Södertörns högskolas Publications
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Back to the pleasures! : Homosexual mobilization and the private-public issue as a background to Michel Foucault’s project on the history of sexuality
No full textThis master’s thesis, named “Back to the pleasures! Homosexual mobilization and the private-public issue as a background to Michel Foucault’s project on the history of sexuality”, investigates a political and cultural context that shaped the publication of one of the most important works produced among the French gay intelligentsia. By surveying a set of crucial documents from the contemporary homosexual movements, along with texts produced by some of their significant representatives, the study analyzes how these movements developed different concepts of sexual liberation based on varying concepts of homosexuality. Foucault rarely supported any of these movements publicly, and the first volume of The History of Sexuality must therefore be considered his main contribution to the topic of homosexual liberation. I suggest that Foucault’s critique of homosexual identity indicates an intellectual proximity to the radical leftist homosexual movements of the 1970s, who consistently challenged the idea of identity as something fixed and stabile. However, I also suggest that he differed from most of the homosexual movements in one important respect: they associated secrecy and privacy with repression and thus understood liberation as homosexuality being-made-public, either through revolution or extensive reform. In the first volume of The History of Sexuality, Foucault instead suggests that the making-public of same sex pleasures – confessing it to a medical authority, producing a science – was rather what enabled new measures for controlling and regulating pleasures since the 19th century, in terms of sexual deviancy. I argue that Foucault’s critique of various legislations involving sexuality following the publication of the first volume of The History of Sexuality must be understood as a modification of the idea of sexual liberation that developed in the homosexual movements of the 1970s. A liberation – not of a specific sexuality, but – from sexuality itself, thereby going back to the pleasures.Denna masteruppsats, med titeln ”Tillbaka till njutningarna! Homosexuell mobilisering och offentlighetsfrågan som bakgrund till Michel Foucaults sexualitetshistoriska projekt”, undersöker en politisk och kulturell kontext som formade ett av de viktigaste verken som producerats i den franska homosexuella intelligentian. Genom att studera några avgörande texter från de samtida homorörelserna, tillsammans med verk författade av några av deras mer tongivande representanter, analyseras hur dessa rörelser utvecklade olika idéer om sexuell frigörelse baserat på olika förståelser av homosexualitet. Foucault gav sällan sitt offentliga stöd till någon av dessa rörelser och det första bandet av Sexualitetens historia måste därför ses som hans främsta bidrag till frågan om homosexuell frigörelse. Jag föreslår att Foucaults kritik av homosexuell identitet indikerar en intellektuell närhet till 1970-talets vänsterradikala homorörelser, som genomgående utmanade idén om identitet som något fixerat och stabilt. Jag föreslår emellertid att han skilde sig från många av de samtida homorörelserna på ett avgörande sätt: de associerade en hemlig och privat homosexualitet med förtryck och såg det följaktligen som att frigörelse bestod i ett slags offentliggörande av homosexualiteten – i en förändring av samhället genom revolution eller omfattande reformer. I det första bandet av Sexualitetens historia föreslår Foucault i stället att offentliggörandet av samkönade njutningar – bekännelsen inför en medicinsk auktoritet, i produktionen av en vetenskap – hade möjliggjort nya metoder för att kontrollera och reglera njutningar sedan 1800-talet, i termer av sexuell avvikelse. Jag menar att den kritik Foucault riktade mot de lagstiftningar som involverade sexualitetens begrepp, efter publiceringen av det första bandet av Sexualitetens historia, måste förstås som en modifiering av den idé om sexuell frigörelse som tog form i 1970-talets homorörelser. En frigörelse – inte av en särskild sexualitet, utan – från sexualiteten, vilket skulle innebära en rörelse tillbaka till njutningarna
Portföljoptimering genom diversifiering med kryptovalutor : En kvantitativ studie om hur inkludering av kryptovalutor kan optimera portföljer
No full textInvesteringar i form av olika tillgångar som aktier, råvaror och fastigheter är ett sätt att uppnå vinst och säkra ekonomisk stabilitet i framtiden. Dessa typer av investeringar är dock inte en finansiell garanti då investeringar medför ofta hög risk. I samband med den utvecklade tekniken har kryptovalutor fått ett ökat intresse, där dessa omfattar en hög avkastningspotential och en extrem volatilitet. Studien syftar således på att undersöka huruvida inkludering av kryptovalutor påverkar optimerade portföljer mätt med Sharpekvoten jämfört med traditionella portföljer och om det finns en optimal allokering. Studien applicerar en kvantitativ ansats som hämtar historiska dagliga stängningskurser från en viktig datakälla. Studien behandlar två teorier och två modeller. För att säkerställa att syftet kan besvaras med datan utformas tre hypoteser. Samtliga hypoteser utvecklas utifrån teorin Modern Portföljteori och GARCH-modellen. Med Rstudio optimeras fem portföljer utifrån mean-variance för att testa hur kryptovalutor presterar jämfört med en kontrollportfölj. Studien tillämpar icke-parametriska modeller som Wilcoxon och Generalized Additive Model för att mäta signifikansen och förstå sambanden mellan tillgångarna. Resultatet visar att kryptovalutor som bitcoin, ethereum och BNB förbättrar en portföljs sharpekvot, dock finns det inget statistiskt bevis på att dessa portföljer är bättre än traditionella portföljer. Samtidigt innefattar samtliga kryptovalutor en optimal allokering för tidsperioden som kan användas som en alternativ diversifiering under ekonomiska kriser, men allokering bör dynamiskt anpassas med tiden. Vidare bör även mognadsfasen för varje enskild kryptovaluta beaktas, där den beskriver hur motståndskraftiga de är mot asymmetriska chocker. Investing in diverse assets such as stocks, commodities, and real estate constitutes a strategic approach to generating returns and promoting long-term financial stability. These types of investment are not an economic guarantee as with investment comes high risk. One asset that has gained more attention lately is the technology cryptocurrency with high economic potential and extreme volatility. This study aims to understand how diversifying a portfolio with individual cryptocurrencies may affect the effectiveness of the portfolio and measured with the Sharpe Ratio, alongside to see if there is an optimum for each cryptocurrency. By applying a quantitative method this study gatherers historical closing prices from a major data source. The study covers two theories and two models. To ensure that the purpose and research questions can be answered with the data three hypotheses have been formulated. The three hypotheses were developed on theories and models of Modern Portfolio Theory and GARCH-model. Five optimized portfolios were created according to mean-variance to test how each cryptocurrency performs compared to a control portfolio consisting of only stock exchanges. This study also applied statistical non-parametric models such as Wilcoxon and Generalized Additive Model to understand the statistical significance and correlation. The result shows that cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, ethereum and BNB do improve a portfolio's sharpe ratio, but there is no evidence to prove that they outperform traditional portfolios. Cryptocurrencies do have an optimal weight given the time period, and can be used as a diversification during economic crises, but the maturity for each cryptocurrency should be considered as it describes how resilient they are to asymmetrical shocks
When passion meets profession : the development of Swedish professional football.
No full textBackground: Swedish elite football is developing and becoming more professional with each passing year, and club organizations need to keep up with the progress in the sport.To achieve this, organizations must evolve on several levels, where the relevance of professional roles has become increasingly important, and strategies as well as structures are being given higher priority. These professional roles are evolving, and more new types of roles are being introduced and implemented. However, there is a lack of individuals with expertise in the new areas that football is exploring and seeking to implement within its operations. The major clubs in European football possess significant financial resources and are expanding their coaching and support staff, a trend that is also influencing Swedish football. Swedish clubs now face a crossroads: either to follow the developments taking place across European football or to focus on their own context and consider what organizations in Sweden can do to evolve. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand how the clubs within Swedish Elite Football (SEF) work with organizational development around their first team, with regard to commercialization. In addition, the study aims to understand how the clubs professionalize their sporting organizations. Question: How do the football clubs that belong to SEF work to professionalize the organization around the first team? What types of roles are most important for a football organization in the Swedish context that aims to develop the organization? Methodology: The thesis is based on a qualitative method consisting of six semi-structured interviews with club leaders from six of the SEF clubs and the interest organization SEF, as well as a complementary content analysis of documents from the Swedish Football Association (SvFF) and SEF. Conclusion: In the conclusion, the study’s research questions are addressed based on the authors’ interpretation of the analysis, focusing on how Swedish elite football clubs are becoming more professional and which professional roles are crucial in the clubs' development. The results of the study highlight the importance of maintaining continuity in the most vital professional roles and having sound financial resources. Another conclusion is that the organizations aim to use a more specialized recruitment process with clear requirements and role descriptions. Finally, suggestions for further research within the same field are provided
Att främja förståelsen av ämnesspecifika begrepp i samhällskunskap : En interventionsstudie om huruvida kooperativt lärande med stöd av begreppskort kan främja elevers förståelse av ämnesspecifika begrepp
No full textThe aim of this study is to investigate whether, and how, cooperative learning in relation to concept cards can promote students’ understanding of subject-specific concepts in social studies. The study is based on an intervention conducted in two sixth-grade classrooms at a municipal school in Sweden. A mixed-methods approach is applied, combining quantitative data from pre- and post-tests with qualitative data from classroom observations and semi-structured focus group interviews. The theoretical framework is based on Vygotsky’s sociocultural perspective, with particular focus on the concepts of scaffolding and appropriation, as well as cooperative learning. The results of the study show that cooperative learning in relation to concept cards contributes to an increased understanding of subject-specific concepts. All students demonstrated progress in terms of total scores according to Bloom’s taxonomy between the pre- and post-tests, and several student responses showed signs of conceptual appropriation. The study concludes that cooperative learning in relation to concept cards enhances the understanding of subject-specific concepts in the subject of social studies
“Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” : En semiotisk innehållsanalys av hur kroppsideal och objektifiering har återspeglat sig i tryckt reklam.
No full textThis thesis examines how advertising campaigns have reflected and shaped female body ideals over time, between the years 2000 and 2024. Body ideals have always been a part of society, continuously evolving and often difficult to attain. The thin body ideal is frequently utilized in marketing to drive consumption, as they are strongly associated with attractiveness and serve as a source of credibility. The study draws on Objectification Theory, Social Representation Theory, and Adorno’s Theory of Pseudo-culture to analyze how advertising not only mirrors prevailing norms but also contributes to their creation and reinforcement. Using a semiotic content analysis, selected visual campaigns from Calvin Klein are examined to identify the reproduction and maintenance of body ideals in print advertising. We came to the conclusion that the thin body ideal remains highly dominant in today's marketing of underwear, and is often closely linked to the objectification of the female body. This suggests a continued reproduction and maintenance of the thin ideal within contemporary marketing.
Local News in Transition : A Comparative Study of a Local British Newsletter and a Local British Newspaper
No full textThis thesis explores the differences between local platform-based newsletters, such as The Mill, and traditional local newspapers, such as the Manchester Evening News, with a focus on how each outlet sets the news agenda and maintains journalistic quality. As local newspapers face ongoing challenges, newsletters have emerged as a growing alternative in the UK’s local media landscape. Through a combination of a quantitative analysis of themes and qualitative framing analysis, this study compares the topics prioritized by each outlet and evaluates their reporting against quality criteria of journalism, including relevance, contextualization, professionalism, diversity, and interactivity. The findings show that The Mill, operating through a reader-funded newsletter model, emphasizes slower, more in-depth journalism with greater attention to context and a broader range of perspectives. In contrast, the Manchester Evening News tends to publish more frequent, shorter stories, often centered on crime and breaking news. This research contributes to the understanding of how digital formats may shape the future of local news
Två världar, ett spel : En komparativ studie om skillnader kring marknadsföringsstrategier mellan dam- och herrlag inom svensk elitfotboll
No full textThis thesis presents a comparative study that analyzes differences in marketing strategies between women’s and men’s football within Swedish elite football. To identify the differences, interviews were conducted with different Swedish elite football clubs that have both women’s and men’s representative teams. The study applies a thematic analysis to identify key themes and patterns that highlight the marketing approaches for each team. The study aims to provide insights into how different marketing strategies can improve audience engagement, and to address the potential differences between women’s and men’s football. This study uses a theoretical framework that includes sports marketing, customer loyalty and relationship marketing, brand equity, segmentation, marketing mix, integrated marketing communication (IMC) and customer experience. The results reveal significant differences often due to historical, cultural and economic factors. Therefore the need for a more tailored and experience- driven marketing strategy is highly required with the aim to reduce the commercial gap within the elite football landscape.Denna studie undersöker skillnader i marknadsföringsstrategier mellan dam- och herrlag inom svensk elitfotboll, samt hur klubbarna arbetar för att bibehålla och öka publikengagemang. I en värld med allt större fokus på frågor om jämställdhet och social hållbarhet, utmanas även idrottssektorn att anpassa strategier för att möta samhällets aktuella förväntningar. Studiens syfte är att analysera skillnader i marknadsföringsstrategier mellan dam- och herrfotboll, samt identifiera vilka faktorer som ligger bakom skillnaderna. Genom en kvalitativ forskningsmetod med en abduktiv ansats, har det genomförts semistrukturerade intervjuer med marknadsansvariga från sex olika elitklubbar som har dam- och herrlag i Sveriges respektive högsta serie. Empirin har analyserats tematiskt där mönster har identifierats, för att förstå skillnader kopplat till teorierna: Strategisk marknadsföring, marknadsmixen, kundlojalitet och relationsmarknadsföring, varumärkesvärdet, segmentering, IMC samt kundupplevelse. Studien visar att herrfotbollen gynnas utifrån historia, kulturella samt ekonomiska aspekter. Damfotbollen är yngre och har därmed inte samma underlag som bidrar till mängden publik och synlighet. Studien visar även att svenska elitfotbollsklubbar behöver etablera mer varierade och långsiktiga marknadsföringsstrategier, för att minska det kommersiella glappet mellan dam- och herrfotbollen.
Shame must change sides : A quantitative content analysis of German and British media coverage of the French rape trial concerning Gisèle Pelicot
No full text The thesis explores the media portrayal of the French rape trial concerning Gisèle Pelicot, held in late 2024. The aim is to analyse whether the media coverage of sexual violence has shifted since #MeToo in 2017. Drawing on the theoretical concepts of media attention and rape myths, the study investigates whether the reporting on the rape trial is more focused on the victim or the perpetrators and whether common misbeliefs about rape are endorsed or challenged. Points of comparison are the type of newspaper, namely tabloid, right-leaning and left-leaning quality newspapers, as well as the gender of journalists. The study applies a quantitative content analysis of 169 British and German newspaper articles published between September and December 2024 on the Pelicot rape trial. The media analysis reveals that Gisèle Pelicot receives more media attention than the perpetrators, as she is more often referred to by her first name and more often quoted than all perpetrators taken together. This difference is even more pronounced in left-leaning media and articles written by female journalists. The news coverage on the Pelicot rape trial completely refrains from victim-blaming language. Tabloids and male journalists most commonly portray the rapists as monstrous outcasts of society, which distracts from the systemic nature of rape. However, quality newspapers also try to challenge these rape myths.These findings do not necessarily suggest a positive shift in the media coverage on sexual violence but rather point to the individual circumstances of this case. Gisèle Pelicot stepped out of anonymity and appeared as the ideal victim, that was supported by extensive video evidence. Consequently, she received comparatively more media attention and was subjected to less victim-blaming
What an early portrait of Queen Christina might tell us about the Renaissance in the Nordic countries
No full textThe aim of this paper is to discuss if, and how, a Nordic Renaissance was preconditioned by the invention of the printing press. The main example will be a stylistic comparison between Flemish prints and a portrait of the Swedish Queen Christina, (probably) painted by the Stockholm painter Jacob Heinrich Elbfas in 1637, when Christina was 11 years old. Of the several surviving versions of this portrait, the one with Stockholm seen through a window in the background in the Nationalmuseum’s Swedish Portrait Collection is the best known today. The linear character of these portraits, as well as their similarity to other portraits of this period in terms of settings and poses, indicate a dependence on prints as models. This demonstrates how imported prints were used as models by painters in the Nordic countries to repeat and imitate Renaissance iconography and aesthetics. The topic of this paper is approached theoretically through Christopher S. Wood’s conceptual rethinking of the Renaissance north of the Alps, as developed in his Forgery, Replica, Fiction: Temporalities of German Renaissance Art (2008). According to Wood, the Gutenberg revolution should be seen as a more important catalyst for artistic and cultural change in Northern Europe than the need to reconnect with antiquity that motivated the Italian Renaissance. Whereas the Italians of the fifteenth century saw their own age as a “new beginning” and a rebirth of classical antiquity after its interruption by the Middle Ages, the Germans saw themselves as the last in a long, unbroken lineage that connected them to their ancient past. According to the same logic, the Renaissance ruler Erik XIV of Sweden considered himself as the last in a long lineage of Swedish kings named Erik, going back to Goths and Wends. Since the Nordic countries were closely connected to German culture and politics, I will discuss how Wood’s theory and the paradigm of print culture can help us to better understand the Renaissance in the Nordic countries
Tales of Cyberspace and Artificial Intelligence : Diverging Stakeholderships?
No full textThis article traces the evolution of the Internet from the 1990s to the 2020s and compares it with the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly following the public launch of ChatGPT in late 2022. It identifies both parallels and divergencies between these two overlapping technological domains, focusing on the growing integration of AI into online applications. The central argument is that, whereas users once played a decisive role in shaping the Internet's trajectory and politics, the contemporary AI landscape is dominated by two principal stakeholders: governments and private companies. User groups, by contrast, have become largely marginalized in debates on AI policy and regulation. While users in cyberspace historically acted as co-creators, they are thus far confined to the role of consumers in relation to AI. This shift toward elite-driven governance raises important concerns regarding the emergence of authoritarian tendencies in the development and implementation of AI and digital technologies in general