The study examines conceptions of identity among girls with foreign background. The aim was to study how identity is understood by the girls based on ethnicity, images of the origin, the value of gender and the meaning of the family. The theoretical approach was post-colonial theory based on Stuart Hall in combination with gender theory by Yvonne Hirdman. The study was conducted using qualitative individual interviews of open character with six girls. They were aged 17-18 years old and were born in Sweden or had lived here since the age of six.

The purpose of this Masters thesis is to investigate if gender stereotypes are mediated to children between 0-3 years through books suitable for their age. This thesis concerns books that are available in public libraries. The content will be analysed by using a combination of methods, both content analysis of all the books in our study and a qualitative analysis of a smaller number of these books. With inspiration from both Robert Connell and Yvonne Hirdman and their theories of gender and gender stereotypes, this material was read and we wanted to examine if books for very young children might establish stereotypes. Our analysis showed that many known stereotypes are common in these books.

The aim of this study was to analyze society's efforts for girls who are victims of honorrelatedviolence and oppression. More specifically its aim was to examine what efforts thesociety can offer girls who are exposed to honor-related violence and oppression, and howsocial services and shelters cooperate on issues of honor. We have chosen to focus on girlswho are victims of honor-related violence, but we are aware that even boys and men face thisproblem. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach through interviews. Tocomplete the study we have conducted eight interviews throughout Sweden.

The purpose of this study is to describe how, and if, discourses about self-harm in young people has been changed from the late 90-s until today. We chose to do this by studying films where the content of self-harm is a big factor. The study is built on a narrative research, we did however analyze it as a discourse method. The issues we have concentrated on are: Is there a significant quality that describes an individual who cut themselves? How can this phenomenon be seen from a gender point of view? Is there a specific group of people who is labeled as a person who cut themselves from the public? The result from this study show us that self-injury, from symptoms of a (bad) mental state, is a strong discourse where the views from the society lets it become more acceptable.

The aim of this study was to describe how girls and boys have been represented in the Swedish children?s? magazine Kamratposten from 1950 until 2010. Kamratposten was chosen because it has both boys and girls as target audience. Three articles about children from the years 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010 were chosen as material of the study.The study is a discourse analysis that deconstruct the gender discourse of Kamratposten. The analysis is done with a gender perspective.

The purpose of this essay is to examine the relationship between visual communication and female homosexuality within the field of magazine design. As the creative part of the project I have chosen to make a redesign of Lotus magazine, the very first Swedish magazine with lesbian and bisexual girls as the target audience. The questions of which the project is based on are: Which stereotypes, differences and similarities can be found in visual communication addressed to a heterosexual versus a homosexual target audience? What kind of design attracts non-heterosexual girls and how can I create a design for Lotus magazine that is appealing to lesbian and bisexual girls and yet still makes it possible to compete with traditional girls? magazines? In order to examine my research questions I have done literature studies within the field of gender and sexual identity in relation to visual communication. Additionally, I have analysed the design of competing magazines on the market and conducted a survey among representatives of the target audience of Lotus magazine..

The purpose of this report is to map the situation for girls residing in women?s refuges because of honour violence. The questions posed are: What forms of abuse have been described to staff working with females in refuges for victims of honour violence? What are the deciding factors that lead to a girl leaving her family and being placed in a refuge? What are the help needs of girls residing in women?s refuges because of honour violence? Five qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted amongst staff from five different women?s refuges specialising in honour violence. The results were analysed using Foucault?s theories on power, victim vs actor, victim processes along with a victimisation perspective.

In this study have I examined how treatment of girls with neuropsychological impairments is functioning? I have looked at the theories and methods of treatment on the base of the care program and how it is put into practice. In addition I have interviewed four girls who have undergone the treatment program.To gain perspective on institutional care as a social phenomenon, I have tried to give a brief historical retrospect in which particular care for women are described. I am also affecting certain gender aspects of institutional care. I have also tried to make a brief account of current research on the treatment.The study is a qualitative study in which I am apart from literature studies used participant observation in depth interviews as a method.My results indicate that a well structured treatment with CBT approach can work well to achieve lasting behavioural changes in students..

The aim of this Master?s thesis is to investigate articles in Swedish library journals on children?s reading from gender and sex perspectives. Gender theory as it has been developed by Yvonne Hirdman and Robert W. Connell is used to analyze the articles. The thesis includes a chapter on previous research in the fields of gender in relation to children, reading and the library.

The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate the participants experiences of a parent support group and the effect of their participation on their parental role from a learning perspective. As the parent support group takes place as a group activity, the focus was on the individual learning processes which, in turn, are influenced by both the group itself as well as the leaders of the group. The empirical data was collected from a focus group interview with four mothers, and analyzed using empowerment and coping theories. Based on the participants´ narratives, the result showed that the parent support group had a great social and pedagogic effect on the participants. As a result of the received knowledge in the group from both leaders as well as from other participants, they felt less stressed and more confident in their parental role.

Some children develop externalizing and internalizing behavior problems at an early age. Previous research has often treated these children as a homogeneous group, the purpose of this study is to show that this group of children is in fact heterogeneous. Data from theSOFIAstudy was used and preschool pedagogues were informants. The sample contained 2121 boys and girls between 3-5 years. Groups of children with the behavior problems and the risk factors AD/HD symptoms, fearlessness and callous-unemotional traits were created.

In this study ? Just a girlfriend who lives far away? ? I interview fifteen girls about their experiences with computer mediated relationships. From a queer theoretical perspective I examine how these girls do and talk about their relationships, in relation to norms about relationships and sexuality as well as notions about online and offline.My aim is to discuss in which ways the performing of these relationships both reproduce and challenge norms about relationships and sexuality. The girls I interview attempt in different ways to show that doing relationships online is just as ?normal? as doing them offline.

The aim with this study was to examine how social service statement in 3 § social-judgements LVU (Swedish care of young persons act) produce ideas about gender. We have taken an interest in the production of both boys and girls and their mothers and fathers because there are clear differences in the description of these. From a historical perspective, the differences between gender in social assessments occurred despite the fact that discrimination is prohibited by law and despite the fact that social service shall work on the basis of an gender equality perspective. In the analysis and interpretation of the rulings we have been inspired by a critical discourse analysis. 30 social-judgements have been analyzed where of 15 concerns girls and 15 involve boys.

The purpose of this study is to examine possible teaching effects in the subject home economics at a school. The study has included one question, which aims to identify if there are any differences in the knowledge between boys and girls in the subject.The theoretical survey is discussing the subject diet and health in school and is emphasising on the different parts that are included in the subject home economics. Further, a historical point of view is given on the development of the subject, and also on Swedish research concerning health and diet.A questionnaire with fixed and open answering options has been constructed and handed out to two different groups of students. One of the groups are students in year 7, who have not yet had education in the subject, the other group are students in year 8 who have had education in the subject. The results show that the effects of education are different between groups that have been educated in the subject and groups that haven?t had any education.

The essay is about how teenagers around 18 years of age in a small town in Sweden talk about gender, body and sexuality. The study is based on two focus group interviews with five boys and four girls. We have then thematized and analyzed the material with queer theory.The results show how young people see heterosexuality as something 'natural' and gender as biologically determined. The teenagers are critical towards anything that deviates from the traditional nuclear family consisting of mother, father and children. Norms are created in their speech as some of them acts as so called "border guards" for these norms.