Publikationer från Södertörns Högskola
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A room of one's own : A study on activites for women in public libraries
No full text Syftet med den här studien är att genom kvalitativa intervjuer undersöka olika resonemang för att organisera aktiviteter som riktar sig specifikt till kvinnor vid folkbibliotek. De senaste åren har svenska folkbibliotek beskrivits som demokratins pelare och en av de sista platserna i det svenska samhället som är öppen för alla. Samtidigt har det förts debatter i feministiska utrymmen och i media kring kvinnoseparatismens begränsningar och hur praktiken är odemokratisk. Trots detta har ett flertal folkbibliotek i Stockholmsregionen både idag och tidigare anordnat aktiviteter som riktar sig specifikt till kvinnor.Studiens empiriska material har samlats in genom fyra semistrukturerade intervjuer. Två av intervjuerna med bibliotekarier som varit eller är ansvariga för aktiviteter för kvinnor på sina arbetsplatser och två med samarbetspartners som ansvarar för aktiviteter för kvinnor vid folkbibliotek. Empirins data tematiserades först och analyserades sedan genom Antonio Gramsci och Henry Girouxs kritiska teorier som anpassades för att kunna appliceras på maktrelationen mellan män och kvinnor. Analysen fokuserade på Gramscis teorier om mothegemoni, ställningskrig och organiskt intellektuella och Girouxs gränspedagogik och transformativa lärande. Studien visar att det finns en viss spänning mellan kvinnoseparatism på folkbibliotek och tanken om biblioteken som en tredje plats för alla, men att respondenterna ser deras aktiviteter som ett komplement till folkbibliotekens demokratiska uppdrag. Aktiviteterna kan även ses som en del av ett mothegemoniskt arbete inom den feministiska rörelsen eftersom de skapar rum där kvinnor kan delta i ett transformativt lärande som kan ge dem verktygen för att krossa patriarkatet, dock är det inte tydligt huruvida kvinnorna som deltar på aktiviteterna sedan går vidare för att överskrida samhällets gränser eller kritiserar den manliga hegemonin. Slutsatsen blir därmed att kvinnorummen på folkbibliotek är alltså enbart en utgångspunkt för mothegemonisk aktivitet inom könsmaktsordningen och inte en emancipatorisk praktik. The aim of this qualitative interview study is to examine the reasoning of organizing activities at public libraries specifically for women. In recent years the Swedish public libraries have increasingly been spoken of as pillars of democracy and one of the last open places in society. At the same time discussions on the limitations of women’s separatism and how the practice inherently is undemocratic have been had both in feminist circles and in the Swedish media. Despite this several public libraries in the Stockholm area previously or currently have activities specifically for women.The empirical material of this study was collected through four semi structured interviews. Two with librarians that are responsible for activities for women at their workplace and two with collaborators that are responsible for activities for women together with public libraries. The data from the interviews was initially processed thematically and then analyzed using the critical theories of Antonio Gramsci and Henry Giroux with a focus on Gramsci’s theory of counter-hegemony, war of position and organic intellectuals and Girouxs border pedagogy and transformative learning. The key findings of this study are that while there exists a tension between women’s separatist spaces in public libraries and the idea of the public library as a thirds space for all, the data suggests that those responsible for the activities do not see the tension as a problem and rather describe the separatist spaces as a part of the public libraries work with democracy and participation. The activities can also be viewed as part of a counter-hegemonic movement within feminism as they create space for women to take part in transformative learning that will give them the tools that they need to overthrow the patriarchy, however it is not clear whether the women that participate in the activities go on to participate in any form of border crossing or critique of the male hegemony. The conclusion of the study is that women’s spaces at public libraries are only a starting point for counter-hegemonic activity within the patriarchy and not an emancipatory practice on its own
Kombinationen av studier och deltidsarbete : En kvalitativ studie om studenters upplevelser av stress och psykisk ohälsa
No full textDe dagliga påfrestningarna av kombinationen mellan studier och deltidsarbete kan för många studenter ha en påverkan på den psykiska hälsan. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur studier och deltidsarbete påverkar studenters psykiska hälsa samt upplevda stressnivå. Datainsamlingen genomfördes genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med 10 studenter och analyserades med en tematisk analys. Analysen resulterade i sex teman: ekonomisk sårbarhet, tidsbrist, balans, mental utmattning, stöd, hanteringsstrategier samt motivation. Resultatet visar att deltidsarbete kan innebära både positiva och negativa aspekter. Samtidigt som ekonomisk stabilitet och rutiner kan minska stress, kan otillräcklig återhämtning och negativa tankemönster öka risken för psykisk ohälsa och utmattning. Tillgång till resurser, stöd och hanteringsförmåga påverkar dessa effekter, vilket även kan förstås utifrån Job Demands-Resources modellen, Lazarus och Folkmans transaktionella stressmodell samt Becks kognitiva teori. Studien belyser även vikten av balans mellan studier och deltidsarbete för att främja studenters välbefinnande.
Places of Remembrance : The Venice Biennale 1991–1993, post-socialism, and the national pavilions
No full textPlatser att minnas på undersöker de kulturella funktioner som den ungerska (1909–), den polska (1932–) och den tjeckisk-slovakiska (1926–) paviljongen i Venedigbiennalens utställningsområde Giardini fyllde under tidigt 1990-tal. Koncentrerat till åren 1991 och 1993 närstuderas biennaler då ”biennalboom”, globalisering och den europeiska statssocialismens fall (1989–1991) möts. Genom att fokusera på till synes nationella utställningshistorier bidrar avhandlingen med en fördjupad förståelse av de politiska processer som påverkade utställningsverksamheten i Giardini när biennalens ledning eftersträvade en anpassning till ett konstfält i globalisering. Mot fonden av postsocialistiska omförhandlingar och 1993 års konstnärlige ledares vision om transnationella paviljonger argumenterar avhandlingen för att de studerade paviljongerna fick ökad relevans i en tid när nationella paviljonger identifierades som problem. Via nära tolkningsarbete visas hur sju utställningar använde paviljongerna för att aktivera specifika händelser eller perioder i nationernas förflutna. Studien synliggör även hur dessa materialiserade förflutna användes för att understödja politiska målbilder om demokrati och europeisk integration, undantrycka och bearbeta statssocialism, samt främja samhörighet inom nationella och regionala projekt. Utifrån nämnda funktioner argumenterar avhandlingen för att paviljongerna var användbara under nationernas övergång från diktatur till demokrati. I egenskap av minnesplatser erbjöd de rum där 1990-talets postsocialistiska politiska målbilder kunde formuleras i dialog med det förflutna. Genom att påvisa paviljongernas relevans för nationer i postsocialistisk omförhandling föreslås vidare att Venedigbiennalens samtidsidentitet inte bara formades av globalisering – ofta betonad inom biennalstudier – utan även av de förnyelseprocesser som utspelade sig i postsocialismens Europa. Ur dem påkallas också ett mer mångfacetterat porträtt av vad det tidiga 1990-talets Venedigbiennal var, närmare bestämt en plats där omfattande förnyelse gick hand i hand med lika starka minneskulturer.Places of Remembrance examines the cultural functions served by the Hungarian (1909–), Polish (1932–), and Czech-Slovak (1926–) pavilions in the Venice Biennale’s Giardini during the early 1990s. Concentrated on the years 1991 and 1993, the study closely investigates biennials in which the “biennial boom”, globalisation, and the fall of European state socialism (1989–1991) intersected. By focusing on ostensibly national exhibition histories, the dissertation offers a deeper understanding of the political processes that shaped exhibition practices in the Giardini at a moment when the Biennale’s leaders sought to adapt it to an art scene amid globalisation. Against the backdrop of post-socialist renegotiations and the 1993 artistic director’s vision of transnational pavilions, it argues that the pavilions under study gained increased relevance at a time when national pavilions were identified as problematic. Through close interpretations, the study shows how seven exhibitions used the pavilions to activate specific events or periods in the nations’ pasts. It also demonstrates how these materialised pasts were employed to support political visions of democracy and European integration, to repress or process state socialism, and to foster unity within national and regional projects. Drawing on these functions, the dissertation argues that the pavilions were useful during the nations’ transitions from dictatorship to democracy. As realms of memory, they offered spaces in which the post-socialist political visions of the 1990s could be shaped in dialogue with the past. By demonstrating the pavilions’ relevance for nations undergoing post-socialist renegotiation, the dissertation further suggests that the Biennale’s contemporary identity was shaped not only by globalisation, often foregrounded in biennial studies, but also by the renewal processes taking place in post-socialist Europe. From these dynamics emerges a more nuanced portrait of what the Venice Biennale of the early 1990s was—namely, a place where far-reaching renewal unfolded alongside equally strong cultures of memory
How food companies operating in Finland translate circular economy principles into business model innovation : A Qualitative Multiple-Case Study of Circular Business Models in the Food System
No full textThe circular economy (CE) has emerged as a key framework for addressing sustainability challenges in the food sector, but existing literature remains conceptual or policy-focused. Limited attention has also been given to how CE principles are translated into business model innovation (BMI) at the company level, particularly within national contexts considered circular economy pioneers. This thesis addresses these gaps by examining how four Finnish food companies integrate CE principles into their business models and which factors shape this process. By adopting a qualitative case study design and purposive sampling, the thesis analyses four food-related organisations operating in Finland: Fazer, Hesburger, K-Supermarket, and ResQ Club. Data was collected through a mix of document analysis, site observations, and semi-structured interviews. Data is analysed using Business Model Innovation (BMI) as the primary perspective, supported by Institutional Theory (IT) and the Resource-Based View (RBV). The findings show that while all of the selected companies engage with CE principles, their levels of business model implementation vary significantly. Physically-established companies like Fazer, Hesburger, and K Supermarket, for example, will integrate circularly through step-by-step operational innovations (such as side-stream valorisation, waste-to-energy solutions, and data-driven food waste reduction) while maintaining their existing business models. In contrast, digital platform businesses like ResQ Club puts circularity at the core of its value proposition which allows for more radical business model innovation focused on surplus food distribution. The analysis further shows that institutional pressures encourage circular engagement but do not determine the extent of transformation. Instead, company-specific resources, capabilities, and strategic positioning play a more decisive role.
Power and Freedom in Dystopian Fiction : Disciplinary Power and Biopower in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World
No full textThis essay offers a comparative analysis of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World through Michel Foucault’s concepts of disciplinary power and biopower. It argues that Nineteen Eighty-Four depicts disciplinary power as surveillance and punishment that produce self-regulating subjects. It also argues that Brave New World depicts biopower as population management through the regulation of bodies, reproduction, and desire. By comparing these modes of population control as they become visible through dystopian exaggeration, the essay shows how power operates through institutions, norms, and language, and how these forces narrow what can count as freedom. The analysis keeps pedagogical value as part of the main argument, since the novels’ exaggerated systems of control offer accessible entry points for upper-secondary students to develop critical language awareness and to discuss how conformity and obedience are produced and sustained.
AI-baserad automatisering i leverantörsfakturahantering : En kvalitativ studie om implementeringens effekter på noggrannhet och effektivitet i små svenska företag
No full textDenna studie undersöker hur AI-baserad automatisering i form av maskininlärning (ML) och robotiseradprocessautomation (RPA), påverkar noggrannhet och effektivitet i leverantörsfakturahantering i småsvenska företag. Studien har en kvalitativ ansats med fokus på hur tekniken integreras i fakturaflödetoch hur det upplevs i det dagliga redovisningsarbetet. Resultatet visar att maskinlärning främst bidrar till att automatiserad tolkning och igenkänning avfakturadata, medan RPA används för att strukturerad och standardisera arbetsflöden genom regelstyrdaprocesser och systemintegrationer. I kombination minskar dessa tekniker behovet av manuellregistrering vilket leder till kortare hanteringstid och minskad administrativ belastning. Studien visar också automatiseringen kan minska återkommande manuella fel, men att noggrannheten ipraktiken formas genom samspel mellan automatiserad tolkning, inbyggda kontroller och mänskliggranskning. Vinster i effektivitet och noggrannhet uppstår när processen är väl organiserad, inflödet ärstandardiserat och kontrollen behålls där bedömning och riskhantering behövs. Samtidigt indikerarresultatet att AI-baserad att automatiseringen inte ersätter mänsklig kompetens, utan förändrar dess rolloch fokus i hanteringen av leverantörsfakturor.This study examines how AI-based automation, in the form of machine learning (ML) and roboticprocess automation (RPA), affects accuracy and efficiency in accounts payable invoice processing insmall Swedish companies. The study adopts a qualitative approach, focusing on how AI-basedautomation is integrated into invoice workflow and how it is perceived in daily accounting work. Thefindings indicate that machine learning primarily support automated data extraction and interpretation of invoice information, while RPA contributes to structuring and standardizing the workflow through rule-based process and system integrations. Together these technologies reduce the need for manual data entry, resulting in shorter processing times, increased capacity and reduced administrative workload. Furthermore, the study shows that automation can reduce manual errors, however accuracy is achievedthrough an interaction between automated processing, embedded control mechanisms and humanreview. The realized benefits are contingent upon process organization, the degree of standardization inthe invoice inflow, and the maintenance of human control in stages requiring judgment and riskassessment. The result suggest that AI-based automation does not eliminate the need for humanexpertise, but rather reshpes its role within accounts payable processes
"En superintelligens utan känslomässiga distraktioner" : En studie om användandet av ChatGPT som terapeut, hur det påverkar våra informationsbeteenden och tilliten till vår omvärld
No full textIn recent years, ChatGPT has taken on a social role in society and become an integral part of people's everyday lives. The launch of the service in 2022 came in the aftermath of a global pandemic, and today the service is something people turn to for everything from information to therapeutic conversations. The purpose of this study is to investigate how trust can be characterised in relation to ChatGPT as a therapist, how it affects our interpersonal relationships and our information behaviours. The empirical data is collected through digital observation of a social forum where users share their therapeutic use of ChatGPT. The results show a high level of trust in the service and the capabilities of AI. ChatGPT is perceived as a good therapist with endless patience and good listening skills, which is often contrasted with human therapists. At the same time, there are still concerns about misinformation, ingratiation, and privacy issues. The analysis is based on one of Wilson's models of information-seeking behaviour and Habermas' theory of communicative action. Based on this, it is concluded that ChatGPT's ability to provide detailed answers at any time, at a low cost and with little effort on the part of the user, strengthens people's trust in AI and makes it the obvious choice as a source of information. ChatGPT is not only praised as something other than a human being with baggage and bias, but is also attributed with a strong humanity, which is perceived as necessary to create a strong relationship with the service. The study concludes with a discussion of the scientific, societal and ethical aspects of the conclusions. This discussion emphasises that research should take into account the relationship that many people have with ChatGPT today, and the trust that comes with it, and that companies need to be more transparent in their work and understand the breadth of how their service is used
‘Tell your story’: Resignification and minstrel legacy in Percival Everett’s James
No full textThe paper considers Percival Everett’s novel James (2024) and its peculiar technique as an example of resignification and a contemporary reworking of Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and American minstrel shows. The theoretical framework is based on Judith Butler’s idea of resignification and Eric Lott’s considerations of the notion of minstrelsy, highlighting the connections between the two. As the key aspect of both Everett’s novel and a minstrel show is performativity/performance, this notion is discussed in detail with a special emphasis on its use in the novel. We argue that Everett’s innovative and subversive use of language, and his decision to tell the story of the birth of a hero from the point of view of Jim/James, the (in)famous stereotypical slave character of Twain’s narrative, represents an instance of anti-minstrel fiction and thus sets new standards in contemporary (African) American literature. We argue that Jim’s/James’ journey from a runaway slave and a comic relief in Twain’s classic to a hero of his own narrative can be interpreted as an example of resignification, i.e., ‘enacted critique’, a deliberate, deviant, mis-performance (Loxley, 2006, 127) which paves the way for new roles and meanings in contemporary (African) American literature
Securitizing and greening the contested, climate-changed ocean : benefits, risks and governance pathways for integrating defense into climate-smart marine spatial planning
No full textOceans are increasingly shaped by climate change, biodiversity loss, geopoliticaltensions and maritime crime and insecurity. Climate-smart marine spatialplanning (CSMSP) has emerged as a governance framework to integrateclimate action, conservation, and equity into ocean planning. However,defense institutions–key actors in maritime security and major greenhousegas emitters–remain absent from CSMSP discourse. This paper arguesthat integrating defense into CSMSP offers strategic and climate benefits:minimizing defense-driven offshore wind cancellation and thus acceleratingapproval, safeguarding environmental protection and undersea critical energyinfrastructure, accelerating decarbonization through the military’s greentransition, and addressing the defense emissions gap. Yet, integration carriessignificant risks: power asymmetries, spatial exclusion, ecological harm,and militarization of green energy. To reconcile security imperatives withsustainability, transparency and equity, the paper proposes governancepathways: transparent data sharing, conflict-resolution and co-existenceprotocols, and defense marine zoning. “However, the paper warns that whilegreen defense initiatives have climate benefits, there are reasons to curbour enthusiasm”. Specifically, rising global military spending and the resultantmineral-intensive extractivism to support war-readiness threaten to overshadowthese benefits by locking in carbon-heavy supply chains and amplifying upstreamemissions, environmental degradation, and social disposability. Aligning nationalsecurity with climate security thus requires more than technological greening: itrequires transparent cradle-to-grave emissions, and strategic restraint in defensespending, war-readiness, and material efficiency. Ultimately, integrating defenseinto CSMSP is not merely a technical exercise but a normative challenge that willdetermine whether ocean governance advances sustainability and transparencyor succumbs to securitized emissions and green extractivism
Methods & Strategies in Social Work to Increase and Maintain Trust : A Qualitative Study on Trust in Child and Family–Focused Social Services Practice
No full textHuvudsyftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur socialarbetare inom socialtjänstens barn- och ungdomsverksamhet arbetar med att skapa, upprätthålla och stärka tillit i klientnära arbete med barn, unga och föräldrar. Studien syftade även till att fördjupa förståelsen för vilka faktorer som, enligt socialarbetare, påverkar tillit samt hur de uppfattar och bedömer sitt professionella ansvar för tillitsskapande och vilka strategier och arbetsmetoder som används i detta arbete. Denna studie genomfördes som en kvalitativ intervjustudie där empirin grundar sig på fem semistrukturerade intervjuer med socialarbetare som är verksamma inom socialtjänstens barn- och ungdomsenhet. Det empiriska materialet analyserades med hjälp av tematisk analys och tolkades utifrån Sztompkas teori om interpersonell tillit samt Rothsteins teori om institutionell tillit, med fokus på hur dessa två former av tillit samspelar i klientmöten där socialarbetaren samtidigt representerar både den professionella relationen och socialtjänsten som institution. Studiens resultat visar att tillit uppfattas som en grundläggande förutsättning för samarbete, ett centralt arbetsverktyg i det klientnära arbetet samt som ett resultat av ett fungerande samarbete. Vidare framkom att transparens, tydlig kommunikation, delaktighet och ett respektfullt bemötande är avgörande faktorer för tillitsskapande. Resultatet visar även att organisatoriska förutsättningar såsom tidsbrist, hög personalomsättning och extern målstyrning kan försvåra tillitsskapande arbete. Sammantaget visar studien att interpersonell och institutionell tillit ständigt samverkar och påverkar varandra. Studien visar hur de två tillitsformerna, inom socialt arbete, inte kan förstås isolerat utan måste betraktas som ömsesidigt beroende och att tillit bör förstås som både ett relationellt och organisatoriskt ansvar inom socialt arbete.The main purpose of this study was to examine how social workers within the child and youth services of social welfare agencies work to create, maintain and strengthen trust in client-facing work with children, young people and parents. The study also sought to deepen the understanding of which factors, according to social workers, influence trust, as well as how they perceive and assess their professional responsibility for trust-building and which strategies and working methods are used in this process. The study was conducted as a qualitative interview study, with the empirical material based on five semi-structured interviews with social workers employed in child and youth units within social services. The empirical material was analyzed using thematic analysis and interpreted through Sztompka’s theory of interpersonal trust and Rothstein’s theory of institutional trust, with a focus on how these two forms of trust interact in client encounters where the social worker simultaneously represents both the professional relationship and the social services as an institution. The results show that trust is perceived as essential for collaboration, a central working tool in client-facing practice and an outcome of successful cooperation. Furthermore, transparency, clear communication, participation and respectful treatment emerged as crucial factors in trust-building. The findings also indicate that organizational conditions such as time constraints, high staff turnover and external performance management can hinder trust-building work. Overall, the study demonstrates that interpersonal and institutional trust continuously interact and influence one another. The findings show that these two forms of trust in social work cannot be understood in isolation but must be viewed as mutually dependent and that trust should be understood as both a relational and an organizational responsibility within social work