Sustainable development is often pictured as containing of three interlinked dimensions- namely environmental, economic and social. ?Social sustainability? is a vague concept that is often thought of as highly context-dependent. This thesis sets out to investigate the meaning of ?social sustainability? in a given context.

According to the theory of elitist democracy civic political participation should be reduced to participation in the democratic elections. This essay examines whether a high rate of institutionalized political participation beyond the elections leads to: (a) that those who are included gets a more favourable treatment at the expense of the common interest, in other words that their self interest threatens the political equality, (b) reduced freedom of action for the politicians and the headmasters, (c) the emergence of vague conditions of responsibility. These hypotheses are examined in an empirical study of user-boards at four schools on three locations in southern Sweden. In these user-boards the parents are in majority and have the right of decision, which has been delegated to them from the local government and the headmaster. The main conclusion is that, based on this empirical investigation, there is no support in any of the hypotheses.

The aim of this Master's thesis is to study what place public libraries have in local politics, particularly from the point of view of the politicians. To answer this, I have interviewed politicians, participated as a silent observer of a public debate, and studied articles on library politics in newspapers and other press. The results show that politicians in general have a positive view of libraries and good co-operation with library professionals, and that they have a fairly up-to-date view of libraries. They are, however, less interested in library issues in general, and are often complacent with the way things are already running. The newspaper studies show that library issues are usually only discussed when a specific library is somehow in danger.

The assignment given to us by NCC was to compose a degree project based on ground excavations for power cables. The aim of the study was to examine suitable excavation methods depending on different possible terrain conditions. The amount of previously written material within this subject is nearly non- existent and therefore there is a genuine interest by the NCC to receive a compilation of different production methods. The greater part of this study is based upon interviews with several companies active within this area of expertise. The technique of placing the electricity grid beneath ground for safety is today getting more and more common.

This thesis is an analysis based on the problem of defining a humanitarian intervention and argues when or not, it is appropriate to operate it. The interest lies in finding out whether the argument itself is justifiable,not whether the act of interference was justifiable. My hypothesis is that both private and international operatios misuse the definition "humanitarian interventions" as an excuse to trespass the laws of war. Behind the idea of protecting human rights, freedom and democracy, is the liberalist idea of all individuals being equal. The respect for their freedom and rights drives outside actors to intervene when crimes are comitted against them.

Digital depth-to-water maps can be produced from a digital elevation model (DEM). Then GIS- based algorithms are used to calculate water flows and the depth-to-water index classes dry, fresh, moist and wet. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility to use depth- to-water maps for site adapted planting.The results showed that use of depth-to-water maps for site adapted planting, roughly halved the proportion of improperly planted surfaces from an average of 9 % to 4 %. The variation in the values of proper surface decreased and the result became more even.. In addition, more pine than spruce was incorrectly planted.

In this essay, I research and discuss new spirituality (or what is commonly known as New Age) within some congregations in the Church of Sweden, Gothenburg. I question how and why this new spirituality has come to be accepted in parts of the Church. My hypothesis is that the church is a part, and a reflection, of a larger change throughout society, and I claim that this change depends much on the individualization and globalization during the last decades.The research is conducted through interviews with representatives from the Church ofSweden who are in charge of new religious activities. During these interviews we discuss their views on the change that has already taken place and is going on today.The interviews are then analyzed by applying rational choice theory on them. I discusswhether the Church can be seen as a producer of goods and services and if the churchgoers canbe seen as consumers of these goods and services.

Denna uppsats syftar till att undersöka behovet av indirekt eld och Close Air Support i militäraoperationer i bergsterräng och belysa vilka aspekter som påverkar nyttjandet av försvarsmaktensenheter och verkanssystem vid insatser i bergsmiljö. För att svara på syftet med uppsatsen har följande studiefråga ställts: Hur använde USA den grundläggande förmågan verkan för att påverka motståndaren under Operation Anaconda? Fallstudie och textanalys har använts som vetenskaplig metod och teknik för denna uppsats. Inledningsvis studerades texter om operation Anaconda och hur operationen genomfördes. Därefter studerades svenska doktriner och reglementen avseende teorier om grundläggande förmågor och hur verkan uppnås i striden.

In this paper I have conducted an analysis to critically examine survey questionnaire forms used in political research to measure trust and distrust. During the first step of the analysis I aimed to identify how the concepts where used in the forms. The second step involved examining if it was possible to relate the questions and items to five theoretical assumptions based on theories of trust (and distrust). The third step was to examine the quality of the forms, in relation to survey and questionnaire designs.The results of the analysis showed that the institutes that conduct the studies tended to use similar questions to measure trust. Some of the forms that where analyzed had very many questions, which could lead to exhaustion for those participating in studies.

If you keep cattle in a herd outside all year round on big varying grounds, their possibilityto perform their natural behaviour increases. This way of keeping cattle requires that youprovide them with their other needs, like shelter and a dry and clean resting place.According to the animal welfare authority´s regulations on livestock farming, only animalsthat are suited to stay outside during the cold season are allowed to be kept outside. Theyshould also have access to a shelter or another building that gives them protection from theweather and wind and provides a dry and clean resting place.Research has shown that as long as cattle do not get exposed to precipitation and wind theywill manage low temperature well. Some of the things that will affect how well the animalshandle different climates are the isolation ability of the fur, the animals´ body size and thefeed intake. A dry lying place that is both insulating and moisture absorbent is also of greatimportance.

AbstractAs a result of globalisation, there are indications that national cultural differences between countries are becoming increasingly vague. Research shows that industries develop similarities, as a result of the integration between corporations that has followed the internationalisation. The aim of this study was thus to investigate whether different countries in the same industry can develop similar perceptions regarding what is considered effective leadership. The study also aimed to investigate whether these perceptions can influence how leadership is exercised. The leader qualities that were identified were categorised based on the leadership attributes that were formulated in Project GLOBE.

The establishment of loan-based structures within a group of associated enterprises with the purpose of lowering the group's taxes by using deductible interest payments to transfer money has become increasingly popular in Sweden during the past few years. The legislator has therefore implemented new laws which restrict the amount of interest payments that are deductible within a group of associated enterprises. As a consequence the definition of associated enterprises has become of high importance. The definition has been criticized and is perceived by many as vague and difficult to interpret. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the definition of associated enterprises in Swedish tax law with the aim of clarifying its scope and meaning.

This essay analyses the national standard for maintenance aid and if it´s compatible with the standards set in the government mould.As new-liberal ideas get more scope in the Swedish policy the analyses focus consisted in seeing about the social contribution been changed, and if the standards in the government mould have lost their worth.The national standard is not edified on the basis of subsistence levels, but becomes paradoxical when numbers of welfare recipients is the measure used in order to measure poverty, concurrent as the government mould aims to protecting every citizen?s welfare.The study analyses a type of society that has emerged during a period of time. In a normative analysis concepts are set in relation to each other where, the analysis presents standards that are vague. If the standards in the government mould are presented as something valuable and get their worth back in the policy, perhaps also the citizen´s in Sweden change attitude to poverty and welfare contribution.   Social- liberalism justifies social contribution and the welfare State, while new-liberalism has other opinions about what redistribution should contain.

The purpose of the thesis is to increase the knowledge of the deregulation of the mobile telecom market in Sweden, with focus on the time after the Electronic Communications Act (EkomL), by: (1) Describing the thought behind the Electronic Communications Act. (2) Assess how the National Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) has acted. (3) Assess how the operators have reacted. (4) Investigate the regulation?s effects upon competition.

The essay treats how a process of implementation was executed and the teachers? relation to two curricula, Lpo94 and Lgr11, with two different grading systems, which have functioned as models for one and the same year. The purpose is to investigate the ways in which a change in curricula and syllabus affects teachers in their teaching and assessment practice in the subject of Swedish at secondary school. The investigation had a phenomenological approach and was executed by means of in-depth interviews, questionnaires and one observation. The results are based on a methodological triangulation with qualitative and quantitative data where visible similarities and differences are brought out.