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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
I denna studie undersöktes levande mikroorganismer i kommersiella probiotiska produkter samt deras överlevnad i en simulerad mag-tarmmodell. Studien omfattade produkter i olika former såsom kapslar, pulver och livsmedel med varierande bakterieinnehåll och antal bakteriestammar. En första kontroll genomfördes före mag-tarmsimuleringen för att jämföra den deklarerade mängden levande mikroorganismer
Förekomsten av metalljoner i miljö och livsmedel är en viktig fråga ur både miljö och livsmedelssäkerhetsperspektiv. Traditionella metoder för metallreduktion är ofta kemiska och kan vara resurskrävande, vilket skapar behov av mer hållbara biologiska alternativ. Mjölksyrabakterier, inklusive Weissella sp. har i tidigare studier visat potential att binda metalljoner genom biosorption. Syftet med Heavy metal contamination in the environment and food systems is an important issue from both environmental and food safety perspectives. Traditional methods for metal removal are often chemical based and may be resource intensive, creating a need for more sustainable biological alternatives. Lactic acid bacteria, including Weissella sp. have in previous studies demonstrated the potential to bind
Total evapotranspiration (ET) trends remain highly consistent across FLUXCOM-X-BASE and GLEAM v4.2a, indicating a robust growing-season ET change in northern high latitudes. However, the mechanisms behind this change are less consistent than the total flux suggests. This thesis examines whether vegetation greening explains ET changes, whether ET components compensate for one another, and whether d
South Sudan is one of the world's most conflict-ridden and climate-vulnerable countries, ranking 3rd in the Fragile States Index. The young nation gained independence from Sudan in 2011 and has since been plagued by instability. In December 2013, a civil war broke out when a split between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar occurred. The conflict has had a reputation of being e
The European external action service (EEAS) is a new player on the international diplomatic scene. Created through the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, it sought to streamline European diplomacy and strengthen the EU’s position on the global arena. However, not much has been written on the actual diplomatic content of the EEAS. The purpose of this thesis it therefore to investigate the particularities of th
Can institutional expansion be interpreted as a form of state control or surveillance?Globalization and the digital era have enabled criminals to commit financial crimes and financing terrorism by moving money across borders, making it more difficult for national authorities to detect and prevent such crimes. In response to raised financial crimes, institutions have expanded their mandate and impl
The increasing demand for sustainable and more healthy protein sources has contributed to an increased interest in plant-based proteins as meat analogues, with fermentation as an approach to improve their digestibility and nutritional quality. In the present study, texturized pea-protein (TPP) was fermented with fungi (Rhizopus delemar) and lactic acid bacteria (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299
Sverige står idag inför sitt mest allvarliga säkerhetspolitiska läge sedan andra världskriget, med globala pandemier, geopolitiska konflikter och extrema väderfenomen. Dessa händelser har synliggjort sårbarheterna i ett livsmedelssystem som bygger på 'just-in-time'-distribution och ett stort beroende av externa insatsmedel. Denna uppsats undersöker tankesättet bakom regenerativa livsmedelsSweden is currently facing its most serious security policy situation since World War II, with global pandemics, geopolitical conflicts, and extreme weather events. These events have shown the vulnerabilities of a food system built on "just-in-time" distribution and heavy reliance on external inputs. This thesis explores the mindset of regenerative food systems and analyses how regenerat
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 transformed the European security environment, leading Finland and Sweden to join NATO and placing Finland, Sweden and Norway within a shared alliance framework. Despite this, the three countries retain distinct national total defence models. This thesis asks whether the post-2022 security environment is producing convergence in the total defence arc
Traditional coalition formation theory suggests that parties will aim to form minimal coalitions. Previous empirical research, however, has repeatedly shown that minority coalitions as well as oversized coalitions are common. The traditional theory assumes the coalition formation takes place in a vacuum. This thesis suggests that the logic of the coalition formation ”game” changes when parties tak
This thesis analyzes how international anti-corruption norms are expressed in the Swedish anti-corruption policy for foreign aid between 1996 and 2025. The research relies on a case study design and an analytical framework based on the modern constructivist theory. The empirical analysis is divided into two parts. First, an analysis of the anti-corruption policy documents of the OECD, the UN, and
This thesis examines the relationship between gender and corruption within Swedish municipalities. While Sweden is frequently associated with honest governance, concerns regarding corruption have increased in recent years, particularly in municipalities due to their corruption-prone operations. Previous research remains divided on whether women reduce corruption or if the relationship is better ex
AI has become a prominent topic in discussion concerning defence, innovation and disinformation. While the societal benefits of AI have been widely recognized, forming the basis for Sweden’s expanded promotion of AI– the implications of certain AI technologies have nevertheless been framed as harmful, and in some cases even dangerous. The aim of this thesis is to examine how AI is constructed in S
