The aim of this dissertation is to analyse women's political representation in the Swedish parliament 1970-2002, a period during which the share of women parliamentarians increased from 14 to 45 percent, and to assess changes in party rules and party norms in terms of regulative and discursive continuity and change. Inspired by Carol Lee Bacchi's "What's the Problem? Approach," with its focus on the construction of political problems rather than "the problem" as such, this dissertation studies how Swedish political parties have formulated the problem of women's exclusion from parliamentary politics, what causes of women's under representation they have identified and what solutions they have proposed. The dissertation also studies how party rules to increase the number of women have been implemented in the 2002 nomination process. The dissertation is based on party documents from the period 1970-2002, a national survey to all nomination committees in the parliamentary election in 2002 and 70 interviews with nomination committee members for three political parties in two electoral constituencies. The analysis shows how both party rules and party norms regarding women's political representation have changed over time. The analysis also shows that the framing of women's representation changed over time: from an optimistic view of historical development, gender equality as 'equal opportunity' and harmony between the sexes to a critical view on historical development and gender equality as 'equality of results'. The analysis of the nomination process shows that gender is still a key issue in the composition of party lists but that the number of women on party lists in some parties is dependent on women gatekeepers on the nomination committees. It also shows that the ordering of the list is highly dependent on the candidate list from the previous election and that this order of succession also covers non-winnable seats.
Familjelantbruket har genom historien haft en central roll för att producera samhällsviktiga konsumtionsvaror. Den starka industrialiseringen under 1900-talet har familjen fortsatt att utgöra en essentiell grund för produktionen inom de gröna näringarna. Tillgången på billig arbetskraft har utgjort grunden för familjelantbrukets överlevnad inom ramarna för den kapitalistiska marknadsekonomin. Familjen som källa till arbetskraft skapar en större flexibilitet i form av arbetsförhållanden, arbetstider, arbetsmiljö och ekonomi, i en produktion som i stor utsträckning är manuell och därför tidskrävande. Studiet av arbetsdelningen och ägandet könskodning inom familjelantbruket har bidragit till förståelsen av familjens roll i kvinnors underordning. Kärnfamiljen, liksom landsbygden, är två centrala nationella symboler som är starkt politiskt kodade och nära knutna till vår förståelse av svenskhet. Den sociala organiseringen av familjen bidrar till framställandet av de samhälliga hierarkierna och relationerna som naturaliga. Barn socialiseras in i gårdens arbete samt deras sociala position och identitet. Därigenom spelar den rurala kärnfamiljen en betydande symbolisk roll i upprätthållandet av heterosexuella ideologin och den patriarkala arbetsdelningen inom familjen. Därför är det av stor betydelse att undersöka hur kön kodar arbetsuppgifter, ägande och ojämlikhet i organiseringen av familjelantbruket. De sociala relationerna är inte en deterministisk process av inordnande, utan en process som formas av subjekt, agentskap och motstånd, vilket tar sig utryck på olika sätt och genom skiftande strategier. Genusvetenskapen inom landbygdsforskningen har en dryg fyrtioårig historia som akademiskt fält. I strömmarna efter den andra vågens kvinnorörelser formerades fältets ursprungliga forskningsmål som främst syftade att ifrågasätta den rådande bilden av den manliga lantbrukaren och synliggöra kvinnors arbete och deltagande inom landbygdens produktion. Under 80-talet förde marxistiskt och strukturalistiskt inspirerade forskare upp betydelsen av den socioekonomiska kontexten för kvinnors erfarenheter och liv i västvälden och utvecklingsländerna. Under 90-talet ökade mekaniseringen av lantbruket, vilket medförde att kvinnornas roll på gården förändrades till följd av att deras arbete ofta ersattes av maskiner. Denna process belyser ytterligare den ojämlika värderingen av arbetet på gården och i hushållet. Den tidigare förståelsen av kön, som en fix och distinkt kategori, ersattes av ett mer socialkonstruktivistiska synsätt. Förståelsen av genusrelationerna som könade praktiker och meningsskapande ersatte gradvis könsrollstänkandet. Identitetsforskningen har vidgat det rurala genusperspektivet till att även omfatta klass, etnicitet, rasifiering, ålder och sexualitet i studerandet av ojämlikhet. Familjelantbruket, i sin rurala kontext, har halkat efter den allmänna utvecklingen inom jämställdhetsområdet, vilket grundar sig i flera olika faktorer. För att öka jämställdheten inom familjelantbruket är det viktigt att analyser den sociala organiseringen av ojämställdhet inom detsamma. I denna process har både de kvalitativa och kvantitativa metoderna en fruktbar och viktig roll. Statistikens främsta användningsområde är att synliggöra orättvisor, underminera stereotyper och utgöra grunden för politiska beslut som syftar mot ett mer jämlikt samhälle. Kvantitativa metoder är ett bra verktyg för att fånga den strukturella organiseringen av samhället och erbjuder, i ifrågasättandet av singulariteten, en bredare bild av den sociala världen. Det är däremot viktigt att betona att definierandet av statistiska data är mer än teknikalitet, utan även något djupt politiskt. Genusvetenskapen inom landbygdsforskningen har etablerat sig som ett särkilt fält inom rural sociologi, geografi och ekonomi. Problematiken kring fältets isolering kvarstår drygt tjugo år efter att det för först gången påtalades av forskare. För att utveckla fältet empiriskt och teoretiskt krävs det att fältet vidgas och även involverar andra discipliner och akademiska fält. Det är viktigt att skapa grunder för breda forskarnätverk samt att föra ut forskningsresultat och diskussioner i både offentlig debatt och till andra akademiska fält. I studierna av familjelantbruket är det nödvändigt att inkludera kunskaper från andra akademiska fält som t.ex. familjestudier, genusvetenskap, arbetsvetenskap, ekonomi och organisationssociologi. Det är angeläget att bredda de sociala perspektiven och se till hur olika sociala relationer formar ojämställdheten inom familjelantbruket. Ojämställdhet kan inte separeras från andra ojämlikheter på samma sätt som kön inte kan särskiljas från andra sociala relationer. I detta utgör det intersektionella perspektivet ett alternativ till identitetpolitik. I flera offentliga utredningar betonas behovet av en tydligare koppling mellan teoretisk genusvetenskap och praktiskt jämställdhetsarbete. Jag har intentioner att med min forskning bidra till den teoretiska och metodologiska utvecklingen, och därmed vidga den genusvetenskapen inom landbygdsforskningen. En sådan utveckling öppnar upp fältet i förhållandet till dess omvärld och inkluderar ett brett socialt perspektiv med hjälp av både kvalitativa och kvantitativa metoder.
In this research anthology, inequality in Swedish working life in a Sweden marked by increased inequality, is studied. Racialised inequality, racism and discrimination in individual workplaces are focused, but inequalities based on class and gender are also studied. The concept of inequality regime is used by several of the authors to analyse work organizations. The workplaces studied are found in different sectors, not least in healthcare. The book also includes contributions that provide comparative international perspectives and studies of the development of inequality over time. The anthology contains 12 chapters based on empirical studies of working life, one chapter that analyses working life inequality from a political theory perspective, an introduction and a closing chapter that frames and draws conclusions from the different studies, as well as an afterword. The authors are 22 researchers from different social science disciplines.
The aim is to offer an overview in queer theory designed for political scientists. First of all queer theory is placed in a context of feminist studies, gay and lesbian studies, the discursive turn in social science, postmodern approaches to identity, postcolonial theory and Foucault's ideas of power. Then I highlight the political theorist Shane Phelan and her considerations in citizenship. Taking a critical stance against the Modern use of binaries, Phelan argues that acknowledgement of strangeness/strangers should be given priority in ethical aspects of citizenship. In the third section I refer to Butler's theories about gender performativity and the heterosexual matrix, Sedgwick's approach to the concept of homosexuality as well as Rubin's theory about sexual hierarchies. Finally queer theory is neither antifeminist nor profeminist. Yet this theory may support feminist goals. Adapted from the source document.
The aim of this thesis is to analyse how space heating for single-family houses, and energy system conversion has been constructed and discussed at national, municipal and household levels. Political documents have been studied, and interviews have been carried out with politicians, civil servants and householders in the municipality of Falun. In order to study and analyse similarities and differences between these three political levels, the following main questions were asked: In which sense is the use of electrical heating formulated as problematic? How are the causes of these problems presented, and which solutions are suggested? What are the effects of how problems, causes and solutions are constructed? At the national level, the use of electricity produced by nuclear power was considered a problem. Initially the municipality's policy documents present the same problem, but there is a change of focus to the problem of imported electricity produced by fossil fuel, and the resulting emissions. At household level, the problem was often an old and badly functioning space-heating system. But some households did not formulate a problem before they converted. Instead they were influenced by their neighbours and thereby convinced. At all three political levels, there is consensus on the households' responsibility concerning energy transition. While industry tends to be considered incapable of cutting down its energy consumption, households are expected to take the responsibility seriously. Furthermore, within the household, the heating system tends to be constructed as a predominantly male concern. At all three levels, households are perceived as dependant on economical subsidies when taking the decision to convert from electrical heating. Although it is interesting that the interviewed householders only apply this view to others than themselves. They are convinced that other households need subsidies to act in an environmentally correct way. The discourse concerning the Swedish energy transition illustrates a shift away from a definition of ecological modernisation where environmental considerations influence economic development. The thesis clearly shows how economic arguments repeatedly influence environmental concerns. However, the tension between the two is played down and concealed through the lack of problematisation of the responsibility of industry, and through the focus on the need for education and future opportunities. Political dialogues concerning the use of electrical heating and the conversion of energy systems towards more renewable energies are dominated by economic arguments at the three levels. One effect of this is an assumption that energy policy instruments such as information and economic subsidies are essential for the energy transition. However, if householders rather are influenced by their neighbours should the government use economic subsidy as the main energy policy instrument?
Continued unsustainability and surpassed planetary boundaries require not only scientific and technological advances, but deep and enduring social and cultural changes. The purpose of this article is to contribute a theoretical approach to understand conditions and constraints for societal change towards sustainable development. In order to break with unsustainable norms, habits, practices, and structures, there is a need for learning for transformation, not only adaption. Based on a critical literature review within the field of learning for sustainable development, our approach is a development of the concept of transformative learning, by integrating three additional dimensions—Institutional Structures, Social Practices, and Conflict Perspectives. This approach acknowledges conflicts on macro, meso, and micro levels, as well as structural and cultural constraints. It contends that transformative learning is processual, interactional, long-term, and cumbersome. It takes place within existing institutions and social practices, while also transcending them. The article adopts an interdisciplinary social science perspective that acknowledges the importance of transformative learning in order for communities, organizations, and individuals to be able to deal with global sustainability problems, acknowledging the societal and personal conflicts involved in such transformation.
En tredjedel av all mat som produceras försvinner på vägen. Det innebär att en stor del av den negativa miljöpåverkan som livsmedelsproduktionen står för, har skett alldeles i onödan. I EU:s livsmedelsstrategi är matsvinn en av nyckelfrågorna.
The aim of introducing agroforestry and community-based forestry is to secure and improve livelihoods, maintain and restore ecosystem services, and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, the adoption and scaling up of these systems among food insecure communities have proved to be difficult. To better understand why, I identified barriers and bridges at different adoption stages and levels of governance. These were analysed using policy narratives and the sustainable livelihood approach in the light of sustainable development, sustainability and resilience of landscapes. The first stage was the negotiation process between the Swedish NGO Vi-Skogen and the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) about funding. Three explanatory approaches were used: organizational, power and context. Vi-Skogen and Sida were caught in policy incompatibility dilemmas that slowed down the NGO policy process, and delayed critical changes that could have improved project outcomes. The second was Vi-Skogen's agroforestry project in Tanzania's Mara Region. A random sample of 21 households was drawn from each of 89 project villages. The proportion of households with surviving agroforestry trees varied from 10-90 % among villages. Field training and visits to farmers with good practices were important for households to start planting trees. Local collaboration, perceived ownership of trees and benefits of trees for crop production were additional factors important for households' decision to continue with agroforestry practices. The third was eleven community-based forest producer and user groups (CBFGs) in eastern and southern Africa. Development of many groups had stagnated and few had managed to develop large scale value-added production. I identified eight barriers and four bridges that influenced the scaling up process of agroforestry and community based forestry among food insecure households. All resulted from interactions among social, political, and economic structures and processes at multiple ...
Bergslagen in south-central Sweden is an informal region with a long history of intensive land use. The legacies of than 2000 years of integrated use of ore, forests and water major national and international economic importance now involve several challenges for the maintenance of landscapes. This includes sustainability of rural and urban communities, of green infrastructures for natural capital and human well-being as well as of forests, river basins and mining. In response to this cross-sectoral integration necessary at multiple levels of public, private and civil as well as academia and schools. Landscapes need thus to be viewed as integrated socio-ecological systems. Collaboration and continuous learning among actors and stakeholders are needed for sustainable use and management of landscapes' goods, services and values. To support this requires (1) data, monitoring and assessment of different aspects of sustainability, (2) continuous knowledge production about material and immaterial landscape values relevant for the management of ecological, economic, social and cultural dimensions, (3) information and communication using both traditional media, as well as (4) through art and culture. the vision to contribute to satisfying these requirements Sustainable Bergslagen initiative emerged gradually since 2004 as a multi-level partnership for sustainable landscapes (www.bergslagen.org). By joining the International Model Forest Network (IMFN), and the network for Long Term Socio-Economic and Ecological Research (LTSER), actors and stakeholders can learn from other regions' sustainable development processes, and make Bergslagen more visible internationally.
-Sustainable landscapes require evidence-based knowledge about multiple goods, services and values, as well as integrated place-based collaboration among actors and stakeholders at multiple levels. -EUROSCAPES is an international network of researchers, journalists and practitioners that supports sharing of knowledge about how to maintain and develop sustainable landscapes. --Euro. is about the diversity of places in the European continent's East and West - from the Ural Mountains and Caucasus to the Atlantic Ocean. --.scapes links to the word landscape, which has biophysical, anthropogenic and perceived dimensions. -EUROSCAPES gathers and communicates knowledge using three series of publications: --EUROSCAPES News with short texts and illustrations that can be used by journalists. --EUROSCAPES Communication with popular summaries of peer-reviewed publications and reports. --EUROSCAPES Report with longer peer-reviewed comprehensive text. -EUROSCAPES uses the web site www.euroscapes.org to disseminate these publication series using five themes: People, Places, Practices, Projects, and Publications.
Local natural resources (LNRs) are essential for the socioeconomy of rural societies. The United Nations (UN) Agenda 21 and "Our Common Future" state that local spatial planning is central for the prospect of balancing ecological, social and economic sustainable development (SuD). Stakeholder participation in spatial planning enhances acceptance and improves preconditions for successful planning outcomes. Consequently, it is important to increase knowledge about LNRs and the use of them and to integrate such knowledge in local spatial participatory planning with a landscape perspective. These opening statements apply to Swedish boreal municipalities and describe the intentions of Swedish municipal comprehensive planning (MCP). The purpose of this work was to examine and analyze the preconditions for integrating MCP with a landscape perspective in rural municipalities. The thesis is based on case studies in Swedish, rural, municipal contexts reported in five papers. In Papers I & II, local businesses in Vilhelmina Municipality were surveyed to describe the societal importance of LNRs. The results showed that LNRs are vital to 78 % of the businesses, of which half are based on forest farming, and there are strong bonds between entrepreneurs, their businesses, the municipality and LNRs. Papers III & IV present and discuss the characteristics of MCP in theory and practice. An e-mail survey was sent to municipal officials in all Swedish mountain municipalities. MCP-stakeholders in municipalities in Bergslagen, in central Sweden, were interviewed. Respondents in both case studies stated a belief that MCP can offer prospects in planning for SuD. However, resources and stakeholder participation in planning are generally scarce, especially in rural municipalities. Paper V illustrates how new knowledge on forest land use (to support MCP) can be gained by combining spatial and temporal data on forest condition, owners and land use values in a geographic information system (GIS). This thesis provides scientific and practical contributions to aid in efforts aiming for SuD. It is done by framing MCP theoretically and contextually and by suggesting that MCP should be extended to include forest land use and by stressing the rural context in local spatial participatory planning. Opportunities in MCP have to be embraced, but local governments need enhanced knowledge about local land use, specifically forest land use. Moreover, stakeholder participation needs to be developed, requiring more resources. In the case of a Swedish rural municipality, it is crucial that efforts are made to develop MCP as a tool, not just in theory but also in practice.
Much of the effort to address environmental issues at the local level has focused on defining principles and aims rather than addressing the operational difficulties of implementation. Drawing upon insights from sustainability scholarship, this study reviews two cases: the development of a Swedish standard for implementing sustainable development at municipality, county council, and regional levels, and attempts by a small rural municipality to establish a process towards implementing the Aalborg Commitments. The research illustrates the specific organizational and managerial complexity of these case study experiences. It concludes that an organizational focus on integration and mainstreaming deserves particular attention to achieve broader sustainability, or related environmental or adaptation goals. The results, in particular, highlight the role that integrated management systems can play for sustainability work at the local level.
