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Multilingual Tourism in Strasbourg : Businesses’ Strategies for the Preservation of Alsatian Language Through Tourism Activities
No full textThis study explores the role of tourism in the preservation of the Alsatian language through the perspective of Strasbourg's tourism-related businesses. Using an interpretivist paradigm, it employs a qualitative methodology based on semi-structured interviews with local businesspeople in cafés, restaurants, and souvenir shops. The aim is to understand how language practices in tourism settings contribute to or hinder the preservation of the Alsatian language, a regional dialect with deep historical and cultural significance. Findings indicate that English and French dominate tourism communication in Strasbourg, reflecting the global lingua franca status of English. In contrast, Alsatian is very rarely used in functional interactions with tourists and appears primarily in symbolic forms such as names of traditional dishes or decorations, offering limited opportunities for meaningful cultural engagement. Businesspeople acknowledge the cultural value of the language but view it as economically marginal and irrelevant for everyday customer service. Alsatian’s presence is thus limited, aestheticized, and often reduced to a tool for branding or evoking authenticity. The study concludes that while tourism offers potential for raising awareness of regional languages, its current contribution to Alsatian preservation is minimal and largely commodified. Comprehensive language planning and policy interventions are necessary to foster renewed interest in the language among locals and tourists, starting with fostering local pride. Further tourism practices such as multilingual signage, storytelling, or cultural interpretation, if aligned with local community interests, could then support both cultural sustainability and economic differentiation for the destination. This thesis provides theoretical contributions by integrating sociolinguistic and economic perspectives to explore the role of tourism in language preservation, particularly through the case of Alsatian in Strasbourg. It offers insights into how regional languages can function as cultural assets and economic commodities in tourism, balancing cultural preservation and market demands from businesspeople’s perspectives. This study highlights the tension between commodification and authenticity, and the delicate balance between meeting global tourism demands and sustaining local cultural identity
From Protest to Power: The Success of Radical Right Populism in Contemporary Europe : The Case of Radical Right Parties within the Patriots Faction
No full textThis thesis investigates the conditions under which radical right populist parties emerge, consolidate electoral support, and become normalized actors within European democracies. Focusing comparatively on Austria’s FPÖ, France’s RN, Portugal’s Chega, and Hungary’s Fidesz, the study applies an integrated analytical framework synthesizing five explanatory theories: Modernization Losers Theory, Strategic Niche Theory, Cultural Backlash Theory, Authoritarian Personality Theory, and Normalization Theory. Using a qualitative case study methodology, the analysis reveals that no singular theoretical approach sufficiently explains the multifaceted success of these parties. Instead, their rise and persistence result from a dynamic interplay of economic discontent, cultural anxieties, elite strategies ranging from disengagement to co-optation, psychological predispositions towards authoritarianism, and discursive shifts that reshape the boundaries of political legitimacy. The case studies illustrate diverse pathways: FPÖ and RN leveraging coalition politics and ideological moderation; Chega rapidly exploiting political vacuums in Portugal; and Fidesz systematically entrenching political dominance through institutional transformation. These varied trajectories underscore how national contexts distinctly shape common ideological developments, providing nuanced insights into the resilience and adaptability of radical right populism. This thesis contributes to comparative politics by offering an integrated analytical framework for analysing the evolution of radical right populism in Europe. It also addresses the wider implications of their normalisation for democratic backsliding and the shifting limits of legitimate political discourse
“I want to see commitment to be able to give commitment back” : Employees’ reasons for wanting to perform. A qualitative study about the AMO-framework.
No full textDenna studie undersöker hur medarbetare inom svensk tillverkningsindustri upplever sin prestation utifrån AMO-modellens komponenter - förmåga, motivation och möjlighet. Genom en kvalitativ ansats och semistrukturerade intervjuer med tolv medarbetare i en produktionsverksamhet synliggörs hur individuella drivkrafter och organisatoriska förutsättningar samverkar i prestationsprocessen. Resultatet visar att motivation upplevs som mest avgörande, men att den är beroende av både förmåga och möjlighet för att realiseras. Kollegialt lärande, stöd från chefer och tillgång till resurser framstår som centrala faktorer som stärker prestation. Samtidigt visar studien att brist på erkännande, försämrade arbetsvillkor och minskad flexibilitet kan hämma både motivation och möjligheten. Studien bidrar med en fördjupad förståelse för hur AMO-modellen kan tillämpas i praktiken ur ett medarbetarperspektiv och lyfter vikten av ett engagerat ledarskap och sammanhängande HR-arbete.This study examines how employees in the Swedish manufacturing industry experience their own performance based on the AMO framework – Ability, Motivation and Opportunity. Through a qualitative method and semi-structured interviews with twelve employees at a production division, the study examines how individual competence, motivation and organizational conditions interact to shape performance. The findings show that motivation is commonly viewed as the most important factor, but it cannot be fully realised without the presence of ability and opportunity. The employees describe collegial learning, managerial support and access to resources as key elements that enhance their performance. However, reduced flexibility, lack of recognition and structural changes are described as factors that hinder motivation and limit opportunities. The study contributes to the understanding of how the AMO-framework can be applied from an employee perspective and emphasises the importance of supportive leadership and integrated HR practices that address all three components of performance
Energy Efficiency Improvement of a System for Water Heating : Analysis and Measures for Reduced Steam Consumption in a Drying Machine at a Pulp Mill
No full textDetta examensarbete har genomförts på ett svenskt massabruk och har syftat till att utreda huruppvärmningen och användningen av vatten som förbrukas av massabrukets torkmaskin kangöras mer effektiv. Arbetet är avgränsat till ett specifikt vattensystem där vatten i dagslägetdelvis värms med färskånga trots att mer spillvärme än den som används idag finnstillgänglig. Målet har varit att identifiera konkreta förbättringsåtgärder som minskarenergianvändningen utan att påverka processens funktion eller produktkvalitet. Arbetet är endel av massabrukets kontinuerliga arbete kopplat till deras certifierade energiledningssystem. Genom datainsamling från massabrukets styrsystem tillsammans med beräkningar genomförda i Excel och MATLAB har värmeväxlarnas nuvarande nyttjandegrad undersökts. Resultatet visar att värmeväxlarna inte utnyttjas fullt ut. Det visar också att det finns möjlighet att öka värmeutbytet genom regelbunden rengöring eller utbyggnad av värmeväxlarna som ingår i systemet. Resultatet visar även att en sänkning av börvärdet på vattentemperaturen skulle kunna leda till en minskad användning av ånga. En annan åtgärd som visat stor besparingspotential är en omfördelning av vattenflöden. Genom att i högre grad använda bakvatten istället för nyuppvärmt vatten kan både energi- och vattenanvändningen minska. Det leder även till att mindre vatten behöver kylas i massabrukets externrening. Sammanfattningsvis visar arbetet att det finns tydliga möjligheter till energieffektivisering och flera av åtgärderna bedöms vara genomförbara utan större ingrepp i processen.This thesis was conducted at a Swedish pulp mill and aimed to investigate how the heating and use of water consumed by the mill’s drying machine can be made more efficient. The study is limited to a specific water system where water is currently partially heated with livesteam, despite the availability of more waste heat than is currently utilized. The goal has been to identify concrete improvement measures that reduce energy consumption without affecting process functionality or product quality. The work is part of the mill’s ongoing efforts linked to its certified energy management system. Using data collected from the mill’s control system and calculations performed in Excel and MATLAB, the current utilization rate of the heat exchangers has been analyzed. The results show that the heat exchangers are not being used to their full potential. It also indicates that heat transfer could be improved through regular cleaning or expansion of the existing heat exchangers within the system. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that lowering the set point for water temperature can reduce steam consumption. Another measure that has shown significant savings potential is the redistribution of waterflows. By increasing the use of white water instead of newly heated water, energy and waterconsumption can be reduced. This also means that less water needs to be cooled in the mill’s wastewater treatment facility. In conclusion, the study reveals clear opportunities for energy efficiency improvements, and several of the proposed measures are considered feasible without requiring major process interventions
Function and Forms of Humor in Children's Literature about Blended Families : An Analysis of Three Selected Children's Books of Contemporary German-Language Literature
No full textDas Bild der Familie in der Gesellschaft hat sich von der klassischen Kernfamilie zu einer größeren Vielfalt geändert und die Patchworkfamilie wird damit in der Kinder- und Jugendliteratur immer häufiger. In dieser Arbeit betrachte ich drei Kinderbücher für Kinder im Alter von 9 bis 12 Jahren, in denen Patchworkfamilien und die damit verbundenen Konflikte ein zentrales Thema sind, und untersuche mittels textimmanenter Analyse, wie Humor in Form von Komik und Ironie verwendet wird. Es stellt sich heraus, dass hauptsächlich Komik verwendet wird und Humor oft ein Mittel ist, um schwierige Situationen aufzulockern
Shedding Light on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for Adolescents and Young Women in Japan : An Integrative review from Individual, Family, Institutional and Policy Perspectives
No full textBackground: The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that adolescents should have access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and services. However, these expectations remain largely unmet in Japanese society. Aim: This study aims to explore individual, familiar, institutional and political barriers and facilitators regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights of Japanese adolescents and young women, and social environment surrounding their SRHR, including teachers, parents and healthcare professionals in Japan. Methodology: An integrative literature review of 16 qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies and one policy document explores factors affecting SRHR implementation in Japan. PEO charts were used to identify keywords, and data gathered from ASSIA, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMed and a policy document. Inductive thematic analysis identified key barriers and facilitators. Results: Japanese adolescents face multiple barriers to accessing SRHR, including limited access to contraception, insufficient information on cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccines, inadequate sexuality education, and cultural taboos. Nonetheless, facilitators are identified, like demands for comprehensive sex education among teachers and students, digital education, local sexuality education initiatives and government subsidies for screening. Conclusion: Improving access to contraception, ensuring accurate SRHR information, reforming sexuality education and addressing cultural taboos are vital to advancing SRHR among adolescents in Japan and empowering them to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights.
Societal demands for literacy skills and identity constructions the case of adult students in Sweden who develop basic literacy skills in their l2
No full textThis article focuses on the relationship between the literacy practices of adult L2-learners who develop basic literacy skills in Swedish and their positions as legitimate members of society. The theoretical base is in New Literacy Studies with Norton’s concepts identity, investment, and imagined communities. Ethnographic methods were used: shadowing and literacy diaries. Findings show that the way society confirms or questions students’ identities determines their position in imagined communities. Every literacy event in everyday life may involve a risk or an opportunity for new identity negotiations and positions in diverse imagined communities. While L2-learners may perceive a lack of Swedish literacy skills as an obstacle and feel vulnerable, ideological and contextual factors are what determine the extent to which their literacy practices become resources. Societal demands facing L2-learners mean risks and opportunities in the negotiation of identities. Societal provision of support, security and continuity are crucial for their investment in L2-literacy as well as their recognition and legitimacy as valuable members of society. This highlights the importance for adult education to include students’ earlier experiences as well as everyday needs
Ayn Rand’s argument against Collectivism : A rhetorical narrative analysis of Howard Roark and Peter Keating
No full textChronic kidney disease and incident cancer risk : an individual participant data meta-analysis
No full textBACKGROUND: Studies examining the association of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with cancer risk have demonstrated conflicting results. METHODS: This was an individual participant data meta-analysis including 54 international cohorts contributing to the CKD Prognosis Consortium. Included cohorts had data on albuminuria [urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR)], estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), overall and site-specific cancer incidence, and established risk factors for cancer. Included participants were aged 18 years or older, without previous cancer or kidney failure. RESULTS: Among 1,319,308 individuals, the incidence rate of overall cancer was 17.3 per 1000 person-years. Higher ACR was positively associated with cancer risk [adjusted hazard ratio 1.08 (95% CI 1.06-1.10) per 8-fold increase in ACR]. No association of eGFR with overall cancer risk was seen. For site-specific cancers, lower eGFR was associated with urological cancer and multiple myeloma, whereas higher ACR was associated with many cancer types (kidney, head/neck, colorectal, liver, pancreas, bile duct, stomach, larynx, lung, hemolymphatic, leukaemia, and multiple myeloma). Results were similar in a 1-year landmark analysis. DISCUSSION: Albuminuria, but not necessarily eGFR, was independently associated with the subsequent risk of cancer. Our results warrant an investigation into mechanisms that explain the link between albuminuria and cancer
Kinematic and kinetic performance variables during paddling among para-kayak athletes with unilateral above or below knee amputation
No full textIn para-kayak, athletes with unilateral above knee amputation (AK) and athletes with below knee amputation (BK) compete in the same class. This has been questioned since previous research have shown that the legs are important for paddling performance. The purpose was therefore to examine differences in kinematic and kinetic performance variables between AK and BK para-kayak athletes and the amputated (A) and non-amputated (NA) sides. Eleven AK and six BK athletes on international level participated. 3D kinematic and kinetic data were collected for the body, seat, footrest and paddle during kayak ergometer paddling. There were no significant differences between the groups in main performance variables such as power output or paddle force. Differences between the groups were only seen in the hip joint in flexion range of motion, flexion and extension angular velocity and flexion moment where BK demonstrated larger values. The NA side demonstrated greater values compared to the A side in posterior force at the seat and in hip flexion moment. As there were no significant differences between the groups in the majority of the examined key performance variables, the results suggest that athletes with unilateral AK and BK amputation may be able to compete in the same class