The subject-matter of the following essay is to investigate the relationship between what is commonly called Deep Ecology or Biocentric Philosophy, as articulated by the co-founder of the Deep Ecology Movement, Arne Naess, and later proponents of the biocentric school of environmentalist thought. I contrast Naess? concept of Self-realization as founded in his Ecosophy T to the ideas of american conservationist and co-founder of the radical green movement Earth First! Dave Foreman, and to the controversial finnish environmentalist and ecofascist Pentti Linkola?s ideological agenda of population-reduction respectively.According to some critics of the movement, especially the social ecologist Murray Bookchin and French liberal philosopher Luc Ferry, the Deep Ecology ideology is essentially misanthropic and totalitarian in structure. A central idea among deep ecologists is that ecosystems and natural entities have intrinsic value in themselves, even outside a human social context. This idea is thought of among deep ecologists to create a philosophically sound basis for counteracting the environmental global crisis.

This paper investigates the presentation of Islam in textbooks used in the study of religion in high schools. The papers focus on two main questions concerning the ways in which Islam is presented in the analysed textbooks, and how the new curriculum has influenced the portrayal of Islam in the materials. Here, the paper utilizes a method of critical discourse analysis with Faircloughs three-dimensional analysis. The paper then concludes that the presentation of Islam is negative in nature, with the content and view of Islam having been simplified and stereotyped. Often the textbooks studied frame Islam as being an aggressive and oppressive religion, especially in matters con-cerning women.

The purpose of the current study is to present an interpretation of Eros and its demonical aspect as it is described in Plato?s dialogues Phaedrus and The Symposium as well as to attempt to throw some light over the question in which way the erotic as such influences Plato?s notion of how to pursue philosophy. In the first part of the essay an account is given of the Platonic Eros as a unifying element and as striving for being. I defend the position that in the context of the interpreted dialogues philosophy is thought of as an erotic enterprise which takes place as a coming closer to the object of love. This coming closer takes place as remembering in Phaedrus and as creating in beauty in The Symposium.

The reason behind this essay has been to study if previous research is relevant for Jehovah?s Witnesses in Sweden and see if secularization has affected the organization or not. The empirical material is made from two qualitative group- interviews and open observations during two meetings in the Kingdom Hall. These studies were performed in Oskarshamn and Mönsterås during the month of February. The reason that these studies have been limited to Oskarshamn and Mönsterås is mainly because they were the only ones willing to do an interview.  According to previous research by James A.

Western scholars have long sought to grasp the essence of and explain Buddhism. Western representation of Buddhism has been in a manner that reflects their concerns and interests. In addition to this it is also known that Buddhism in Sweden is seen in a favorable way. This study tries to locate where this positive attitude toward Buddhism stems from and if it is represented in this manner in Swedish textbooks. Therefore three textbooks of upper secondary class of religion are to be examined, not only to see if there is a positive attitude towards it, but to see in what manner Buddhism is depicted in Swedish schools on the whole.

Sammanfattning I det här arbetet har syftet varit att undersöka vilka delar det går att upptäcka inom de olika världsreligionerna att använda inom momentet etik och moral i skolans undervisning. Undersökningen har skett utifrån vad gymnasiets kursplan i religionskunskap uttrycker om momentet samt vad läroplanen nämner om ett etiskt förhållningssätt. För att uppnå syftet har en innehållsanalys av läromedel gjorts och därmed en analys av hur de olika världsreligionerna presenterar begrepp som etik/moral och livsfrågor. Detta har medfört en sammanställning av ett eventuellt material att använda inom religionsundervisningen med utgångspunkt i etik och moral. Metoden som använts är en innehållsanalys av både kvantitativ och kvalitativ art.

Being able to reflect, evaluate and justify your views is an important part of adult life. Moral education can be a path to develop this knowl-edge; however, it is possible that the moral education gets more obscure when it is not a separate subject. The purpose with this essay is to examine the need of moral education and the presence and the framing of moral education of seven teachers in religion. The purpose is also to analyse where and how the moral education should be included in the curriculum. The survey was conducted through qualitative interviews with a hermeneutic approach.

Qigong was initiated by the Chinese government in the 1950´s as a domestic medical tradition to be included within a modern scientific framework. During the first decades it became popular among the élite. During the 70´s and 80´s scientific confirmation of the existence of qi contributed to its immense popularity among the population. Charismatic leaders with a traditional background were leading their groups in parks and the movement was booming. In 1992 Falun Gong was established by Li Hongzhi as qigong taken to a higher level.

Since the 1970`s the Non Governmental Organisations, NGO:s, have taken an increasing responsibility in the development cooperation work. Apart from an increase in resources delivered through the NGO:s it is also obvious in various official documents that the idea of NGO:s in regards to; reaching and involving poor people in the work and as capable of delivering aid resources to a low cost, is very widely spread and commonly accepted among political decision makers and aid agencies. In addition it?s very seldom that those positive statements about the NGO:s abilities, are backed by any kind of scientific study. This study argues that the ascribed abilities are more the rhetoric of a political idea than an empirical reality.

Uppsatsen är en studie av religionsundervisningens förändring från 1955 fram till 1994. Med en diskursteoretisk ansats analyseras fem styrdokument och ett antal artiklar från denna tidsperiod. Artiklarna är hämtade från Lärarnas tidning och dess företrädare. Syftet är att tydliggöra objektivitetsbegreppets roll i förändringen och kampen om innebörden i en objektiv religionsundervisning. Analysen visar på tre positioner i debatten och en viss konflikt mellan två av dessa.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the critique Richard Shusterman is raising towards Maurice Merleau-Pontys view on consciousness of bodily sensations and habit. Richard Shusterman critique towards Merleau-Ponty is found to have no other basis than Shusterman own subjective view on what the task of philosophy is..

This essay describes my work as a director in a specialized orientation within psychodrama, surrealistic psychodrama. Using the language and performance techniques of theater and under the guidance of a director, psychodrama creates an improvised narrative or story. The essay describes several dramas I have directed, reflecting on my actions and choices as a director and group leader. I examine whether my working method has allowed me to be spontaneous and creative, which I believe the example of "The dangerous bear" demonstrates. The process enabled me to establish trust and receptivity so that a newly constituted group dared to investigate conflicts in symbolic ways associated with illness and death.

This paper investigates the presentation of Islam in textbooks used in the study of religion in high schools. The papers focus on two main questions concerning the ways in which Islam is presented in the analysed textbooks, and how the new curriculum has influenced the portrayal of Islam in the materials. Here, the paper utilizes a method of critical discourse analysis with Faircloughs three-dimensional analysis. The paper then concludes that the presentation of Islam is negative in nature, with the content and view of Islam having been simplified and stereotyped. Often the textbooks studied frame Islam as being an aggressive and oppressive religion, especially in matters con-cerning women.

Titel: Tankar om Religionskunskap (Thoughts about Religion). Författare: Anders Barkstedt Program: Skolutveckling och ledarskap, Lärarutbildningen 90 hp. Malmö Högskola Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka och beskriva religionskunskapslärares uppfattningar om det egna ämnet och deras uppfattning om ämnets framtid som kärnämne inom den svenska skolan. Studien bygger på fem kvalitativa djupintervjuer med etablerade religionslärare på en sydsvensk gymnasieskola. Lärarna valdes ut genom ett strategiskt urval där de styrande variablerna var deras ålder och de olika antalen undervisningsår de hade bakom sig. Resultatet visar att alla lärarna har olika erfarenheter av ämnet, samt att de koncentrerar sin undervisning inom ämnet på olika intresseområden. Det gemensamma för alla lärarna är att de anser att de grundläggande fakta som står i läroboken utgör en bra och viktig grund för fortsatta studier.

Under våra VFU ? perioder har vi uppfattat att elevernas intresse för religion är lågt.Syftet med denna studie är att granska sex gymnasieelevers tankar kring nyttan med religionsundervisningen i skolan och varför deras intresse kan uppfattas som lågt. I studien undersöks också hur elever uppfattar lärarens tydlighet kring meningen med religionsundervisningen, religion, livsåskådningar och etik. Med utgångspunkt i detta syfte granskar vi elevernas syn för att hitta, för läraren, nya förhållningssätt och undervisningsmetoder som kan gynna elevernas intresse och lärande.Undersökningen har utförts med hjälp av kvalitativa intervjuer, gjorda på sex elever på gymnasienivå. Det vi fann i undersökningen sammanställdes och transkriberades för att sedan kunna diskuteras i förhållande till teorier.Resultatet av denna studie påvisar att det finns en plats för religionsundervisning i skolan.