”. Living an insecure life not knowing when you might be down and out. 

In democratic societies, cultural organizations function based on principles of freedom of expression. In non-democratic countries, promoting this fundamental value can be more challenging for such organizations and their actors. This paper explores potential interactions between structure and agency that can leverage freedom of expression, creating an environment conducive to development and creativity. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with human rights experts and employees of Dawit Isaak Library in Malmo, Sweden. The paper finds that capitalizing on freedom of expression is interdependent with other resources, and that financial autonomy is an essential aspect. This can be achieved through various means, including strategic partnerships, careful sponsorships, collaborations with like-minded cultural entities, and the establishment of independent financial foundations through endowment funds and crowdfunding initiatives. We argue that it is crucial to strengthen the efforts of institutions active in this domain while supporting individuals' and groups' agency to create change in non-democratic societies. The paper also emphasizes the role of cultural and symbolic capital, highlighting the significance of exercising caution and striking a balance between freedom of expression and other human rights principles to prevent conflicts and safeguard vulnerable groups' rights.

I februari 2020 utmanade SAS den nationalistiska uppfattningen om vad som verkligen var skandinaviskt genom en reklamfilm. Den här filmen möttes av kritik där flera av kritikerna kritiserade utifrån ett nationalistiskt perspektiv. Detta ledde till att SAS påbörjade en kriskommunikationsprocess där man från deras kommunikation kan utläsa främst tre strategier från Benoits Image repair theory. SAS nekade till anklagelserna, de försökte att sänka trovärdigheten hos kritikerna och de ändrade om sin kampanj. Likt tidigare forskning är slutsatsen i den här studien att SAS agerat otydligt i sin kommunikation vilket grundar sig i att de använt sig av för olika strategier som säger emot varandra. Denna situation kan liknas vid en dialog mellan SAS och respondenter. Vad den här dialogen slutar i är två sidor som vill förmedla en bild om vad som är skandinaviskt, en diskussion som delat många i Skandinavien. 

This thesis aims to explore how the urban form specifically sprawl affects travel behavior and travel distance in Riyadh. Since the city is expanding and the travel time gets longer, the first mode option is the car. The research question that reframes this thesis is, how does the urban form 'sprawl' affect travel behavior and distance in Riyadh specifically 'Al-Narjis and Al-Malaz' based on their density and land use. In order to respond to the thesis question, a qualitative research design including mixed qualitative methods has been used. This study conducted a web survey for Riyadh citizens, this survey got 6312 respondents. In addition, this study conducted in-depth online interviews including travel itinerary diaries with six participants, three from each of the two neighborhoods in the study area. The interviews' outputs were visualized through QGIS by producing six maps. The results indicate that travel behavior and travel distance in Riyadh are affected negatively by sprawl. This effect could be seen in the high dependency on automobiles that resulted from land use and city planning, longer trips due to disconnected streets, and poor service accessibility. As well as less usage of other transportation such as walking and cycling due to the lack of pedestrian infrastructure. 

Swedish workforce has a shortage of practitioner dentists in 18 regions which is expected to last until 2035 (Hall Hoppe, 2022). At the same time, immigrant dentists face many challenges that delay or prevent their integration into the Swedish labour market. This paper investigates the process of immigrant dentists’ integration into the Swedish labour market, what obstacles they encounter, and in their perception, what are the requirements to facilitate their integration into the Swedish labour market. This research paper followed a qualitative method to achieve its aims. In order to obtain the necessary data to conduct the research, in-depth interviews were performed with immigrant dentists who received their education in countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland. The main empirical findings reveal the need to transform immigrant dentists' human capital. In light of this, immigrant dentists need to choose one of two routes to be eligible to apply for the Swedish dental license, due to the devaluation of their education. Besides the need to master the Swedish language. There is a lack of support provided for the two routes for acquiring the Swedish dental license. The participants clarify that they need more support in both routes. The Knowledge Exams route lacks guidance, materials, and financial support. while the complementary courses route is limited to three cities which makes it challenging forimmigrant dentists to join if they live in a city that does not offer these courses. It also showed the importance of social connections in the licensing process, while it was not essential in the process of obtaining a job. This study informs policymakers and concerned stakeholders about the barriers and challenges immigrant dentists encounter when integrating into the Swedish labour market. Which contributes to making decisions that will help to facilitate immigrantdentists’ integration into the Swedish labour marke.

Abstract:

Denna studie har som syfte att undersöka hur förskollärare förhåller sig och arbetar med inkludering av barn med svenska som andraspråk och om det går att förbättra deras inkluderande arbetssätt.Undersökningen använder en kvalitativ forskningsmetod där individuella intervjuer analyseras med etablerade teorier i språkinlärning och inkludering av flerspråkiga barn som inte pratar svenska. Resultatet visar att pedagogerna som intervjuas i inkluderingsämnet påstår att det ingår i förskolans uppdrag att jobba inkluderande och deras förhållningssätt är i linje med styrdokumentet Lpfö (2018). Barn oavsett etniskt ursprung, kultur, språknivå, behov till stöd, olikheter, får ett bra bemötande av pedagogerna och på så sätt känner sig barnen trygga i detta nya sociala sammanhang. I sitt arbetssätt för inkludering använder förskollärare leksaker, sånger, sagor samt digitala redskap som polyglott eller TAKK kommunikationssätt.Pedagogernas uppfattning om inkludering av barn med svenska som andraspråk reflekterar begreppets (inkludering) målsättning. Studiens pedagoger anger att det nås ett bra resultat, grundat på sina egna observationer, om barns delaktighet i verksamhet. Studiens resultat visar tydligt att styrdokumentet är regel i inkluderingsprocessen av barn med svenska som andraspråk men vissa förbättringar skulle kunna öka kvaliteten ytterligare. Att kunna jobba med mindre barngrupp för att nå barnen på individnivå, att ha mer tid med barnen i förhållande till de administrativa uppdragen, att det finns flerspråkiga pedagoger är några förslag som de intervjuade förskollärarna påpekar som fördel till inkluderingsprocessen.Slutsats av denna studie är att barn med svenska som andraspråk får den språkundervisningen som behövs i de intervjuade pedagogernas förskolor, något som stödjer barnen i de första stegen mot det svenska samhället.

The aim of this study is to describe and explain how five women with a non-European background find the expression of everyday racism in today’s Swedish society, how everyday racism can affect their mental health and how they experience that the Swedish majority population handle and respond to everyday racism. The study is qualitative and was made with semi-structured interviews. The theories used are the theory of everyday racism, "we" and "the Others" and Goffman’s stigma. The results indicate that everyday racism is manifested through the population's ignorance and silence, comments, prejudices and stereotypes and is mainly expressed in arenas where there are many people at the same time. According to the women, the school and the labor market are the two most common arenas for the expression of everyday racism. They witness that the Swedish majority population rarely deal with the occurrence of everyday racism. Their mental health is negatively affected by everyday racism and can lower the individual's self-esteem. The study’s three theories that include everyday racism, “we” and “the Others” and stigma can be applied to the women's stories about their experiences and feelings about everyday racism in the Swedish society.

What were the main goals in Navalny’s political agenda and how did this influence his rhetorical approach? This paper explores how Navalny and his aspirants were disqualified as political candidates in Russian elections, and how this affected his approach to being focused on contentious politics as it became the only viable means to push for political change in the country. Two of his most viral videos are analysed to investigate the rhetorical strategies he used to set frames on the political elite, and the main answers revolved around corruption, theft, and the self-image of Medvedev and Putin. Although there were clear similarities between the two videos, the most recent “Palace for Putin” displayed new and more moral, judgmental and offensive methods than the previous “He is not Dimon to you”. Furthermore, this paper investigates the large-scale protests of 2021 and how public opinion about Navalny has developed in Russia. The expectation was that public opinion would be more favourable in recent times than it has been in the past, largely due to the massive protests which he managed to spark. However, the answer was surprisingly the opposite, as statistics tilted slightly against him rather than the other way around. Part of the explanation to this was that the highest number of people who disapproved of Navalny used state television as their main source of information, as opposed to the majority of the younger population who frequently used the internet, and thereby had a more positive view of him. When examining the protest trajectories, it was possible to find elements of Navalny’s political message amongst the people in terms of keywords and phrases that they chanted, evidence of his success above the fact of the protests themselves. The final aim was to review how the authoritarian regime responded to Navalny’s contentious politics, and in this regard, it was concluded that both domestic and international pressure moved the regime to increasingly repressive measures against Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation and further deteriorated the relationship between the EU and Russia. 

Syftet med vår studie är att undersöka svårigheterna i pedagogers arbete med flerspråkighet, i förhållande till målet i förskolans läroplan. Målet i Läroplan för förskolan: Lpfö 18, (Skolverket 2018) betonar att “Barn med annat modersmål än svenska ska ges möjlighet att utveckla både det svenska språket och sitt modersmål” (Lpfö 18 s. 8). Fokuset har även varit att tydliggöra hur pedagoger arbetar med flerspråkiga barn och hur barnen får de rätta förutsättningarna för att utveckla både sitt modersmål och det svenska språket. För att kunna få svar på syftet och frågeställningarna har vi använt oss av en kvalitativ studie, där vi har genomfört fyra semistrukturerade intervjuer med personer som är verksamma i förskolan. 

För att analysera vår insamlade empiri har vi använt oss av läroplansteorin med koppling till formulerings, - transformerings, - och realiseringsarenan för att kunna se hur pedagogernas arbete i förskolan främjar utveckling och lärande för flerspråkiga barn som inte har svenska som modersmål. Resultatet av studien visar att pedagogerna ser flerspråkighet som en tillgång i förskolans verksamhet men det framkommer även att det kan finnas svårigheter i arbetet med flerspråkighet. I pedagogernas arbete använder de sig av verksamma metoder för att flerspråkiga barn ska få de bästa förutsättningarna för att utveckla båda sina språk.  

Vår slutsats är att inte se flerspråkighet som ett hinder utan som en tillgång som öppnar upp dörrarna till nya möjligheter och till en gemenskap. En annan slutsats är att pedagogerna behöver vara flexibla i sitt arbete och uppmärksamma för ta tillvara på de olika språk som barnet besitter.

Recension av Jesper Fundbergs avhandling: Kom igen, gubbar! Om pojkfotboll och maskuliniteter, 2003 (ISBN: 91-7203-513-7)

I denna undersökning ville jag undersöka hur Folkhälsomyndighetens olika karaktärsstilar i tre olika filmer förhåller sig till realism och reduktion och vad det kan ha för effekt. Jag ville även undersöka fenomenet Corporate Art Style för att se om det fanns närvarande i Folkhälsomyndighetens karaktärer. Jag kom fram till att graden av realism och reduktion hos en karaktär påverkar identifiering hos mottagaren men att det även finns andra faktorer som påverkar identifiering till exempel känslouttryck. Realism och reduktion visade sig också ha konsekvenser för representation och avläsning av en karaktär. Drag av Corporate Art Stylevar varierande mellan karaktärsstilarna i filmerna. Film 1 innehöll flera av kriterierna förCorporate Art Style, men saknade viktiga kriterier för att klassas som Corporate Art Style. Undersökningen pekar på att specifik karaktärsdesign ökar nivån av representation och identifiering. 

Denna uppsats tar en blick på hur smak och klass speglas i vår samtida medievärld som präglas av populärkulturella referenser. Genom en kvalitativ semiotisk analys har Klarnas reklamfilm Get Smoooth (2019) analyserats utifrån Roland Barthes semiotiska teorier om hur mening tillskrivs genom visuella koder, i samband med Pierre Bourdieus teorier om hur klass och smak reflekteras genom visuella medel. Här riktar även undersökningen fokus på hur färgen rosa kan besitta delade meningar, beroende på frågor kring genus och sexualitet. Klarnas reklamfilm använder den amerikanska rapartisten Snoop Dogg som frontfigur i en fiktiv, luxuös rosaklädd värld som ska representera deras ekonomiska kredittjänster. Med hjälp av den utvalda teorin och relaterad forskning så studeras det valda materialet för att belysa en större förståelse för hur smak och klasstillhörighet blir representerat genom media och dess effekter. Undersökningen visar på flera semiotiska tecken för två klasstillhörigheter: låg och högklass. Här var Bourdieus teorier ett stöd i avkodningen av dessa tecken och hur kampanjen kan kopplas till ett kulturellt kapital och uttrycka av smak som kopplas till det två olika klasstillhörigheterna. Resultatet av undersökningen är att Klarnas reklamfilm kan ses som ett som ett bevis på det Baumann menar med att våra preferenser om smak inom samhällets fält är i konstant förändring. Slutligen förs det en diskussion om hur rosa har central påverkan i hur smak uttrycken kopplas till det populärkulturella samhället vilket kopplas till senare kritik till Bourdieu. 

De ämnen som är representerade i antologin har ingått i en kulturvetenskaplig forskarmiljö. Ämnena är museologi, idé- och lärdomshistoria, musik vetenskap, etnologi, biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap, kulturarbete och intermedialitet samt konsthistoria och visuella studier. Denna mångfald av ämnen föranleder frågan om det finns något specifikt kulturvetenskapligt som förenar dem. Och mer precist hur kulturvetenskaperna har närmat sig studiet av kris. I detta inledande kapitel diskuterar vi hur de olika författarna har närmat sig sina studieobjekt. En central utgångspunkt är att det finns ett kulturvetenskapligt perspektiv för hur olika krisfenomen kan studeras, och att antologin med sin mångfald av ämnen står som representant för ett sådant perspektiv. Naturligtvis finns det många angränsande relationer till andra ämnesdiscipliners studier av kris än de representerade i antologin. Dessa angränsande relationer kommer vi att diskutera framöver. Men först något om det kulturvetenskapliga perspektivet.

Dagligen nås vi av nyheter om olika kriser: ekonomiska kriser, långdragna konflikter, länder som hamnat i förhandlingskriser, kändisar som intervjuas om sina senaste kriser mitt i livet, politiska ledare som handlat tvivelaktigt och försatt sitt parti eller sitt land i kris. Det kan upplevas som om vi idag befinner oss mitt i krisernas tid. Det korta 1900-talet vittnar också om krisernas ständiga närvaro. Men i själva verkat är krisen varken något unikt för vår egen samtid eller för 1900-talet. I denna antologi synliggör ett antal forskare och doktorander krisen som begrepp och hur kriser tar plats i olika sammanhang. Bokens författare presenterar också perspektiv på hur kris används inom den egna forskningen, som ett sätt att benämna fenomen och möjliggöra dramatisering, kritik och förståelse. Kris är inte bara ett fenomen att studera, utan också en metod för undersökning.

The evolution and diversification of Young Adult literature (YA) in the last two decades have brought about significant changes, particularly in the representation of LGBT characters. Tropes have always been a staple in literature, but their use in YA has taken on a unique significance when it comes to LGBT representation. These tropes have developed in parallel with the political landscape of the USA and the rise of LGBT rights. In this context, the analysis of three popular YA series, Percy Jackson and The Olympians, The Mortal Instruments, and The Raven Cycle, and their respective sequels and spin-offs, becomes crucial. By examining the use of tropes and the treatment of LGBT characters in these series, we can better understand the changes that have occurred over time and the commonalities and differences among them. Moreover, this analysis will also shed light on aspects outside the novels that have contributed to these developments. While similar patterns emerge in all three series, each one handles LGBT topics differently, depending on the time of publication. Finally, we will also explore the current state of publishing and the role that communities play in shaping these popular series. By examining these issues, we can gain a better understanding of the role that literature plays in shaping our perceptions of LGBT individuals and the broader social context in which these works are produced.

Kulturmiljöanalyser används idag som verktyg för värdering av kulturmiljöer. Det finns ingen bestämd mall i Sverige för hur kulturmiljöanalyser ska utföras. Kulturmiljö är ett brett begrepp som inte alltid är så lättolkat, men som är av vikt för framtida städers identitet och attraktivitet. Studien analyserar metoder som används vid kulturmiljöbedömning. Hur kulturmiljöanalysers utformning kan påverka resultat av planeringsarbete samt vilken roll planeraren bakom analysen spelar, undersöks i studien. Målet är att förstå på vilket sätt dessa faktorer kan vara av betydelse för hamnområdens ombyggnationer. Två kulturmiljöanalyser har utförts, DIVE-analys och Swecos stadsbild- och kulturmiljöanalys, genom en fallstudie i området Hullkajen och Hamnparken i Malmö. Området är del av vår tids moderna arv, som idag står inför omvandling. Kritik har riktats mot att planerare förväntas anta en objektiv expertroll vid bedömning av urbana miljöer, då tidigare forskning belyst planerares subjektivitet. Studien intresserar sig för planerares subjektiva roll. Autoetnografi har använts för att undersöka den egna rollen, som planerare, vid utförande av analysmetoder. Resultaten från kulturmiljöanalyserna framförde skillnader, främst kopplade till processen inom metoderna framför resultaten av metoderna. En subjektiv påverkan visades också inom processerna och belyser relationen planeraren och metoden emellan. Skillnader och likheter tyder på att en transparens och breddat deltagande inom processen för värdering av kulturmiljö behövs, för att stärka legitimiteten i planeringsprocesser.

The paper analyses Hilary Mantel’s novel Bring Up the Bodies in terms of how it might correlate with the notion of Russian patriotism. The origin for the research lies in the official list of literature recommended for patriotic education in Russia that was compiled in late 2015 and is thus immediately connected with the surge of state-driven patriotism in the country following the 2014 annexation of Crimea. Bring Up the Bodies is among very few contemporary historical novels by non-Russian authors included in the list. The conducted analysis reveals certain features in the novel’s protagonist and his behaviour that might correspond with the understanding of patriotism and citizenship in Russians. Moreover, the paper argues that legal pragmatism practiced by the protagonist, as well as the very style of historical representation in the novel, that re-evaluates the historical figure of Cromwell and undermines subjectivity of the historical past, may be seen as legitimising contemporary politics in Russia by way of establishing a “tradition.”

This study explores how the media uses gender-stereotypical portrayals as a tool to influence a gender-specific audience. The focus is particularly on how men can be influenced to purchase meat that may potentially be harmful to both their health and the climate. The study aims to gain a deeper understanding on how male stereotypes are used to promote meat production in Denmark. Through a visual analysis of a meat producer’s advertising campaign, this assignment investigates the semiotic tools and representations employed to capture the target audience. Additionally, the assignment discusses the discourses that appears in the campaign, aiming for a deeper understanding of the consequences when media promote potentially harmful products, while perpetuating gender norms in the society. The link between masculinity and meat consumption is significant and has a detrimental impact on the climate. The climate fight is also a battle for gender equality.

ABSTRACT 

Detta examensarbete behandlar sex förskollärares syn och erfarenheter kring anknytning i förskolan. Det lyfts möjligheter samt begränsningar för förskollärare men även hur anknytning och anknytningsteorerier lyfts i verksamheten. Intervjuerna utfördes på deras arbetsplatser, för att få fram förskollärarnas tankar och erfarenheter. Empirin analyserades utifrån anknytningsteorier och de teoretiska begreppen. Utifrån studien har man kunnat se att samtliga förskollärare som intervjuades arbetar för att verksamheten ska fokusera på barnet och barnets behov av trygghet. Men studien visar även på att det finns begränsningar i verksamheten för förskollärare att uppnå anknytningen. Begränsningarna handlar delvis om förskollärarnas utbildning i relation till anknytning, men även hur verksamheten ser ut och är utformad. Detta har då gjort att förskollärarna har olika strategier för att skapa en trygg miljö för barnen i verksamheten. Vilket studien visar på att förskollärarna gör på olika sätt utifrån deras egna tankar och erfarenheter. 

Studiens metod är kvalitativa intervjuer med sex förskollärare. Iintervjuerna och i analysen framkommer samstämmig syn hos förskollärarna gällande trygg anknytning och dess betydelse i verksamheten. Den trygga anknytningen beskrivs som grunden för både utveckling och lärande men även för barnens välmående, betydelsen av anknytning till pedagogerna är en samstämmig syn dock är det två av förskollärarna som anser att det kopplas till hemmet och barnets vårdnadshavare. Förskollärarna beskriver hur de arbetar med att tillgodose barnets behov av trygghet och relationer. De använder liknande strategier och beskriver att de alltid sätter barnets behov i centrum. I strategier tar de upp begrepp som lyhördhet, närhet, tillgodose, empati och öppenhet. Dock beskriver de att de möter svårigheter i verksamheten kring kunskaper hos kollegerna. Att det saknas kunskap och de saknar stöttning samt utbildning inom området. 

The future is constantly growing as a more and more significant matter of interest, both in the academic fields and in everyday conversations. This thesis focuses on a specific perspective of the future: what if cities were no longer static by nature, but cruising across the world? By analysing three works of literary fiction, the aim is to illustrate how fiction, and more specifically ‘anticipation fiction’, can participate in shaping our social imaginaries, the understanding we have of the world, both when it comes to our present and our future. If the influence of future fiction has been shown before, this thesis will focus on the specific imaginary of moving cities in the future, to highlight how those authors imagine the future, covering the historical and geographical contexts of those futures, the urban logic of those moving cities, the social implications that follow, and finally the value given to humanity in those ‘realities’. Because of the fundamentally indeterminate nature of the future, future studies such as this one do not aim for a fixed answer, but rather for a deeper understanding of the relation of influence between present and future, of how the future shapes us just as we shape it. 

Denna forskning utforskar initiativ för arkitektonisk förnyelse

och designmetoder i Malmö, med en metodik som inkluderar

litteraturgenomgångar, fallstudier och textanalys. Studien fokuserar på åtta

specifika platser i staden och strävar efter att identifiera grundläggande

principer och effektiva strategier för att revitalisera byggnader, fasader och

stadsrum.

Inspirerad av framstående urbana teoretiker som Kim Dovey och Jan

Gehl, framhäver forskningen vikten av ett holistiskt tillvägagångssätt

som integrerar moderna designkoncept med bevarandet av historiska och

kulturella värden. Genom noggrann dataanalys och syntes identifierar studien

centrala överväganden och utmaningar som är kopplade till arkitektoniska

förnyelseprojekt.

Resultaten betonar vikten av att balansera moderniseringsinsatser

med skyddet av det arkitektoniska arvet, och understryker behovet av

kontextkänsliga designlösningar. Forskningen påpekar också vikten av

samhällsengagemang och att inkludera olika perspektiv i stadsplaneringen för

att skapa inkluderande och hållbara miljöer.

Trots vissa begränsningar, som den geografiska specifiteten och metoderna

för datainsamling, ger denna studie värdefulla insikter och rekommendationer

för framtida stadsutvecklingsprojekt. Genom att bygga vidare på befintlig

forskning och kommunala riktlinjer betonar studien vikten av att främja

livfulla, resilienta och rättvisa städer för både nuvarande och framtida

generationer.

In the past decade the extent and the complexity of socio-economic challenges the modernsocieties are facing has grown dramatically. Balancing often on the brink of crisis, these globalchallenges force organizations to overthink their approaches and look for new ways to respond toexternal changes. Thus, research on organizational transformation needs to focus on models thatprovide a big-picture lens, offering holistic and integral solutions to modern challenges. AnIntegral theory makes an important contribution to the research of organizational transformationby suggesting a metatheoretical AQAL model (all-quadrants, all levels) that integrates four-dimensional perspective of objective, interobjective, subjective and intersubjective reality in itsanalysis. The AQAL model is a comprehensive view to the reality, accommodating multipletheoretical perspectives and methodological pluralism. Against this backdrop this master thesisaims to explore an Integral Approach, focusing on leadership and organizational transformationin one public sector organization addressing individual or microlevel perspectives. The keyquestions, which are driving this research are: how do values and worldviews impactorganizational transformation in public sector environment? How can organizational capacity todevelop an agile response to external changes be improved in public sector organizations? Whatrole leadership plays in the process of public sector transformation? The main findings of thiswork suggest that organizational capacity to successfully overcome changes is paired with themind-set of its employees and in particularly leadership. Structural changes introduced due toteleworking and digitalization impact organizations on a deeper level, bringing shifts towardsnew culture of work, re-definition of processes and strategies, resulting in global shifts in thewhole organization. These new practices and emerging new organizational cultures require alsonew models of leadership and new skill-set for leaders, who will need to meet the task of“walking” the organizations through modern challenges.

How might we encourage playful yet provocative attitudes to explore unfamiliar methods? This thesis investigates how interaction designers can use unusual and thought-provoking methods in their design process. It focuses on understanding the challenges, limitations and opportunities of these types of approaches.

The thesis explores the use of an abusive game probe as a way to spark conversations between participants and designers. The abusive game probe has the potential to generate meaningful and insightful outcomes. The proposed abusive game probe provided difficulties, being a unique and untested method. The topic of abuse presents challenges such as ethical consideration, which still requires further research. While determining its effectiveness can be complex, the main purpose is to encourage designers to embrace unexpected and unknown elements.

This thesis provides guidance for future designers to incorporate these methods into their research, continue on this project or venture out and create new and alternate methods as contributions to the field of interaction design.

Cancel culture has been described by some as a form of online activism. It has also been argued as activism with both negative and positive effects. For the positive side, cancel culture has worked to emphasize the representation and voice of women during the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment at workplaces. On the other hand, cancel culture has a reputation for being "activism-for-bad" when it silences the voice of people that may contribute to the area of communication for development and social change. For example, it is said to have stifled academic freedom and restricted open debates in cultural institutions. The aim of this thesis is to examine how cancel culture determines whose representation and voice is heard, and has it evolved from being a tool of activism to one that is said to threaten democratic participation?

The thesis analyses six online articles that appears as the top results on Google Search during a specific timeline between the period of 2015 - 2021. These timelines were determined from Google Trends® by looking at when the term 'cancel culture' were trending highest on the internet. Applying methodological framework based on the theories of Critical Discourse Analysis, this thesis sets out to analyse words and terms used in these online articles that contributed to the discourse on cancel culture and analyses its relations to representation and voice. 

This thesis project is exploring and investigates the applications of different methods of reward and nudging strategies and their potential effect on motivating and directing people’s behavior to be more engaged in recycling as a social movement within the society of Saudi Arabia. By creating sustainable behaviors, we contribute to the solutions and help minimize the potential damage of plastic pollution. The designs created throughout this thesis as prototypes of different concepts test the effectiveness of the different strategies on the behaviors of the population in Saudi Arabia. The main findings demonstrated that for people to steer their behavior toward recycling, they need to be financially rewarded. Testing other nudging strategies showed that these strategies might not be as powerful as the traditional system of reward and punishment. Therefore, this project needs to be further investigated and iterated in cooperation with other stakeholders and designers from different fields.

This research explores the possibilities which can emerge from a potential relationship between dance and sustainability. The purpose of this research has been to investigate what discussions around the subject of sustainability are already happening within theoretical circles, dance institutions and what practical avenues are being explored for furthering efforts toward sustainability in the latter. To give practical context to this, the Malmö-based contemporary dance company of Skånes Dansteater is explored as a case study; with reference to the company’s operations and performative works, as well as a significant exploration, in the specific context of cultural sustainability, of the archival project Bevara Rörelse, created and developed by resident archivist Celine Orman. 

The results reveal that there is indeed a fluid and vibrant discourse around the subject of sustainability occurring, to varying degrees, within dance institutions, throughout the industry. Furthermore, the case study of Skånes Dansteater reveals how sustainability does not originate solely from institutionalised policy-making. Instead, the results found that sustainability manifests itself in multiple ways and that cultural practitioners – be they artists, archivists, dancers and so on – can respond to issues of sustainability via their respective practices. These practices can be seen as methods of engaging with sustainability; even without definitive intention on the part of the practitioner. 

It is hoped that this research will offer some insight(s) into what this could mean for future dance practice, with the instrumental power it possesses, in communicating sustainability and for other means of creative practice – engaging with dance or otherwise – that engage with cultural sustainability. The hope is that such engagements can be valued, with their respective contributions, on the same scale as that of social and natural scientific engagements. 

This thesis is a poststructural policy analysis, following the ‘What’s the Problem Represented to be’ (WPR) approach developed by Carol Bacchi (2016), of the Afghanistan Study Group final report: A Pathway for Peace in Afghanistan. Following the theoretical basis proposed by this method, the report is examined for discourses and power relations that construct the problem representation. The discourses identified of liberalism and ‘just war’ theory are shown to saturate the Afghanistan Study Group’s (ASG) report and can be traced through time, displayed by a genealogy of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (SCFR) hearings that took place between September, 11th, 2001 up until the ASG report was commissioned in 2019. It is argued that the peace recommendations and the analysis they are based upon are produced by the politicians and experts under a Western lens that perpetuates an Orientalist problem representation. The proposed lens, inspired by postcolonial theory, is argued to not only permeate the ASG report but also the mainstream peacebuilding discourse, among other fields which pertain to, and ultimately get in the way of, finding a pathway to peace.

This thesis examines the three most popular and acclaimed live-action versions of The AddamsFamily, those being the 1964-1966 sitcom The Addams Family, the 1993 film Addams FamilyValues, and Netflix’s 2022 series Wednesday, to understand how these popular culture textsnegotiate dominant norms and culture in American society. These iterations cover sixty years of cultural negotiation on non-conformity and each attend to a specific politics of conformity in their time. Drawing from Stuart Hall and Raymond Williams, Michel Foucault, Judith Butler, and Dick Hebdige among others understandings of culture, power, hegemony, and resistance, I form a theoretical basis through which the techniques these iterations use to negotiate aspects of the dominant culture can be analyzed. For each production, paratextual evidence is located to identify the specific negotiatory aims. The different genres, aesthetics, and references made to contemporary political discourses, are then explored and dismantled to ascertain how this negotiation occurs and what the implications are. This thesis concludes with a discussion comparing the iterations and exploring the role that experience of marginalization potentially played in how the creators chose to create negotiatory texts. This thesis ultimately finds that specific genres and techniques of negotiation, particularly satire and camp, facilitate the capacity for popular culture material to critique, transform and unsettle dominant norms. 

In this thesis, I venture into an interdisciplinary realm where Artistic Research (AR) and Cultural Studies (CS) not only coexist but actively inform and transform each other. The focus lies in examining the expansive capabilities of AR to contribute to broader domains of knowledge production, particularly within the dynamic and diverse field of Cultural Studies. Central to this inquiry is an experimental podcast that embodies the synthesis of artistic creativity with academic exploration. This project's narrative unfolds through the interlacing of various themes and methodologies drawn from AR and CS, demonstrating their potential to enrich and redefine each other. 

Artistic Research, traditionally seen as a field concerned with the artistic process and outcomes, is re-envisioned here as an epistemic force capable of contributing profoundly to our understanding of culture, society, and the methodologies we employ to study them. The thesis argues for a broader acceptance and integration of artistic methods and insights into Cultural Studies research. It highlights how the fluidity, adaptability, and creative open-endedness inherent in artistic practices can lead to a richer, more nuanced understanding of cultural phenomena. 

This study also critically reflects on the process and outcomes of creating the experimental podcast, an artistic endeavor deeply rooted in the principles and practice of AR, yet speaking directly to the concerns and methodologies of Cultural Studies. Through this practical exploration, we see firsthand how art can act as a form of inquiry, a method of understanding, and a way of knowing that extends beyond traditional academic boundaries. 

In sum, this thesis is an invitation to rethink and reimagine the possibilities that emerge when we allow the worlds of Artistic Research and Cultural Studies to intertwine and inform one another. It is an exploration of how these intersections not only enrich the respective disciplines but also contribute to a deeper, more contextual understanding of our world. 

The brain has long been an object of curiosity and fascination. Partly as a result of technological advances, issues related to the brain have become ubiquitous points of discussion in our culture. Along with neurological disease and neuroscience, it is frequently featured in Hollywood block buster movies, self-help books, popular science documentaries and fictional TV-series. Once cast as grey and stable matter, the brain is now commonly represented as a glowing and colourful entity through the use of new imaging technologies. Further, it is often likened to a complex and adaptable machine that can be enhanced continuously through dedication and deliberate effort. In this special issue of Culture Unbound, scholars from a number of disciplines within the humanities and social sciences address the pervasiveness and influence of neuroscience and representations of the brain in everyday contexts. A common thread in the articles is the idea that knowledge and narratives about, and visualisations of, the brain change practices and processes in daily life. In addition, the articles, in different ways, explore the brain as something that is perceived and portrayed as constantly transforming; an unbound brain.