The purpose of this thesis was to examine the ways in which the constructions of heterosexuality and gender in three Disney movies about princesses affect the power relations between men and women in the movies, and how discourses on gender and heterosexuality have changed over time. Research questions were:How do characters in the movies talk about gender and heterosexuality?How does the interplay between gender and heterosexuality affect the power relations between men and women in the movies?What are the likenesses and differences between movies from different time periods?Discourses were mapped out using a model based on Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe?s political theories. These discourses were then analyzed with a theoretical framework consisting of Yvonne Hirdman?s concept of gender system and gender contracts, Judith Butler?s view on the heterosexual matrix and an understanding of power relations based on Michel Foucault.

Within the ambulance care in Uppsala County a vacuum splint is used to immobilize fractures on extremities. The research available on which method of immobilizing to prefer during pre-hospital treatment is limited. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the perceptions of the ambulance personal in Uppsala County on the issue of usability of SAM-splint and vacuum splint when immobilizing extremities. The project was also aimed at researching if SAM-splint could be seen as an alternative or a complement to vacuum splint, and to get an apprehension on any evident differences in patients? perceived pain when treated with the two different approaches. A descriptive comparative study was carried out. All patients, regardless of age and sex, with the need of immobilizing supposed fractures, were included.  Patients with suspected femur fracture, collum fracture, or where pre-hospital care was not possible or in question, was excluded.

There are many good reasons to ponder about what it is that makes life worth living. To observe and reflect on what it is that gives a person a good quality of life is arguably the essential core of social-work. The aim of this research was to investigate how 15-year old youths interpret quality of life. The key areas that we explored in order to meet the research aims were: what did the youths interpret as a good quality of life for a 15-year old and for an adult, how did they view their own quality of life, and did they think that the regional context (i.e. if one lives in a big city or in a small town) affects how one interpret quality of life.The studywas based on interviews with four boys and four girls.

Women magazines are like guides to women and girls, due to the fact that they consistently upgrade their women audience about different trends. Advertising ads that are directed toward women are enjoying being in the atmosphere of women magazines, based on their frequent presence in women magazine?s content. Postfeminism is regarded as being an escape from feminism or as the opposite of feminism because they don?t share feminism?s ideology about equality, gender, and feminism?s questions about power struggle.

This master thesis examines sport habits among young people and a view of their future in sports. Research has shown that the majority of youth leave sport clubs during adolescence. The thesis questions were: How physically active are young people? Which sports do they practice? Regarding their future in sports, what kind of aspirations do the young people have? Are there any barriers that could complicate their involvement in these activities? These questions were examined by analyzing if there were any differences between boys and girls, youth in different grades and youth with Swedish or foreign backgrounds. Pierre Bourdieu´s theoretical framework about sports and economic capital has been used as a research framework.

Author: Madeleine Ahlström and Hanna PuontiTitle: To meet the invisible population - A qualitative study of men with deliberate self-injury [Att möta de osynliga - En kvalitativ studie om killar med självskadebeteende]Supervisor: Anders ÖstnäsAssessor: Jan Petersson This study aims to provide a picture of the underlying causes why men deliberately hurt themselves. It also aims to provide a picture revolving how men self-harm and what the direct effects are from their self-harm. The study describes their behaviour and how the behaviour has evolved over time. There is also a focus in the study to illustrate how society´s operative approach towards men makes their self-harm invisible, and make them an invisible population that neither the scientists nor the general population chooses to see. Self-injury is strongly associated with girls and their way of harming themselves.

The purpose of this Master Thesis is to compare two American novel suites for young women, Louisa May Alcott?s Little Women and Good Wives to Ann Brashares series of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. The social status of women and children in the US during the 19th century is analyzed and compared historically and literary with the situation 130 years later.The main question is, what differences exist in the books and is there a connection between the changes in society and literature?The method of this Master Thesis is to make a comparative narratological analysis placed in a historical context.The result shows that the multiple character remains and enhances the identification process. Motherhood in the works of Alcott is prominent, whereas in the works of Brashares, sisterhood replaces motherhood.In Alcott?s US during the 19th century, Christian faith was in the foreground.

AbstractThe purpose of this essay is to increase the knowledge of which strategies students with reading and writing disabilities or dyslexia use to learn in secondary school. The study aims to examine the following questions:Which coping strategies do students with reading and writing disabilities use in their studies?How can remedial teachers support students with reading and writing disabilities in their learning process?The study consists of two interviews with a total of three hours recorded material made with a secondary school teacher who teaches Swedish and English. The teacher has experiences of reading and writing disabilities herself but also from teaching students with dyslexia. The interviews are constructed into a lifestory describing experiences of reading and writing disabilities in school, during teacher training and as a teacher.

The aim of this study was to examine how the interviewed teachers in one school observe their view of gender and equality regarding the educational system.  Accordingly, I would like to present my intention with this study, also be to analyze how the interviewed teachers way of working with matters of gender and equality, carry out as a portrait of their values considering the distribution in terms of gender. The research questions are the following: What is the teachers view on the concepts of equality and gender in school?How do different teachers talk about their way of working in relation to gender and equality in school?How is boys and girls images presented in the teachers descriptions in their discussion about gender and equality?This study is based on a fundamental qualitative method, where a handful number of teacher?s from one school were interviewed in order to obtain information and data for the examination. The interviews were analyzed and discussed in association to earlier research in aspiration to study different writer?s theories about the conception of gender and equality.

Background: Today when leisure time is spent, spontaneous sports activities decrease, due to a more comfortable way of living and physical capacity among non active adolescents decreases. There for it´s interesting to see how the physical capacity level has changed over time among young people participating in organized leisure time sports.Studies around the world show that young people standing outside organized sport activities have tended to decrease their physical activity levels over the last few decades. Less leisure time is spent doing physical activity and sometimes gets put into context with increased time spent behind the computer or inactivity.Design: A retrospective study of the test results on physical capacity between 1982 and 2009 for students applying to Växjö track and field high school. A total of 635 students (15 years old) have done 11 physical tests during the years. Five of these tests, with enough participants (at least 100) and documentation over at least 10 years, were used in this study.Results: This study shows that young track and field athletes have maintained the same physical capacity from 1982 to 2009.

?Games children play? is a study about the importance of playing with a focus on a group of disabled children. I have made some observations by participating in these children?s play at an accommodation. My interest arouse when I worked as holiday substitute at an accommodation for disabled children.The purpose with the study is to carry out participation observations and look for signs and events that show the importance of children?s play.

Mitt arbete syftar till att åskådliggöra de genusföreställningar som skapas av vårt samhälle kring sättet vi lever och verkar på. Mitt fokus ligger på tjejer som tränar eller verkar inom kampsport, deras uppfattning av sig själva som kvinnliga utövare samt deras tolkning av samhällets syn på dem. Studien är kvalitativ och baseras på teoretisk forskning kring genus, kön, idrott och idrottshistoria. Till detta har jag valt att addera tolv intervjuer med personer som faller inom ramen av mitt urval, det vill säga personer som under en längre tid varit med och verkat för kampsporten. Då jag har riktat in mig på fyra olika kampsporter och för att få en bra bredd, har jag valt att intervjua en kille och två tjejer från varje sport.                      Resultatet redovisas i löpande text och är baserad på frågeställningen i den ordning de kommer.

Introduction: Sleep disorders are an increasingly growing public health problem. InSweden, the last decade's increase in sleep problems was greatest among younger agegroups. Studies show association between the use of communication media and sleepinghabits. Objective: The aim is to map sleep habits and use of communication mediumamong adolescents and to study associations between them. Method: The study isbased on a previously collected survey data among high school students (18-21 years)from a coastal town in southern Sweden.

Background: It is common that children and adolecsents with Aspergers syndrome have impaired motor skills and are less physically active than neurotypical children and adolecsents. Studies conducted on neurotypical children shows that children and adolecsents who are regular physical active also have a good motor control and a good physical self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the physical self-esteem of children and adolescents with Aspergers syndrome. Study Group: 36 children and adolescents aged 9-15 years with a diagnosis of Aspergers syndrome was asked to participate in the survey. 18 children, 16 boys and 2 girls, responded to the questionnarie about physical self-esteem which 17 of the answers could be used in the study.

The aim of this study is to, from a child?s family relations, describe the usage of terms relating to factors of risk and safety in science and in investigations concerning children in need of protection. It is also of importance in what way the terms are used when the Social Services suggest that measures should be taken, and in which way the children have been heard in the investigations.The issues raised in this study are: (a) How is the current life situation and life quality of the children discussed? (b) The value of factors concerning risks and protection. (c) How is the children?s own descriptions taken in to consideration? (d) Is gender issues considered? (e) How is Lagerberg?s model (Lagerberg, 1998) useful in investigations?The method of analysis is mainly qualitative however it is combined with analysis of literature relevant to the study.