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This study examines the relationship between democracy and bureaucratic effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on Francis Fukuyama´s argument that governance should be analysed separately from democracy, a quantitative analysis is conducted using data from 123 countries between 2018 and 2022. The study draws on the legal-bureaucratic model of bureaucracy and the crisis management as

This thesis investigates the ideological collaboration between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Russian president Vladimir Putin in relation to democratic backsliding in Hungary between 2010 and 2022. Drawing on theories of democratic backsliding, autocracy promotion, and authoritarian collaboration, the study analyses and discusses a selection of speeches and press conferences to identif

This paper examines how semi-peripheral states navigate their position between core and periphery through the lens of World-Systems Analysis (WSA) and use of soft and hard power strategies. WSA conceptualises the global economy as divided into core countries and peripheral countries. The former controls capital and high-value production, and the latter supplies raw materials and low-wage labour. S

This study employs a thematic analysis to uncover differences in securitisation of energy, food and water by two of the EU’s executive institutions: The Commission and the European Council. A historically neglected field, water has gained importance as a strategic resource through the deepening of the global climate crisis. Furthermore, water is weaponised by the Kremlin in its hybrid warfare agai

The concept of expansion has since the inception of the European union been a detrimental part of its institutions. After several waves of expansion, the union has been deemed to be in a state of enlargement fatigue. This study examines the European Council-s expressed ideas regarding the EU´s prospective enlargement. Employing a two-tiered qualitative idea analysis – descriptive and explanatory –

This study delves into how the European Union acts as a norm entrepreneur, promoting ecological sustainability through external trade policy. By applying qualitative content analysis on the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the recent Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and Kenya, the research identifies environmental norms ingrained in these agreements and eval

This thesis examines the theory of technopopulism, defined as an organized political logic that combines technocratic and populist forms of rule. According to Christopher J Bickerton & Carlo Invernizzi Accetti the technopopulist political logic is dominating contemporary European democratic societies since the beginning of the 1990ies. This essay therefore aims to test this theory on Swedish c

This study examines the relationship between participation in China's Belt and Road Initiative and changes in democratic governance indicators among participating nations. Using differences-in-differences methodology, event study analysis, and propensity score matching on V-Dem data from 2000-2024, we analyse the impact of BRI participation on electoral democracy, participatory democracy, and

Bakgrund: Trots att många kvinnor önskar föda med så få medicinska ingrepp som möjligt har användningen av interventioner vid förlossning ökat. Kvinnor idag efterfrågar även fler vårdformer än den normativa sjukhusförlossningen. Syfte: Syftet med denna kvantitativa tvärsnittsstudie var att undersöka och jämföra barnmorskors attityder till och uppfattningar om interventioner och olika vårdformer vi

This study aims to investigate whether sportswashing can be identified in the media coverage of Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The study focuses on narrative change over time in traditional Swedish and British new media between 2010 and 2022. Sportswashing refers to a practice where countries with a poor international reputation use sports to improve their global image. To analyse thi

The Swedish Nato application marked a fundamental change in Swedish foreign policy, foregoing the previously prevailing principle of neutrality. This paper aims to broaden the literature on the Swedish parliamentary debate on NATO by examining it through a democratic lens. The study assesses the conformity of the governmental debate in the spring of 2022 with deliberative democratic ideals. This s

Uganda hosts many refugees in protracted situations, making local integration a prevalent solution. This paper examines how effectively Uganda’s refugee response facilitates integration of refugees as perceived by key stakeholders. Uganda is often described as an example of successful local integration, but major funding cuts and increasing numbers of refugees raise questions about how well the sy

Tidöpartierna har pekat ut kriminaliteten som det viktigaste samhällsproblemet och har utlovat ett kriminalpolitiskt paradigmskifte. Den här studien granskar Tidöpartiernas kriminalpolitiska diskurs under mandatperiodens första år, med fokus på hur kriminalpolitiken möjliggörs genom en specifik verklighetsbeskrivning. Tidigare forskning visar att den svenska kriminalpolitiken under de senaste dece

This paper aims to examine the crucial historical events that have influenced Swedish arms export policy between 1980 and 2018, using the theories Policy Diffusion and Punctuated Equilibrium Theory to examine the results in a more nuanced and broader way. The study aims to provide a deeper understanding of how changes in domestic policy, international cooperation, security concerns and technologic

This study investigates why certain EU member states, notably Sweden, are underrepresented among civil-servants employees in EU institutions, with a focus on the influence of economic factors. Using a quantitative approach with linear regression analysis and secondary data from eurostat, the study examines how national average wages, civil-servant salaries, and unemployment rates relate to a repre

This study examines the relationship between foreign aid and security levels in low- and lower-middle-income countries between 2008 and 2023. Using a fixed effects panel regression approach, the analysis includes both general aid (as a percentage of GNI) and sector-specific development aid across 71 countries. The dependent variable is a modified version of the Global Peace Index, capturing both s

This thesis investigates the underlying causes of the 2018 trade conflict between the European Union and the United States. It employs a mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative time series analysis to identify shifts in power with qualitative, theory-testing process tracing to assess levels of dissatisfaction. Power transition theory serves as the analytical framework, within which t

This thesis applies Bent Flyvbjerg’s theory of megaprojects to analyze whether the construction of the new swimming facility in Kiruna has been characterized by optimism bias and strategic misrepresentation. Using process tracing and two interviews, the study explores both internal and external factors behind the project's significant cost overruns and delays. The findings indicate that while

In this study, I will analyse and compare the political justifying factors that drive the selective application of international law in Western states. By delving into the national interests of states and the rationale of the ‘Rules-based International order’ this study can analyse the different political positions and tools that enables US, UK, French and German selectivity. Through a qualitative

Young adults consistently show lower levels of political participation compared to older citizens which is a pattern that threatens democratic inclusiveness. While there exists research that has emphasized structural and resource-based explanations, this study aims to investigate whether Self-Determination Theory (SDT) can offer additional insights into this gap. Using survey data from the Europea