This thesis uses a discourse analytical approach based on Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe to critically analyze long term migration policies. Hegemony and antagonism are used to show the development of the “Root cause discourse”. The discourse is based on the assumption that mainly illegal migration from underdeveloped sender states to more developed receiving states will in time diminish due to

This thesis examines the European Union’s policy on migration into the union by third country nationals and how this policy affects the borders of the union. The theoretical foundation is in securitization and the notion that security threats are formed by the choice to treat a question as a security concern. This thesis constructs an analysis in two parts where the first part is a discourse analy

In June 2009 A.D. the Government Offices of Sweden presented an investigation about conscription as the recruitment system to Swedish Armed Forces. Behind the investigation stood a parliamentary committe with the specific mission to investigate how the recruitment should be organised in the future. The committee suggest to abolish conscription and adopt voluntary recruitment. Two members of the co

The present essay examines the family policy of the current right winged government in Sweden and essentially two recently implemented incentives that aims at increasing the freedom to choose individual child-care as well as stimulating an increased gender equality both in the private- and the public sphere. The aim is to identify the ideology that permeates the family policy and from there critic

China is an extraordinary country; in the last 30 years the economic development has moved forward in an almost impossibly high and even speed. The GDP has grown with an annual average of ten percent and placed the Chinese economy among the top three largest economies in the world. But while the economic development keep racing ahead, the democratic development has slowed down and is now standing

This thesis examines the notion of the European Union (EU) being a leader in international climate change (CC) politics. It aims at finding out whether the Union is indeed a leader in the area and how this leader role is constructed. As a leader is only a leader when it is perceived as such, the study takes into account a distinct role-theoretical approach that analyzes the self-image of the EU an

Yemen is a weak state controlled by a narrow elite relying on patronage and financial co-optation. The balancing act performed by the regime for many years in relation to tribal, religious and political power centers, is increasingly failing as different groups openly oppose the regime and as levels of domestic violence is growing. The insecurity of the regime is manifested in a state-strength dil

This thesis explores the abortion discourse in Mexico. Using constructivist and feminist theory, it uncovers values and ideas associated with women’s identities in relation to abortion. Two reports from two different governmental agencies in Mexico are analyzed with the help of discourse and qualitative text analyses. These reports are responses to the UN’s Convention on the Elimination of All For

This paper consists of a case study of the recent relative success of the populist radical right-wing party, the Sweden Democrats, in the municipality of Malmo in the southern region of Scania in Sweden. Seven explanatory factors behind radical right-wing party success in Western Europe were selected to be analyzed as they applied to this case. The chosen economic explanatory factors were; post-in

The aim of this study is to further the understanding of the individual’s prospect to contribute politically in a global setting with the means provided as a consumer. Through a descriptive qualitative literature study the conception of political consumerism and the circumstances surrounding it is analyzed. All in the light of globalization and the decreased importance of nation-state boundaries.

I denna uppsats studeras ekonomiska sanktioner som ett internationellt maktmedel. Ett studium som alltsedan kalla krigets slut växt i omfattning då detta maktmedel kommit att spela en viktigare och mer frekvent roll inom internationell politik. Just denna studie syftar till att utforska hur effektivt ekonomiska sanktioner är som internationellt maktmedel, på två parallella nivåer. Dels i en teorik

Since the opening of the Chinese borders in 1978, China has transformed in an unprecedented fashion. Constant economic reforms have converted the economy from a planned to a “socialist” market economy. Membership in the WTO has intensified China’s foreign trade and also integrated China in the world economy. Nonetheless, denial of Market Economy Status (MES) from its largest trading partner, the E

Efter Kalla Krigets slut stod Afrika inför nya interna utmaningar. Allteftersom säkerhetsläget förvärrades, ökade det internationella trycket på FN att skapa fred och stabilitet på en kontinent som nu präglades av komplexa interna konflikter. FN:s fredsbevarande insatser planerades och genomfördes på olika sätt, vilket bar med sig olika resultat. FN har blivit hårt kritiserat för hanteringen av vi

Norms can act as touch stones to understanding reality; they could be both regulative and constitutive in nature. But the extent to which norms can actually influence decision making remains a true test to the relevance of constructivist arguments. My research is both qualitative and constructivist in nature. It examines the role played by civil society actors in the internalization of human right

Common phenomenons today are so called failed states. These states are characterised by among other factors civil war, insecurity and corruption. An important step towards escaping this precarious position is ending the violent conflict that reigns in the country. Bearing this in mind I have studied transition-period, the period between a peace agreement and national elections, in three states: Si

Bush administration´s main arguments to justify the invasion of Iraq in 2003, raises many questions. The allegations that Iraq possessed illicit weapons of mass destruction (WMD) when the invasion took place has not been verified and forces have still not found any WMD in Iraq (today August 2009). In retrospect, it was recognized by the CIA that it had almost been completely wrong about intelligen

Uppsatsen avser att undersöka om demokrativärden glöms bort i den svenska EMU-debatten. Det görs med anledning av Lennart Lundquists farhåga om att demokrativärden tenderar att glömmas bort allt mer i den politiska debatten i och med nyliberala krafter. Då det är viktigt att både ekonomi- och demokrativärden finns med och verkar tillsammans, uppstår en fara för demokratin om något av dessa värden

The overall purpose with this thesis has been to consider whether cross-border cooperations funded by Interreg strengthen or undermine the nation-state. A case study has been carried out, where the South Baltic cross-border co-operation has constituted a case. The result is based on material of nineteen interviews with stakeholders from five different countries representing subnational level, nati

This study aims to present the relationships between the European Commission and a member state of the European Union during two different phases of the enforcement process of EU legislation and to explain how these relationships change. The relationships are studied and presented using a simple Principal-Agent model, in which the two main figures change sides between the different phases. The res