1,720,973 research outputs found
Performing Disney: Exploring guests' narratives of Disney theme parks
Get PDFThis thesis focuses on performances in relation to Disney theme parks. The project asks: How do guests narrate their Disney theme park performances? This question is examined by conducting semi-structured interviews with people who had been to a Disney theme park within the last three years. The findings were analyzed looking at ways guests performed in relation to fellow performers, and the setting. The findings showcased multiple ways in which guest reported they performed while on their theme park holidays. Many performances began long before traveling by reviewing scripts and making preparations. Informants described both highly structured and improvised performances. Many performances were choreographed around dining reservations. Ideas as to what constituted a successful or unsuccessful performance are provided. Several types of performances are examined. Performances were influenced by navigating different settings and environments and enhanced by other actors. In conclusion there are a multitude of performances to be considered within these themed parks
“There is no other arrangement, which is bigger”. A qualitative case study of event meanings for local communities in rural areas
Get PDFEvents are significantly influenced by their host places. Simultaneously, events affect geographical locations as well. This dynamic can lead to both positive and negative outcomes for host places and their inhabitants. These outcomes may be especially difficult to describe when dealing with events that take place in broad geographical locations, such as is the case with the long distance sled dog race Finnmarksløpet. In this Master’s thesis project I use the case of Finnmarksløpet sled dog race to explore meanings of a regional-scale event for local people living in Finnmark County, in Northern Norway. Via its race trails, this event covers several municipalities in the county. In addition to start and finish line in Alta town there are 12 checkpoints along the route. Many of these checkpoints have their own festivities and entertainments which are timed to coincide with Finnmarksløpet. It means that even though the event is regional, it becomes truly local in every locality it crosses. In order to explore the meaning of Finnmarksløpet to local inhabitants, I conducted in-depth interviews with 13 informants regarding how they understand Finnmarksløpet as an event, in particular related to the place in which they live. The informants’ reflections were analyzed and translated into five main topics: Finnmarksløpet as the event to unite; Finnmarksløpet as a matter for pride; Finnmarksløpet as a source of information; Finnmarksløpet and its role for the tourism industry in the region; Finnmarksløpet is more than just a race. The research enriches our understanding of how residents of rural places and remote regions perceive and relate to event. The knowledge produced in the project is also relevant to the development of events and tourism in such regions and places
Culture and Souvenir Shopping. How do Chinese cultural values play a role in outbound Chinese tourists' souvenir shopping?
Get PDFNowadays, with the rapid economic growth in China, Chinese cultural values are changing. More and more, modern cultural values and Western values can be identified alongside Chinese traditional cultural values based on Confucianism. This applies not only to Chinese people’s way of living, but it is also strongly associated with souvenir shopping when Chinese people travel abroad. The major aim of the study that informs my thesis was to explore and understand how Chinese cultural values play a role in Chinese tourists’ souvenir shopping.
A qualitative method was employed to explore Chinese tourists’ attitudes and opinions. After finishing trips to North Cape in Northern Norway, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight Chinese tourists who were residents of Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. This qualitative approach allowed the participants to speak relatively freely using their own words, which provided detail and gave rich descriptions in order to explore the phenomenon of souvenir shopping in depth.
My study demonstrated how traditional Chinese cultural values still have a dominant status in people’s social life in China. Yet these values can exist alongside modern and Western cultural values, which have gradually been absorbed into Chinese people’s culture. Specifically, the analysis and findings show that by presenting souvenirs as gifts to establish and maintain relationships, Chinese people still cherish family values in traditional ways. Moreover, Chinese people are still trying to enhance and improve their social class by purchasing souvenirs, but they value the actual functions of the souvenirs rather than pay for the brand image. Chinese tourists’ souvenir purchases do not necessarily decrease with their travel experiences since they always purchase gifts for others and some are collectors. Practical issues regarding souvenir shopping are provided. My study also suggests that it is important to reconsider the concept of the term, souvenir, as well as the definition of local products
Arbeidet med å være syk og under arbeidsavklaring. En kritisk kulturanalyse av hvordan unge opplever situasjonen med å være syk og under arbeidsavklaring
No full textDenne avhandlingen setter søkelys på det å være ung og syk og under arbeidsavklaring i Nav. Gjennom en kvalitativ forskningsprosess har jeg undersøkt hvordan unge som mottar arbeidsavklaringspenger opplever situasjonen. Arbeidsavklaringspenger er en inntektssikringsordning for dem som har fått vurdert arbeidsevnen nedsatt med minst 50 prosent på grunn av sykdom (Folketrygdloven, 1997). Ordningen ble innført i 2010 og den
politiske visjonen var at flere med helseutfordringer skulle komme raskere i arbeid, i tråd med overordnede mål i velferdspolitikken. En stabil trend gjennom flere år har vært at unge under 30 år mottar arbeidsavklaringspenger over lang tid, de fleste med bakgrunn i psykiske helseproblemer. Avhandlingens problemstilling er: Hvordan opplever unge situasjonen med å være syk og under arbeidsavklaring? Et kritisk kulturanalytisk perspektiv ligger til grunn for å undersøke hvordan de som mottar arbeidsavklaringspenger selv opplever situasjonen. Metodisk framgangsmåte og analyse tar utgangspunkt i en refleksiv fortolkende tilnærming. Datamaterialet består av intervjuer med 14 unge voksne mellom 20 og 30 år, hvorav ni kvinner og fem menn, som mottok arbeidsavklaringspenger. Som resultat av en induktiv forskningsprosess viser studien i første rekke hvordan unges opplevelse av å være syk og under arbeidsavklaring kan ses som et arbeid i seg selv. De unges
egne beskrivelser av å leve med sine helseutfordringer førte til at Wadel sitt utvidede arbeidsbegrep (Wadel, 1977) ble lagt til grunn for analysen av datamaterialet. Dette begrepet innebærer at spørsmålet om hva arbeid er må undersøkes med utgangspunkt i subjektive erfaringer, hverdagslivets aktiviteter og gjøremål som bidrar til sosial verdiskaping i samfunnet. Studien viser hvordan psykiske og fysiske helseproblemer hadde betydning for, og preget de unge sitt hverdagsliv på mange måter. Smerter, angst, uro og utmattelse gjorde dagene variable og uforutsigbare, og begrenset aktivitetsnivå og tempo både i dagligdagse gjøremål og i arbeidsavklaringen. De hadde behov for at helseproblemer de selv kjente på kroppen ble sett, forstått og tatt på alvor i arbeidsavklaringen. De unge ønsket å komme ut i arbeidslivet, men helseutfordringene gjorde at de ikke alltid klarte det. Dette satte dem i en særlig ambivalent og sårbar situasjon, som kan fortolkes i lys av lønnsarbeidets sterke betydning i samfunnet. Avhandlingen konkluderer med at situasjonen slik de unge opplevde den, ikke er en passiv tilværelse, men består av en rekke aktiviteter som kan ses som arbeid. Avhandlingen føyer
seg med dette inn i rekken av forskningsbasert kunnskap som viser at helseutfordringer har vesentlig betydning for tilknytningen til arbeidslivet. Arbeidet med å være syk og under arbeidsavklaring kan knyttes til målet om at flest mulig skal delta i arbeidslivet, og dermed til verdiskapingen i samfunnet. Den avsluttende diskusjonen dreier seg om at det å leve med helseproblemer er et arbeid som krever tid og energi, og som må tas på alvor i
politikkutforming og i det sosiale arbeidet med mennesker som står utenfor arbeidslivet
Arbeidet med å være syk og under arbeidsavklaring. En kritisk kulturanalyse av hvordan unge opplever situasjonen med å være syk og under arbeidsavklaring
Get PDFDenne avhandlingen setter søkelys på det å være ung og syk og under arbeidsavklaring i Nav. Gjennom en kvalitativ forskningsprosess har jeg undersøkt hvordan unge som mottar arbeidsavklaringspenger opplever situasjonen. Arbeidsavklaringspenger er en inntektssikringsordning for dem som har fått vurdert arbeidsevnen nedsatt med minst 50 prosent på grunn av sykdom (Folketrygdloven, 1997). Ordningen ble innført i 2010 og den politiske visjonen var at flere med helseutfordringer skulle komme raskere i arbeid, i tråd med overordnede mål i velferdspolitikken. En stabil trend gjennom flere år har vært at unge under 30 år mottar arbeidsavklaringspenger over lang tid, de fleste med bakgrunn i psykiske helseproblemer. Avhandlingens problemstilling er: Hvordan opplever unge situasjonen med å være syk og under arbeidsavklaring? Et kritisk kulturanalytisk perspektiv ligger til grunn for å undersøke hvordan de som mottar arbeidsavklaringspenger selv opplever situasjonen. Metodisk framgangsmåte og analyse tar utgangspunkt i en refleksiv fortolkende tilnærming. Datamaterialet består av intervjuer med 14 unge voksne mellom 20 og 30 år, hvorav ni kvinner og fem menn, som mottok arbeidsavklaringspenger. Som resultat av en induktiv forskningsprosess viser studien i første rekke hvordan unges opplevelse av å være syk og under arbeidsavklaring kan ses som et arbeid i seg selv. De unges egne beskrivelser av å leve med sine helseutfordringer førte til at Wadel sitt utvidede arbeidsbegrep (Wadel, 1977) ble lagt til grunn for analysen av datamaterialet. Dette begrepet innebærer at spørsmålet om hva arbeid er må undersøkes med utgangspunkt i subjektive erfaringer, hverdagslivets aktiviteter og gjøremål som bidrar til sosial verdiskaping i samfunnet. Studien viser hvordan psykiske og fysiske helseproblemer hadde betydning for, og preget de unge sitt hverdagsliv på mange måter. Smerter, angst, uro og utmattelse gjorde dagene variable og uforutsigbare, og begrenset aktivitetsnivå og tempo både i dagligdagse gjøremål og i arbeidsavklaringen. De hadde behov for at helseproblemer de selv kjente på kroppen ble sett, forstått og tatt på alvor i arbeidsavklaringen. De unge ønsket å komme ut i arbeidslivet, men helseutfordringene gjorde at de ikke alltid klarte det. Dette satte dem i en særlig ambivalent og sårbar situasjon, som kan fortolkes i lys av lønnsarbeidets sterke betydning i samfunnet. Avhandlingen konkluderer med at situasjonen slik de unge opplevde den, ikke er en passiv tilværelse, men består av en rekke aktiviteter som kan ses som arbeid. Avhandlingen føyer seg med dette inn i rekken av forskningsbasert kunnskap som viser at helseutfordringer har vesentlig betydning for tilknytningen til arbeidslivet. Arbeidet med å være syk og under arbeidsavklaring kan knyttes til målet om at flest mulig skal delta i arbeidslivet, og dermed til verdiskapingen i samfunnet. Den avsluttende diskusjonen dreier seg om at det å leve med helseproblemer er et arbeid som krever tid og energi, og som må tas på alvor i politikkutforming og i det sosiale arbeidet med mennesker som står utenfor arbeidslivet.This dissertation is about being young and sick and under work clarification in Nav (the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration). Through a qualitative research process, I have investigated how young people who receive work clearance allowance (AAP) experience the situation, and what problem understandings lie behind the policy that is aimed at young people and their situation. Work clearance allowance is an income security scheme for those who have had their ability to work assessed reduced by at least 50 per cent due to illness (Folketrygdloven [National Insurance Act], 1997). The scheme was introduced in 2010 and the political vision was that more people with health challenges should get to work faster, in line with overall goals in welfare policy. A stable trend over several years has been that young people under the age of 30 receive work clearance allowance over a long period of time, most with a background in mental health problems. The dissertation's problem statement is: How do young people experience the situation of being ill and under work clearance? A critical cultural analytical perspective is the basis for examining how those who receive work clearance allowance experience the situation. The methodological approach and analysis are based on a reflexive interpretive approach. The data material consists of interviews with 14 young adults between the ages of 20 and 30, whereof nine women and five men, who received work clearance allowance. As a result of an inductive research process, the study primarily shows how young people’s experience of being ill and under work clearance is experienced as work in itself. The young people’s descriptions of living with their health challenges led to Wadel’s expanded concept of work (Wadel, 1977) being used as a basis for the analysis of the data material. This concept means that the question of what work is must be investigated on the basis of subjective experiences, everyday activities and chores that contribute to social value creation in society. The study shows how mental and physical health problems were important, and affected the young people's everyday lives in many ways. Pain, anxiety, restlessness and fatigue made the days variable and unpredictable, and limited their level of activity and pace both in daily chores and in work clearance. They needed that their health problems and the limitations they experienced were seen, understood and taken seriously in the work clarification. The young people wanted to get into working life, but the health challenges meant that they did not always succeed. This put them in a particularly ambivalent and vulnerable situation, which can be interpreted in light of the strong importance of wage labor in the society. This dissertation concludes that the situation as the young people experienced it, is not a passive existence, but consists of numerous activities that can be seen as work. The dissertation thus joins the ranks of research-based knowledge that shows that health challenges have a significant impact on the connection to working life. The work of being ill and under work clearance can be linked to the goal that as many as possible should participate in the working life, and thus contribute to the creation of value in society. The concluding discussion involves that living with health problems is a job that requires time and energy, and must be taken seriously and valued in the policy-making and in the social work with people who are outside working life.publishedVersio
Service co-production with customers in the framework of service-dominant logic in application to the hotel industry in Tromsø, Northern Norway
Get PDFThis Master’s research introduces the concept of service co-production with customers in the framework of service-dominant (S-D) logic as a research paradigm in marketing management. The concept of service co-production was integrated into a tourism management setting and researched in application to the hotel industry in Tromsø, Northern Norway. The aim of this Master’s research was to investigate to investigate whether service co-production with customers is a part of the service/services of a 3 and 4 star chain of hotels in Tromsø, Northern Norway. Thus, six hotel managers of the hotels chosen as research participants were interviewed. The results showed that five of six hotels demonstrate cases of service co-production with customers where customers play an active role in being co-producers of a particular service/services. Service co-production with customers is represented, predominantly, in the form of self-service/services. The extent of service co-production with customers and the aims of its implementation depend on belonging of hotels to budget/full-service hotel category. Hands on managerial implications are provided in the closing part of the paper
Gendered Issues and Voices in Public Discourses on Industrial Development in Northern Norway
Get PDFThis article deals with gender and industrial developments in the northernmost part of Norway, where there are growing opportunities within the mining, oil and gas industries. Large companies move into the region for shorter or longer periods of time, leading to restructuring and change in these rural areas. These industries are typically male-dominated, and many of the workers coming to the region as part of such developments are men. The purpose of the study is to examine local public discourses on industry development in Northern Norway during a time of industrial restructuring. Using approaches from media studies and discourse analysis, I examine local public discourses to see to what extent they are ‘gender conscious’ in that they present concerns regarding gendered consequences of industrial restructuring processes, and also to see who speaks—in terms of gender—on the issues brought forth. I find that gendered issues linked to industrial restructurings in Northern Norway are not addressed in the public discourses and also that men, to a higher degree than women, speak on issues of industry development. Overall, gender does not seem to be a relevant topic, and with this, issues of gender are symbolically defined as irrelevant to understandings of industry development. I claim the invisibility of gender issues and the imbalance of men’s and women’s voices (re)produces a lack of awareness of gender in industry development and is part of creating an understanding of Northern Norway as a place where men are a better fit for industry developments than women.
Keywords: industry development; newspapers; public discourses; gender; Northern Norway
Questions de genre et d'opinions dans les discours publics sur le développement industriel dans le nord de la Norvège
Cet article traite du genre et des développements industriels dans la partie la plus septentrionale de la Norvège, où les opportunités se multiplient dans les industries minière, pétrolière et gazière. De grandes entreprises s'installent dans la région pour des périodes plus ou moins longues, menant à une restructuration et à des changements dans ces zones rurales. Ces industries sont généralement dominées par les hommes, et la plupart des travailleurs qui arrivent dans la région dans le cadre de tels développements sont des hommes. Le but de l’étude est d’examiner les discours publics locaux sur le développement de l’industrie dans le nord de la Norvège en période de restructuration industrielle. En utilisant des approches tirées d’études médiatiques et d’analyses de discours, j’examine les discours publics locaux afin de voir dans quelle mesure ils 'prennent en compte le genre' dans la mesure où ils suscitent des préoccupations quant aux conséquences relatives au genre des processus de restructuration industrielle, ainsi afin de voir qui parle —en termes de genre— sur les questions soulevées. Je trouve que les discours publics n'abordent pas les questions de genre liées aux restructurations industrielles dans le nord de la Norvège et que les hommes, à un degré supérieur à celui des femmes, s'expriment sur des questions relatives au développement de l'industrie. Globalement, le genre ne semble pas être un sujet pertinent et, de ce fait, les questions de genre sont symboliquement définies comme non pertinentes pour la compréhension du développement de l'industrie. Je soutiens que l'invisibilité des questions de genre et le déséquilibre entre la voix des hommes et des femmes (ré) entraîne un manque de sensibilisation au genre dans le développement de l'industrie et contribue à créer une compréhension de la Norvège du Nord en tant que lieu où les hommes sont mieux adaptés aux développements de l'industrie que les femmes
Gendered Issues and Voices in Public Discourses on Industrial Development in Northern Norway
Get PDFSource at https://journals.brandonu.ca/jrcd/index.This article deals with gender and industrial developments in the northernmost part of Norway, where there are growing opportunities within the mining, oil and gas industries. Large companies move into the region for shorter or longer periods of time, leading to restructuring and change in these rural areas. These industries are typically male-dominated, and many of the workers coming to the region as part of such developments are men. The purpose of the study is to examine local public discourses on industry development in Northern Norway during a time of industrial restructuring. Using approaches from media studies and discourse analysis, I examine local public discourses to see to what extent they are ‘gender conscious’ in that they present concerns regarding gendered consequences of industrial restructuring processes, and also to see who speaks—in terms of gender—on the issues brought forth. I find that gendered issues linked to industrial restructurings in Northern Norway are not addressed in the public discourses and also that men, to a higher degree than women, speak on issues of industry development. Overall, gender does not seem to be a relevant topic, and with this, issues of gender are symbolically defined as irrelevant to understandings of industry development. I claim the invisibility of gender issues and the imbalance of men’s and women’s voices (re)produces a lack of awareness of gender in industry development and is part of creating an understanding of Northern Norway as a place where men are a better fit for industry developments than women
Amas mu Vuordá? Eamiálbmotjienaid vuhtii váldin Disney Jikŋon 2 filmma muitalusa huksemis.
No full textIn 2019, Disney released the animated film Frozen 2 and included depictions of Indigenous Sámi peoples, landscapes, and lifeways. Communication scholars have critiqued relationships between Disney and Indigenous cultures. However, with Frozen 2 Sámi consultants initiated a new mode of collaboration with Disney to combat cultural appropriation, linguistic erasure, and misrepresentations. This resulted in almost unanimously positive media praise by Sámi individuals and communities in Scandinavia. By drawing upon an Indigenous listening methodology, we articulate ways Sámi communities discuss the degree to which Disney’s Frozen 2/Jikŋon 2 is a transformative agent (or not) in treatment of Indigenous communities in film.Jagis 2019 Disney almmustahtii animerejuvvon guhkes filmma Frozen 2, masa lei váldán mielde Sámi álbmoga, sin duovdagiid ja eallinvugiid govvemiid. Kommunikašuvnna dutkit leat guhká kritiseren Disney vuogi giehtadallat eamiálbmogiid kultuvrraid. Frozen 2 dahkama oktavuođas sámi ráđđeaddiid joavku álggahii guittotge ođđalágan vuogi bargat ovttas Disneyin. Ovttasbarggu ulbmilin lei dáistalit kultuvrralaš rievideami ja giela jávkama vuostá ja njulget dan boastto gova, man vuosttas Frozen attii sápmelaččain. Ovttasbargu oaččui goasii ovttamielalaš rámi medias sihke ovttaskas sámi olbmuin ja sámi servošiin. Geavahemiin vuogádaga, mainna gullat eamiálbmogiid mii buktit ovdan sámi servošiid oainnuid das, man olu Disney Frozen/Jikŋon 2 rievdada (dahje ii rievdat) dan mo eamiálbmotvuohta ja eamiálbmotservvodagat čájehuvvojit filmmas. Sámiid ulbmilin ovttasbarggu álggaheamis lei buktit sámi áššiid oidnosii, lasihit iežaset álbmoga olbmuid bargovejolašvuođaid, ja dahkat sámegielat Disneyfilmma skeaŋkan sámi mánáide
Nature Articulations in Norwegian Advertising Discourse: A Depoliticized Discourse of Climate Change
Get PDFThis article deals with how nature is articulated in public discourse, and more specifically how
humans’ relationship to nature is constructed via such articulations. Based on critical cultural analyses
of ads presented in a Norwegian context, the article claims articulations of nature serve to a
depoliticization of nature, which silence social differences and reduce environmental politics to
individual moral action. Several rhetorical patterns of particular relevance to the articulation of nature
are discussed, pointing out how disparate, sometimes conflicting, understandings of nature are
rhetorically configured and aligned in ways that benefit a global market economy. There is a
discursive distancing of nature and everyday life, even as nature remains valorized and very much
central to national identity. This constrains citizens’ political engagement and undermines
understandings of how to govern nature
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