Postmodernism and neo-liberalism is often thought of as two opposite conceptions of the reality and the world. This thesis takes on a critical view of this assertion and the main purpose was to perform a correlation between postmodernism and neo-liberalism. With different theoretical assumptions about constructions of thoughts, agency and structure and the welfare-state a theoretical framework was created. According to this framework the two isms were correlated to each other and the welfare-state to see if there where similarities or dissimilarities between the isms. The assumptions of this thesis are that there are correlations between postmodernism and neo-liberalism in the constructions of thoughts, namely similar view on epistemology.

The purpose of this essay is to critically review Pierre Bourdieus contribution to agency ? structure debate. I will do this with help from the thinking of George Herbert Mead. My aim is to show that Mead can provide valuable knowledge to Bourdieus theory.Pierre Bourdieus notion of habitus is his solution to the dilemma between agency and structure. It is in the habitus that the objective structures meet the inner, subjective structures and this results in various actions.

The purpose of this essay is to critically review three different contributions to the agency ? structure debate from a political science perspective. My opinon is that the agency ? structure debate is one of the main problems within the social science. The theories which I will examine are Lennart Berntsons theory from 1974, Lennart Lundquists from 1984 and Walter Carlsnaes from 1992.

This paper examines constructions of identities in Swedish news paper articles concerning the European Unions?s Tobacco Products Directive. Using critical discourse analysis (CDA) supported by theories of discourse, semiotics and identity formation, this paper argues that constructions of a Swedish ?Us? are distinguished from a non-Swedish ?Them?. These constructions depends on categories such as use of tobacco, science, history and war, which are frequently used in the discourse to separate ?Us?, ?the good? from ?Them?, ?the bad?.

Moisture damage in buildings is a serious issue that leads to problematic consequences and high economic costs. Despite the knowledge and awareness existing about moisture problems, extensive damager still occurs today. Studies of moisture in the exterior wall constructions shows that the issue if often caused by rain and water intrusion. These kinds of problem result in major costs usually because the companies have to replace the material and structural components and also in some cases tear down large parts of the buildings.The work includes moisture theory and descriptions of four different exterior wall constructions, wood stud wall with plastered facade, exterior wall with wood facade, exterior wall with concrete, and exterior wall with brick facade. Our thesis work describes how the constructions are affected and moisture damage due to water intrusion.

Normally when purchasing a trip, an airline, a travel agency and a traveler is included in the purchasing process. Mostly a travel agency acts as an intermediary between the airline and the traveler. The travel agency is not considered to have any major part to the contractual relationship, usually the purchase agreement is considered to be covered by the airline and the traveler as the main parties. This is essentially the view shown from a legal perspective on the specific area. The application of legal provisions on the travel agency?s legal status may nevertheless bring a certain amount of ambiguity in the interpretation.

This study examines whether the ownership structure of Swedish firms contributes to explain the variations in executive pay. A regression analysis was performed on 102 companies listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The analysis suggests a negative relationship between ownership structure and executive pay after taking company profitability and size into account. The result is in line with previous studies and the agency theory. This indicates that large shareholders have a stronger position in Swedish companies or that large shareholders monitor the management to a larger extent, rather than providing incentives.

The purpose of this study is to examine constructions of plaintiff [woman] and the defendant [man] in Swedish rape convictions from 2013. The cases in this study cover acquaintance rape. We also intend to analyze the constructions of the sexes in relations to each other. The study is completed by a qualitative text analysis, with inspiration of a hermeneutic interpretation. The result is presented by four categories: the worthy of protection of the woman, the penalty of the man, the complicity of the woman and credibility.

The purpose of this study is to examine constructions of plaintiff [woman] and the defendant [man] in Swedish rape convictions from 2013. The cases in this study cover acquaintance rape. We also intend to analyze the constructions of the sexes in relations to each other. The study is completed by a qualitative text analysis, with inspiration of a hermeneutic interpretation. The result is presented by four categories: the worthy of protection of the woman, the penalty of the man, the complicity of the woman and credibility.

This thesis aims to examine why women are prevented from attaining high positions in organizations. By executing a case study through qualitative interviews with employees from the Human Resource Department at the agency for Swedish Armed Forces, this study presents eight general and specific explanatory factors that hinder women from making a vertical career. The general factors include that women are discriminated against, women are perceived as less competent, men have created organizations and it is easier to recruit men. The specific factors include that a hierarchical organizational structure is correlated to inequality, that both the agency for Swedish Armed Forces and leadership are associated with masculinity and that women with civil competence face double misfortune. The division between general and specific factors indicate that the explanatory factors vary between organizations, which among other things implies that equality work should be tailored for the specific organization.

The aim of this study is to examine the legal regulation regarding the psychosocial work environment for temporary agency workers. Furthermore, the aim of the study is to examine how temporary agency workers perceive their psychosocial work environment, and possible consequences of such perception. The methodology of the study consists of practical legal method and qualitative method in the form of interviews.The results show that the psychosocial work environment for temporary agency workers is regulated at both the EU legal level by Directive as well as at national level in Arbetsmiljölagen and regulations issued by Arbetsmiljöverket. The study finds that health and safety responsibility for temporary agency workers is shared between the agency and the client company. The result of the study indicates that there are shortcomings in the introduction and training of temporary agency workers, which can contribute to an unsatisfactory work environment.

The purpose of this thesis is to test whether firms have target capital structure, and if so with what speed they adjust toward this target. Findings that support this purpose are also in line with the trade off theory. One of the key elements of this thesis is the method used, which successfully enables fulfilling the purpose. The panel data method captures the data characteristics of the cross sectional and time series dimension. By using this approach the dynamic effects of capital structure can be studied, thus if there actually is an adjustment towards a target the speed can be estimated.

The purpose of this study is to examine constructions of plaintiff [woman] and the defendant [man] in Swedish rape convictions from 2013. The cases in this study cover acquaintance rape. We also intend to analyze the constructions of the sexes in relations to each other. The study is completed by a qualitative text analysis, with inspiration of a hermeneutic interpretation. The result is presented by four categories: the worthy of protection of the woman, the penalty of the man, the complicity of the woman and credibility.

The purpose of this essay is to describe the organization of the Swedish Animal WelfareAgency during the time it was in operation. The Swedish Animal Welfare Agency was established in 2005 by the government who saw it as necessary in order to strengthen the protection of cruelty to animals in Sweden. However, the agency was shut down already in2007 and its responsibilities as an agency was moved back to the government and the department of agriculture. During its time in operation, the Swedish Animal Welfare Agency, received much criticism, among other things because of its interpretations of the law which were seen as too focused on details and thus ?bureaucratic?.

The purpose of the thesis Masculinities ? Gender and its Impact on the Social conditions of individuals is to perform a critical study of how gendered norms influence the social conditions of individuals. This has been done by a problematization and the attempt to answer the question of how the hegemonical masculinity can be analyzed as a discourse, and how the structural aspects of this discourse inflict on the social conditions of masculinities.The question was divided into the analytical themes: the boarders of the discourse, the institutionalization of the discourse, the actuation of the discourse and the agents of the discourse. The theoretical frame is constituted by the theory of discourse by Michel Foucault, the theory of the hegemonical masculinity by R.W. Connell and a subversive identity theory by Judith Butler.