Sweden, amongst others, is usually considered a small state in a greater European context. Small state influence in the European Union (EU) is a research field filled with vast potential and possibilities. This study focuses on Swedish influence on the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CSFP) of the EU and the different strategies that small states may apply in order to obtain influence in intern

This research examines inequality, environmental degradation and livelihood insecurity and vulnerability in Vietnam’s northwest uplands through the lens of farming systems. Specifically, the research analyzes factors impacting farming systems in two case study villages, as well as local stakeholders’ perceptions of these phenomena. An analytical approach based on the sustainable livelihoods framew

The Nile basin is the world’s longest river and stretches from the countries of Rwanda and Burundi in the south to the Mediterranean Sea in the north. Its water flows between eleven different countries and creates a natural bond in the region. Sharing water has however created political tension in the region. Even if the states are now seeking collaborative agreements, the region is still being in

The welfare state is under pressure. The traditionally homogeneous and generous welfare state is currently challenged by the increasing migration across borders. The boundaries of the nation-state are being eroded as well as the distinction between citizens and non-citizens. Irregular migrants live on the border of the welfare state. They are not fully members of the community, but they live on th

This master thesis examines if the policy of school choice, which was implemented in the early 1990s, may trigger segregation of different social groups in independent schools in the city of Malmö. The major actors for school choice are the parents, due to their responsibility to choose schools for their children. For the purpose of my research, the major focus lays on the factors that parents con

In this thesis I study the events of the so called Kashmir crisis which took place during New Year 01-02 and continued for about 10 months. The Kashmir crisis is a military standoff situation between India and Pakistan. The events of this standoff were very dramatic and I try to analyze the events using theories in the discipline of decision-making in international relations. The theories I use ar

This thesis examines if participation in religious activities incentivise participation in political activities. It is hypothesised that persons who often participate in religious activities often participate in political activities. The results are then to be analyzed with the question; how can the results be explained using social capital theory? Theory used in this paper is mainly derived from

Sammanfattning I Europakonventionen artikel 8 skyddas rätten till privatliv. Varje person har rätt till skydd av personuppgifter som tillhör honom eller henne. Globalisering och teknologisk utveckling har anmärkningsvärt förändrat sättet på hur personuppgifter behandlas. En uppdaterad lagstiftning för personuppgiftsskydd behövs och EUs föreslagna förordning reflekterar tydligt utmaningarna för Summary The protection of personal data is a fundamental right in accordance with Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights. Every person has the right to the protection of information that concerns him or her. Globalisation and technological advancements have enormously transformed the way our personal data is collected. An updated legislation on data protection is needed and the pr

Access to electricity impacts women and men differently. Current research often focuses on household units and the direct benefits of electricity whereas indirect benefits such as specific gender impacts are insufficiently researched. This study aimed to contribute to a better understanding of electricity’s impacts on women’s needs. By using Moser’s (1989) definition of women’s gender needs and by

This thesis revolves around wage labour and its constitution in the Swedish society and how its being has become a non-political issue, a paradigmatic truth. This is presented through the organization of the Swedish workers movement but also through present day mainstream politics. With the ambition of unravelling the foundation on which this norm is built Roland Barthes concept of the myth is use

This essay examines especially Russia`s role in the civil war in Syria that started on 15 March year 2011. External actors` political views, their cooperation with Russia and their interests in Syria have also been processed in this paper. My methodology consists of qualitative text analysis. An open approach was used when I have practiced my textual analysis. This means that the investigation is

Abstract The notion of external political impact, constitutes a useful approach in order to assess the EU as a distinctive foreign policy actor, one which, on occasion, does not necessarily need the same instruments as traditional nation-state do, to exert political influence. The present thesis applies this concept to measure the political impact of the EU foreign policies on disputes between Ko

The pressure on businesses to “give something back to society” has increased considerably in the last decades and concepts like Corporate Social Responsibility gained enormous populari-ty. While for many years companies have been distributing cash and goods to charity, attach-ing to the CSR agenda a philanthropic nuance, many companies have recently started to shift away from philanthropic giving

This study reports on the results of research undertaken to assess the role of oil palm cultiva-tion for local livelihoods in the sub-district of Karaket in Thailand. Oil palm cultivation has become a product of heated debate within the international community and various stakehold-ers have raised serious concerns over its environmental and social sustainability. Karaket has recently experienced s

This study focuses on two key elements. The first is the implementation of EU directive 2004:38 in Sweden and how the right of residence is determined by three Swedish authorities. The second is how well Michael Lipsky’s theory on street-level bureaucrats can describe the reality of the civil servants who work with determining the right of residence. The material for the study is the actual text o

This study discovers how the microentrepreneurs running water refill stations (WRSs) assess the income generation potential of drinking water sale in Jakarta including the motivations to start up and sustain the business as well as the challenges they face with in the water market. The study further provides insights on the broader externalities to which WRSs have contributed. The design of the re

This Master’s thesis aims at examining the light rail project in Lund, Sweden, and its discursive and material foundations as well as consequences. Through a discourse analytical deconstruction of the project, the thesis analyses the essence and legitimacy of the political process and its construction of urban visions of the desirable city, for which the building of a light rail system is being po

Social capital is the key to an effective and well functioning liberal democracy according to Robert D. Putnam in the theory about Making democracy work, and Bo Rothstein in the theory about the Logic of the social trap. The solution to create social capital is according to Putnam a high level of participation in civic communities in the civic society and according to Rothstein the need of univers

The world has during the latest decades seen the rise of transnational public-private partnerships. The political debate about the partnerships’ role in global governance is often polarized. Some scholars state that partnerships are more effective than other type of state-centric structures and the argument is at present a major source of legitimacy for the occasionally criticised partnerships. Ho