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The Silence of Institutions: Analyzing the Representation of Religious Persecution across International Institutions
No full textPersecution of religious groups is a growing human rights concern, yet scholarly engagement remains low. While previous research has explored its causes and prevalence, little attention has been paid to how international actors pay attention to the issue of religious persecution. This thesis addresses this gap by exploring how three key institutions, human rights organizations (NGOs), the United Nations (UN), and academia, mention and represent religious persecution, particularly in terms of which groups are emphasized or neglected.
Employing a mixed-methods approach, this study combines quantitative content analysis with qualitative observations of over two million words extracted from reports and websites published by the selected institutions. Using two linguistic tools, LIWC-22 and NVivo, the study coded and analyzed the frequency of references to religious persecution. These patterns of representation were then compared to a global dataset of documented incidents to assess the degree of alignment or divergence between institutional attention and actual violations.
The findings reveal disparities: Muslims and Christians are underrepresented relative to the scale of violations. Overall, institutional engagement with religious persecution remains low across all groups. Among the institutions, the UN shows the highest level of engagement, NGOs the lowest, while academia tends to focus on historical persecution rather than current global patterns. These results suggest institutional and thematic blind spots, reflecting broader tensions between normative frameworks and practical implementation. By revealing gaps at the intersection of human rights and religion, the thesis lays a foundation for future study on the visibility of persecuted groups.Master's Thesis in Politics and Governance of Global ChallengesGOV380MASV-GLGO
Sølvberget som et moderne arkitektonisk kompleks: En antropologisk studie av materielle objekter og dets føringer for sosialt liv
Full text linkStudiet om materialitet er ikke nytt. Akademikere har skrevet volumer om tingene som meningsfulle ikoner, metaforiske avbildninger eller som vare i økonomisk handel. Det som har manglet i slike diskurser er en anerkjennelse av tingen i seg selv. I denne masteroppgaven går jeg i bresjen for å ivareta tingens egen ontologi i studiet av mennesker. Basert på et syv måneders langt feltarbeid i kontekst av Sølvberget kulturhus i Stavanger, søker jeg å belyse hvordan tingene rundt oss, gjennom utforming og design, setter scenen for sosialt liv. Som et samlingspunkt for alt fra mennesker, gjenstander til pulserende dyr, er Sølvberget en billett inn i dette intrikate handlingsstykket av mer-enn-menneskelig kraft.
Kroppen bærer med seg kunnskap som strekker seg forbi språkets rekkevidde. Oppgaven arbeider ut fra premisset om at materielle objekter ikke lar seg gripe verbalt og krever at vi engasjerer hele kroppen for at skal bli registrert. Basert på ‘deltakende sansing’, og ikke bare observasjon, utforsker jeg ineffektiviteten av å skille mennesker fra miljø, og hvordan objekter, i tillegg til å tilby innsikt i mennesket, kvalifiserer til en analyse i seg selv. Både mennesker, fugler og objekter blir her hverandre gjensidig og samtidig underlagt. Målet er å overvinne unødvendige barrierer uten å samtidig avskrive den viktigste forskjellen mellom dem. Informert av nyere ontologiske debatter tilbyr jeg derfor et nytt blikk, som ved å overskride, men samtidig ikke helt forlate, mennesket, skjelner substans i det vi til vanlig tar for gitt. I stedet for å teoretisere objekter som statiske, avgrensede og ferdig konstruert, er formålet å bringe bevegelse og elastisitet i forståelsen av objekter, og hvordan disse har kraft til å forstyrre og overraske oss. Sansene blir en viktig kanal inn i dette spirende univers slik at både lydklipp, bilder i tillegg til språklig tekst vanskelig lar seg unngå. Oppgaven er således lokalisert innenfor rammene av både sensorisk og materiell antropologi, for å utforske det porøse, men distinkte samspillet, som mennesker, objekter og Sølvberget som sådan springer ut fra.MasteroppgaveSANT350MASV-SAN
Quantifying precipitation intermittency for Bergen, Norway, from measurements and models across a wide range of time scales
Full text linkMasteroppgave i meteorologi og oseanografiGEOF399MAMN-GEO
Allmennhetens informasjonsrett fra private virksomheter Grenseområdet mellom miljøinformasjonsloven og åpenhetsloven
Full text linkMasteroppgaveJUS399MAJURMAJUR-
Who Do You Choose to Date: Demographics, Tinder Use, Attachment Styles, Personality and Physical Attractiveness as predictors of Partner Preferences - A Quantitative Study
Full text linkThis study investigates how demographics, Tinder use, attachment styles, personality, and physical attractiveness influence partner preferences. Data was collected online via Prolific from 953 single UK residents. The independent variables included demographics (gender, age, child responsibilities, education, income, and socioeconomic status), Tinder use, personality (the Dirty Dozen and the HEXACO Personality Inventory), attachment styles (the Adult Attachment Questionnaire), and physical attractiveness. The dependent variables comprised ideal partner preferences in terms of warmth-trustworthiness, vitality- attractiveness, social status, and confidence-humor. The study revealed distinct gender patterns in partner preferences. For men, education, Extraversion, and avoidant attachment were negatively associated with preferences for warmth and trustworthiness in a partner. For women, child responsibilities and Honesty-Humility positively influenced the preferences for warmth and trustworthiness, while physical attractiveness had a negative impact on their preferences for these traits. The preferences for vitality and attractiveness in a partner was positively associated with age and physical attractiveness for men, and negatively related to Honesty-Humility for women. For men, both older age and Openness to Experience reduced the importance placed on social status in a partner, while higher education, Narcissism, Extraversion, and avoidant attachment increased the preference for that dependent variable. For women, higher socioeconomic status increased the emphasis put on the preference for social status in a partner. Extroverted men valued confidence and humor in a partner more, while those prioritizing physical attractiveness in a partner valued these dependent variables less. Women with greater child responsibilities also placed less emphasis on confidence and humor when choosing a partner.Hovedoppgave psykologprogrammetPROPSY317PRPSY
Asymmetrisk prissetting i den norske hurtiglademarknaden
Full text linkDenne oppgåva undersøker kva marknadsforhold som bidrar til asymmetrisk prissetting i den kompetetive hurtiglademarknaden i Noreg. I lys av Europas energikrise i 2022, har ikkje ladeprisane i Noreg følgt den nedgåande trenden i straumprisane. Oppgåva undersøker korleis utilstrekkeleg brukarvennlegheit og mangel på standardiserte prismodellar og betalingsløysingar påverkar ladetilbydaranes prisstrategiar.
Ved å anvende teorien om «Rockets and Feathers»-fenomenet, forklarar oppgåva korleis prisane på ladetenester stig raskt, når innsatskostnadane aukar, men søkker langsamt, som når innsatskostnadane minkar. Oppgåva viser at utilstrekkeleg brukarvennlegheit førar til asymmetrisk prissetting i hurtiglademarknaden. Dette reduserer konsumentane sin moglegheit til å samanlikne prisar og tilgjengelegheit på tvers av tilbydarar. På bakgrunn av dette er marknaden i ein situasjon der ladetilbydarar kan oppretthalde høge prisar utan konkurransepress.
Oppgåva understrekar eit tydeleg behov for reguleringar for å fremje ein meir kompetetiv marknad. Det blir anbefalt at reguleringane fokuserer på standardiserte prismodellar og betalingsløysingar, for å betre konsumentane sin tilgang til informasjon, slik dei kan ta informerte og kostnadseffektive val.MasteroppgaveECON391PROF-SØKMASV-SØ
Colombians in Bergen: A Study of Integration, Perception, and Linguistic Attitudes
No full textColombians in Bergen: A Study of Integration, Perceptions, and Linguistic Attitudes
This research aims to identify the linguistic perceptions and attitudes of Colombian residents in Bergen toward their Spanish and the Norwegian language they encounter. Additionally, the study analyzes how these attitudes influence the social and linguistic integration of the Colombian community in Norway.
The study follows sociolinguistic principles related to linguistic perceptions, attitudes, and sociolinguistic integration. It also considers languages in contact and the phenomena that arise from language coexistence. Methodologically, a questionnaire consisting of 42 open and closed-ended questions, including a Likert scale, was applied. The sample included 20 participants, considering sociolinguistic variables such as gender, age, and duration of residence.
Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze the obtained data. The questionnaire was divided into three sections: personal information, language use, and language and identity. To address the research objectives and analyze the results, the analysis was divided into five sections thematically: attitudes and perceptions toward the Norwegian language, attitudes and perceptions toward Spanish, language use and preferences, phenomena derived from language contact, and linguistic and social integration in the Norwegian context.
Key findings highlight positive attitudes toward both Spanish and Norwegian. Participants express positive attitudes toward their variety of Spanish, demonstrating loyalty to their language variety, linking it to the preservation of their cultural roots and as a symbol of identity in the Norwegian context. Regarding Norwegian, participants show a positive trend towards learning the language, based on favorable self-evaluations of various communicative skills and enjoyment of the Norwegian language. Despite perceiving the language's complexity due to substantial dialectal variation, participants exhibit a strong desire to learn it and significantly value linguistic correctness. The use of certain words as loanwords, resulting from language contact, is emphasized, with participants explaining their usage: it is easier to say it in Norwegian, even though it exists in Spanish. It is acknowledged that these linguistic loans are shared realities but carry different cultural connotations in each country.
The linguistic perceptions and attitudes of Colombians are linked to their linguistic and social integration process. While Colombians express knowledge of the host country's language, data suggest limited social integration with the local community, indicating misalignment between linguistic and social dimensions. The analysis indicates that integration primarily occurs in the workplace, while socially and within the family, Colombians are more connected to citizens from other countries, whether Spanish speakers or not, motivated by common cultural ties and linguistic affinity.Mastergradsoppgave i spansk og latinamerikastudierSPLA350MAHF-LÆFRMAHF-SPL
“When we play together and cheer each other on, a unique power emerges.” : A qualitative study on how DJing can work as a tool for women in music therapy
No full textDenne masteravhandlingen undersøker DJing som musikkterapeutisk verktøy for kvinner. Gjennom fokusgruppeintervjuer og DJ-workshops med tre kvinnelige deltakere (mellom 20-30 år), utforsker avhandlingen hvordan deres erfaringer med DJing i fellesskap kan fungere som musikkterapiintervensjon. Deltakernes fortellinger ses i lys av relevant litteratur og tidligere forskning fra et utvalg fagfelt, med et teoretisk rammeverk bestående av feministiske perspektiver, samfunnsmusikkterapi og relasjonell musikkterapi. Studien avdekker at DJing kan være et viktig improvisatorisk verktøy som skaper samhold og styrker bånd mellom mennesker i et fellesskap. Etter fullførte DJ-workshops rapporterer deltakerne om økt selvtillit etter opplevd mestring og tilhørighet.
Ved også å belyse viktige samfunnsutfordringer som likestilling, maktforskjeller og kvinners posisjon i et mannsdominert miljø, er denne studien et bidrag til videre feministisk forskning og musikkterapiforskning. Den understreker at en kreativ praksis som DJing kan være en meningsfull måte å styrke kvinners selvfølelse på, og å utforske kreativitet og glede i musikkopplevelser.This master’s thesis explores DJing as a music therapy tool for women. Through focus group interviews and DJ workshops with three female participants (aged 20-30), the thesis examines how their experiences with DJing in community can serve as an intervention within music therapy. The participant’s stories are analyzed considering relevant literature and previous research from a selection of disciplines, with a theoretical framework consisting of feminist perspectives, community music therapy and relational music therapy. The study demonstrates DJing as an important improvisational tool that creates social cohesion and strengthens bonds between people in a community. Following the completion of the DJ workshops, the participants report increased self-confidence, after achieving a sense mastery and belonging.
By also addressing significant societal challenges such as gender equality, power differences and women’s position in a male-dominated environment, this study contributes to advancing feminist research and music therapy research. It emphasizes that a creative practice such as DJing can be a meaningful way to strengthen women’s self-esteem and to explore creativity and joy in music experiences.Masteroppgave i musikkterapiMUTP350MAHF-INMU
Solidarity, Motivation and Community: An ethnographic study about environmental activists in the climate justice movement in Montreal Canada
Full text linkThe climate movement is, in many aspects, a global movement. I find it particularly intriguing and fascinating to see how this movement manifests locally and how environmental activists are motivated to participate in this movement. The aim of this dissertation is to shed light on and discuss the motivations that exist among environmental activists, as well as to investigate how solidarity is formed among environmental activists in the existing climate justice movement in Montreal, Canada, or Tiohtià:ke in Kanien’kéha (the Mohawk language). The effects of climate change and other environmental issues have great implications on social life and the earth, which makes environmental activists important for influencing political entities and governments to implement change. Though it might seem evident that a driver for environmental activists is environmental protection, it goes further than this. Many know the threat of climate change is imminent, yet fail to take action. So, what motivates those who do? During my fieldwork in Montreal, I attended protests and get-togethers and interviewed environmental activists. Solidarity is important in the climate justice movement, and creating community becomes a part of this. I have encountered environmental activists whose motivations were influenced by their connection to nature, mothering, and emotions. For many, being a part of a community helps maintain this motivation while showing solidarity with each other. Overall, this master’s thesis explores how environmental activists are motivated by factors such as their connection to nature, mothering, and community and how they are driven by emotions like hope and fear while partaking in the community to combat feelings of solastalgia and climate anxiety. A community becomes important for environmental activists because it contributes to maintaining their motivation, prevents an excess of emotions, and forms solidarity between each other and with Indigenous Peoples, as Indigenous rights are central to the climate justice movement.MasteroppgaveSANT350MASV-SAN
Together Yet Apart: Exploring strategies employed by West African Immigrants to stay socially connected during COVID-19 in Bergen, Norway.
Full text linkThis study explores the coping strategies employed by West African immigrants to remain socially active when the government adopted the Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) in Bergen, Norway, during the COVID-19 pandemic. It further focuses on how the participants experienced social connectedness when the NPIs were implemented in Bergen and its implications on their well-being.
Qualitative data was gathered through in-depth interviews, informal conversations, and participants' life experiences. These were analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis and further discussed using a combined theoretical framework of salutogenesis and acculturation theory.
The study findings indicated that West African immigrants in Bergen understood and valued their social connectedness and the NPIs implemented in Bergen, Norway, during COVID-19. The informants perceived social connectedness as part of their nature, a coping mechanism, and a source of hope to return to normal times.
The participants faced numerous stressors that hampered their social connectedness, ranging from cultural differences, language barriers, COVID-19 infections, financial difficulties and NPIs, which resulted in anxiety, depression, and loneliness, negatively affecting their well-being. The immigrants relied on their technology, social support system, and religious strategies to stay socially connected, which promoted their well-being. However, some participants noted that their experiences with social connections during the same period remained unchanged.
The COVID-19 NPIs, cultural differences, and economic hardships were the main challenges to the West African immigrant participants' social connectedness. The participants relied largely on social support and technology to stay socially connected during the period. The findings of this thesis will provide helpful information that researchers could use to drive future studies.Master's Thesis in Global DevelopmentGLODE36