| 1. |
- Eriksson [Engvall], Gunilla, 1976-
(författare)
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The intelligence discourse : the Swedish military intelligence (MUST) as a producer of knowledge
- 2013
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The Swedish Military Intelligence and Security Directorate (MUST) is a producer of knowledge, a knowledge that is fundamental for decisionmaking in foreign and security policy. The intelligence knowledge production is often held as objective, value neutral, and with the intention of ‘speaking truth onto power’. However, this study holds that such a perspective on intelligence knowledge production calls for a revision. Hence, the overall purpose of this study is to examine the characteristics of knowledge in intelligence analysis and also to investigate how that knowledge is affected by the social context of its production, the military intelligence service. The source material is of three kinds; first texts and documents, second interviews with intelligence analysts and managers, and third observations of seminars and meetings during the production process of estimates.The results are that there is a strong presence of an implicit interpretive framework that continuously influences and guides the knowledge production and thereby makes the knowledge dependent on one specific perspective contrary to the intentional objectivity within the intelligence service. Further, the study reveals that the social and discursive practices for intelligence knowledge production include a ‘logic of appropriateness’ suggesting the presence of a structured Denkkollektiv with a structured Denkstil. The actions and choices of the individuals are transformed to create conformity to the norms within the social discursive practices. Thus, the inherited frame of interpretation, as well as the socialised norm of staying within the existing accepted frames ofthinking and acting ends up to the stability and duration of the not always accurate and fruitful Denkstil.At the core of political science resides the question of how policy is shaped. Even though this study has focused merely on one organisation in a specific policy field in one country it brings insights to the knowledge and policy nexus.
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| 2. |
- Bal, Zelal, 1978-
(författare)
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Pro-kurdiska politiska motståndsstrategier i Turkiet : en diskursiv analys
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis focuses on pro-kurdish activism in Turkey during 2005–2009. It is based on a large number of interviews conducted with activists within the Diyarbakır area. The form of activism that this study seeks to describe is civil and political activism conducted within the legal framework ofTurkey’s judicial system and international law.The purpose of this thesis is to examine what kind of resistance strategies are used by pro-Kurdish political activists in Turkey, focusing on how these strategies are reflected in the language used by the respondents. The main question posed in the thesis is: What resistance strategies are used within the pro-Kurdish movement in Turkey? Two additional questions were also posed in order to make it possible to answer the main question. The first of these is: What external conditions influence pro-Kurdish mobilization in Turkey during the study’s time frame? In order to answer this question a theoretical framework is used that includes theories about ethnopolitical mobilization and political opportunity structures. The second question is: What resistance strategies are reflected in the language used by the pro-Kurdish activists?An important resistance strategy used by the pro-Kurdish activists is to adapt the language used in public communication to the legal and political environment in which they find themselves. They make linguistic choices in order to convey political messages while minimizing the legal consequences of doing so. The resistance strategies reflected in the interviews with the activists also include efforts to build organizations and cooperations at different levels, ranging from the international to the local level. Resistance strategies also include choices regarding what medium and language to use in promoting pro-Kurdish politics.
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| 3. |
- Gerth, Robert, 1978-
(författare)
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The Role of Production Topology in Information Based Structuring of Organizations : The design of craft-based and industrialized construction firms
- 2013
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Industrialization of construction is a business strategy to significantly improve competitiveness. However, the organization structure of the construction firms needs to support the new production system. The knowledge on why and how this business development can be accomplished is scarce, both within academia and in business practice. This research seeks to fill this knowledge gap.The purpose of organization structure and the production system have is to coordinate the firm’s processes and control the work performing resources. Information is one of the most fundamental dimensions for steering and controlling the work. The different information types are determined by the firm’s product customization strategy and the production system flexibility. Further, diverse information types are managed in different extent by the organizational steering mechanisms. Consequently, firms with dissimilar customization strategy or production flexibility should organizationally be designed differently in order to be efficient.The developed model identifies four generic production topologies: “engineer-to-order” (ETO), “manufacture-to-order” (MTO), “assembly-to-order” (ATO), and “make-standard-products” (MSP). The differences between the topologies can be related to the location of the “customer-order-decoupling-point” (CODP) in the product realization process; and to what extent the upstream and downstream processes continuously use stored information or process information to accomplish the work of each product order. The model predicts which organization structure mechanisms that should be used for which processes for each production topology. It is the specific configuration of the mechanisms that gives each production topology their organizational capability. The model has been validated by case studies in four organizations, each representing one of the four generic production topologies. Three cases considered housing and one studied truck manufacturing.It has been shown that the conventional housing firms have an ETO-production topology, while industrialized housing firms belonging to one of the others, i.e. MTO, ATO or MSP. The reason is that ETO-firms rely on crafts-based production to manage the work, while the other topologies base their steering mechanisms on industrial principles. These two types of production are fundamentally different, which also explain the need for different organization structures. The research complements previous knowledge and significantly increases the ability to predict, analyze and explain an organization’s design and behavior. The model can be used in practice to guide business development work and performance improvement programs.
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| 4. |
- Lindberg, Emy, 1985-
(författare)
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Dream Machine : an Ethnography of Football Migration between Ghana and Sweden
- 2023
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis examines football migration between Ghana and Sweden. Based on multi-sited, transnational, part-time ethnographic fieldwork that spanned 22 months between 2017 and 2019, it focuses on the everyday realities of Ghanaian football migrants throughout their labor migration trajectory. At the same time, the thesis contextualizes these experiences within the larger historical processes of neoliberalism, colonialism, and the transatlantic slave trade. The theoretical framework draws on literature concerning dreams and aspirations, time and migration, family structures, race, and the enduring impact of colonialism. The thesis sheds light on the historical connection between Ghanaian and Swedish football as a colonial project, a national project, and a global postcolonial phenomenon, emphasizing the political economy of football migration. By zooming in on dreams and the footballing body, it then examines footballers as neoliberal entrepreneurs of themselves as well as objects of the industry’s racialized dreams. Next, the thesis draws attention to the temporal aspects of football migration, including institutional borders, capitalist timelines, and the time of the footballing body. The thesis goes on to explore family structures, particularly fatherhood, in the migratory and footballing context, showing how these structures are interconnected with the business interests of the global football industry. It further demonstrates how race and racialization are present in the Swedish footballing context and finally looks at return migration, investigating how migrant footballers seek to repay economic and social debts. As performers on a commercialized global stage, the footballers embody the dreams of people all over the world. They are commodified and seen as investments for the future, both by people at home and by those working in the industry. Their success generates profit and shows that the dream of migration and the dream of football can come true. This thesis uses the metaphor of the dream machine to understand how dreams operate both globally and locally. It examines the linkages between maintenance of the footballing body, transactions of care, practices of social inclusion and racialized exclusion, and the functioning of the global capitalist football industry. Doing so, it emphasizes the meaningfulness of the migration trajectory for individual footballers and their networks, placing these relationships at the very heart of the beautiful game.
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| 5. |
- Bagge, Mats, 1971-
(författare)
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Process planning for precision manufacturing : An approach based on methodological studies
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Process planning is a task comprising a broad range of activities to design and develop an appropriate manufacturing process for producing a part. Interpretation of the part design, selection of manufacturing processes, definition of operations, operation sequences, machining datums, geometrical dimensions and tolerances are some common activities associated with the task. Process planning is also “the link between product design and manufacturing” with the supplementary commission to support design of competitive products.Process planning is of a complex and dynamic nature, often managed by a skilled person with few, or no, explicit methods to solve the task. The work is heuristic and the result is depending on personal experiences and decisions. Since decades, there have been plenty of attempts to develop systems for computer-aided process planning (CAPP). CAPP is still awaiting its breakthrough and one reason is the gap between the functionality of the CAPP systems and the industrial process planning practice.This thesis has an all-embracing aim of finding methods that cover essential activities for process planning, including abilities to predict the outcome of a proposed manufacturing process. This is realised by gathering supporting methods suitable to manage both qualitative and quantitative characterisation and analyses of a manufacturing process.The production research community has requested systematisation and deeper understanding of industrial process planning. This thesis contributes with a flow chart describing the process planning process (PPP), in consequence of the methodological studies. The flow chart includes process planning activities and information flows between these activities.The research has been performed in an industrial environment for high volume manufacturing of gear parts. Though gear manufacturing has many distinctive features, the methods and results presented in this thesis are generally applicable to precision manufacturing of many kinds of mechanical parts.
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| 6. |
- Bergström, Göran, 1964, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence of Subclinical Coronary Artery Atherosclerosis in the General Population
- 2021
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Ingår i: Circulation. - Philadelphia : American Heart Association. - 0009-7322 .- 1524-4539. ; 144:12, s. 916-929
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Early detection of coronary atherosclerosis using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), in addition to coronary artery calcification (CAC) scoring, may help inform prevention strategies. We used CCTA to determine the prevalence, severity, and characteristics of coronary atherosclerosis and its association with CAC scores in a general population.Methods: We recruited 30 154 randomly invited individuals age 50 to 64 years to SCAPIS (the Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage Study). The study includes individuals without known coronary heart disease (ie, no previous myocardial infarctions or cardiac procedures) and with high-quality results from CCTA and CAC imaging performed using dedicated dual-source CT scanners. Noncontrast images were scored for CAC. CCTA images were visually read and scored for coronary atherosclerosis per segment (defined as no atherosclerosis, 1% to 49% stenosis, or ≥50% stenosis). External validity of prevalence estimates was evaluated using inverse probability for participation weighting and Swedish register data.Results: In total, 25 182 individuals without known coronary heart disease were included (50.6% women). Any CCTA-detected atherosclerosis was found in 42.1%; any significant stenosis (≥50%) in 5.2%; left main, proximal left anterior descending artery, or 3-vessel disease in 1.9%; and any noncalcified plaques in 8.3% of this population. Onset of atherosclerosis was delayed on average by 10 years in women. Atherosclerosis was more prevalent in older individuals and predominantly found in the proximal left anterior descending artery. Prevalence of CCTA-detected atherosclerosis increased with increasing CAC scores. Among those with a CAC score >400, all had atherosclerosis and 45.7% had significant stenosis. In those with 0 CAC, 5.5% had atherosclerosis and 0.4% had significant stenosis. In participants with 0 CAC and intermediate 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease according to the pooled cohort equation, 9.2% had CCTA-verified atherosclerosis. Prevalence estimates had excellent external validity and changed marginally when adjusted to the age-matched Swedish background population.Conclusions: Using CCTA in a large, random sample of the general population without established disease, we showed that silent coronary atherosclerosis is common in this population. High CAC scores convey a significant probability of substantial stenosis, and 0 CAC does not exclude atherosclerosis, particularly in those at higher baseline risk.
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| 7. |
- Carlfjord, Siw, 1959-
(författare)
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The Challenge of Changing Practice : Applying Theory in the Implementation of an Innovation in Swedish Primary Health Care
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: The translation of new knowledge, such as research findings, new tools or methods into health care practice has gained increased interest in recent years. Important factors that determine implementation outcome have been identified, and models and checklists to be followed in planning as well as in carrying out an implementation process have been produced. However, there are still knowledge gaps regarding what approach should be used in which setting and for which problems. Primary health care (PHC) in Sweden is an area where there is a paucity of research regarding implementation of new methods into practice. The aim of the thesis was to apply theory in the study of the implementation of an innovation in Swedish PHC, and identify factors that influenced outcome.Methods: The study was performed using a quasi-experimental design, and included six PHC units, two from each one of three county councils in the southeast part of Sweden. A computer-based lifestyle intervention tool (CLT) developed to facilitate addressing lifestyle issues, was introduced at the units. Two different strategies were used for the introduction, both aiming to facilitate the process: a theory-based explicit strategy and an implicit strategy requiring a minimum of effort. Data collection was performed at baseline, and after six, nine and 24 months. Questionnaires were distributed to staff and managers, and data was also collected from the CLT database and county council registers. Implementation outcome was defined as the proportion of eligible patients being referred to the CLT, and was also measured in terms of Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance according to the RE-AIM framework. Interviews were performed in order to explore experiences of the implementation process as perceived by staff and managers.Results: A positive organizational climate seemed to promote implementation. Organizational changes or staff shortages coinciding with the implementation process had a negative influence on outcome. The explicit implementation strategy seemed to be more effective than the implicit strategy in the short term, but the differences levelled out over time. The adopters’ perceptions of the implementation seemed to be influenced by the existing professional sub-cultures. Successful implementation was associated with positive expectations, perceptions of the innovation being compatible with existing routines and perceptions of relative advantage.Conclusions: The general conclusion is that when theory was applied in the implementation of a lifestyle intervention tool in Swedish PHC, factors related to the adopters and to the innovation seemed to be more important over time than the strategy used. Staff expectations, perceptions of the innovation’s relative advantage and potential compatibility with existing routines were found to be positively associated with implementation outcome, and other major organizational changes concurrent with implementation seemed to affect the outcome in a negative way. Values, beliefs and behaviour associated with the existing sub-cultures in PHC appeared to influence how the implementation of an innovation was perceived by managers and the different professionals.
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| 8. |
- Gröning, Inger, 1945-
(författare)
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Språk, interaktion och lärande i mångfaldens skola
- 2006
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis consists of an introductory summary and three studies focusing language, interaction, and learning in multilingual schools. The overall aim of the thesis is to contribute to the understanding of student learning in diverse schools. The first study of the thesis examines the field of cooperative learning with the aim of summarizing, in an overview, research that addresses small group activities in heterogeneous classrooms. The overview indicates that this research is dominated by input-output studies. Process-oriented studies of student interaction constitute a smaller part of research within this field.The two subsequent studies were carried out in three multilingual middle school classes in Sweden. The second study concentrates mainly on the second language learners of these classes with the aim of describing language and learning conditions in actual classrooms. A main finding of the study is that second language students fell behind their monolingual Swedish speaking peers in social studies and in other subjects across the curriculum. The study also shows that students form separate groups of Swedes and immigrants inside as well as outside the classroom.The third study investigates small group activities in the above mentioned classes. The aim of the study is to gain insight into students’ joint problem-solving processes and thereby provide a broader understanding of learning as socially and interactionally constituted. The data consists of video recordings of small group conversations from which language-related episodes were identified, transcribed and studied applying conversation analysis methods. The findings show that the students are able to scaffold each other effectively in co-constructing linguistic knowledge through social interaction. At the same time, negotiations of power and status are included in their problem-solving processes.
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| 9. |
- Jezierska, Katarzyna, 1979-
(författare)
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Radical democracy redux : politics and subjectivity beyond Habermas and Mouffe
- 2011
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis investigates two contemporary theories of radical democracy, Jürgen Habermas’s deliberative and Chantal Mouffe’s agonistic democracy. By bringing the two scholars together and constructing a debate between them, their respective strengths and weaknesses are highlighted and the similarities and differences are pointed out. Habermas and Mouffe are seldom dealt with simultaneously as they represent different theoretical traditions, critical theory and post-structuralism respectively. This thesis argues that we can learn from both of them. The aim of the thesis is to clarify and critically assess Chantal Mouffe’s and Jürgen Habermas’s versions of radical democracy, their disparate visions of democratic politics and subjectivity, in order to clear the ground for a third position that draws inspiration from both of them. The methodological inspiration comes from the deconstructive approach to interpretation, and thus the study aspires to a ‘just reading’ while being conscious of the elements of violence inherent to any instances of reading. The main bulk of the thesis is dedicated to an analysis of the two authors’ theories of democracy and subjectivity, which leads on to the third position situated beyond the two. From Habermas I take the stress on political communication and intersubjectivity, while both these concepts are extensively reformulated. The elements I reject from his position are the orientation to consensus and the strong requirements of coherence and transparency of the subject. From Mouffe I take the accent on the agonistic spirit of democracy, while setting aside the ontological status of antagonism. Her conception of split subjectivity is included, but supplemented with a more explicit theorization of the unity of the subject in the element of intersubjective meetings. The third position on radical democracy embraces the fundamental status of undecidability, which calls for an ethos of questioning.
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| 10. |
- Jämte, Jan, 1979-
(författare)
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Antirasismens många ansikten
- 2013
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis contributes to the knowledge and understanding of the anti-racist movement in Sweden by describing its development from the early 1930s to the mid-2000s. It pays special attention to mapping and analyzing the ideas that have motivated anti-racist activities and their importance for mobilizing support and movement activity. Using the theoretical toolbox of the framing perspective, the strengths, weaknesses, possibilities and limitations of different anti-racist frames are discussed, as are the consequences of different types of intra-movement frame disputes and frame contests with external actors.By tracing and describing the historical development of the movement and different types of anti-racist frames, I create a typology of different anti-racist actors - what I call pragmatic, radical and moderate anti-racists. The activities of these types of actors are described throughout the long and winding history of the movement. In the thesis, the movement’s history is divided into four waves of protest. The movement’s roots stretch back to the 1930s and the struggle against Fascism and Nazism. It continues during the 1960s and onwards with the anti-apartheid movement, the 1980s mass mobilizations against domestic racist groups and the intensified struggles of the last decades against racist extremism, right-wing populism and various aspects of structural racism. Based on the typology, three cases are selected for further scrutiny. Pragmatic anti-racism is studied through the activities of Stoppa rasismen (Stop racism) in the 1980s, radical anti-racism through Antifascistisk aktion (Antifascist action, also known as AFA) during the 1990s and moderate anti-racism through Samling mot rasism och diskriminering (Gathering against racism and discrimination) at the turn of the millennium. By gaining access to extensive empirical material I have been able to follow each case from its first steps to its downfall. The material has been gathered from a variety of sources using different qualitative techniques. I have conducted semi-structured interviews with activists and analyzed protocols, pamphlets, journals, internal bulletins, mails, posters, speeches, web pages that have been disbanded, pictures, films and books.The analysis shows that the different types of actors face different challenges, and have different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to mobilizing consensus and fostering participation. However, the three actors have also faced common challenges when trying to mobilize against racism given the national context, the self-image of Sweden as a tolerant, open and egalitarian country and the dominant views of racism, which taken together has turned racism into a serious but fairly marginal problem. The analysis also shows the effects of frame disputes and frame contests with regard to diagnostic, prognostic and motivational aspects of framing. At times the dividing lines have led to a broadening of the movement and its work, creating a wide mobilization potential and a strong multitudinous movement. During other periods the differences have contributed to long and profound conflicts that have drained the organizations and activists of time, resources and energy. Instead of focusing on combating their opponents, the anti-racist groups have been engulfed in internal strife, which has severely fragmented, divided and weakened the movement and hindered mobilization – contributing to turning the movement into a dispersed “milieu” by the mid-2000s. The thesis concludes with a chapter discussing how the empirical applicability of the framing perspective can be improved.
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