Abstract   The actions of Sweden during the second world war has been richly discussed over the years. Sweden declared itself neutral in the war between the great powers but did not manage to maintain its neutrality. The nature of neutrality has often been discussed; whether it is of a idealistic or more pragmatic nature. Realism, a theory of international relations, would argue that it is of a more pragmatic nature, hence these two are in opposition. Realism also takes credit in claiming to explain how and why a state chooses to act in a situation. The aim of this essay was to, by examining specific decisions made by the swedish government during the Second World War, come to a conclusion whether or not Sweden?s proclaimed neutrality was of idealistic or pragmatic nature, and thereby possibly coming to a conclusion about neutrality in large.It was also to examine the worth of realism as an explanatory theory by applying it to this specific case; to examine its validity.The study was conducted using a qualitative method; presenting empiric facts and then by using a decision model interpreting the actions and results from a realist perspective. The study concludes that realism has explanatory power, although not a complete one.

This essay focuses on the theory of classical realism from two points of views. Realism is often told to be quite immoral and cynical and only interested in the power relations among nations. In the first part I am arguing that this picture is wrong and should be revised. By using the ethical theories of deontology and utilitarianism I am arguing that both these perspectives can be used to analyse classical realism. By defining a value that should be guiding one can assert that realism is a good moral theory.

Detta kandidatarbete undersöker hur en karaktärs fantasi kan gestaltas med genren magisk realism inom animerad film. Under arbetets gång har vi undersökt olika filmer med magisk realism som genre, så som Pan?s Labyrinth, Ally McBeal och Six Feet Under och The Science of Sleep. I detta arbete presenterar vi de metoder vi valt för att skapa en animerad film med genren magisk realism..

AbstractEssay in political science, C-level, by Bo-Josef Eriksson, spring semester 2007Tutor: Susan Marton?Universal morality - does it exist? - A case study of small states foreign policy?The purpose of this essay is to examine how well does realism stand of against idealism when the focus of the study is on small states foreign policy? The essay takes it?s starting point at the debate between the two theories of international relations (IR). Realism is the theory that has had the most impact on the study of IR since the second world war. Idealism has been it?s greatest opponent and the debate is still active even up til this day.My case study of Danmarks foreign aid policy constitutes a worst critical case scenario for realism and therfore my assumptions were that idealism would be the theory that could explain the core-elements of the Danish foregin aid.

Detta kandidatarbete undersöker hur en karaktärs fantasi kan gestaltas med genren magisk realism inom animerad film. Under arbetets gång har vi undersökt olika filmer med magisk realism som genre, så som Pan?s Labyrinth, Ally McBeal och Six Feet Under och The Science of Sleep. I detta arbete presenterar vi de metoder vi valt för att skapa en animerad film med genren magisk realism.

This study aims to explain the Stuxnet-attack against Iran in 2009-2010 by using the IR-theory of structural realism. By doing so the theory also faces the challenge of the impact of the information revolution on security and international relations. The structural realism that is at hand is that of Kenneth Waltz and his Theory of International Politics from 1979.The study reaches the conclusion that Waltzs focus on the structure of the international system and the distribution of capabilities applies well to the case of Stuxnet as a cyber attack. The creators of the sophisticated Stuxnet, USA and Israel, also indicates that when it comes to this certain aspect of the information revolution and IR, states seem to still be the main actor. Finally the character of one of the major features of the Stuxnet-attack; the internet, is shown to have an anarchic structure that fits well as an extension of the realist view of the international system..

Political realism is a general theory within political science focusing on the principle interest defined as power. The theory?s mutual standpoint is that states are inspired by power politics meaning that military and economic power or security stands in the centre while moral and ethics are placed in the periphery. This essay?s purpose is to analyze realism which helps to understand the development and change of the perspective.

The aim with this paper is to study Karl Popper?s view on realism and relativism. Further aim is to see whether those ideas have been consistent over the years. The paper argues that Popper since his first interest in philosophy has taken a realistic and antirelativistic attitude. Only his arguments for this position have been developed to meet his critics.Common sense speaks for realism but can neither be proven nor refuted.

The purpose of this study was to examine and explain Sweden?s defence and security policy during the twenty-first century. The method that was used in this research was a case study. The material that was used were government documents focusing on this area of policy, and numerous books concerning the theoretical perspectives on international relations and defence security policy. The study is of an explaining art and the analysis explains Sweden?s security and defence policy during the twenty-first century. The analysis explains this by testing it against a liberal and a realist view on international relations. The conclusion of the study is that Sweden?s defence and security policy has been liberal during this time period ? and still is.

I lagbaserade, tävlingsinriktade dataspel är det viktigt att det är tydligt vem som är medspelare och vem som är motspelare, och jag har undersökt olika verktyg som en koncepttecknare kan använda för att uppnå detta i sin karaktärsdesign. Höga krav på realism begränsar dock hur dessa verktyg kan användas, och det är detta motsatsförhållande mellan krav på realism och krav på tydlighet som jag har undersökt i detta arbete. Jag har också försökt omsätta detta i praktiken genom att rita 46 karaktärskoncept till ett spelkoncept, med målet att det tydligt skall framgå vilka karaktärer som hör ihop och vilka som är varandras motståndare. Jag har kommit fram till att höga krav på realism avsevärt försvårar och begränsar hur tydlig en karaktär kan göras, och min slutsats är att spelkonceptet skulle tjäna i tydlighet om kraven på realism skulle lättas..

Med dagens allt mer visuellt realistiska dataspel ställs även allt högre krav på spelens ljudläggning. Detta arbete undersöker på vilket sätt helhetsintrycket av dataspel förändras beroende på realismen i ljudläggningen. Med hjälp av teorier om egenskaper hos akustiskt ljud har tre stycken filmklipp ljudlagts med så hög realism som möjligt. Samma filmklipp har sedan ljudlagts med låg realism. Försökspersoner har sedan fått se filmklippen och höra de olika ljudläggningarna och besvarat frågor angående upplevelsen av dessa filmklipp..

The purpose of this paper is to investigate possible reasons Sweden might have had to motivate the start and end of its nuclear program during the Cold war. This investigation will be conducted using a qualitative research method and making a comparison between the theories realism and liberalism?s ability to explain the decisions. The question this paper is based upon is as follows: Can Sweden?s creating and shutting down of a nuclear weapons program during the Cold war be explained by the international events and actions that were taking place during this time period? The result consists of liberalism pointing out several failures on the international level that might explain the cynical decision from Sweden to create the nuclear weapons. Realism considers the decision to make perfect sense at this point in time, to protect Sweden on the anarchy that was going on at that time according to this theory.The ending of the nuclear weapons program is being explained largely by the rise of the MAD-concept which renders the acute need of nuclear weapons in Sweden void.  Liberalism on the other hand considers this a logic step due to the better established UN that is playing a larger role now than in the 1940s. In conclusion, realism does a better job explaining the start of the nuclear weapons program, while liberalism explains the end of it more efficiently. The contribution this thesis has to the research of political science can be seen mainly in three areas.

Finns det värdefakta? Kan vi ha kunskap i moralfrågor? Finns det över huvud taget rätt och fel i moralfrågor? Med dessa frågor i bakhuvudet vill författaren undersöka ett vanligt argument mot moralisk realism i allmänhet, och Michael Huemers variant av moralisk realism i synnerhet. Detta antirealistiska argument säger att det är så pass vanligt med oenigheter i moralfrågor och att den bästa förklaringen till detta är att moralen är subjektiv. Argumentet säger vidare att etiken lider av bristande konvergens beträffande upplösta etiska oenigheter över tid, jämfört med exempelvis naturvetenskapen. Detta faktum verkar, menar vissa antirealister, ytterligare tala emot att det existerar värdefakta.

The aim of this study is to increase the understanding of the causes of the first war between Russia and Chechnya. Empirical data consists of four half-structured interviews with former Russian and Chechen war participants that tell about their perspective of the causes of the war between Russia and Chechnya. The study used narrative method and the theoretical framework consists of International Relations theories such as Realism, Geopolitics, Liberalism and Marxism. Geopolitics sees the geostrategic interest, territory as a cause of war. According to realism warfare occurs because of the state?s endeavor after power and influence in term of territory.

This essay analyses the existence of a literary tendency in Sweden the last decade, which shares many similarities with magical realism. The study includes the work of three writers: Majgull Axelsson with Aprilhäxan; John Ajvide Lindquist with Hanteringen av odöda and Låt den rätte komma in; and finally a short story of Alejandro Leiva Wegner, ?Elixir?.Focus for this work is to expose how these writers use supernatural events/people as a strategy to create a new identity and to effect social criticism, strategies that are common to magical realism.The aim of this work is therefore to clarify generalities about magical realism as a genre and give it a place in Swedish literature and in a changing Swedish society. Furthermore this essay defines a unique term for the genre as adapted to the Swedish reader and with some characteristics of its own: ?övernaturlig realism? (supernatural realism)..