Publikationer från Uppsala Universitet
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The Press Under Pressure? : A qualitative comparative case study examining changes in Indian newspaper reporting during India’s alleged autocratisation process
No full textThe third wave of autocratisation is unfolding globally, with India regarded as a striking example. Since 2014, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by nationalist-populist Narendra Modi assumed office, India has reportedly experienced a significant democratic decline. This process has allegedly followed the typical pattern observed for countries in the third wave of autocratisation, with the media as a primary target. This thesis addresses a research gap by investigating whether - and if so, how - the reporting by Indian newspapers has actually changed since the BJP and Prime Minister Modi took office. Specifically, it examines the reporting of communal riots between Hindus and Muslims in Indian English language newspapers. A comparative case study was conducted to identify changes, analysing newspaper articles from three Indian English language newspapers using Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA). Through this approach, changes in reporting were identified. The findings reveal a weakening of the media’s main democratic functions among the analysed newspapers. Post-2014 reporting was also less cautious and more transparent, with greater emphasis on intergroup tensions and identities, while maintaining neutrality in portrayal. These findings - particularly the weakening of the media’s democratic functions - suggest that India is undergoing an autocratisation process, with the media as a targeted institution. This aligns with previous reports from non-governmental organisations and scholars. By offering insights into India’s alleged autocratisation process and how the media is targeted within it, these findings could further strengthen the general theory of how the autocratisation process unfolds in the third wave
Solvatochromic charge model of isonitrile probes for investigating hydrogen-bond dynamics with 2DIR spectroscopy
No full textIsonitrile-derivatized amino acids are emerging as highly effective infrared (IR) probes for investigating the structures and dynamics of hydrogen (H)-bonds. These probes enable the quantification of chemical exchange processes in solute-solvent complexes via two-dimensional IR spectroscopy and hold significant promise for site-specific dynamic studies within proteins. Despite their potential, theoretical models that elucidate the solvatochromism of isonitriles remain underdeveloped. Here, we present the development and validation of a solvatochromic charge model for isonitrile (N equivalent to C) probes. Using density functional theory calculations, we parameterized solvatochromic charges for isonitrile and integrated them into classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of beta-isocyanoalanine in various solvents, including water and fluorinated alcohols. The model incorporates solvent-induced frequency shifts and accurately reproduces complex experimental line shapes, including asymmetric features from non-Gaussian dynamics. The model successfully reproduced the bimodal distribution of frequency shifts corresponding to free and H-bonded species in alcohols, as well as cross-peaks due to chemical exchange. Achieving reproducibility required long MD trajectories, which were computationally demanding. To manage this, we implemented graphics processing unit acceleration, drastically reducing the computational time and enabling the efficient processing of extensive MD data. While some discrepancies in population ratios suggest the need for refined solvent force field parameters and modeling transition dipole moment variations, the developed solvatochromic model is a reliable tool for studying the solvation dynamics. The model enables more detailed investigations of ultrafast dynamics in solute-solvent complexes and represents important steps toward modeling site-specific dynamics of biomolecules with isonitrile probes
Människan, naturen och renarna : En tematisk analys av romanen Stöld ur ett ekokritiskt och didaktiskt perspektiv
No full textYour Majesty Mr. President : An exploration and critical analysis of William Partlett’stheory of constitutional dark arts, with focus on Russia
No full textDemocracy is on the decline, all the while authoritarianism is increasing. Multiple scientific theories have emerged as a result, attempting to explain this phenomenon. One of the newer ones is constitutional dark arts by William Partlett. He argues that the discrepancy between the constitution and reality exemplifies what he refers to as a deceptive dark art, where authoritarian leaders manipulate constitutional provisions to maintain power while attempting to appear democratic. This thesis aims to provide a reconstruction of Partlett’s theory, followed by a critical analysis of its scientific qualities. The methodology is heavily inspired by Ludvig Beckman’s critique of ideas, where he puts logical coherence, empirical support and theoretical clarity as the focus of attention. These three criterias of Beckman’s are utilized as points of departure when analyzing constitutional dark arts in this qualitative text analysis. The analysis furthermore concludes that Partlett's theory, while insightful, suffers from various limitations in relation to the critique of ideas. To conclude, constitutional dark arts as a theory has potential, however the issues highlighted in this thesis’ analysis hinder the evaluation and broader applicability of it
Rysslands mediakrig: Desinformation som vapen : En retorisk innehållsanalys av ryska nyhetsartiklar i Ryssland-Ukraina konflikten
No full textThis study investigates how rhetoric and narrative are employed in Russian news articles identified as containing disinformation about the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Utilizing rhetorical and narrative analysis, the research examines 51 articles flagged by the EUvsDisinfo database as Full-scale invasion of Ukraine and War against Ukraine, published between 1 January and 1 November 2024. The study aims to uncover the overarching narratives and how rhetorical tools, ethos, logos, and pathos are utilized within the analyzed material. Findings reveal recurring narratives portraying Ukraine and the West as antagonistic forces, with Russia depicted as a defender of truth and sovereignty. The analysis highlights the interplay of emotional appeals, logical constructs, and claims of credibility to legitimize disinformation and frame Russia's actions favorably. By shedding light on these rhetorical methods, the research contributes to understanding the mechanisms of modern disinformation campaigns and their potential threat to democratic societies. This knowledge is essential for combating the spread of disinformation and promoting media literacy in an era marked by hybrid warfare and post-truth politics
Från arena till Instagram: En studie om självpresentation och genusnormer inom svensk fotboll
No full textThis study investigates football players' self presentation strategies on Instagram by comparing male and female athletes. With a focus on personal branding, the research aims to explore how these athletes construct their digital identities and how it reflects or challenges the current gender norms in football. A quantitative content analysis was conducted, analysing 408 Instagram posts from a total of 68 players in Sweden's top leagues, Allsvenskan and Damallsvenskan. Supported by Goffman's theory of self-presentation as well as theoretical sections on both personal branding and gender norms in sport, the study analyzed visual and textual content to identify how players chose to present themselves. The findings indicate meaningful differences, such as male players sharing more posts related to the sport, while female players share more personal and sponsored content. Visual differences, like clothing and level of activity in the photos, were also found. These results underscore the persistent influence of gender norms and their impact on athletes' digital navigation. However, significant similarities also emerged, implying that professional football players, male or female, follow a similar path of self presentation. These similarities, like posing and professionalism, suggest that gender norms in sport are being challenged and changed. The research contributes to the understanding of self-presentation in a digital environment and the role it plays in the evolution of gender norms in sport. The findings offer a novel contribution to the discourse on equality in Swedish football and a broader perspective of the discussion of gender in media.
Immune dynamics throughout life in relation to sex hormones and perspectives gained from gender-affirming hormone therapy
No full textBiological sex is closely associated with the properties and extent of the immune response, with males and females showing different susceptibilities to diseases and variations in immunity. Androgens, predominantly in males, generally suppress immune responses, while estrogens, more abundant in females, tend to enhance immunity. It is also established that sex hormones at least partially explain sex biases in different diseases, particularly autoimmune diseases in females. These differences are influenced by hormonal, genetic, and environmental factors, and vary throughout life stages. The advent of gender-affirming hormone therapy offers a novel opportunity to study the immunological effects of sex hormones. Despite the limited studies on this topic, available research has revealed that testosterone therapy in transgender men may suppress certain immune functions, such as type I interferon responses, while increasing inflammation markers like TNF-alpha. Transgender women on estrogen therapy also experience alterations in coagulation-related and inflammatory characteristics. Furthermore, other possible alterations in immune regulation can be inferred from the assessment of inflammatory and autoimmune markers in transgender individuals receiving hormone therapy. Understanding the complex interactions between sex hormones and the immune system, particularly through the unique perspective offered by gender-affirming hormone therapies, may facilitate the development of targeted therapies for infections and autoimmune diseases while also improving healthcare outcomes for transgender individuals. Here we review immune dynamics throughout life in both sexes and provide a summary of novel findings drawn from studies exploring gender-affirming hormone therapy
Put EU on the map : A study of Swedish high school students' knowledge of the EU
No full textDenna undersökning granskar svenska gymnasieelevers EU-kunskaper och mäter potentiella svagheter och styrkor efter Walls (2011) politiska dimensioner polity, policy och politics. Detta genomförs med hjälp av en enkätundersökning som besvaras av drygt 150 svenska gymnasieelever tillhörande olika skolor och utbildningar. EU-kunskaper förstås i denna undersökning utifrån en uppdelning mellan faktakunskaper och förståelsekunskaper. Materialet analyseras med en mixed method som inkluderar både en kvantitativ ansats som analyserar samband mellan faktakunskaper och andra variabler via regressionsanalys, samt en kvalitativ ansats som analyserar elevers förståelsekunskaper via innehållsanalys. I den kvalitativa innehållsanalysen används Tvärånas (2019) modell för att kategorisera olika nivåer utav samhällsanalytiskt tänkande. Resultaten visar att svenska gymnasielevers EU-kunskaper negativt samvarierar med att läsa vid ett yrkesinriktat program. Intresse för samhällskunskap visar däremot samvariera positivt med EU-kunskaper. Generellt är svenska gymnasieelevers faktakunskaper inom politydimensionen något svagare än policy och politicsdimensionen där även de kvalitativa förståelsekunskaperna visar sig vara begränsade. Undersökningens slutsats är att både faktakunskaper och förståelsekunskaper om EU behöver stärkas i den svenska gymnasieskolan
När betong möter beats: Idealen i gangsterrapens textuella och visuella värld : En multimodal diskursanalys av svenska gangsterrap-musikvideor
No full textAim: In recent years, the subgenre of gangster rap has grown in popularity in Sweden and expanded visually through Youtube music videos. This expansion has sparked discussions about the genre's controversial messages, which often address crime, violence and social deprivation. This study aims to investigate textual and visual elements in music videos and how they interact to construct ideals and convey communicative and identity-creating messages. Method/Material: In this study, a multimodal discourse analysis is used to identify key elements and discursive themes. Five Swedish gangster rap music videos were analyzed using the analytical tools; lexical choices, attributes, settings and salience. Theory: To answer the purpose and research questions, the theoretical perspectives of semiotics and social identity are applied. Main results: The results show nine central elements were identified in the music videos; group constellations, branded clothing, accessories, cars, difficult living conditions, resistance, social divisions, firearms and drugs. These emerged in four discursive themes; group identity and community, status symbols, conflict and marginalization and the means of power. Furthermore, we found that the elements construct ideals linked to belonging, community, status, money, brotherhood and the good life. The construction was made visible through the frequent occurrence of the central elements, and the interaction between text and image. The results emphasize how music videos can function as a communicative tool for ideals, but also highlight the tensions in the contemporary social debate about the controversial messages of Swedish gangster rap