University College Stockholm
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Svenska kyrkans världsbild i rädslans kultur
No full textVi lever just nu i en rädslans kultur, där politiker, forskare, journalister och religiösa företrädare betonar hot, risker och kaos. Svenska kyrkans Kyrkostyrelses skrivelse till kyrkomötet är inget undantag från denna retorik med den världsbild som presenteras
Re-Reading the Sixth Order of Priesthood and exploring the role of women in the Syrian Orthodox Church in India.
No full text Examining the role of women in the ministry of the Syrian Orthodox Church is not a new endeavor; however, it remains a complex one. This paper aims to delve into the roles assigned to women in church ministry according to canon law, exploring the reasons behind the failure of their implementation, and identifying the opportunities available for women in church ministry today. The creation narratives in the Book of Genesis 1:27 underscore the equality of both male and female, as they are created in the image of God. Biblical texts emphasize the invaluable role of women as supportive partners within the context of the church community (Romans:16:1-5). They are depicted as pillars of strength, offering their wisdom, compassion and dedication to nurturing the spiritual growth of others. This role as a helper (Genesis 2:20) is not one of subservience but rather of partnership and collaboration where both men and women work together harmoniously to fulfill the mission of the church and spread love and understanding. Through this study, I have endeavored to elucidate the integral role of women in church ministry. The church must recognize and harness the considerable expertise that women possess across various fields of religious life. By doing so, their spiritual journey is enriched, enabling them to align more closely with the image of God and pursue their goals with greater specificity and purpose. This exploration also discusses into the establishment of the office of deaconess and highlights the myriad opportunities available for women in the ministry of the Syrian Orthodox Church today. By embracing and empowering women within the church, we uphold the values of equality and inclusivity and enrich our community’s spiritual fabric
När AI skrev sin egen policy blev den mer teologisk än kyrkokansliets
No full textDet är intressant att kyrkokansliet avkodar policydokumentet från teologiska och andliga ord, medan GPT betonar dem. Den teologiskt alerta AI:n menar att den inte får ”användas på sätt som förminskar människans roll som skapelsens förvaltare” eller för att ”avhumanisera eller behandla människor som enbart data”. Den har dessutom ett uppmuntrande medskick:” Globalt samarbete är viktigt för att förstå hur AI påverkar mänskligheten i stort, och kyrkan bör aktivt bidra till att forma internationella normer för ansvarsfull användning av AI”. Det är ett bra tips för Svenska kyrkans framtida arbete med AI
How democracy and human rights frameworks can ensure water for water-scarce communities
No full textThis thesis refers to several different themes, including democracy, human rights, and the water scarcity that is occurring in Pakistan. While simultaneously protecting democratic values and human rights, the thesis offers an investigation into viable solutions to the pressing water crisis that the country is now experiencing which is further exacerbating with time. This research uses qualitative methodology with a primary focus on policy analysis along with content analysis and document analysis with the application of the Capability Theory to analyze how the lack of water impacts the capacities and well-being of people. In this thesis, the social, economic, and environmental variables that contribute to Pakistan's water scarcity are investigated based on their respective contributions. The study proposes that democratic governance and human rights frameworks can play a viable role in improving water governance, equality, and access to clean water for all communities in Pakistan. Furthermore, it provides avenues for future research to ensure effective water management in Pakistan
Activistic theology as a force for peace : Women in the early 20th century who create peace
No full textThis essay examines whether and how activist theology can be a force for creating peace and presents some practical examples through women who broke new ground and in the midst of raging world wars organized to stop violence and militarism. Through various actions, they wanted to establish not only themselves but also create social change where women were invited and had an obvious place in the society. The purpose of this essay is to examine theological resources for resistance to violence in the peace actions carried out in Sweden by women during the period 1890-1940 through the concepts of activist and lived theology. The peace actions themselves are described and connected with different theological themes to see if the actions can be understood in new ways through these frameworks. The aim is not only to dress peace actions in a new coat and new theological concepts, but also to visualize the womens organization and methods as well as the results of their actions. Women whose contribution is particularly highlighted for this essay are Elin Wägner, Emilia Fogelklou and to some extent Fredrika Bremer as a foreground figure, this as these women particularly expressed theological and religious motivation in their peace work
Lost Childhood; Unaccompanied Children and Trafficking in Greece : A Case Study
No full textThe present study focuses on the issue of unaccompanied minors (UAMs) and trafficking and is a case study about Greece. Its purpose is to comprehend the factors that make UAMs vulnerable to trafficking, highlight gaps in protection measures, and evaluate the effectiveness of the legal and policy framework. It is important to research this subject because of its utmost importance as a critical human rights issue. By delving into it, human rights values are upheld and contribute to the broader goal of safeguarding children and preventing trafficking globally. Vulnerability theory and securitization theory form the basis of this thesis and a qualitative method was used with field research conducted through semi-structured interviews. The results showed that UAMs represent a vulnerable group at risk of trafficking in Greece or possibly be already victims from their country of origin or during the migration journey, attributable to existing gaps in their protection and various contributing factors. The results of this study include the need for establishing a national child protection system, improving protection measures and preventive mechanisms, and fostering collaboration with stakeholders to protect these children.Η παρούσα μελέτη επικεντρώνεται στο ζήτημα των ασυνόδευτων ανηλίκων (Α.Α.) και της εμπορίας ανθρώπων και αποτελεί μελέτη περίπτωσης για την Ελλάδα. Σκοπός της είναι να κατανοήσει τους παράγοντες που καθιστούν τους Α.Α. ευάλωτους στην εμπορία ανθρώπων, να επισημάνει τα κενά στα μέτρα προστασίας και να αξιολογήσει την αποτελεσματικότητα του νομικού και πολιτικού πλαισίου. Είναι σημαντικό να ερευνηθεί το θέμα αυτό λόγω της ύψιστης σημασίας του ως κρίσιμου ζητήματος ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων. Με την εμβάθυνση σε αυτό, υποστηρίζονται οι αξίες των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων και συμβάλλουν στον ευρύτερο στόχο της προστασίας των παιδιών και της πρόληψης της εμπορίας ανθρώπων σε παγκόσμιο επίπεδο. Η θεωρία της ευαλωτότητας και η θεωρία της ασφαλειοποίησης αποτελούν τη βάση της παρούσας διπλωματικής και χρησιμοποιήθηκε ποιοτική μέθοδος με έρευνα πεδίου που διεξήχθη μέσω ημι-δομημένων συνεντεύξεων. Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν ότι οι Α.Α. αποτελούν μια ευάλωτη ομάδα που κινδυνεύει να πέσει θύμα εμπορίας στην Ελλάδα ή ενδέχεται να έχει πέσει ήδη θύμα είτε στη χώρα καταγωγής τους είτε κατά τη διάρκεια του μεταναστευτικού ταξιδιού, γεγονός που αποδίδεται στα υπάρχοντα κενά στην προστασία τους και σε διάφορους παράγοντες που συμβάλλουν σε αυτό. Τα αποτελέσματα αυτής της μελέτης συμπεριλαμβάνουν την ανάγκη για τη δημιουργία ενός εθνικού συστήματος παιδικής προστασίας, τη βελτίωση των μέτρων προστασίας και των προληπτικών μηχανισμών και την προώθηση της συνεργασίας με τους ενδιαφερόμενους φορείς για την προστασία αυτών των παιδιών
A warmer ecumenism : A qualitative study of the Pilgrimage Project
No full textThe purpose of this thesis is to examine the reception of receptive ecumenism in a Swedish ecumenical context. This is done through interviews with participants involved in the Pilgrimage Project 2016- 17, when the method was used for the first time in Sweden. The thesis focuses on how the participants relate to the ecumenism of wounded hands, a central theme in receptive ecumenism, and how they have received and currently perceive it. Furthermore, it investigates whether receptive ecumenism can be a way out of the “ecumenical winter”, as the method claims. The methodology is a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews, complemented by alethic hemenutic analysis of the interviews. The thesis applies Hartmut Rosa's theory of resonance and alienation to the results, based on the premise that resonance provides real quality of life. The results show that the Pilgrimage Project has made the participants more humble in their encounters with each other, leading to deeper relationships between different church traditions. The analysis indicates that the mutual influence enabled by the Pilgrimage Project has created resonance-rich relationships. The meeting in diversity during the process highlights a resonance-rich image of God that becomes evident in the practice itself, which can be seen as an embodiment of John 17:21. The conclusion is that the ecumenical winter, often described as an expression of alienation, does not correspond with the experience of the Swedish participants. The thesis shows that receptive ecumenism has further warmed relationships and reduced the feeling of alienation, both between churches and on a local level
What if You Are the One Waiting in the Loneliness of Doubt?
No full textThe purpose of this study is to map the ethical arguments presented in the Church of Sweden Bishops’ letter of "The Beginning and End of Life: Tools for Orientation in Ethical Choices", and to analyse and discuss these in relation to Sören Kierkegaard's philosophical concepts of choice, freedom and anxiety. The research questions focus on understanding Kierkegaard's view of choice, identifying the ethical arguments in the Bishops’ letter and investigating how Kierkegaard's concepts can contribute to a deeper understanding of the ethical arguments therein. The method includes conceptual analysis to clarify Kierkegaard's ideas and argumentation analysis to discuss the ethical arguments that appeared in the bishops’ letter. The study's questions are answered through the essay's two methods of a analysis, followed by a summary and conclusions. The study has shown that there are arguments in Sören Kierkegaard that contribute to deepening the Bishops’ letter. In particular, a) potential risks of allowing communities to participate in decision-making, b) the anxiety as an opportunity in decision-making and c) call to see ethically difficult choices as the possibility of the meeting with God. The result shows that Kierkegaard's philosophy of choice, freedom and anxiety offers a deeper perspective to the ethical reasoning behind the Bishops’ letter, based on Lutheran theology and a Christian view of humanity Keywords: Søren Kierkegaard, choice, freedom, anxiety, Bishops' letter, Church of Sweden,ethics, ethical arguments, ethical principles, Christian view of humanity
Is there a human right to reasons for administrative decisions?
No full textDespite its importance for upholding the rule of law, Swedish public authorities have repeatedly been criticised for failing to provide sufficient reasons for their decisions. Decisions from the Swedish Parliamentary Ombudsmen (JO), which monitors compliance, show that reasons sometimes are missing or vague and that irrelevant reasons sometimes have been given “for show”(Fura and Svensson 2015). Critiques have also been provided by human rights committees. For example, The UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) has criticised Sweden for not informing detained children and juveniles of the reasons for the restrictions, as well as for failing to explain the reasons in a manner that is understandable to them (CRC/C/SWE/CO/5). Recently, The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) issued a critique towards Sweden regarding the placement of detainees in isolation. Upon inspection, the CPT found that there were no procedural safeguards in action, such as routines in order to respect the right to be informed of the reasons for the placement (CPT/Inf(2021/20). The above cases are only a few examples, and the lack of reasons provided within administrative decision-making is not unique to Swedish public authorities. Nevertheless, the cases illustrate a discrepancy between the importance of reason-giving and how Swedish public authorities live up to their duty to give reasons for their decisions. This speaks, or so this paper argues, for difficulties in understanding the moral importance of reason-giving in public administration and its relation to human rights. This multidisciplinary paper, combining applied ethics and constitutional law, addresses the practice of reason-giving and its relation to human rights. Administrative decision-making is in its essence the exercise of public power over individuals. In many cases, such decisions significantly impact the well-being and welfare of already vulnerable subjects. This calls for such decisions to be carefully reasoned. In administrative law, this requirement is referred to as the duty to give reasons for administrative decisions. The duty mirrors important principles in a state governed by the rule of law, such as legality, objectivity and transparency, and, as this paper argues, human rights. The theoretical starting point for the study has its roots in a Kantian tradition emphasising the idea that respect for the dignity of human beings requires that individuals are treated as autonomous agents with the capacity for moral self-government. Drawing on philosophers working within this tradition, such as Rainer Forst (e.g. 2014; 2017), it is argued that the right to reason is an emancipatory requirement based on individuals’ right to justification. If sufficient reasons for a decision are missing, affected individuals are, arguably, deprived of important information that affects their capacity to understand on what grounds the decision was taken. This, in turn, affects the agent’s ability to act out of reason. The paper comprises three sections. The first section argues that the duty to give reasons for administrative decisions should be interpreted as a duty derived from a human right to reasons. The second section addresses the constitutional role of human rights and its relation to the rule of law. The aim is to show that the suggested interpretation, while not being mainstream, is, in fact, a feasible and reasonable legal interpretation. With a focus on Swedish public administration, the third and finishing section of the paper discusses the implications that the interpretation may have for administrative decision-making.