Högskolebiblioteket i Halmstad Publikationer
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Design and Simulation of Renewable Energy Systems to Meet Industrial and Service Sector Electricity Demand in Swedish Regions
No full textThe shift towards renewable energy systems poses technological opportunities and structural issues, especially in areas with high variability and diverse demand. This thesis explores the design and performance of renewable energy systems aimed at supplying the industrial and service sector demand for electricity on various scales and geographic locations in Sweden. A data-oriented simulation approach has been employed in this study to assess Solar Photovoltaic systems, Wind energy, and Battery energy storage systems at various scales. The building-scale case studies address data that was collected from municipal energy monitoring in Halmstad and provide a real-world assessment of integrating renewables. The city-scale studies focus on a generic industrial load curve and climate data from a particular region, that allow for the separation of the effect of the availability of renewables. In all simulation scenarios, there is an hourly resolution and an entire year span. The analysis indicates that building-level systems can considerably lower dependence on the grid during a high availability period of renewables, but it adds less on an annual basis. Also, city-level systems can increase penetration levels with mutual support between wind and solar outputs, but there needs to be a large oversize margin for low unserved demand. Battery storage can enhance short-term flexibility but will be ineffective for seasonal mismatch. The results show that improving one aspect of the system, such as reliability, efficiency, or cost performance, often comes at the expense of another. This highlights the importance of designing renewable energy systems based on regional conditions and evaluating them through multiple scenarios rather than relying on a single optimal solution
Biofuel bottlenecks and synthetic fuels : Leveraging aviation for global climate action
No full textBiogenic hydrocarbons occupy a central place in transition narratives across multiple sectors, from transport and energy to chemicals and consumer goods. Yet their inherent scarcity creates unavoidable dilemmas of prioritization. This article examines aviation as a case study of these dilemmas. While the industry has tied its hopes for decarbonization to biofuels, their large-scale use risks crowding out other sectors, undermining both climate and biodiversity goals. To guide policymakers, the article proposes three evaluative principles – global scalability, transformational leverage, and ability-to-pay – arguing that aviation is uniquely positioned to accelerate investment in synthetic electrofuels derived from carbon capture. Such fuels offer compatibility with existing infrastructure while simultaneously commercializing technologies that are essential for achieving net-negative emissions. By situating aviation within wider ethical and political debates, the article suggests that, with democratic steering, the sector could shift from climate villain to driver of globally meaningful climate action. © 2025 The Author
Mobile phone ban in the Swedish compulsory school: teachers’ perceptions prior to implementation : A quantitative study
No full textThis study examines how teachers perceive their preconditions for the implementation of an upcoming national ban on mobile phones that applies to all schools within the Swedish compulsory school system. The study focuses on teachers’ perceptions prior to implementation and adopts a descriptive, quantitative approach. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey conducted among 162 teachers working in grades 7–9 at 20 schools in one Swedish municipality. This study explores how teachers understand and respond to the upcoming policy, using Lennart Lundquist’s (1992) implementation model as a theoretical framework. The model focuses on three key aspects: understanding the policy, being able to carry it out, and being willing to do so. In addition, Michael Lipsky’s (2010) theory of street-level bureaucracy is used to capture perceived practical constraints in teachers’ everyday work. Teachers’ perceptions were measured using Likert-scale survey items, which were combined into index variables and analysed using descriptive statistics, including bar charts, medians, quartiles, and boxplots. The results show that the participating teachers generally report high levels of understanding of the reform and a strong willingness to implement the mobile phone ban, with limited variation in responses. In contrast, perceptions related to being able to implement the policy and to practical constraints vary to a greater extent. While perceived practical obstacles are, on average, reported at relatively low levels, responses differ notably between teachers, particularly regarding time constraints, routines, and potential conflicts with students. Overall, the findings indicate that teachers’ perceptions prior to implementation are characterised by shared understanding and support for the reform, alongside more varied assessments of practical preconditions. The study contributes to research on implementation in the school context by highlighting how anticipated constraints and perceived capacity shape implementation conditions before a policy is implemented
From Digital Hate to Real Violence : Moderating Mechanisms in Sweden Regarding Incel-Related Extremism
No full textThis thesis investigates the incel subculture in Sweden, addressing the paradox of highdigital activity (X) but a notably lower frequency of actual violence (Y) compared toNorth America. The purpose is to identify and analyze the specific societal andinstitutional moderating mechanisms (Z) that prevent digital radicalization fromtransitioning into physical acts. The theoretical framework synthesizes subculturetheory and masculinity theory to explain drivers, alongside social control, andprevention theories to analyze institutional barriers. Utilizing a qualitative triangulationmethod, the study contrasts “lived” discourse on the Flashback forum with institutionalpolicies and reports from authorities such as Center against violent extremism and theSwedish National Defense Research Institute. Results indicate that Sweden’s Zmechanisms are anchored in the welfare state´s social safety nets and proactive suicideprevention. By addressing suicidal impulses early, the causal chain typically leading to“murder-suicides” is effectively disrupted. The study concludes that effective P/CVEstrategies must maintain ideological robustness, directly challenging misogynisticnarratives rather than inadvertently validating a sense of male victimhood.Denna studie undersöker paradoxen varför Sverige, trots omfattande onlineaktivitet ochhög digital toxicitet inom incel-subkulturen (X), uppvisar en låg frekvens av dödligtvåld (Y) jämfört med länder som USA och Kanada. Syftet är att identifiera de specifikasamhälleliga och institutionella mekanismer (Z) som modererar övergången från digitalthat till fysiska våldshandlingar. Genom kvalitativ triangulering kontrasteras den ”levda”diskursen på forumet Flashback med officiell svensk policy och rapporter frånmyndigheter som Center mot våldsbejakande extremism och Totalförsvaretsforskningsinstitut. Det teoretiska ramverket förenar subkultursteori ochmaskulinitetsteori med teorier om social kontroll och radikaliseringsprevention.Resultaten visar att den svenska kontextens resiliens vilar på proaktiva sociala insatseroch välfärdsstatens skyddsnät, vilka hanterar den kritiska länken mellansjälvmordsbenägenhet och massvåld. Genom att prioritera stödresurser vid psykiskohälsa bryts den kausala kedja som internationellt ofta leder till ”mord–självmord”.Vidare bygger den svenska modellen på en institutionell ideologisk robusthet, därmyndigheter fokuserar på individens sårbarheter utan att legitimera incel-rörelsensmisogyna narrativ eller känsla av offerskap. Studien drar slutsatsen att dennakombination av vårdande barriärer och ett konsekvent avståndstagande från ideologinsgrundantaganden utgör den primära förklaringen till Sveriges låga våldsutfall
Independence without Autonomy : The Limits of Pan-Africanism and Its Failed Institutionalization in 1960
No full textThis thesis examines why Pan-Africanism failed to become institutionalised in Congo atthe moment of independence in 1960, despite the central role the country played in earlyPan-African political thought under Patrice Lumumba. Using a causal-narrativeapproach, the study analyses speeches, official correspondence, and internationaldocuments produced during the months surrounding independence. The analysis showsthat Pan-Africanism did not fail due to ideological weakness or leadership shortcomings,but because the Congolese state lacked the institutional autonomy required to translatepolitical vision into practice. At independence, the state had limited control over itsadministration, security apparatus, and economic resources. At the same time,international actors framed the Congolese crisis as a problem of order and stability ratherthan political transformation. As a result, independence was rapidly institutionalised inadministrative terms, while its broader political and transnational ambitions weremarginalised. The study argues that Pan-Africanism at independence was structurallyconstrained by the conditions of postcolonial state formation, where sovereignty existedin form but not in effective capacity
Seeing Europe from the Border : Research and Policy Insights on European Borderlands
No full textThere is the vision of “Europe without borders”, and the reality of “Europe with many borders”. In this edited volume perspectives on Europe are presented as seen from the borderlands. Landscapes, people and organizations at national borders constitute borderlands that differ from the national heartlands in respects that are both predictable and unpredictable. The collection of short essays captures some of the many ways seeing from the borderlands shapes how to think about Europe and how to plan and make policies that make sense for all. The texts are written by researchers and practitioners who have been involved in Borders Shaping Perceptions of European Societies (B-SHAPES), a Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action project that analysed and assessed how borders are still a key factor in how we understand societies. Eight European universities, one research institute, a national museum, a foundation, a political association, a consultancy, and an art collective came together between April 2023 and March 2026 to examine borders in cooperation with Europeans living in border regions. The short essays comprise both professional insights and experiential reflections based on the project, with authors allowing themselves to be personal while remaining informed by their organisational roles. The volume contains texts that advocate for film and art informing research and policy, as well as texts that distil the key policy implications from different perspectives
Responsibility under contract : A multiple case study of the client´s role in workplace accidents
No full textDespite the fact that the Swedish Work Environment Act (1977:1160) and the Swedish Work Environment Authority’s provisions (AFS 1999:3) clearly assign overall responsibility for the work environment in construction and civil engineering projects to the client (developer), practice shows that clients are rarely held legally accountable following serious workplace accidents. Instead, legal responsibility is most often directed toward subcontractors, individual employers, or operational coordination functions. This thesis aims to analyze why this responsibility gap occurs and how accountability for occupational health and safety is exercised in practice within the construction sector.The study is conducted as a qualitative multiple case study of four serious workplace accidents in the construction and civil engineering sector between 2017 and 2025. The empirical material consists of public investigation reports, prosecution decisions, court proceedings, and reports from regulatory authorities. The analysis is theoretically grounded in a governance perspective, complemented by concepts from accountability theory and responsibility gaps, in order to examine how power, control, and responsibility are distributed across complex contractual and organizational structures.The results show that the formal allocation of responsibility under the legislation often does not correspond to actual accountability in practice. Complex subcontracting chains, extensive delegation, and network-based governance contribute to the fragmentation and downward displacement of responsibility. From a governance perspective, the client’s formal responsibility frequently becomes symbolic, while legal processes tend to focus on actors closest to the accident. As a result, systematic responsibility gaps emerge between the intentions of the legislation and its practical implementation.This thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of accountability challenges in the construction sector by demonstrating that the lack of effective accountability is not primarily a legal problem, but a structural governance issue. The study indicates that further legislative clarification alone is unlikely to reduce responsibility gaps and instead highlights the need for changes in governance mechanisms, regulatory enforcement, and accountability practices in order to strengthen the client’s actual accountability
The school's crime prevention mandate : A qualitative study of teachers' perspectives inrisk areas in Helsingborg
No full textThe aim of this study is to investigate how teachers work to prevent crime and to investigate how they interpret their crime prevention mandate. The study is based on Biesta's (2009) theory of what constitutes good education based on the three educational functions. The theory has been used to understand how teachers implement the crime prevention mandate in their work with students. The study is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews to investigate in depth how officials interpret their mandate and how they implement the crime prevention mandate in their work with students. The school can be understood as the extended arm of the state when it comes to norm transfer and shaping the individual to become a part of society. The study examines how high school teachers in Helsingborg's socio-economically disadvantaged areas work on crime prevention. The study is delimited to study high school students because youths are overrepresented in statistics for firearm violence. Schools in risk areas are particularly interesting to investigate because the socio-economic challenges in the area affect the school and students. The results have shown that all interviewed teachers work with crime prevention through teaching and in building relationships with students. Crime prevention work has proven to be divided through collaboration and this is due to tensions in the division of responsibilities. Network management has proven to be lacking in some schools and more successful in others. Overall, this means that the school has a great responsibility in preventive work as a protective factor. The officials' mandate is an important part of the preventive work against gang crime
First Language as a Pedagogical Resource in the Classroom : Teachers’ Approaches to Supporting Multilingual Students’ Development in Swedish Language Education
No full textSyftet med denna litteraturstudie är att undersöka hur lärare i årskurs 4–6 kan använda elevernas förstaspråk som en pedagogisk resurs i undervisningen för att stödja flerspråkiga elevers språkutveckling i svenskämnet. Studien bygger på tidigare forskning om flerspråkighet, transspråkande samt språk och kunskapsutvecklande arbetssätt.Metoden består av en systematisk litteraturstudie där vetenskapligt granskade artiklar har genomsökts och analyserats genom två olika databaser, ERIC och SwePub. Urvalet har gjorts utifrån inkluderings- och exkluderingskriterier, och det insamlade materialet har analyserats med hjälp av en innehållsanalys.Resultatet av studien visar att elevers förstaspråk fungerar som en viktig resurs för lärandet när det medvetet integreras i undervisningen. Något som specifikt framträder är vikten av ett transspråkande arbetssätt och digitala verktyg som stöd för förståelse, delaktighet samt språkutveckling. Utöver detta framkommer didaktiska utmaningar, till exempel lärarens osäkerhet, brist på utveckling samt behov av tydlig struktur.Resultaten tyder på att lärarens didaktiska val och förhållningssätt är avgörande för att förstaspråket ska bli en tillgång i undervisningen och bidra till flerspråkiga elevers utveckling i svenskämnet.The aim of this literature is to analyze how teachers in grades 4-6 can use students´ first languages as a pedagogical resource in teaching to support multilingual students' language development in the subject of Swedish. The study is based on previous research on multilingualism, translanguaging and language and knowledge developing teaching approaches. The method consists of a systematic literature review in which peer reviewed articles were researched for and analyzed using two databases, ERIC and SwePub. The selection was based on peer reviewed articles, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the material was analyzed through a content analysis. The results of the study show that students' home languages function as an important resource for learning when they are consciously integrated into teaching. Translanguaging approaches and digital tools emerge as support for comprehension, participation, and language development. In addition, didactic challenges are identified, such as teachers’ uncertainty, lack of professional development, and the need for clear structure. The result shows that teachers´ didactic choices and attitudes are essential for first languages to become a resource in teaching and to support multilingual students´ development in the subject of Swedish
Generative AI’s Effect on the Exploratory Design Process : A qualitative study into how Gen-AI affects the Diverging partsof a Double Diamond UX design process
No full textAs Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) becomes more widespread, it challengestraditional collaboration between User Experience Designers (UX designers) and theirtools. This technology enables new approaches to working for UX designers. However,while Gen-AI tools are becoming more widely used in UX design, this integrationintroduces uncertainties for UX designers regarding the usage of Gen-AI tools. Existingstudies focus on the potential of Gen-AI in UX design; however, further studies areneeded to understand the practical applications of Gen-AI in UX design. This studycombines insights from prior literature with semi-structured qualitative interviews togather data on the perspectives of practising UX designers on the divergent phases ofthe design process. This study employs an inductive thematic analysis to help developguidelines for UX designers on the use of Gen-AI and minimising its negativeconsequences. The study concludes, in addition to guidelines for using Gen-AI in UXdesign, that the use of Gen-AI does not alter the structure of divergent phases or theintent of tasks and activities; it affects how tasks and activities are executed. takt med att generativ artificiell intelligens (Gen-AI) blir allt vanligare utmanar den dettraditionella samarbetet mellan användarupplevelsedesigners (UX-designers) och derasverktyg. Denna teknik möjliggör nya arbetssätt för UX-designers. Men samtidigt somGen-AI-verktyg blir allt vanligare inom UX-design medför denna integration osäkerhetför UX-designers när det gäller användningen av Gen-AI-verktyg. Befintliga studierfokuserar på Gen-AI:s potential inom UX-design, men ytterligare studier behövs för attförstå de praktiska tillämpningarna av Gen-AI inom UX-design. Denna studiekombinerar insikter från tidigare litteratur med semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuerför att samla in data om praktiserande UX-designers perspektiv på de olika faserna idesignprocessen. Studien använder en induktiv tematisk analys för att utveckla riktlinjerför UX-designers om användningen av Gen-AI och minimering av dess negativakonsekvenser. Studien drar slutsatsen att, utöver riktlinjer för användning av Gen-AI inom UX-design, användningen av Gen-AI inte förändrar strukturen i de olika fasernaeller syftet med uppgifter och aktiviteter, utan påverkar hur uppgifter och aktiviteterutförs