In this thesis we delve into the profile doping scandals involving Marion Jones and Lance Armstrong. Our aim is to analyze how the online news media portray doping allegations in sports specifically on these two athletes. Through a textual analysis and approach encompassing framing theory and intersectionality we explore the gender biases that may exist in media coverage and examine the influence of these representations. The connection between media coverage of suspected drug usage and public sentiment was investigated by using methods mentioned above between two fields of sports- cycling and track and field.

This research reveals that the choices made by the media when framing their stories about doping shape opinion. This study also underscores the role played on representation by the media on doping crises within sports. It emphasizes the importance of transparent reporting that fosters discussions. By using these findings as a foundation, we can promote fairness, objectivity and evidence-based reporting when addressing instances of doping in sports. 

Furthermore, this study contributes to existing literature on how the media portrays doping allegations by providing a framework for examining how these incidents are depicted by media outlets.

The thesis examines the subcultural activities and online fan community of Drainers (fans of the music collective Drain Gang) through TikTok. A netnographic analysis of fans’ engagement and community cultivation through prosumption is done through participation observation. 

Samples taken using a non-probability purposive sampling method are analyzed, categorized, and coded. By using theories of prosumption, uses and gratifications and a contemporary online take on subcultural theory from Bennet (2004) as well as Genova et al. (2022), the samples provide an insight into Drainers and their subculture. 

Results from the study suggest that community within TikTok is easy to find, yet difficult to regulate. It can thus be both a space for creative participation and opportunity for exploring identity as much as it can be for receiving negative comments and further stigmatization. Regardless of the app’s implications and limitations, it does successfully provide a platform for fans to connect, bond, share ideas and create authentic identity and a subcultural status. 

While plenty of previous research concerning fans and their communities exist, this study is through researcher’s immersion opening up a discussion about Drain Gang’s subculture and fans, which is essentially an untouched area of research. Although limitations are present such as lack of possibility to pick samples on TikTok based on publication date, as well as bias while collecting samples, it provides an insight into the online community and subculture which can be used to further explore the topic. 

The Brazilian climate crisis has become a frequent topic in both international and national media. During Bolsonaro's presidency, Brazil prioritised economic development over protecting Indigenous Peoples and the environment, resulting in backlash from Indigenous Peoples and their organisations. This thesis aims to bring awareness to the presence of Indigenous women as agents of social change in the context of the environmental crisis. The study will explore how Indigenous women activists participating in the First and Second National March of Indigenous Women in Brazil were represented in photojournalistic images from Brazilian alternative news media outlets. By conducting a critical visual analysis, the research aims to uncover how these women addressed the struggle to protect Indigenous lands and how their representation challenges power structures and contributes to broader social change. The images will be analysed using an interpretive approach to representation that focuses on the intersection of gender, ethnicity, and beliefs. Furthermore, the theoretical concept of power will be employed to identify power dynamics represented in the selected images.

The research reveals that Indigenous women use their cultural identity as a means to advocate for their rights. Cultural elements and practices symbolise their unique cultural identity and serve as a form of resistance and solidarity within Indigenous communities. Additionally, the representation of Indigenous women visualises different expressions of power relations. Notably, power-over, power-to, and power-with. Indigenous women activists challenge power dynamics by drawing strength from their intersecting social identities. In essence, this thesis suggests that Indigenous women are not passive victims but active agents of social change in the face of the climate crisis. Finally, the media’s portrayal of these women can play a vital role in safeguarding their culture and lands. 

The rise of digital journalism on social media platforms is increasingly becoming a major source of information, notably for young audiences. However, the development of AI technologies is posing questions on the accountability and veracity of the digital content produced but also on the discourses conveyed. Taking the case of the French Instagram page @brut_ia using AI technologies as a news object and content creation tool, this work analyzes the insights of the account’s production and discourses and their reframing of the AI and Journalism relationship through a Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis adapted from Fairclough’s model. Using Digital  Journalism Logic and Computational innovation as well as Visual Journalistic Discourse and News values, the results highlight a mix of traditional and novel journalistic practices alongside a predominantly positive and entertaining discourse on AI influenced by Instagram platform logic. Overall, this research highlights how the account production and discourse over AI technologies impact news communication, presentation, and promotion, not without raising some limitations.

Arbetet handlar om hur multimodala verktyg kan bidra till inkluderande undervisning. Fokuset är på bildstöd undervisning där VR (virtuell verklighet) kan vara en möjlighet samt möjliga fördelar det bidrar till undervisningen i grundskolan. Inriktningen är att studera VR-teknikens och bildstöd undervisning för att se effekterna. Syftet med denna undersökning har varit att få reda på huruvida lärande resultaten och utbildningen kan förbättras med hjälp av VR och bilder. Frågeställningen lyder “Hur kan multimodalitet och bildstöd i lärande med VR bidra till en mer inkluderande undervisning?” För att undersöka frågeställningen har det genomförts en vetenskaplig undersökning där 10 olika studier sammanfattades. Tidigare forskning har visat att bilder och VR har stor potential att förbättra undervisningen vilket leder till att resultatet ser en positiv syn till bidragandet av en inkluderande undervisning. Men det är fortfarande en fråga som man ska vidare studera då det inte finns många studier för just mellanstadiet som var arbetets fokus. 

Detta examensarbete undersöker inkluderingen av nyanlända elever i undervisningen i svenska grundskolor. Studien har en fenomenologisk ansats och ett sociokulturellt teoretiskt perspektiv för att förstå de upplevda erfarenheterna och de sociala sammanhangen som påverkar integrationen och lärandet för dessa elever. Uppsatsen syftar till att svara på tre forskningsfrågor: Hur inkluderas nyanlända elever i undervisningen på grundskolan i Malmö? Vilka metoder tillämpas för att främja deras integration och lärande? Vilka specifika utmaningar och hinder möter lärarna på grundskolan i Malmö när de inkluderar nyanlända elever, och vilka strategier och resurser behövs för att säkerställa kvalitén i utbildningen och en framgångsrik integration för dessa elever?

This article discusses the multifaceted concept of inclusion referring to a study (Kotte, 2017). It aims to contribute with deeper knowledge of teachers’ perceptions of inclusive education regarding students’ diverse learning prerequisites. The methodology is a combination of a quantitative and qualitative data analysis related to teachers participating in a Swedish national research and school improvement program. The analysis is performed through Biesta’s dimensions of the aim of education, Uljens’ model for analyzing didactic action; Hedegaard-Sørensen’s situated professionalism and Tomlinson’s differentiation of teaching. Some main results show that teachers have a positive attitude to inclusion but they also understand it as a difficult task to carry through during lessons. They experience a dilemma between single students’ needs and the interests of the class as a whole. Further results indicate that collegial collaboration is regarded as a valuable aspect for the inclusive didactic lesson planning and lesson work to be successful.

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. 

This study delves into Ukrainian wartime songs of resistance that were inspired by the ‘Russian warship’ slogan. Langer (1953) believes that songs can express emotions that language alone fails to convey. Dynamic interaction of music and lyrics slows down, arrests, and intensifies images and moods. Through a rhetorical analysis grounded in Sellnow and Sellnow’s (2010) model, this paper explores epideictic purpose of the selected songs by studying linguistic and aesthetic symbols, with the focus on a semiotic analysis of intertextuality. 

The findings reveal the diverse perspectives on resistance in three distinctive songs. Botashe’s composition inspires people to resist by making fun of and demeaning the enemy. Sage’s composition draws a comparison between Russians and Ukrainians, underscoring the quiet dignity of the latter. Finally, Burla’s composition makes an emotional appeal, focusing on pain of betrayal, sadness of loss, and readiness to bury the brother turned enemy. Given the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the exploration of music’s role in this context remains underexplored. This study contributes to our understanding of the emotive power of music in disseminating messages of resistance and opens doors for future research on music activism in times of conflict. 

China is believed to employ soft power in international politics to facilitate its peaceful riseand enhance its global appeal by leveraging numerous soft power resources. This study challenges the prevailing resource-centric understanding of China’s soft power by employing a constructivist framework wherein soft power manifests via the deployment of strategic narratives. The analysis of China’s strategic narrative projection and its influence on African leaders' policies and perceptions of China is explored with a specific focus on Ethiopia and South Africa using a qualitative content analysis. The findings reveal that China's narrative projection plays a significant role in shaping the portrayal of Beijing's initiatives in Ethiopia and South Africa. The narratives emphasize a historical connection and shared identity, presenting China as a reliable partner committed to trustworthiness and solidarity with the African populace. The study highlights the importance of soft power narratives in the context of multiple powers vying for influence in African countries. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the deployment of strategic narratives and their impact on shaping perceptions of Sino-African relations.

Då vi av erfarenhet har sett att många förskolor använder sig av TAKK, men även att många inte gör det trots att behovet finns föll beslutet på att syftet med vår studie var att belysa hur pedagoger arbetar med TAKK för att främja barns språkutveckling. Vi valde även att intervjua logopeder och specialpedagoger för att få deras perspektiv. Vi valde att analysera vår empiri med hjälp av den sociokulturella teorin och kommunikationsteoretiska traditionen, samt våra begrepp: inkludering, språklig sårbarhet, mediering och artefakter. Utifrån en kvalitativ metod, med semistrukterade intervjuer och observationer valde vi att samla in empiri till vår studie. Vi kan i vårt resultat och i vår slutsats tolka att våra respondenter tycker att inkludering är en viktig del i förskolans verksamhet. Användandet av TAKK kan vara ett redskap men det krävs utbildning, då det framgick att rädsla för att teckna fel blev en orsak till att inte använda TAKK.  

Denna studie utforskar dynamiken av könsskapande i kvinnodominerade arbetsmiljöer, särskilt inom hälso- och sjukvården, genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med kvinnliga chefer. Genusforskning har tydligt visat att organisationer fungerar som plattformar för könskapande, där även kvinnodominerade arbetsplatser inte undgår könsordningens inflytande. Resultaten av studien belyser komplexiteten av könsskapande i dessa miljöer. Både mellan män och kvinnor samt mellan kvinnor och kvinnor framkommer skapandet av kön. Trots möjligheten för kvinnor att etablera normer fria från könsstereotyper, visar studien att avvikande beteenden fortfarande kopplas till manliga och kvinnliga attribut. Denna dubbelhet skapar och upprätthåller en könsordning som gynnar och idealiserar manlighet. Studien understryker dock att kvinnliga chefer delar en gemensam syn på ledarskap, präglat av lyhördhet och tydlighet, som stärker och upplyfter arbetsmiljön. Denna positiva syn på ledarskap står i kontrast till de stereotypa föreställningar om kön som existerar, och visar på klyftan mellan dessa normer och de verkliga upplevelserna av kvinnliga chefer. Studien ger insikt i de komplexa normativa strukturerna inom kvinnodominerade arbetsplatser och betonar behovet av att förstå och utmana dessa för att främja jämlikhet och rättvisa.

The purpose of the study is to investigate how articles in Helsingborg's daily newspaper that dealt with rationing can say something about how the view of femininity is constructed at the beginning of the Second World War during 1939-1942. The articles deal with everything from tips on recipes to violations of rationing, topics taken from everyday life and are therefore good sources for everyday life, the rationing system, consumption habits, and gender during this specific period in Helsingborg. The question is what knowledge about everyday life, rationing, consumption history, and gender during the Second World War can the sources contribute to?

The essay is arranged as follows: The background consists of an account of the Second World War and rationing. The method chosen is qualitative content analysis. It was chosen because the method allows one to analyze the material in depth. The material was divided and coded through the method to understand the purpose of each article. In this study, gender theory is used because the articles in the newspaper contain a lot of information about women and their roles during World War II. The previous research in this study consists of literature that all relates to the subject of the study. Since the study contains information about several different areas, the literature is used for different purposes. The survey is divided into different topics. The study examines how the articles have conveyed information about the rationing system and rationing violations, consumption and housekeeping, and also gender and housewife ideals. The conclusion of the work with the material provides further information about everyday life, rationing, consumption history, and gender in Helsingborg during the years 1939-1942. The material also shows the position of women during the war and the limited role they had. This leads to gender roles being reinforced during this period.

Abstract:

In this thesis, the general use and specific instances of F-words in modern music lyrics have been studied based on the corpora extracted from songs in Billboard year-end charts from 2013 to 2022, which represented the most popular songs in English-speaking countries. By screening the actual meaning and contexts of those F-words in the lyrics, I extracted those special instances in which F-words were used to express rebellious feelings to challenge social norms and fight against authority powers. The theme of those rebellious F-words was first studied by the quantitative analysis by years, which shows a clear time dependence associated with the social and political environments. Notably, there was a significant increase in the use of rebellious F-words in lyrics during the intense social and political crises of 2019-2020. A comparative investigation was then carried out across four distinct music genres: rap, rock, R&B, and pop. Among these, rap music stood out with a higher prevalence of rebellious F-words. However, the impact of these words was diminished due to their frequent occurrence, resulting in a reduced level of audience reaction and shock value. The following textual analysis of grammatical features and literary devices associated with those F-words provided evidence that more assertive and aggressive expressions, such as imperative sentences, were favored when incorporating rebellious F-words in the lyrics. This study provides a comprehensive overview of how modern pop music expresses and conveys rebellious power through the use of profanity. 

In today's society, mental health issues are increasing frequently, especially among children and young people like never before. It is a complex society issue in Sweden that requires an immense amount of resources, interdisciplinary knowledge from several professions, and efforts from multiple welfare agencies. Collaboration has emerged as a working method to help organizations cooperate towards common goals, requiring work conducted between several different authorities, units, and welfare agencies. Collaboration is used in several areas within public service where social services and resources are offered. In the work with children with mental health issues, collaboration occurs between schools, child and Adolescent Psychiatric (BUP), and social services based on various legislations, public services, and organizations, as well as multiple professional fields. This collaboration is necessary but not easy to execute. While collaboration is seen as the solution for children in need, it is not uncommon that some children end up falling through the cracks during collaborative processes. Collaboration itself is a comprehensive and comprehensible area; in this study, we have gone through previous research relevant to the subject, child perspectives, student health, collaboration theory, and current legislation is mentioned in this research. In the method section, the aim is to compare theory about collaboration with staff's experiences of collaboration in practice. We have limited ourselves to professionals working with children and youth in primary schools, in various work areas, to obtain a more nuanced picture of collaboration with children. We used a qualitative method through semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis of the results. The results we obtained through this study highlighted the importance of a distinct structure and leadership, with a clear delegation of tasks and responsibilities, engagement from a leadership level as well as within the group that collaborates with each other. A shared perspective also had a significant impact on collaboration since it affects the cooperation among the different parties. These mentioned aspects are conditions for successful collaboration.

Denna studie har sin grund ifrån den högaktuella diskussionen om digitala verktygs och digitala kompetensers vara eller icke vara i svensk förskola. Där nuvarande regering begärt att läroplanen för förskolan ska revideras och inte längre inkludera mål som syftar till att utveckla förskolebarns digitala kompetenser och nyttjande av digitala verktyg, revideringar som diskuteras i samma veva som detta examensarbete arbetas fram. Syftet med denna studie är därför att undersöka hur verksamma förskollärare upplever och praktiskt arbetar med digitala verktyg, och hur digital kompetens tolkas. Både utifrån förskollärares egen roll som lärare samt vad förskollärare upplever att barn i förskolan faktiskt får med sig för nya kunskaper och upplevelser. Studien har använt den didaktiska teorin i syfte att undersöka om de begrepp som teorin menar är undervisningens dimensioner, går att återfinna och se utifrån den insamlade empirin. Metoden som använts för att bygga empirin utgår ifrån kvalitativa intervjuer med fem förskollärare. Studiens resultat visar att det trots en nuvarande kritisk blick från bland annat regeringen, finns en positivitet hos de intervjuade förskollärare att integrera digitala verktyg och digital kompetens i verksamheten och hos barnen. Där de intervjuade förskollärarna menar att deras digitala kompetenser möjliggör både att utveckla barns digitala förståelse, samt för att underlätta i undervisningen även för andra läroplansmål. Majoriteten av de intervjuade förskollärarna anser även att barn i förskola har ett behov av att utveckla digital kompetens, eftersom samhället även fortsattvis kommer att fortsätta att digitaliseras, vilket framtida generationer kommer att behöva förstå och använda.

The problem area that the study examines is how Lindström's (2008) theory and model can be conceptualized in the integration of digital technology and how it affects children's learning and development as well as preschool teachers' attitude to digital technology. This study is conducted both qualitative (semi-structured interviews) and quantitative (surveys) for empirical work. The study is limited to Skåne, which means it was conducted with respondents in Skåne. In the qualitative study, the participants are two preschool teachers who have also answered the questionnaire (Appendix 2), while in the quantitative study, the participants are from different professional categories such as preschool teachers, childminders and pedagogues in order to get a broader and diverse perspective on the problem area. The study's results showed that digital technology is important for children's learning and development. In order to make the use of digital technology more efficient and for the children to benefit in the best way from the education that the preschool offers, it is important that preschool teachers and other workers receive education in it. When investigating the preschool teacher's methods and strategies in the integration of digital technology, it emerged that also in both the results and the analysis part that Lindström's (2008) theory and model invisible concepts "learning ABOUT", "learning IN", "learning THROUGH", "learning WITH", “divergent learning” and “convergent learning” are used in different ways. The central conclusion is that digital technology is important in preschool and with the help of Lindström's (2008) theory and model can be used as a method and strategy to promote children's versatile learning.

I tidigare forskning och i Läroplanen för förskola (lpfö 18) skrivs leken fram som betydelsefull för barns utveckling och lärande, men då tolkningsutrymmet av skrivningarna i läroplanen är stort samtidigt som kraven på undervisning i förskolan ökar, är syftet med vår studie att undersöka hur verksamma förskollärare förhåller sig till och påverkar barns fria lek. Studiens syfte besvaras med hjälp av följande frågor: Vilka förhållningssätt har förskollärarna till barns lek?, hur ser pedagogerna på sin egen medverkan i barns fria lek? Samt, hur resonerar pedagogerna kring- och arbetar med kombinationen lek och lärande? Tanken med studien är att bidra till att förskollärare börjar reflektera mer kring sin påverkan på barns fria lek, samt blir mer medvetna kring hur dess förhållningssätt till leken påverkar barns lärande.

För att besvara våra frågeställningar har vi använt oss av en kvalitativ forskningsmetod, då vi genomfört observationer på två olika förskolor samt intervjuat förskollärare. Den insamlade empirin analyserades sedan med kommunikationsteoretisk utgångspunkt som tog avstamp främst i Knutsdotter Olofssons lekteori och Woods begrepp barninitierade-, vuxenstödd- och policystyrd lärandelek.

Resultatet visar att barns fria lek övergripande ses som betydelsefull för barns lärande och utveckling, men att den position som förskollärare väljer att inta i och runt barns lek varierar beroende på miljö och barnens ålder. Det framkommer också att de ökade kraven på undervisning i förskolan inte tycks påverka den fria leken, men att leken däremot används som verktyg för att planera undervisning utifrån barnens intresse samt för att synliggöra ett lärande som inte blivit framträdande just i undervisningssituationen. 

We all have our own responsibility for each other and for the planet. We have a responsibility to acquire knowledge about the environmental problems that exist and how we can relateto them in order to solve them. We have a human, natural and self-evident responsibility tocare and protect the animals & nature around us.As we know, large amounts of environmental emissions are created during new construction, even when building sustainably. The best thing we can do is to use resources from whatwe already have, instead of constantly having to create new ones. We must learn how tocreate new from the old, although it is more complex to rebuild and preserve what alreadyexists rather than demolish and build new.The island of Ven, located in the Öresund, constitutes a great cultural heritage in the form ofthe many bricks that today adorn the island's shores. The bricks come from the 19th centurybrick industry on the island and the traces of them are clear today.The purpose of the study focuses on investigating how a building placed in its natural environment can contribute to how humans view their own relationship with nature, and whatthe path there looks like. The location will be Ven and the building will be made using recycled bricks from the site.The study has been carried out using a range of different research methods: literature review, keyword search, close reading and site analysis.The result of the study is a design proposal in the form of a nature center at Ven. The building will be designed using recycled bricks that tie in with the history of the site. The building's activities will become a link between man and nature. The building will have severaldifferent exhibitions and activities where the visitor can learn about protecting biodiversityand environmental issues.The conclusion of the study is that the creation of a nature center on Ven will benefit manand nature in several ways. At Ven's visitor center, the visitor gets knowledge, informationand inspiration to learn and experience the nearby environment and nature in general.In order for the construction industry to become increasingly sustainable and implementreuse as part of the construction process, several changes must take place. There are several aspects that need to come together for recycling to work at its best. It is, among otherthings, that as an architect, client or visionary, you see reuse as a natural part of the construction process right from the start in a circular direction. 

The refugeecrisis was a turning point in Swedish exceptionalism a discursive shift has somehowoccurred within the Swedish policy debate and mainstream media whereby the '(im)migrant' isconstructed as a potential security threat. To achieve the goal of the 'security' concerns of thisthesis, a theoretical framework of the social constructivist perspective is to assess howsecuritization is discursively constructed within discursive power relations among differentsocietal actors an d to understand identifying conditions that potentially have enabled this shift.Herein, this research synthesizes media content and political opinion to analyze the shaping andchang ing of the discourse on securitizing migration between 2014 and 2017 by blending qualitativecontent analysis with critical discourse analysis. One of the conclusions reached is the analysishighlights discourses once propagated and shifted gradually in the political sphere and in a sensea certain group of immigrants is constructed as an existential threat within it.

Background: The nursing profession has undergone several changes in the past decades, and new challenges are to come in the future; patients are now cared for in their home, hospitals are more specialized, and primary care will have a key role. Health informatics is essential in all core competencies in nursing. From an educational perspective, it is of great importance that students are prepared for the new demands and needs of the patients. From a societal point of view, the society, health care included, is facing several challenges related to technological developments and digitization. Preparation for the next decade of nursing education and practice must be done, without the advantage of certainty. A training for not-yet-existing technologies where educators should not be limited by present practice paradigms is desirable. This study presents the design, method, and protocol for a study that investigates undergraduate nursing students’ internet use, knowledge about electronic health (eHealth), and attitudes to technology and how experiences of eHealth are handled during the education in a multicenter study. Objective: The primary aim of this research project is to describe the design of a longitudinal study and a qualitative substudy consisting of the following aspects that explore students’ knowledge about and relation to technology and eHealth: (1) what pre-existing knowledge and interest of this area the nursing students have and (2) how (and if) is it present in their education, (3) how do the students perceive this knowledge in their future career role, and (4) to what extent is the education capable of managing this knowledge? Methods: The study consists of two parts: a longitudinal study and a qualitative substudy. Students from the BSc in Nursing program from the Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden, and from the Swedish Red Cross University College, Stockholm/Huddinge, Sweden, were included in this study. Results: The study is ongoing. Data analysis is currently underway, and the first results are expected to be published in 2019. Conclusions: This study presents the design of a longitudinal study and a qualitative substudy. The eHealth in Nursing Education eNursEd study will answer several important questions about nursing students’ attitudes toward and use of information and communications technology in their private life, their education, and their emerging profession. Knowledge from this study will be used to compare different nursing programs and students’ knowledge about and relation to technology and eHealth. Results will also be communicated back to nursing educators to improve the teaching of eHealth, health informatics, and technology. ©Peter Anderberg, Gunilla Björling, Louise Stjernberg, Doris Bohman.

Background: A physically active life promotes both physical and mental health, increasing well-being and quality of life. Physical activity (PA) performed outdoors has been found to be particularly good for promoting well-being. However, participation in PA can change during the course of a lifetime. Parenthood has been found to be a life event associated with decreased PA, especially among women, although studies in the field are sparse. The aim of this study was to investigate participation in outdoor recreational PA, and factors influencing participation among parents-to-be, with and without previous children, from a gender perspective. Methods: This study included baseline data from parents-to-be, 224 women and 208 men, from the municipality of Karlskrona in south-east Sweden. Data collection was carried out during 2008-2009. We measured the self-reported amount of outdoor recreational PA undertaken during the last year and analysed the probability of participating in this PA using 25 variables covering individual and socioeconomic factors. Results: Seventy-six per cent of the women and 65% of the men had participated in outdoor recreational PA, varying from several times per month to every day, over a 12-month period prior to one month before pregnancy. Participation in PA indoors and owning a dog or a horse emerged as the most important factors associated with the probability of participation in outdoor recreational PA. Men were affected by a greater number of factors than women, for example men who had a family situation that permitted outdoor recreational PA participated in activities to a greater extent than men without such a family situation. The physical aspect, i.e. improved physical condition, staying power and vigour, also played a significant role with regard to participation among men. Conclusions: Becoming a parent is a life-changing event that affects participation in PA. By offering family-oriented PA choices that involve both parents and children, midwives and health promoters can encourage parents to be active and to support each other. The promotion of outdoor recreational PA, which also has restorative effects on well-being, needs to focus on activities which are attractive and affordable for the majority of both women and men.

Background Physical activity (PA) is part of a healthy lifestyle and prevents many chronic health problems, in addition to promoting mental health. PA performed outdoors has been found particularly good for promoting one's well-being. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which outdoor recreational PA was carried out during 1 year, and the factors influencing such activities from a gender perspective among persons ≥ 60 years of age. Methods This study included 999 individuals 60-96 years of age living in the south eastern part of Sweden. Data collection was carried out during the years of 2001-2003. We measured the amount of regular light and/or intense outdoor recreational PA performed during the last year and determined the probability of performing PA as a function of 10 variables covering individual and socioeconomic factors. Results Our results suggest that being independent physically and healthy enough to manage one's personal hygiene and having access to areas for country walks were the most important factors associated with the probability of engaging in outdoor recreational PA for both men and women. Despite the level of performance being almost equal for the sexes as two-thirds of both had performed outdoor recreational PA during the preceding year more factors, i.e., living alone, being unable to cover an unexpected cost, fear of being violated, and fear of falling, were associated with the possibilities of engaging in outdoor recreational PA among women. Also increasing age seems to affect activities among women negatively to a higher extent than men. Conclusion Men and women seem to have different opportunities and needs with respect to performing PA. These considerations do not seem to be sufficiently taken into account today and improvements could be made concerning e.g., health-promoting activities suggested to the elderly by healthcare personnel and spatial planning within society. Promoting outdoor recreational PA that has restorative effects on well-being needs to focus on activities which are attractive and affordable for the majority of both men and women.

It is common belief that ticks are more visible and easier to detect on light clothing in comparison with dark clothing. We studied which of the clothing, light or dark, had the least attractive effect on Ixodes ricinus, thus minimizing exposure and thereby in theory help to prevent tick borne diseases in humans. Ten participants, exposed by walking in tick endemic areas, wore alternately light and dark clothing before every new exposure. Nymphal and adult ticks on the clothing were collected and counted. Totally, 886 nymphal ticks were collected. The overall mean in found ticks between the both groups differed significantly, with 20.8 more ticks per person on light clothing. All participants had more ticks on light clothing in all periods of exposure. Dark clothing seems to attract fewer ticks.

Aims: To describe environmental and personal tick preventive measures and their predictors, taken by a population living in a highly tick-endemic area. Methods: Due to the recent confirmation of human tick-borne encephalitis cases, vaccination against tick borne encephalitis was offered to the population living in the endemic area through the use of leaflets and media campaigns. At the time for the initial dose, information and enrollment to this cohort study was carried out. Participants´ characteristics, frequency of tick-bites and preventive measures were included in questionnaires. Logistic analysis was used to determine behavioural differences in activities taken in order to prevent tick-bites. Conclusion: In total, 70% of the permanent residents had themselves vaccinated before the next tick-season. Of the studied participants 356/517 (69%) regularly took preventive measures in their environment and/or personally. Women in particular, and those previously treated for a tick-borne disease took significantly more preventive measures. When analysing all variables together, spending less time in tick-endemic area and being tick-bitten the latest tick-season significantly increased the probability of taking preventive measures. After being tick-bitten, men were more inclined to start taking preventive measures than women. Awareness of the risks caused by living in a high endemic area to ticks influenced the participant’s daily life through preventive activities. Public health action should be considered thus encouraging out-of-door activities for the population, without anxiety for risks for contracting tick-borne disease after being tick-bitten.

The aim of this short communication is to stimulate a discussion on the state of a public health profession in Europe and actions which need to be taken to authorise public health professionals based on their competencies. While regulated professions such as medical doctors, nurses, lawyers, and architects can enjoy the benefits of the 2005/ 36/EC Directive amended by 2013/55/EU Directive on the recognition of professional qualifications, public health professionals are left out from these elite. Firstly, we use the profession traits theory as a framework in arguing whether public health can be a legitimate profession in itself, second, we explain who public health professionals are and what usually is required for shaping the public health profession, and thirdly, we attempt to sketch the road to the authorisation or licencing of public health professionals. Finally, we will propose some recommendation.

A survey targeting ASPHER members was launched in 2010/11, being a first initiative in improving ethics education in European Schools of Public Health. An 8-items questionnaire collected information on teaching of ethics in public health. A 52% response rate (43/82) revealed that almost all of the schools (95% out of 40 respondents with valid data) included the teaching of ethics in at least one of its programmes. They also expressed the need of support, (e.g.: a model curriculum (n=25), case studies (n=24)), which indicates further work to be met by the ASPHER Working Group on Ethics and Values in Public Health.

In this paper an audio processing solution for video conference based aerobics is presented. The proposed solution leaves the workout music unaltered by separating it from the speech and processing each signal separately. The speech signal processing is also performed at a lower sample rate, which saves computational power. Real time evaluation of the system shows that high quality music as well as a good two-way communication is maintained during the aerobic session.

The current protracted economic crisis is giving rise to the scarcity of public health resources across Europe. In response to budgetary pressures and the Eurozone public debt crisis, decision-makers resort to a short-term solution: the introduction of austerity measures in diverse policy fields. Health and social policy tend to be easy targets in this regard and budget cuts often include a reduction of healthcare expenditure or social welfare benefits. We suggest incorporating discussions from the field of ethics in policy making processes and in the academic debate on austerity. This includes recognising procedural justice as a social value. On the road to economic recovery, governments are compelled to resort to fiscal consolidation and austerity packages but decisions taken to save our European ships in crisis should be anchored in values such as (procedural) justice, equity and solidarity.

Objective. To describe the users of herbal medicine products and food supplements with respect to age and gender specifically among persons aged ≥60 years. Design. A descriptive study with baseline data from a longitudinal study of the elderly, stratified into different age cohorts (60-69, 70-79, 80-89 and ≥90 years). Setting. Blekinge county, situated in the southeastern Sweden. Subjects. Totally 1380 persons aged 60-96 years (median age 78 years). Main outcome measures. Current use of herbal medicine products and the use of food supplements. Results. Of the participants, 264/1380 (19.1%) used at least one herbal medicine product, 184/1380 (13.3%) used at least one food supplement and 382/1380 (27.7%) used herbal medicine products and/or food supplements. In all regression models, women had a higher probability to use herbal medicine and/or food supplements in comparison with men. Focusing on the use of herbal medicine products alone and in the combination of using herbal medicine and/or food supplement, a decreased use was seen with increasing age. However, 27.9% were still users of herbal medicine products and/or food supplements in the age group 80-89 years. In comparison, 14% were users in the age group ≥90 years. Age did not have an impact on the probability of taking food supplements. Conclusion. General practitioners need to consider the high use of herbal medicine product and food supplements among elderly when making decisions about treatment.

This study aimed to provide an understanding of nursing students’ self-reported eHealth literacy in Sweden and Poland. This cross-sectional multicentre study collected data via a questionnaire in three universities in Sweden and Poland. Descriptive statistics, the Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient, Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to analyse different data types. Age (in the Polish sample), semester, perceived computer or laptop skills, and frequency of health-related Internet searches were associated with eHealth literacy. No gender differences were evidenced in regard to the eHealth literacy. Regarding attitudes about eHealth, students generally agreed on the importance of eHealth and technical aspects of their education. The importance of integrating eHealth literacy skills in the curricula and the need to encourage the improvement of these skills for both students and personnel are highlighted, as is the importance of identifying students with lacking computer skills.

Every year, Riksbankens jubileumsfond (RJ) publishes an essay collection on a current topic. Its aim is to provide a snapshot of the breadth and quality of contemporary research in the humanities and social sciences. In 2023 seven researchers have contributed texts on the theme of THE DEADLY SINS IN OUR TIME, presented as individually bound essays in a box set. This chapter - Lust, from fornication to dating apps - gives a broad picture of sexuality within a historical and cultural conctext and discusses wheter sexuality and desire is a deadly sin todat or not.

This essay explores male intimacy in popular culture, specifically focusing on how the visual representation of male intimacy in The Blaze's music video Virile can be interpreted in relation to male friendship within patriarchal norms of masculinity in music videos through a western perspective. The method used was semiotic film analysis and theories of body language and representation to analyze the material, which was divided into stages based on dramaturgy. The analysis showed that while the music video challenges patriarchal norms of masculinity by portraying men expressing love and intimacy towards each other, it also satisfies the male gaze through stereotypical masculine body language. The conclusion of the analysis was that due to the constant presence of the male gaze within a patriarchal structure, male representation can never be free from its own oppression.

This article analyses actor relationships in Transit Oriented Development (TOD) planning in order to better understand the preconditions necessary for planning processes to result in TOD in lower density contexts, in suburbs, or small cities. Empirically, the analysis builds on a comparative case study of TOD planning projects. The focus in the analytical work is on understanding how market conditions in lower density contexts influence the conditions for TOD planning projects, and how this feeds through to planning processes. The overall conclusion is that we should not expect that planning processes in small cities with low to medium densities of populations and activities differ much from those in more ‘classic’ highly urban TOD locations. Market conditions had an impact on planning processes, but once in the planning stage conditions for implementation depended more on the ability to handle competing interests and less on market conditions. In terms of policy recommendations, it is important for actors to develop a joint vision of the built environment of the site in question that channels organizations’ individual actions in a joint direction. The ability to achieve such a joint vision for the design of the site in question may be more important in small towns than in more ‘typical’ TOD contexts in denser urban areas. This is because all enablers need to work together in a positive way in such location – which may be marginal from a market point of view – for the development to be able to go ahead.

Kollektivtrafik anses ofta vara särskilt betydelsefull för personer med funktionsnedsättning, då det kan finnas en begränsad tillgång till andra färdmedel. Trots ansträngningar för att överbrygga hinder i kollektivtrafiken, kvarstår idag betydande utmaningar. Personer med funktionsnedsättning gör generellt färre resor och deltar i färre aktiviteter utanför hemmet än personer som inte har några funktionsnedsättningar. Att resa i den allmänna kollektivtrafiken förutsätter en rad förmågor, som beror på ett samspel mellan resenär och olika miljöer, såsom informationsmiljöer, fysiska miljöer och sociala miljöer. Brister detta samspel uppstår ett funktionshinder som försvårar eller omöjliggör användning av kollektivtrafik. Rapporten syftar till att ge en översikt över arbetsområdet tillgänglighet i kollektivtrafiken och inkluderar exempel både från forskning och mer praktiskt arbete. Rapporten ska inte ses som en heltäckande översikt, utan ämnar snarare ge en överblick och nulägesbild över området. I rapporten presenteras en genomgång av vissa mål och regelverk som är relevanta utifrån tillgänglighet ur nationellt och europeiskt perspektiv. Därefter ges en nationell utblick som berör frågor om ansvar, information, och myndigheter som på olika sätt arbetar med frågor relaterade till tillgänglighet i kollektivtrafiken. En genomgång av forskning inom området görs ur ett mer övergripande perspektiv (en mer detaljerad genomgång kommer att publiceras i artikelformat framöver) och därefter med några exempel på forskningsrapporter som publicerats nationellt. Översikten ger även exempel på europeiska forskningsprojekt som på olika sätt berör frågor om tillgänglighet i kollektivtrafiken samt på andra pågående EU-initiativ inom området. Nationella studier har exempelvis belyst frågor om tillgänglighet i transportsystemet i regional planering. Författarna fann att tillgänglighet användes på olika sätt i planeringsdokument. Vidare menar författarna att tillgänglighet användes på olika sätt i de olika avdelningar som arbetade med kollektivtrafik, vilket försvårar samarbeten och helhetssynen kring tillgänglighetsfrågan. Tidigare K2-projekt har utgått från kunskap som insamlats genom en rad workshopar inom ramen för det svenska arbetet med EU-projektet TRIPS och fokuserade mot tillgänglighetsanpassning av digitala reseplanerare. Projektet identifierade ett flertal områden som är i behov av utveckling för att digitala verktyg ska kunna implementeras i svensk kollektivtrafik på ett framgångsrikt vis. En grundläggande utmaning handlade om att samla in och systematisera data som kan användas för att utveckla verktyg, samt att identifiera vilka aktörer som bör vara ansvariga för detta arbete. Rapporten visar också att det arbetas brett med frågan om tillgänglighet för alla i kollektivtrafiken, men att många utmaningar tycks kvarstå, både ur ett internationellt och ett nationellt perspektiv. Flertalet av de europeiska projekt som genomförts pekar på vikten av att inkludera personer med funktionsnedsättning i utvecklingen av tillgänglighet. Exempelvis i EU-projektet TRIPS lyfts delaktighet med principer om ”nothing about us without us” tillsammans med ett tydligt fokus på rättigheter för personer med funktionsnedsättning. Andra projekt lyfter vikten av att säkerställa att utvecklingen av digitala hjälpmedel måste ske på ett sätt som inkluderar personer med funktionsnedsättning, då det annars riskerar att gå i motsatt riktning och i allt högre grad verka exkluderande. Exempelvis projektet DIGNITY K2 Working Paper 2023:8 7 syftar till att utveckla metoder för att synliggöra och åtgärda den så kallade digitala klyftan mellan personer med funktionsnedsättning och det övriga samhället. Vid den snabba övergången till ett mer transporteffektivt samhälle, med digitalisering och nya mobilitetsformer, behöver uppmärksamhet riktas mot dem som behöver extra stöd och service för att få tillgång till kollektivtrafiken. I denna översikt har både fysiska hinder, sociala hinder och samordningsproblem uppmärksammats. Slutligen kan konstateras att kollektivtrafiken och dess olika sociala och fysiska dimensioner är ombytlig. Tillgänglighetsfrågor är inte något som på något sätt når ett slut, eller som man färdigställer genom enskilda insatser. Tillgängligheten i kollektivtrafiken utmanas ständigt, parallellt med de samhällsförändringar som sker och med hänsyn till de många olika behov och förutsättningar som vi alla har. Att fördjupa förståelsen för de funktionshinder som uppstår i kollektivtrafiken borde vara en central fråga i det fortsatta arbetet för alla människors möjligheter att vara inkluderade i samhället och för att minska riskerna för social exkludering och marginalisering.

The aim of this study was to get a deeper understanding of women’s experience of pleasure and displeasure when having sex with men. This study was conducted with a qualitative method with inspiration from a phenomenological approach. The study consists of eight semi-structured interviews with a lifeworld perspective. The focus has been on the participants described experiences and interpretations of sexual encounters, which has been analysed with a thematic analysis. Previous research shows that cultural, contextual, and relational factors matter för women’s sexual experiences, which also has been shown in this study. The result culminated in two overall themes: Safe relational contexts and unsafe relational contexts, with respectively sub-heading for more specific contexts. The theoretical tools that have been used to analyse the participants descriptions are Scripting Theory, Simone De Beauvoir’s understanding of Transcendence and Immanence among other concepts and Jean-Paul Sartre’s concept of the Look, progressed by Stack and Plant (1982). In summery the interviews showed that Women’s social role as Beauvoir (2002) describes as the second sex turns out to have a major impact on the participants sexual experiences and the room of action that they sense they have in sexual encounters with men. The subordination that comes with the social role as a woman in unsafe relational contexts contributed to experiences of feeling objectified, not seen or not important which was negative for the sexual experience. To be regarded as a subject is portrayed as something positive where safety opens for exploration and playfulness. The study shows that there is an extensive silence around female sexual pleasure which some of the participants described as problematic. Men has a significant impact on how sexual encounters unfolds due to the superior social role. More knowledge on men’s sexual lifeworld’s and their view on reciprocity and feelings of responsibility is therefore important research going forward.

Background: Sweden has had sex education in various forms in primary school for almost 70 years. Despite the long time and experience, shortcomings emerge that are noted by both students and teachers. In the summer of 2022, a new curriculum was introduced in Sweden that entailed major changes in the area of knowledge, Sexuality, Consent and Relationships.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to gain increased knowledge about the secondary school teachers' experience, perceived competence and interest in the curriculum area Sexuality, Consent and Relationships. 

Method: The study is a quantitative survey study conducted during the spring semester of 2023 with 57 responding secondary school teachers in Sörmland. The survey was sent out in the first stage at the start of the spring term and in order to increase the number of participants, a further mailing to more schools at the end of the spring term. A total of 425 teachers were reached by the survey.

Results: The results show that there is a clear difference between different subject teachers if they have carried out teaching in the knowledge area. There is also a correlation between the experience of conducting education and perceived competence, as well as professional interest and perceived competence. There is no correlation between perceived competence and having been offered training in the area of knowledge. 

Conclusion It appears that there is still a large part of the teachers who do not feel that their competence in the field of knowledge is sufficient. Experience of teaching creates an increased sense of competence. However, it would be of great benefit to the students if the teachers were given the opportunity to increase their knowledge so that the security of keeping the education increases.

Den här studien i visuell kommunikation analyserar MSB’s broschyr “Om krisen eller kriget kommer” som 2018 skickades ut till 4,9 miljoner svenska hushåll. Den använder visuell analys med fokus på komposition och visuell retorik med inriktning på Burkes identifikationsteori för att besvara frågorna “Hur kan vi se på hur bilder används för att förmedla lugn och oro i broschyren ‘Om krisen eller kriget kommer’?” och “Hur och till vilket syfte använder bilderna i broschyren ‘Om krisen eller kriget kommer’ sig av identifikation som en retorisk strategi?”. Slutsatsen är att broschyren använder lugnande designelement och harmoniska kompositioner för att skapa en känsla av lugn, och den använder också identifikation genom representation som ett retoriskt medel för att övertyga läsaren att handla lugnt i krissituationer. 

The article discusses how ideas of reading enjoyment affect the practical and pedagogical practice through a project to promote reading at four Swedish preschools. Based on interviews and observations collected over a three-year period we highlight three areas where ideas about reading enjoyment are visualized in the teaching of literatur: literature, play, and learnig thorugh reading enjoyment. The stdy shows that access to literature alone does not necessarily lead to children's voluntary reading unless preschool teachers also take an active initiative. Likewise, play can be a pleasurable way to start reading if the adults provide some guidane. The study also notices a discrepancy between preschool teachers' ideas of reading enjoyment and learning, which may result in the option out of voluntary reading unless it is explicitly supported in the policy docuemnts. Measures in the form of pedagocial education, and goals concerning literary didactics therein are proposed. 

I Policy Briefen undersöker författarna effekterna och värdet av formella politiska rättigheter, såsom rösträtten. Författarna ställer frågan om huruvida möjligheten att rösta för utländska medborgare i kommunal- och landstingsval i Sverige påverkar individernas benägenhet att bli svenska medborgare.

I Policy Briefen analyseras svenska administrativa data som i kombination med institutionella förhållanden skapat en kvasi-slumpmässig fördelning av rösträtten, det vill säga variationen av invandrarnas invandringsdatum. Här undersöks nettoeffekten för tre grupper av invandrare. Detta utifrån levnadsstandarden i ursprungsländerna, som skiljer sig åt i hur de reagerar på möjligheten av att få delta i den demokratiska processen i Sverige.

This paper seeks to investigate why did ECOWAS’s AFISMA fail to resolve the Malian conflict between 2012 and 2013. The idea is not to go over the different challenges that ECOWAS faced in handling the Malian conflict but to instead establish the single main challenge that inhibited ECOWAS from achieving its desired goals in resolving and managing the crisis in Mali. This thesis employed the theoretical framework of neoliberal institutionalism. Methodologically, this thesis has utilised critical discourse  analysis method. 

The paper will analyse data from both primary sources (i.e ECOWAS’ policy documents, United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on the Mali crisis, AU documents, Mali’s government documents, speeches and reports) and secondary sources (i.e news articles and media reports). This paper is arguing that the reason why ECOWAS’s AFISMA failed to resolve the Malian conflict with regards to its conflict management quest in Mali is the community’s lack of ownership of its military intervention initiative in the country. In agreement with its hypothesis the paper concluded by positing that indeed the ‘reason why ECOWAS’s AFISMA failed in its conflict management quest in Mali is the community’s lack of ownership of its military intervention initiative in the country’.

Abstrakt

Denna studie syftar på att undersöka hur pedagoger förhåller sig till och resonerar kring kulturell mångfald i förskolan. Studien utförs i två olika stadsdelar inom Malmö som har olika socioekonomiska och kulturella särdrag för att fånga olika förutsättningar och förhållningssätt till kulturell mångfald. Den kvalitativa forskningsansatsen är utgångspunkten i denna studie, detta för att närma oss en uppfattning kring fenomenet. Vi har utgått från observationer och semistrukturerade intervjuer i det empiriska materialet. För observationerna valde vi två förskolor A och B med olika socioekonomiska och kulturella särdrag och vi har intervjuat tre förskollärare och en barnskötare som arbetar i förskolorna som vi observerade. Resultatet analyseras med hjälp av Halls användning av begreppen kulturell identitet och mångkulturalism, i kombination med förståelser av interkulturell pedagogisk kompetens som har utvecklats av forskarna Lorentz och Lahdenperä. Empirin uppdelas i tre delar som är pedagogernas medvetenhet och respekt för olika kulturer, pedagogernas utmaningar i relation till kulturell mångfald och vems är ansvaret. Observationerna har visat komplexiteten med att implementera läroplanens grundläggande värden i praktiken. Resultatet av intervjuerna har synliggjort pedagogernas medvetenhet och respekt i beskrivandet av kulturell mångfald. Pedagogerna har lyft fram olika utmaningar som de bemöter med vårdnadshavarna såsom förståelsen av språket och hur den svenska förskolan fungerar. Pedagogerna lägger delvis ansvaret på vårdnadshavarna när det gäller kulturkrockar och barns lärande. Pedagogerna anser att det inte endast är förskolans ansvar att lära barnen, utan att vårdnadshavarna har en roll i detta. 

Denna uppsats lyfter vårdnadshavares uppfattning om sitt inflytande i förskolan. Syftet är att undersöka deras syn på sin rätt till inflytande och hur de upplever att förskolan möjliggör för deras inflytande och delaktighet. Tidigare forskning pekar på att vårdnadshavarna har ett eget ansvar för barnet under den första tiden, men sedan från en dag till en annan ska ansvaret delas med en institution när barnet börjar i förskolan. Även om ansvaret nu delas är familjens delaktighet i barnets värld på förskolan av stor betydelse för hens utveckling och det är därför av vikt att finna en balans i det delade ansvaret. Tidigare forskning visar att det kan vara svårt att som pedagog finna denna balans i det delade ansvaret och veta var gränsen går mellan den offentliga och privata sfären, då olika kulturer och bakgrunder möts i förskolan. Materialet har samlats in genom en kvantitativ enkätundersökning och sedan har en kvalitativ analys utifrån Harry Shiers delaktighetsmodell och Roger Säljös sociokulturella perspektiv gjorts. Slutsatsen av vår undersökning är att både inflytandet och förskolans arbete med att möjliggöra inflytande upplevs positivt. Respondenterna önskar inflytande samtidigt som den dagliga kontakten upplevs som betydelsefull och en fungerande möjlighet till inflytande.  

Denna studie grundar sig kring ett musikintresse som ledde fram till en hypotes om att musik potentiellt kan bidra till barns sociala och kommunikativa relationsutveckling. Hypotesen uppkom i samband med ett spänningsfält kring våra egna uppfattningar av vad musik kan bidra till jämfört med vad vi har upplevt utifrån genomförda verksamhetsförlagda utbildningar. Här upptäckte vi att musiken ofta brukades för att dels främja barns språkutveckling men även för att lära ut kring olika ämnen. Det var hypotesen, spänningsfältet och vad tidigare forskning visade som gav upphov till studiens syfte. Vi ville uppmärksamma pedagogers uppfattningar och potentiella medvetenhet kring huruvida musik kan anses bidra till barns sociala och kommunikativa relationsutveckling. 

Empirin samlades bland annat in via fem kvalitativa intervjuer som genomfördes tillsammans med verksamma pedagoger inom förskolan. Den samlades även in genom en kvantitativ enkät som skickades ut via mejl till fem förskolor. För att kunna navigera och analysera våra respondenters svar har vi använt oss av den sociokulturella teorin och dess centrala begrepp, fenomenografi samt Biestas tre dimensioner: kvalificering, socialisering och subjektifiering. 

Resultat och slutsatser av vår aktuella studie visar på hur respondenterna associerade till och resonerade kring begrepp som kommunikation och musik men även barns sociala utveckling, vilket framhävs genom likheter och skillnader i svaren. Utifrån resultatet synliggörs även en slutsats om att våra respondenter visar på en medvetenhet gällande att musik kan bidra till barns sociala och kommunikativa relationsutveckling. 

In contemporary educational settings, the importance of children's participation and influence is increasingly recognized, even during day-to-day activities such as lunchtime. This study investigates the intricate dynamics and strategies educators employ to promote such participation during these periods, framed within Michel Foucault's theory on power and knowledge. Recognizing lunchtime not merely as a break, but as a pivotal juncture for social interactions, self-expression, and autonomy, this study investigates the underlying power dynamics in these interactions. Data for this study was sourced from focus group interviews with educators, offering a profound qualitative understanding of their experiences and perceptions. Notably, the findings suggest an ongoing tension: while educators endeavour to strike a balance between encouraging individual expression and preserving group harmony, they often resort to subtle normalization tactics. It underscores the importance for educators to continually reflect upon and adapt their methods, emphasising the need to ensure children's voices are not merely heard but actively incorporated into the fabric of their daily routines. Additionally, the broader implications of this research touch upon the foundational principles of education, challenging the traditional paradigms and advocating for a more inclusive, participatory approach in all facets of children's school lives.

Sommaren 2023 släppte fackförbundet Sveriges Lärare ett pressmeddelande om att mer än hälften av barngrupperna i förskolan är för stora, och vill därför att regeringen ska stifta en lag om maximal gräns för hur många barn som ska finnas i varje grupp i förskolan (Sveriges Lärare, 2023).  Jaara Åstrand, ordförande för fackförbundet, uttrycker att hon befarar att barngrupperna annars kommer att bli större i framtiden. Vi som framtida förskollärare undrar hur detta påverkar våra förutsättningar för att säkerställa att alla barn i förskolan ska känna sig trygga. Vi har därför för avsikt med denna studie att undersöka om storleken på barngruppen påverkar pedagogers möjligheter att ge en god omsorg till barn i förskolan. 

Vi har i studien utgått från våra frågeställningar Hur beskriver pedagoger begreppet omsorg? Hur anser pedagoger att barngruppens storlek påverkar förmågan att kunna ge barn en god omsorg? och Vilka strategier använder pedagoger för att tillgodose alla barns behov? För att kunna besvara vårt syfte och frågeställningar har vi gjort en kvalitativ studie, då vi har utfört sex semistrukturerade intervjuer med pedagoger som har olika yrkestitlar och arbetar inom förskola. För att analysera vårt insamlade material har vi utgått från Nel Noddings teori om omsorgsetik. Genom att använda denna teori vill vi belysa förskolans omsorgsarbete, närmare bestämt dess möjligheter och hinder i relation till storleken på barngruppen. Resultatet av studien visar att pedagogerna anser att antalet barn är för stort för att de ska kunna tillgodose alla barns omsorgsbehov. Samtidigt förefaller det finnas en acceptans hos pedagogerna av situationen som de befinner sig i. En av våra slutsatser som vi kommit fram till är att pedagogerna tar vara på de tillfällen till omsorg när de dyker upp, en annan slutsats är att pedagogerna behöver vara flexibla i sitt arbete, och för att lättare kunna se varje barn och deras omsorgsbehov delar de in barnen i mindre grupper.