The purpose of this study is to investigate how much influence children perceive and feel that they have in terms of after-school activities and offerings. I have also tried to find out how much influence the children in the selected after-schools feel they have. This is to highlight how children themselves perceive their influence and if the children are aware of their rights in terms of participation and influence. The study also wants to highlight the forums and the ways in which children feel that they are heard. The study used questionnaires and group interviews were made of 15 children aged 8-9 years from two after-schools, located in two different schools in the same municipality.

This paper describes how teachers of media view and construct their subjects. Eight teachers have been interviewed about their views and opinions about the media environment, their goals for media education as well as their opinions about the different course plans used in media education. The term Media Literacy works as a theoretical starting point for the study, since Media Literacy is the goal for most media education. The teachers? answers have been analyzed by using three different approaches to media education: protection, promotion and empowerment.

The focus of this study is children´s influence and participation. This is an important part of preschool, according to the Swedish curriculum (Skolverket, 2010). Hoping to see another perspective of working with children´s influence and participation, my study took place in Nepal. The method used for this study is qualitative interviews. The interviews are made with teachers with insight in preschools in Nepal.

The purpose of this thesis is to study how swedishness is constructed and narrated in two Swedish documentary series that picture the Swedish participation in the international ISAF mission in Afghanistan. The main focus lies on how the Swedish soldier as such is portrayed, on which values, characteristics and qualities that they are said to embody and how these are linked to notions of swedishness, particularly the strong historical narrative, formed during the second half of the twentieth century, that defines Sweden as a peaceful, neutral and humanitarian state, with peaceful, enlightened and democratically minded citizens. Theoretically it draws on the concept of metanarrative to explain how ideas of shared national origin translates in to a broad organizing discourse, that defines, interprets and communicates notions of what it means to be a Swede and what is needed to make claims on swedishness. Another concept, that of national bodyscape, is also used to further define and explain how ideas of nationality are embodied and take the form of specific characteristics and  personal qualities. The meaning-making in these two series makes use of the above mentioned definition of swedishness as defined by humanitarian concerns, democratic ideals and moral superiority to construct an image of the Swedish soldiers as on the one hand soft, humanitarians, who are needed in Afghanistan because of their especially strong sense of justice and moral, and, on the other, as tough soldiers, who are able to participate in every aspect of the war as fighters.

The purpose of this study was to find out what pedagogues in preschool think when it comes to children?s influence and how they do to give the children opportunity to express their thoughts and point of views and thereby influence their situation.The literature review treats the conception of the competent child and shows that having child perspective is important in meeting children. The literature review implies that participation and influence means sensitivity to children?s expressions and that pedagogues lets these expressions influence the activities in preschool. It is not about children always getting their ways, but that they are respected and are given space to think freely.Searching for pedagogues? thoughts on children?s influence and how they do for giving it, I interviewed six persons, working at six different preschools.

The purpose of this thesis is to study how swedishness is constructed and narrated in two Swedish documentary series that picture the Swedish participation in the international ISAF mission in Afghanistan. The main focus lies on how the Swedish soldier as such is portrayed, on which values, characteristics and qualities that they are said to embody and how these are linked to notions of swedishness, particularly the strong historical narrative, formed during the second half of the twentieth century, that defines Sweden as a peaceful, neutral and humanitarian state, with peaceful, enlightened and democratically minded citizens. Theoretically it draws on the concept of metanarrative to explain how ideas of shared national origin translates in to a broad organizing discourse, that defines, interprets and communicates notions of what it means to be a Swede and what is needed to make claims on swedishness. Another concept, that of national bodyscape, is also used to further define and explain how ideas of nationality are embodied and take the form of specific characteristics and  personal qualities. The meaning-making in these two series makes use of the above mentioned definition of swedishness as defined by humanitarian concerns, democratic ideals and moral superiority to construct an image of the Swedish soldiers as on the one hand soft, humanitarians, who are needed in Afghanistan because of their especially strong sense of justice and moral, and, on the other, as tough soldiers, who are able to participate in every aspect of the war as fighters.

AbstractWe´re surrounded by music in many different ways. Sometimes we choose the music ourselves and sometimes it?s just there. The purpose of my thesis is to illustrate the students apprehension and understanding of the teaching of music in school. Moreover, my own interest in this subject and its influence during my school years motivated me in researching my thesis.

This is a qualitative study of how some journalists on the Swedish national media are using social media in news work. The study, carried out by using interviews, also covers how these journalists' work is influenced by social media. For the journalists in the study social media has become a tool to do research, get news ideas and find interviewees. At the same time social media affects the work of the journalists, as the social media increases the speed of news and flow of information. Even though they involve some challenges, social media facilitates news work and the journalists in this study have a positive attitude towards the phenomenon.Keywords: Social media, news journalism, the national media..

Over the past twenty years, the cooperation within the European Union (EU) has strengthened and expanded with both more number of Member States and stronger influence on international politics. The unique character of the Union and its ability to enforce peace and humanitarian intervention has attracted attention in political science. This prominent position of the Union is perceived by many scholars who often hold this derived from the Union's influence in international relations. Various terms have been used to define the powers of the Union. The British researcher Ian Manners states that the unique identity of the Union in the international arena is formed by its normative power.  An important policy area within the Union is the environmental cooperation.

The main aim of this study is to investigate which structural ideas that lies behind the European Union?s marine operation Atalanta that has been put into motion to counteract piracy and robbery outside the coast of Somalia. In order to do this, we have with the use of the theory of weak states, intervention as well as sovereignty, investigated EU?s document in the question with the use of the idea centered analytical method. The questions that has guided this study, lies both on an empirical and theoretical level.

?A designer rarely works alone?. The first sentence of Jonas Löwgren and Erik Stolterman's chapter on design as a social process made me curious. What if a designer worked alone? What are the actual differences between working on a project alone and as part of a group? How would it influence the creative process? What would be different when coming up with ideas, meeting with clients and setting deadlines? Does the influence of another designer stifle the individual creativity or does it actually nurish it? This paper is written to answer these and other questions as well as take you through the creative process of the production of ?Daddy? - the music video..

This report describes an interview study of Swedish elementary school teacher?s view on stu-dent influence. The objective is to find out about teachers' approach to student influence, what do they think happens with students that are allowed to influence and what are the negotiables and non-negotiables when it comes to student influence in elementary education? And do the teachers really want their students to have influence?According to the official policy documents for the Swedish school system the Swedish school shall work towards a democratic school. Not only should the students be educated about de-mocracy but they should also learn to use democratic values and processes.

AbstractThe purpose of this essay is to study in what way teachers in preschool work with pupils enabling them to gain influence and involvement in their learning.Influence means being able to make your voice heard which is an important component of a democratic society. Involvement is about being part of a community in which everyone is welcomed regardless of beliefs and opinions. Several of today's researchers believe that learning occurs in interaction between people. Teachers providing meaningful assignments to pupils, they become more motivated to learn.The study is based on observations of how teachers work with influence and involvement in controlled sessions, and interpretations of them. My results show that children become involved in their learning when they are confronted with a variety of pedagogical approaches to learning.

AbstractThe purpose of this essay is to study in what way teachers in preschool work with pupils enabling them to gain influence and involvement in their learning.Influence means being able to make your voice heard which is an important component of a democratic society. Involvement is about being part of a community in which everyone is welcomed regardless of beliefs and opinions. Several of today's researchers believe that learning occurs in interaction between people. Teachers providing meaningful assignments to pupils, they become more motivated to learn.The study is based on observations of how teachers work with influence and involvement in controlled sessions, and interpretations of them. My results show that children become involved in their learning when they are confronted with a variety of pedagogical approaches to learning.

People are given better opportunities to participate in polity today. Democratic equality entails that all individuals are equal and therefore they should be included in the process of making the decisions. How can participation be defined and does it mean that having the possibility to participate means that people can influence the process of making the decisions in polity process?This paper focuses on participation and influence in polity and examine the relationship between having the possibility to participate and having the possibility to actually influence polity process on more local level. Therefore I have been examining the citizens? participation and influence in Helsingborg which is my case study.