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En kandidatavhandling där jag presenterar kvinnlig sexualitet och sexuellt självförtroende utgående från termen ”erotic empowerment” och sexuell autonomi. Mitt syfte med avhandlingen är att diskutera kvinnors utveckling av sexuellt självförtroende och vilka genushierarkiska och sexualitetskontrollerande villkor som sätter utmaningar för detta. Till en början presenterar jag en teoretisk bakgrund där jag lyfter fram den kvinnliga sexualitetens plats i samhället. Jag ger ett historiskt perspektiv på kvinnlig sexualitet och presenterar teorier till varför och hur kvinnors sexualitet har kontrollerats samhälleligt. För att fortsätta diskussionen om kvinnlig sexualitet fokuserar jag i resten av kapitlen på ämnena feministisk pornografi, gränsöverskridande beteende och kommersiell erotisk konsumtion. Dessa tre ämnen är relevanta eftersom de kan vara praktiker för kvinnor att ta del av för att utveckla och förbättra sitt sexuella självförtroende. Feministisk pornografi kan visa kvinnor hur olika sorter av njutning och lust är acceptabelt. Jag diskuterar hur pornografin kan, liksom sexuellt kommersiella utbud, uppmuntra kvinnor till att bejaka och acceptera sin egen sexualitet. I diskussionsdelen lyfter jag fram hur feminint kodade normer för sexuellt beteende kan fungera som vägledning för kvinnor och använder Goffmans teatermetafor för att förtydliga denna tanke. Sexuella normer kan både vara tröstande och bra för en del kvinnor och erbjuda trygga referensramar medan de för andra kan upplevas som begränsande. Jag lyfter fram den ”vardagsonanerande” kvinnan som person och frågar var hon har sin plats i dessa roller för uttryckande av kvinnlig sexualitet. Den vardagsonanerande kvinnan är hon som inte skäms över sin sexualitet men som inte heller identifierar sig som en av de ”gränsöverskridande” kvinnorna.

Syftet med avhandlingen är att kritiskt granska kvinnornas roll i fredsbyggandet, både från ett genuskritiskt perspektiv och genom ett kritiskt perspektiv mot det västerländska biståndssystemet. Kvinnor och män upplever konflikter på olika sätt. Kvinnor har ofta inte samma möjligheter att delta i fredsbyggandet och det finns problem i hur kvinnor stöds efter konflikter. Kvinnoorganisationer spela en stor roll i att få kvinnor med i fredsbyggandet. De ger kvinnor en möjlighet att kunna vara med och delta, samtidigt som de tar upp genusfrågor och hämtar fram de problem som finns inom det. Lokala aktörer spelar en stor roll för att en hållbar fred ska nås. Internationella institutioner lägger mycket fokus på att ta med lokala organisationer och aktörer i fredsbyggandet, men det händer, att fokuset inte är tillräckligt brett, och att det bara är en del lokala aktörer och organisationer som får möjligheten att delta. Det räcker inte med att en lokal organisation eller en kvinna är med i fredsbyggandet, utan det ska finnas mycket variation och lokala aktörer och kvinnor ska få vara med och delta på olika nivåer i frågor som berör dem. Som exempel används i avhandlingen FN:s resolution 1325 som handlar om kvinnor, fred och säkerhet.

Tiivistelmä - Referat - Abstract The focus of the study is to examine how immigrants and marginalization is represented in the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. As my material I used writings concerning marginalization of immigrants that were published in Helsingin Sanomat during 2013-2016. The frame analysis was used as an analytical framework. My examination was based on the social constructionism assumption that language constructs social reality. It was based on the assumption that media does not only reflect, but also actively participates in its significations. Three dominant frames were found in the data – threat, control and change. The marginalization of immigrants was seen as problematic as expected in all of the three frames, but different ways to manage, to control, to express and to talk about the phenomenon rose from the frames. In the frame of threat, the marginalization of immigrants was seen as a major security threat to us and the writings were keen to create threats of terrorism, radicalization and gang formation. In the frame of control, the management of problems and the fear that the problems would grow too big for us finns, became essential. In the frame of change, the structural change of our society, and the “new era” of Finland, were acknowledged. In addition to the frames, I paid my attention to the questions of media and its power in my study. Several studies have pointed out, that the frameworks of the media have seen to influence the common opinion of the citizens. Thus media does not only reflect objectively our social reality, but also actively produces it by exracting some concerns and emphasizing others. Media has a great responsibility, and our responsibility is to pay more attention to it in the future.

The labour market in Finland is segregated by gender, and it is rare to work in a place, where the number of men and women is even. The aim of this bachelor’s thesis is to look at the effects of these segregated labour markets by studying the experiences of tokens. The main theory of this research is the token theory by Rosabeth Moss Kanter (1977). This theory depicts the roles and statuses that are repercussions of the token situation. In this research I will also analyze, how the token category of gender is present in the speech of the tokens. The research was based on four qualitative theme interviews of male kindergarten teachers. The length of the interviews was from 46 to 70 minutes. The research material of this is a discretionary sample. Studying male kindergarten teachers enabled examining token experiences, because teacher’s profession is strongly segregated by gender. The interviews were first transcribed, and the analyzed using a phenomenographic method with four stages of analysis. The token status is shown in the high visibility of the male kindergarten teachers. They are also often presumed to pose qualities and skills, which are typical to the category of their gender. The interviewees talked about surprised reactions, stereotypes that they face, gratitude and the benefits of being one of the few in their field. This treatment received as a token resulted in feelings of anxiety, irritation and indifference. The tokens described their work community in many ways, from empowering to feeling like an outsider. The interviewees had not often worked with other male kindergarten teachers. In contrast to the theoretical framework of the study, there were no signs of competition between the tokens in this research material. The attitude towards other tokens was positive. Segregation in the kindergarten teacher’s profession was described as a fact that the tokens are already aware of and do not need to be reminded of. In the material this was shown as a general assumption that all teachers in kindergarten are female, and also as the fact that the profession is very homogenous in terms of gender. The interviewed tokens had similar backgrounds, and they indicated many reasons for there being so few men working as kindergarten teachers. Gender roles in upbringing were addressed as different ways of acting between men and women, breaking of gender norms and gender-sensitive education.

The city of Helsinki has decided to organize the instruction preparing for basic education for immigrants in 1st and 2nd grades by including the students in mainstream education classes. This is a new method in educational field in Finland and creates new challenges for education providers and teachers. Instruction preparing for basic education was previously organized in separate classes exclusively for immigrant students. In my thesis I researched teachers’ experiences teaching immigrant students in mainstream education classes because this point of view has not been widely researched before in Finland. This thesis presents experiences that were related to competence in immigrant teaching, satisfaction in accomplishing targets of learning and opinions on given resources. The research is a qualitative study and the material was collected by interviewing teachers who have experience of teaching immigrant students in the new inclusive classes. Interviewees were three comprehensive school teachers and they were all interviewed separately. Interviews were recorded and transcribed for further analysis. Teachers’ experiences in inclusive education were either mostly positive or mostly negative. Positive experiences included good experiences in competence as an immigrant students’ teacher and teachers were mostly satisfied in accomplishing the targets of learning. These teachers also thought that the inclusion method in immigrant education has turned out to be successful. Negative experiences were related to dissatisfaction in competence and in succeeding in targets of learning. All teachers were mostly satisfied with given resources but they thought they would have needed more learning materials and could have used more helping hands. As it is a new phenomenon, inclusion in education and teachers’ experiences of it should be researched more especially when developing new educational practices.

Kyselytutkimus vuodelta 2009 osoittaa enemmistön (58 %) Kylmäkosken vankilan vangeista uskovan Jumalaan. Uskovien jumalakuvan tärkein malli on Matti Hyrckin teorian "Parantaja", joka muistuttaa eniten kristustyyppistä lohduttajaa. Teorian muut jumalakuvamallit Houkuttaja, Hallitsija, Vaatija ja Vetäytyjä olivat vastauksissa vähemmistönä. Ateisteja oli 15 % vastanneista.

Aims. This qualitative thesis examines the rationalizing of meat consumption and the health and ecological problems associated with the use of meat as well as ethical views. Previous studies show that the constant growth of meat production and consumption causes problems for health and the environment. The aim of the study is to get an understanding of how meat consumption is seen, how it is justified and what factors would affect consumption. Methods. The material was collected by a group interview with four women and men aged 25–32 in the metropolitan area. The interview was recorded and transcribed. The material was analyzed in a material-oriented way. Results and conclusions. The most important arguments for meat consumption were taste, habit, ease, affordability and availability. Consumption was reduced over the past few years and it was seen as possible to further reduce it. Ecological, ethical and health issues were highlighted as the reasons for this reduction. Reductions would be facilitated and promoted by better quality vegetarian alternatives, good availability and external incentives. Discontinuation was also seen as possible in the future. It would seem that there is a desire to move to a more plant-oriented diet if it is supported by, for example, food producers and society. An example of support could be to change nutritional recommendations so that plant-based products would be raised alongside animal origin products.

Positiivisessa pedagogiikassa tunnistetaan ja nimetään erilaisia luonteenvahvuuksia, joita voidaan kehittää harjoittelemalla. Tämä näyttäytyy tienä onneen ja menestykseen. Kasvatuksen uusliberalistiseen muovautumiseen on aiemmin liitetty yrittäjähenkisyyden ja terapisoitumisen diskurssit. Positiivisessa pedagogiikassa nämä kaksi diskurssia näyttäisivät kietoutuvan yhteen uusliberalistiselle koulutusdiskurssille tyypillisellä tavalla; kilpailu ja tehokkuus sulautuvat parantumiseen ja voimaantumiseen. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on pohtia positiivisen pedagogiikan käytäntöjä kriittisen vammaistutkimuksen perspektiivistä, pohjautuen Robert McRuerin (2006) pakollisen kyvykkyyden (compulsory able-bodiedness) ja Alison Kaferin (2013) parannuskeskeisen mielikuvituksen (curative imaginary) käsitteisiin. Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan, miten ihanteellista kyvykkyyttä rakennetaan Huomaa hyvä! - näin ohjaat lasta ja nuorta löytämään luonteenvahvuutensa -kasvatusoppaan (Uusitalo-Malmivaara & Vuorinen 2016), diskursseissa. Lisäksi tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan, millaiset ominaisuudet muovautuvat kirjan diskursseissa ihanteellisiksi. Tutkimus toteutettiin kriittisenä diskurssianalyysina. Aineistona käytettiin Huomaa hyvä! - näin ohjaat lasta ja nuorta löytämään luonteenvahvuutensa -teosta, joka on 232 sivua pitkä. Ideaalia kyvykkyyttä rakennettiin aineistossa hienovaraisin diskursiivisin keinoin. Tutkielmassa aineistosta eriteltiin ja nimettiin kolme ihanteellista kyvykkyyttä rakentavaa diskurssia. Kyvykkyys piirtyi luonnollisen potentiaalin diskurssissa, rajattoman maksimin diskurssissa ja valinnan diskurssissa. Luonnollisen potentiaalin diskurssissa kyvykkyys piirtyi jokaisesta löytyvänä alttiutena, mahdollisuutena kehittyä. Rajattoman maksimin diskurssissa melkein mikä vain oli mahdollista kenelle tahansa loputtomin resurssein. Valinnan diskurssissa korostettiin, kuinka jokainen tekee itse henkilökohtaisen valinnan, hyödyntääkö potentiaaliaan ja mahdollisuuttaan rajattomaan kasvuun. Ihanteellisena näyttäytyivät hyvään kansalaisuuteen liitetyt ominaisuudet, kuten sovinnaisuus ja yhteisten pelisääntöjen noudattaminen. Feministisesti intersektionaalinen (Crenshaw 1989) jatkokehittely voisi laajentaa positiivisen pedagogiikan mahdollisuuksia kasvatustyössä.