In this thesis I have criticized traditional nationalism theories formulated by Eric Hobsbawm, Ernest Gellner, Benedict Anderson and Anthony D. Smith. The critique has been based on my belief that nationalism theories do not explain nations whose foundation is built on forward-looking, dynamic aspects such as economy, human and civil rights, and democracy. Traditional nationalism theories have been focused on historicizing perspectives whereas I want to draw attention to non-historicizing perspectives within the field of research. So far nationalism theories has had a shared past or a shared ethnicity as its focal point.

The aim of this study was to examine young adult cannabis users? attitudes towards cannabis and their perception of the normalization of cannabis. The purpose was also to explore how their views of cannabis correspond with norms regarding cannabis. This study is based on interviews with five young adult cannabis users. The theoretical framework is based on Parker?s normalization thesis, Goffman?s notion of stigma, Becker?s definition of outsiders and the definition of social identity developed by Stone.

Internet and social media have opened up new possibilities for companies and organisations tocommunicate their brand. It only takes a few seconds to communicate the message of a website to theuser. This indicates the importance of having the intended message of the website communicated clearlyin order to give the user a correct impression of the company or the organisation. When it comes to theconcept design of a website, it?s important that all different parts is presented uniformly.

BackgroundOur main goal in the clinic is to offer rehabilitation for individuals with hearing losses. The outcome of audiological rehabilitation shall be evaluated in line with the HSL (Swedish health law 2008:3). It is most important to evaluate the results of the audiological rehabilitation for the individual as well as to make sure to reach the goals of HSL.AimThe aim of this study was to try to investigate the audiologists? opinions end experiences how to evaluate audiological rehabilitation. The aim with the focus group interview was to collect increased knowledge regarding questions, answers and observations audiologists consider when evaluating audiological rehabilitation.

The point of interest in this study is to identify whether ethnicity is a correlating factor regarding Hungarian immigrants? development of identity in Sweden. The general aim is to increase knowledge and understanding of the conditions for the Hungarian ethnical group in Sweden to reach self-realization. The main question is whether the general view of the background of this ethnical group has a connection to their self-realization in Sweden? Since the study involves a whole group of minority, a limitation has been made to adults living in the city of Halmstad, Sweden.

This paper aimed to investigate how Swedish politicians use social media Twitter and Instagram and if there was evidence to discern of personal branding and identity creation. Main method used was the observation of four politicians? shared content on Twitter and Instagram. In order to strengthen the results of the study, interviews were also made on the same politicians, of which two responded. The study showed, among other results that Twitter is used more for political aspects and Instagram to show personality and lifestyle.

The focus of this study is to identify important factors affect, how teachers' professional identity and role are shaped and changed during and after teacher training. Study's focus is to identify important factors bearing on how teachers' professional identity and role are shaped and changed during and after a teacher training. Respondents included in study are all teachers in vocational subject in upper secondary school. They also have experience from at practical profession before they began to work as teachers and started the teacher training. Method used in this study is the life stories of narrative nature.

Alcohol and drug abuse is something that undoubtedly exists in our society today. Our interest in this area was inspired by an earlier study of the influence of socialization on these dependencies. From this we developed new hypotheses concerning men and women?s drug and alcohol abuse. The main purpose of this study was to highlight the experiences and reflections of six women and seven men on their own alcohol or drug abuse.

This study is about state officials who handle applications for sickness benefits and about municipal officials who handle applications for financial assistance. The purpose of this study is to explore the differences between the two professional roles regarding their conception about their exercise of authority, in terms of flexibility, individual adjustment, empathy and legal security.The study has a qualitative approach and is based on structured interviews with two state officials and two municipal officials. The questions that this study aims to answer are:- Is there a difference between state officials and municipal officials regarding their experience and use of flexibility? - Is there a difference between state officials and municipal officials regarding their perceptions of legal security, individual adjustment and empathy in their exercise of authority? - What kind of bureaucracy can you find in the two organizations?The results show that the state officials in this study have very limited flexibility due to legislation which makes their exercise of authority neither empathic nor individual. The municipal officials in this study state in their turn that the law entails broad flexibility and the opportunity for them to be empathic and to make individual decisions.

This is a study of the trade union journal for female blue collar women in Sweden, Arbetets Kvinnor, between 1927 and 1931. The purpose is to examine how a female trade union activist's constructs collective identity by those notions of social class, sex, and moral values that are articulated in the journal. The main theoretical basis is Alberto Melucci's analysis where he argues that a collective identity in social movements is made in an interaction between individuals, where the action possibilities and limits are defined. Another purpose is how the female blue collar worker's resistance and/or adaption to the male hegemonic trade union and the bourgeoisie hegemonic society are presented. The essay shows how the collective identity is made of both historical and contemporary images of the working class women as workers and trade union activists.

The purpose of this essay was to in a specific project for unemployed youths between 18 and 24 years, from an ecological point of view, examine how the youths experienced their unemployment and also to compare the purpose and structure of the project with the participants' experience.Important questions in my essay were how the unemployment affected the youths' identity and social circumstances, if the participants found the project meaningful, and experienced that they could influence how the project was formed, if the purpose of the project was in accordance with the youths' experience and how the ecological perspective could be used to understand the situation of the youths.To answer these questions one interview was made with one of the employees and five interviews were made with participant youths.The results of the essay was that the youths' experience of the project were very much individual. All of the participants found something in the project meaningful and most of them thought that it was possible to influence the project in some way. Something that both the youths and the employee pointed out as important was the employees and their supporting role..

This study attempts a literature based reconstruction of the impact of globalisation and modernisation on the gender identities in Vietnam. Recognising the explanatory albeit normative capacity of critical theory ? specifically the feminist and globalisation critical approach ? this thesis argues that in spite of the economic benefits of modernisation, it enhances existing unequal structures. By focusing on women in the labour sector, simultaneously Vietnam's comparative advantage and one of its economically marginalised groups, a contradictory movement can be discovered. Notwithstanding the economic development, a regression in terms of women's possibilities to self-empowerment seems to cancel the benefits for the individual.

In this textual analysis I have examined the book Att följa Jesus by Ulf Ekman and information from Word of Life's official website. The aim of this study is to see how a religious leader is shaping the identity of the groups members after a certain pattern that differs from the surrounding, secular society. The research focus  of this essay includes several aspects:  how a culture is formed in a religious minority in contrast to the prevailing cultural context; how the material can be explained by Paul Pruyser?s theory on the psychological worlds; how what Ulf Ekman writes about distinguishing themselves from the environment differs from how other religious minority groups distinguish their identity;  and,  how the psychological world, expected behavior, and context of Word of Life can be structured by Valerie DeMarinis? model of assessment. I have placed Word of Life in a realistic illusionistic world developed from Paul Pruyser?s theory of psychological worlds.

This study focuses on why people not longer want to be a part of a religious communion they have earlier been a part of. To examine this I have made seven interviews with people who have left their previous communions. Together with the methodological and theoretical discussions on discourse analysis, Richard Jenkins discussions on identity and theories concerning the post-modern society, I have made an analysis on how these people consider their previous communions and its members. They refer i.e. to the social control, the ?closed? culture and the non-questioning-culture that constitute the communions and its techniques.

The purpose of the study is to illustrate the choices of sports profiled education amongst pupils in the upper secondary school. Special attention is brought to whether there exist any differences between team- and individual competitors in their view on sport and education. One hypothesis that constitutes the base of the study is that pupils from lower social class, in a higher extent, tend to be team competitors and choose sport activities prior education. The result has been interpreted against Bourdieu's cultural sociology, in which the central concepts are habitus and cultural- and economic capital. The method that has been used is quantitative in the form of a questionnaire study which 277 pupils have answered.                   The result shows that the sportsmen, regardless type of sport, are not influenced by social position regarding choice of education and in their view on education and studies.