This thesis focuses on the perception of immigration and refugees in the commonEuropean refugee and immigration policy. It identifies different discourses andstudies their development and interrelated power structures.Using the discourse theory of Laclau and Mouffe, documents from theEuropean Council, the Commission, the Justice and Home Affairs Council andParliament debates are analysed. The study is defined in the time span of 1999-2006, i.e. from the European Council's first agreement on developing a commonEuropean asylum system, following the period up till today.Four discourses are distinguished, focusing respectively on rights, security,European Union's needs, and cultural identity. I use Sandra Lavenex theory ofrealism and idealism to analyse one of the main points in the thesis: There is afundamental schism between the one rights-based discourse, focusing on universalhuman rights, and the three sharing a particularistic focus on immigration as asecurity concern.

Physiotherapists treat people with different views of the world and medical beliefs, which require a good understanding of cultural differences. One way to achieve cultural understanding is through self-reflection in a new context. During five weeks the authors, two physiotherapy students, completed a clinical practice at the rehabilitation center Pina Palmera, Zipolite, Oaxaca, Mexico. At the beginning of the period a critical incident was chosen, when the head physiotherapist for the ward Cuidados Especiales intended to sell jewellery to the authors during a treatment of a patient. The authors have by using the reflection framework "Framework to guide reflective process", and Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) for analysis, discussed different ways of communication, adherence, education, and self-reflection and critical thinking.

Swedish school children's results have deteriorated in recent years and formative assessment is, in accordance with previous research, a way to develop students' learning and performance. A part of formative assessment is based on feedback that students should receive before, during and after a new assignment. In this study, we want to find out how students and teachers apprehend students' development in relation to feedback and what general attitudes towards feedback can be seen in both parties. The literature and theory discussed is linked to formative assessment, both at international and national level where many important aspects of formative assessment are essential in relation to pupils' further development. The theories are based heavily on human interaction and socio-cultural perspective as a concept.

The aim of this observational study was to see how social interaction works in nursing homesdayroom. The focus was to study the staff and the residents during lunch, afternoon coffee,and during the eventual common activity. The observation persons were passive and they didnot communicate with either staff nor with the residents. The theoretical framework usedwas Georetrendens theory, KASAM and Communication theory. The results showedthat social interaction in the dayroom of the nursing home is rarely spontaneous, but mustinstead be planned by the staff.

Sweden of today is a so-called multicultural society. In this thesis we wanted to examine how mono, multi- and intercultural issues are expressed in culture-political documents. We also wanted to know how librarians for whom these documents are supposed to be guidelines expressed themselves in these matters. Monoculturalism can be described as a static perspective laid upon culture which emphasises cultural purity. A multicultural society describes a society were the nation consists of many different cultures alongside each other, without a genuinely common core.

Martina Haag?s method of self-mockery used in her chronicles is characterized by her wish to live up to various ideals. This essay brings out the subversive power of self-deprecatory hu-mor expressed in her book Hemma hos Martina. The author?s strategies and kinds of humor are being studied, leading up to what this humor accomplishes.

The purpose of this study is to examine modern constructions of Jane Austens work in films and in books on history of literature. The theoretical framework contains sociology of literature, cultural studies and film theory. I compared Jane Austens books Emma, Pride and prejudice and Sense and sensibility with three film versions from recent years. In the books on history of literature I studied, I found three different attitudes towards history of literature, which also influenced the interpretation of Austens novels. The stories in Austens books and in the films are similar.

The aim of this study has been to analyze how society is constructed in the workbook Möte med människor från andra kulturer, a popular material within the ?cultural competency? industry. The analysis has largely been carried out from the perspective of a pedagogy against oppression as it has been outlined by Kevin Kumashiro. I have found that the material combines discursive movements, which in complex and hybrid ways deconstruct, decenter, recenter and reproduce stereotypes and norms, through its normative language and pedagogy. A language constructing culture as cleanly demarcated, static and homogenous.

The aim of this Master?s thesis is to present guidelines for making a digital repository. To attain this, useful factors for creating an archive were examined. Also different organisations? strategies were analysed.

My thesis is based on a qualitative study. The purpose of the study is to investigate whether the educationalist at an especially chosen school in Stockholm promotes the students multicultural background in the education or not.This is due to the fact that the Swedish school to a considerable degree reflects the multicultural Swedish society. The socio-cultural starting point is when people come together and meet. The language is the tool of the socio-culture and it is the dialogue, discussion and sympathetic understanding that makes people meet.The cultural concept is diffuse and very wide. Everyone has their own definition of it.

The aim of this paper is to examine how dyslectic adults define the service quality at the public library of Gothenburg. The purpose is also to investigate what level of service quality the library provides and which responsibilities the library has towards the dyslectics. Answers are sought to the following questions: - How do dyslectics perceive the service quality at the public library of Gothenburg and is that service quality satisfactory? - What responsibilities does the public library of Gothenburg have towards the dyslectics according to cultural policy documents? In this paper six persons have been interviewed. Of these, four are adult dyslectics, one works with people with special demands and the last one is the chief librarian.

The purpose of this Masters thesis is to examine the discourses of concepts related to diversity and ethnicity in Swedish cultural policy. It focuses on how the society is presented in different contexts and how people with a different ethnic origin than the majority, are represented in the cultural policy of the Swedish State. The study is restricted to concern immigrants. Six governmental cultural policy documents, reaching over a time period of eight years 1995-2003 are examined as follows: Which key terms are used in the presentations? Which contexts and discourses can be distinguished? Have the discourses changed over the time period examined, and if so, how? The theoretical starting point in the thesis is the discourse perspective of Laclau and Mouffe.

The increased interest in relationship marketing and the potential of the Internet as a platform for relationship building activities have given rise to new ways for companies to interact with their customers, such as services based on a freemium pricing model. Based on the premise that relationships are processes consisting of interactive moments of value-creating activities, value is considered subjective, relative and dependent on the context in which the activity takes place. Value is therefore variable given its context and cannot be pre-defined without nuances being lost. Despite the Internet's given role in societal development, our understanding of what contributes to customers' intentions to build relationships with online services is yet to mature.As the music industry is well established on the Internet, alongside the change in how music is consumed, it is thus appropriate to examine activities in accordance with a freemium based service that distributes music online, since it still lacks in academic understanding.This study aims to provide insights about virtual relations and how online services that provide cultural content should relate to there users as well as contributing to the ongoing academic discussion regarding value and how it is manifested by highlighting contextual impact on relational activities. For a rapprochement of relations to online services in cultural industries, this study assumed a practice perspective.

Sweden has a long tradition of collecting documents by way of a process of legal deposit of copies. Its aim is to ensure the availability of material for research, cultural preservation and citizens? right to free information. New forms of publications, made possible by technical advances, are not accommodated in the traditional deposit submission criteria. Certain information accordingly risks being lost.

Recently, the selections of ethical funds are increased; at the same time investors with social and moral preferences have increased in the capital market. There are currently debates on whether ethical funds perform better or worse than funds without ethical criteria. This also involves a vivid discussion on whether investors know about the consequences of investing in ethical funds. Therefore, this study involves theories about the rationality and decision theory, in addition to what mainly control the investment decisions. The study also discusses portfolio theory since this is one of the underlying theories behind fund management and its development.The purpose of this study is to explain if ethical limitations in the selection of securities affect risk and return in the fund portfolio.