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A thematic comparison of an ethnographic type between the Viaggio Settentrionale by Francesco Negri and Relazione del Regno di Svezia del 1674 by Lorenzo Magalotti
No full textQuesto studio si propone di fare un raffronto tematico di tipo etnografico tra due opere odeporiche del Seicento: Viaggio Settentrionale di Francesco Negri e Relazione del Regno di Svezia del 1674 di Lorenzo Magalotti. Lo scopo di questa ricerca è duplice: il primo è chiarire come si possa postulare un’influenza del testo di Francesco Negri su quello di Lorenzo Magalotti, il secondo è verificare che le informazioni etnografiche riportate dai due viaggiatori italiani siano attendibili sulla base di studi scientifici moderni sulla Svezia del Seicento.This study aims to make a thematic comparison of an ethnographic type between two works from the 17th Century: Viaggio Settentrionale by Francesco Negri and Relazione del Regno di Svezia del 1674 by Lorenzo Magalotti. The purpose of this research is twofold: the first is to clarify how one can postulate an influence of the text of Francesco Negri on that of Lorenzo Magalotti, the second is to verify that the ethnographic information reported by the two Italian travellers is reliable based on modern scientific studies on 17th century Sweden.
Business Networks and SME Development in Swedish Mill Town : A Qualitative Study of SME Opportunities and Barriers in Networks Dominated by a Large Industrial Actor
No full textAim: The purpose of this master's thesis is to investigate how the presence of a large industrial company in mill towns affects the innovation and business development of SMEs. The study intends to gain a deeper understanding of the business networks dynamics at the local level and to investigate what opportunities and barriers arise for SMEs operating within networks shaped by dominant actors. Method: The study is based on a qualitative research method and a thematic template analysis of 10 semi-structured interviews. The criteria set for participat ingrespondents were that they need to hold a leading position within the company in a mill town and be people with insight into the company ́s local collaborations and innovation initiatives. A convenience sample were used initially with a combination of snowball sampling. The interviews were conducted in person with with representatives of both the large industrial company and SMEs from one mill town. Results: The results show that business networks in mill towns are characterized by personal relationships, local identity and long-term ties. The relationship between the SME and the dominant industrial company is characterized by both historical ties, trust, asymmetry and dependence. Innovation mainly occurs informally and there are not often formal joint development projects. The local structures are perceived to provide stability, trust and facilitate knowledge exchange, however, this structures create barriers to network becoming closed. Conclusion: SMEs development in mill town is influenced by informal relationships, trust-based cooperation and dependence on dominant actors. This type of network in mill town with a dominant actor increases informal learning and knowledge sharing among SMEs, however, through indications of network closure, development and innovation can be limited for SMEs. The study contributes to an increased understanding of local networks and SMEs' development and innovation opportunities in them
Differences in Expressions of Gratitude and Politeness in Chinese and Japanese: : A Study Based on News Articles
No full text本研究比较了中文和日文的新闻报道中，人们表达感谢时所使用的感谢的语言。此研究用了Brown和Levinson(1987)的礼貌理论，还有平和松村(2011)的分类方法。研究收集了四十个中文例子和四十个日文例子，分析了说话者，感谢的对象，说话的情况和句型结构。结果发现，在中文和日文中，人们最常用的是“表达共同立场（策略A: Claim common ground）”的方法。日文中，这种表达用的特别多，说明日文很重视人与人之间的关系和团结。由于中文感谢语表现出更加关注对方的行动和结果，中文除了上述表达外，还用了很多策略，例如“强调合作关系(策略B: Convey that speaker and hearer are cooperators)”和“满足对方需要(C: Fulfil hearer’s want for some X)”的方法。在礼貌的表达方面，日文的方法更加客气，比如说“不主观臆测(策略b: Don’t presume/assume)”。中文也有客气的表达，比如用一些惯用的，委婉的话。虽然两种语言有时候是同一种方法，但意思和感觉不一样。日文常用尊敬语和不直接的话语，中文常用亲切和直接的方式。这些结果说明，即使人们说的同样是“感谢”,其表达方式也文化差异而有所不同。本研究有助于更好地进行跨文化交流。关键词：礼貌理论，感谢表达，语用学，中日对比，文化价值观This study compares the language used to express gratitude in Chinese and Japanese news articles. It is based on Brown & Levinson’s (1987) politeness theory and the classification method proposed by Ping & Matsumura (2011). The study collected 40 Chinese examples and 40 Japanese examples and analysed in terms of the speaker, the target, the context, and the syntactic structure. The results show that in both Chinese and Japanese, the most commonly used strategy is “Claiming common ground (Strategy A)”. The strategy is particularly prevalent in Japanese, indicating the importance placed on interpersonal relationships and group cohesion. Since Chinese expressions of gratitude tend to focus more on the hearer’s actions and outcomes, in addition to the above strategy, Chinese also frequently employs strategies such as “Conveying that speaker and hearer are cooperators (Strategy B)” and “Fulfil hearer’s want for some X (Strategy C)”. In terms of polite expressions, Japanese tends to be more formal, such as “Don’t presume/assume (Strategy b)”. Chinese also demonstrates politeness, often through the use of conventional and euphemistic expressions. Although both languages sometimes use the same strategy, the conveyed meaning and emotional nuance can differ. Japanese often relies on honorific and indirect expressions, while Chinese tends to use more friendly and direct forms. These findings suggest that, even when people express the same idea of gratitude, the ways in which they express it differ across cultures. This study contributes to deeper understanding of cross-cultural communication
Midwives experience and perception of encountering minors who are unplanned pregnant : A qualitative interview study
No full textBackground: Minors represent a particularly vulnerable group within the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Their increased tendency toward sexual risk-taking contributes to a heightened risk of unplanned pregnancy. Although the frequency of unplanned pregnancies among minors is declining both globally and in Sweden, it remains a significant issue. Pregnancy at a young age can lead to social, economic, and health-related consequences. Aim: The aim was to explore midwives' experiences and perceptions of encounters with minors who are unintentionally pregnant. Methods: A qualitative, semi-structured interview study. Results: The results showed that minors often turn to midwives when they suspect pregnancy. In cases where the pregnancy test is positive, they react with a range of emotions. According to the midwives' experiences, most minors express a desire to have an abortion. A key finding was that midwives actively encourage and support the minors in involving their guardians, as this is considered important to ensure the necessary support and care in the situation. Conclusion: Midwives perceive that unplanned pregnancies among minors have decreased, and that most choose to have an abortion, in line with national statistics. They strive to create a safe environment and tailor information to the minor’s level of maturity, which can be challenging. A professional, attentive, and non-judgmental approach is highlighted as essential. While respecting the minor’s right to autonomy and confidentiality, midwives also encourage support from a guardian or another close relative. The value of minors’ place on anonymity in contact with midwives is also confirmed in this study. Clinical implications: There is limited research on midwives’ experiences of encounters with minors who are involuntarily pregnant, particularly in high-income countries like Sweden. The findings may contribute to a deeper understanding of midwives’ needs in these situations and can be used to improve practice, for example by developing local guidelines, which were something the participants expressed a need for.Bakgrund: Minderåriga utgör en särskilt sårbar grupp inom området sexuell och reproduktiv hälsa och rättigheter. Deras ökade benägenhet till sexuellt risktagande medför en förhöjd risk för oplanerad graviditet. Trots att förekomsten av oplanerade graviditeter bland minderåriga minskar både globalt och i Sverige, kvarstår det som ett betydande problem. En graviditet i ung ålder kan leda till sociala, ekonomiska och hälsomässiga konsekvenser. Syfte: Syftet var att undersöka barnmorskors erfarenheter och upplevelser av mötet med minderåriga som är oplanerat gravida. Metod: En kvalitativ intervjustudie med semistrukturerade intervjuer. Resultat: Resultatet visade att minderåriga ofta vände sig till barnmorskor vid misstanke om graviditet. Vid ett positivt graviditetstest reagerade de minderåriga med olika känslor. Barnmorskors erfarenhet var att de flesta önskade göra abort. Ett centralt fynd var att barnmorskor aktivt uppmuntrade och stöttade de minderåriga i att involvera vårdnadshavare för att säkerställa det stöd och omsorg som situationen krävde. Slutsats: Barnmorskor upplevde att oplanerade graviditeter bland minderåriga hade minskat och att de flesta valde abort, i linje med nationell statistik. De strävade efter att skapa trygghet och anpassade information efter den minderårigas mognad, vilket kunde vara utmanande. Ett professionellt, lyhört och icke-dömande bemötande lyftes fram som centralt. Barnmorskor respekterade den minderårigas rätt till självbestämmande och sekretess samtidigt som de uppmuntrade till stöd från vårdnadshavare eller annan närstående. Minderårigas uppskattning av anonymitet i kontakt med barnmorskor bekräftades i detta arbete. Klinisk tillämpbarhet: Det finns begränsad forskning om barnmorskors erfarenheter av mötet med minderåriga som är oplanerat gravida, särskilt i höginkomstländer som Sverige. Resultatet av examensarbetet kan bidra till ökad förståelse för barnmorskors behov i dessa möten samt användas för att utveckla verksamheten, exempelvis genom att utforma lokala riktlinjer vilket efterfrågades av deltagarna
Contesting recognition: Parliamentary discourses on Swedish Sign Language and the rights of d/Deaf people : A critical discourse analysis of debates concerning the Language Act (2009) between 2006-2024
No full textThe present study examines the representation of d/Deaf people in Sweden by analysing parliamentary debates between 2006 and 2024 concerning the Language Act of 2009, which formally recognises Swedish Sign Language (SSL). Despite this legal recognition, Deaf communities are often framed within a disability paradigm rather than as linguistic and cultural minorities. Moreover, this study employs a critical discourse analysis, drawing upon a comprehensive set of 13 debate transcripts, which were then analysed in NVivo. Building upon Krausneker's (2015) theoretical model, this study identifies four key political discourses that permeate the parliamentary debates: 1) portraying d/Deaf people as vulnerable and in need of assistance, 2) the distribution of responsibilities, 3) accessibility policies largely informed by a disability perspective, and 4) recognition of SSL alongside increased Deaf Awareness. While some movement towards recognising SSL as a minority language is evident, the prevailing discourse continues to view d/Deaf people primarily through a lens of disability, with limited attention to Deaf culture or Deaf Gain. This research contributes to understanding how language rights, accessibility, and minority recognition are debated in the Swedish parliament and underscores the need for continued scholarly attention at the intersection of Deaf Studies, social science, and political science to enhance inclusion and societal participation for d/Deaf communities particularly in Sweden
Chinese Character Learning Strategies and Linguistic Distance : An Investigation Among Upper-Intermediate On-Campus CFL Learners
No full textResearch by Chai & Bao (2023) suggests that Chinese as a foreign language learners with different linguistic backgrounds face different degrees of difficulty in Chinese character learning. However, many studies on character learning strategies do not specify the native language background of their participants. Thus, linguistic background is a topic that deserves more attention in character learning research. With most research on Chinese character learning concentrated on beginner and (mostly lower) intermediate learners, it is important to provide more research on advanced-level students. This study analyzes and compares the Chinese character learning strategies employed by 90 upper-intermediate Chinese as a foreign language learners with different linguistic backgrounds enrolled at two universities in Yunnan province, China. The findings indicate that learners with a short linguistic distance to Chinese use Chinese character learning strategies most frequently, followed by middle linguistic distance learners, and long linguistic distance learners use character learning strategies least frequently. The results of the comparison with character learning strategy studies on lower proficiency level learners indicated that overall character learning strategy use increases with proficiency level.根据 Chai 与 Bao（2023）的研究表明，不同语言背景的汉语学习者在汉字学习过程中面临不同程度的困难，然而在大多数汉字学习策略研究中，语言背景要么未被明确说明，要么完全未被提及。因此，语言距离对汉字学习的影响需要进一步的研究。鉴于大多数汉字学习的研究对象主要集中于初级学习者，少数研究涉及中级学习者，但对更高水平的汉语学习者的汉字学习研究较少，研究存在不足。本研究以云南省两所大学的 90 名留学生为调查对象，对不同语言背景的，包括中高级汉语学习者在内的汉字学习策略进行分析研究。数据显示，语言背景离汉语较近的学习者使用汉字学习策略的频率最高，其次是中等语言距离的学习者。而语言距离较远的学习者使用汉字学习策略的频率最低。数据也显示，汉语学习者在学习汉字时，其汉字学习策略的使用频率随着学习者语言水平的提升
Gender and performance in times of crisis : A quantitative study of board composition and performance during crises
No full textUnder den period som studien omfattar har globala kriser såsom COVID-19, Rysslands invasion av Ukraina, energikrisen, inflationen och räntehöjningarna präglat omvärlden. Dessa händelser har haft betydande effekter på många företag, inklusive svenska medelstora tillverkningsföretag. Denna studie syftar till att undersöka hur kriser påverkar styrelsers könsfördelning och den finansiella prestationen i dessa företag. Syftet är även att belysa om en högre andel kvinnor i styrelser har en positiv effekt på den finansiella prestationen. Tidigare forskning har visat att ett ökat antal kvinnor i styrelser kan ha en positiv effekt på företagens finansiella resultat. Studien bygger på neoklassisk ekonomisk teori och teorin om kritisk massa. Teorin om kritisk massa hävdar att när tre eller fler kvinnor ingår i en styrelse påverkas styrelsearbetet och beslutsfattandet. Neoklassisk ekonomisk teori utgår däremot från att kön inte påverkar den finansiella prestationen. Resultaten i denna studie kunde inte bekräfta någon av teorierna. Studien använde en kvantitativ ansats och baserades på sekundärdata. Deskriptiv statistik tillämpades för att undersöka hur kriser påverkat styrelsers könsfördelning och den finansiella prestationen. Vidare analyserades orsakssamband genom en linjär regression för att undersöka om ett ökat antal kvinnor i styrelser hade en positiv effekt. Resultaten visar att kriser inte påverkar styrelsers könsfördelning. Det finns dock indikationer på att kriser delvis påverkar den finansiella prestationen, även om andra faktorer kan bidra till dessa effekter. Studien kunde inte fastställa att en högre andel kvinnor i styrelser, det vill säga tre eller fler, hade en positiv effekt på den finansiella prestationen. Detta tyder på att andra faktorer än styrelsernas könsfördelning kan påverka företagets ekonomiska resultat.During the period covered by the study, global crises such as COVID-19, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the energy crisis, inflation, and rising interest rates have shaped the global environment. These events have had significant effects on many companies, including Swedish medium-sized manufacturing firms. This study aims to examine how crises affect board gender composition and financial performance in these companies. The purpose is also to highlight whether a higher proportion of women on boards has a positive effect on financial performance. Previous research has shown that an increased number of women on boards may have a positive effect on firms’ financial outcomes. The study is based on neoclassical economic theory and the theory of critical mass. The theory of critical mass argues that when three or more women are included on a board, board work and decision-making are influenced. Neoclassical economic theory, on the other hand, assumes that gender does not affect financial performance. The results of this study could not confirm either theory. The study applied a quantitative approach and was based on secondary data. Descriptive statistics were used to examine how crises have affected board gender composition and financial performance. Furthermore, causal relationships were analyzed through a linear regression to investigate whether an increased number of women on boards had a positive effect. The results show that crises do not affect board gender composition. However, there are indications that crises partly affect financial performance, although other factors may also contribute to these effects. The study could not establish that a higher proportion of women on boards, that is, three or more, had a positive effect on financial performance. This suggests that factors other than board gender composition may influence a company’s financial outcomes
Handläggning av idrottsrelaterad hjärnskakning hos vuxna
No full textManagement of sports-related concussion – a stepwise rehabilitation protocol Early recognition and management of sports-related concussion (SRC), including removal from the sports activity, is essential for player safety and to prevent longterm symptoms. A graduated, stepwise rehabilitation protocol is implemented to allow the athlete to return to sports. In 2022, the 6th international consensus statement on concussion in sports was presented, which has now been adapted to Swedish conditions. In the present overview, the updated recommendations for SRC in athletes are summarized
Midwives’ experiences of supporting women exposed to violence : A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis
No full textBakgrund: Våld mot kvinnor är ett stort samhällsproblem över hela världen som påverkar kvinnors livskvalité och hälsa negativt. Barnmorskor möter i sitt yrke kvinnor i alla åldrar. I barnmorskans profession ingår att ha kunskap om att identifiera tecken på psykiskt och fysiskt våld samt ha kunskap om vilka resurser som finns för att våldsutsatta kvinnor ska få rätt stöd och skydd. Syftet: Att beskriva barnmorskors erfarenheter av att stödja våldsutsatta kvinnor. Metod: Kvalitativ metasyntes med meta-etnografisk och tematisk analys. Resultat: Resultatet består av två huvudteman: Mellan hinder och hopp - Barnmorskans stödjande roll i ett begränsat system samt Barnmorskan som kvinnans främsta stödperson - relationens kraft. Under dessa två huvudteman framkom sex underteman: Tid, resurser och utbildning, barnmorskan som brobryggare - om språk, kultur samt multidisciplinärt samarbete, att navigera våldsfrågor, att tolka tecken - intuition och osäkerhet i att identifiering våldsutsatthet, det stödjande mötet - barnmorskans upplevelser och utmaningar samt när stöd blir beslastning. Slutsats: Resultatet från metasyntes visade att barnmorskor efterfrågade organisatoriskt stöd, utbildning och resurser för att kunna stödja våldsutsatta kvinnor. Barnmorskor har en central roll i att identifiera och samtala trots att barnmorskor generellt sett saknar vidareutbildning och den träning som krävs för att ge stöd åt våldsutsatta kvinnor. Klinisk tillämpbarhet: Metasyntesens resultat kan främst tillämpas i barnmorskans arbete, där utbildningsinsatser möjliggör spridning av kunskap om våld mot kvinnor. Background: Violence against women is a major social problem globally that negatively affects women's quality of life and health. In their profession, midwives meet women of all ages. The midwife's profession includes having the knowledge to identify signs of psychological and physical violence, as well as having knowledge of the resources available to ensure that women exposed to violence receives the right support and protection. Aim: To describe midwives'experiences of supporting women exposed to violence. Methods: Qualitative meta-synthesis with meta-ethnographic and thematic analysis. Results: The results were structured around two main themes: Between obstacles and hope - the supportive role of the midwife in a limited system, and the midwife as the woman's main support person - the power of the relationship. Under these two main themes, six sub-themes emerged: Time, resources and education, the midwife as a bridge - about language, culture and multidisciplinary collaboration, navigating issues of violence, interpreting signs - intuition and uncertainty in identifying violence, the supportive encounter - the midwife's experiences and challenges, and when support becomes burden. Conclusion: The results of the meta-synthesis showed that midwives requested organisational support, training and resources to be able to support women exposed to violence. The midwife had a central role in identifying and counselling even though she lacked the training required to deal with such situations. Clinical implication: The results of the meta-synthesis can primarily be applied in the work of midwives, where educational initiatives enable the dissemination of knowledge about violence against women exposed to violence.
Spiritual Care in Swedish Prisons : Practices and Experiences of Spiritual Caregivers
No full textThis study focuses on spiritual care and how it is practised and experienced by spiritual caregivers in Swedish prisons. Its goal is to understand how prison conditions of different security classes affect spiritual care practice and what strategies spiritual caregivers use to help prisoners create and maintain their religiosity. The study employs five semi-structured interviews with prison spiritual caregivers from diverse religious traditions across various Swedish regions. To understand their experiences and practices, the concept of lived religion is applied. Analysis shows that the prison context strongly influences spiritual care practices, particularly in terms of isolation and strict rules of behaviour and interpersonal interaction. Usually, spiritual care is provided through individual and group conversations. Religious rituals, services, and reading of religious texts occur to a lesser extent. However, spiritual care practices often transcend religious boundaries and have a transformative role in inmates’ lives