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Our study examines how the asymmetric economic relations between Russia - Ukraine and China - Taiwan are constructed by national leaders and governments in speeches and official documents. The study concludes that the realities of the economic relations do not match how asymmetries are envisioned in the examined material, and that the leaders of the countries express the economic circumstances in
Bureaucracy and politics have a tension-filled relationship. A more complex democratic system is dependent on bureaucracy and its ability to implement the decisions made, and the Weberian ideal of the neutral implementer is still the dominating one. In light of increasing reports of democratic erosion even within established representational democracies, however, this ideal comes into question. Dr
This thesis examines and analyses how masculinity is constructed and politicized in selected parts of manosphere-discourses. Drawing on Raewynn Connell's theory of masculinities, Laclau & Mouffe´s discourse theory and Mouffe's distinction between antagonism and agonism, the thesis analyzes three YouTube-based podcasts/interviews, featuring the four most prominent figures associated wit
This study examines whether Ibadi principles can be identified in Oman's diplomatic behavior in two cases: the US-Iran nuclear negotiations leading to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the Yemeni civil war. Drawing on constructivist theory, the analysis operationalizes three principles derived from the literature on Ibadism and Omani diplomacy: neutrality, consensus-seeking, a
This thesis aims at analysing the political representation of young political candidates and how their representation may vary depending on municipality types. Furthermore, the paper seeks to highlight how youth are sidelined on the party lists in terms of ballot placement. Using a quantitative approach, Swedish electoral ballots from the municipality election of 2022 are studied to distinguish ho
This study examines whether Swedish arms exports have become increasingly shaped by security-policy considerations during the period 2020-2024 compared to 2014-2019. The study is based on a quantitative panel design which aims to analyze Swedish exports of military equipment in relation to geographical, political, institutional and economic factors. The theory used in the study is neorealism com
In 2024, a historically low birth rate of 1,43 children per woman was documented in Sweden, which is the lowest figure since measurements began in 1751. The Tidö government has therefore appointed the state-inquiry Utredningen för en framtid med barn. In the state-inquiry, the declining birth rate is presented as an economic crisis whose solution is a return to a higher fertility rate. In this pap
Renewed scholarly interest in the category of history within the field of International Relations has prompted a revival of the so-called English School and its analytic emphasis on the concept of international society. This study examines the expansion of nineteenth century European international society through the theory of legal reception applied to the cases of Japan and the Ottoman empire. M
This thesis investigates how internal structures of responsibility and external accountability procedures function during an administrative crisis by examining the 2017 IT scandal at the Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen), where large-scale IT outsourcing led to severe security breaches and a major political crisis. The case is studied in the context of contemporary reforms, such as New
The healthcare system is a crucial component of the civil defence and plays an essential role in an increasingly unstable security landscape. Meanwhile, the Swedish healthcare system is characterized as an institutionally complex environment, where public and private healthcare providers coexist. The aim of this qualitative case study is to explore the institutional conditions within this relation
This research originates in how the political landscape surrounding national security has experienced a shift in recent years. In Sweden this has reflected in an increased defense expenditure within the state budget. The purpose of this study thereby surrounds how the necessity for an increased expenditure could be explained through how the concept of security is discursively constructed within Sw
This essay aims to analyze how the problem representations of terrorism threats in the Council of Europe's “Counter Terrorism Strategy” has changed over time, comparing the strategy for 2018–2022 with the strategy for 2023–207. The analysis derives from the theoretical framework of the Copenhagen School's securitization theory, through a Mixed Method Research combining the What's the p
Sweden and Europe were characterized by substantial changes in migration flows between the years of 2014 and 2023, which intensified debates regarding asylum and migration policies. As migration became increasingly politicized in Sweden, previous research points to a possible ideological convergence between the Moderate Party and the Sweden Democrats. This thesis examines how immigrants are framed
The principle of subsidiarity has a central role in EU environmental governance, formally serving as a legal-mechanism for allocating decision-making between the Union and its member states. This thesis examines how the principle functions during the legislative process, with the newly implemented EU Nature Restoration Law (Regulation (EU) 2024/1991) as the specific case, arguing that it operates
This study examines why states employ private military companies (PMCs) by analysing two prominent cases of security privatization: the Russian Wagner Group in Ukraine and the American company Blackwater in Iraq. The purpose of the study is to increase understanding of the motives and driving forces behind the use of PMCs as instruments of foreign and security policy. The study applies the theory
This thesis examines how variation in European states’ military expenditure after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 can be understood through geographic proximity to Russia, NATO membership and threat perception. The study combines a quantitative analysis of 39 European states during the period 2008–2024 with qualitative case studies of Poland, Portugal and Hungary. The theoretical f
This study investigates how geographic distance to Kyiv correlates with changes in European states military expenditures during the period 2021–2023, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Using a mixed methods approach, a quantitative analysis of 35 European countries is combined with qualitative case studies of Poland, France, and Spain. The quantitative analysis reveals a negati
This study examines the ecological risks and benefits of Bacillus thuringiensis-crops (Bt crops) through a systematic literature review. The aim is to analyse what ecological risks and benefits are highlighted in current research on Bt crops. The study focuses especially on insect resistance, effects on non-target organisms, and ecological effects in comparison with conventional farming systems. T
Föreliggande studie undersöker hur tilliten till AI vid rekryteringsprocesser är relaterad till upplevd diskriminering, tillit till AI-system generellt och upplevd moralisk stress. Mot bakgrund av AIs växande roll i rekryteringsprocesser undersöks följande forskningsfråga: “Hur påverkas tilliten till AI i rekryteringsprocesser av upplevd diskriminering, tillit till AI system och upplevd moralisk sThe present study examines how trust in AI in recruitment processes is related to perceived discrimination, general trust in AI systems and perceived moral stress. Against the background of AI´s growing role in recruitment, the following research questions is investigated: ‘’How is trust in AI in recruitment processes influenced by perceived discrimination, trust in AI systems and perceived moral
Bildandet av beläggningar på värmeväxlarytor (fouling) är ett stort problem vid värmebehandling av mejeriprodukter och växtbaserade drycker, eftersom det leder till ökat rengöringsbehov och stopp i produktionen. Konventionell rengöring använder kemiska rengöringsmedel (syra och bas), vilket har en negativ miljöpåverkan. Ett potentiellt alternativ till detta är den mer miljövänliga enzymatiska rengFouling is a major problem during heat treatment of dairy and plant-based beverages, leading to increased cleaning demand and production downtime. Conventional cleaning methods rely on chemical detergents (acids and bases), which raise sustainability concerns. A potential cleaning option is the use of enzymes, which has a lower environmental impact. Plant-based dairy alternatives are increasing i
