The Woman Warrior. A Post-structural Gender Analysis of Guerrilleras in Colombia

The thesis is a study of female guerrilla soldiers, guerrilleras, in two Colombian guerrilla groups: the rural FARC-EP and the urban M-19. Firstly, the roles female guerrilleras play and the treatment of guerrilleras are described. Secondly, poststructural gender theory is used to understand the gender structures that underlie the division of labor within the groups. The study focuses on certain manifestations of gender structures in the groups: gender discrimination, gendered division of labor and processes of militarization. In the two guerrilla groups, gender discrimination occurs frequently. In restricted areas progress towards gender equality has been made, but in principle the groups have not achieved gender equality. In addition to pulling the same work load as the men, guerrilleras are simultaneously situated in traditionally female support roles. Women do not have the same opportunities as men to reach positions of power. Sexual abuse and harassment occur within the guerrilla groups and are often used as a weapon against women. The presence of guerrilleras has not changed the fundamental militarized and patriarchal construction of the guerrilla groups. Rather, women’s presence in guerrilla groups reflects the militarization of society and of the guerrilleras themselves and not the achievement of gender equality

Comparison of national polycentric settings in the partner countries

In its most recent Energy Union package, the European Union puts citizens at the core of the cleanenergy transitions. Beyond policy, disruptive innovations in energy sectors are challenging thetraditional business model of large energy utilities. One such disruptive, social innovation is theemergence of new clean energy communities (“NEWCOMERS”).The possible benefits of these “NEWCOMERS” for their members and for society at large are stillemerging and their potential to support the goals of the Energy Union is unclear. Using a highlyinnovative holistic approach – drawing on cutting edge theories and methods from a broad range ofsocial sciences coupled with strong technical knowledge and industry insight – the NEWCOMERSconsortium will analyse European energy communities from various angles. By taking aninterdisciplinary approach and through employing co-creation strategies, in which researchparticipants are actively involved in the design and implementation of the research, theNEWCOMERS project will deliver practical recommendations about how the European Union aswell as national and local governments can support new clean energy communities to help themflourish and unfold their potential benefits for citizens and the Energy Union

Den fredliga kvinnan. En studie av fredsorienterade kvinnoorganisationer i Israel ur ett genusperspektiv

Kvinnor har under lång tid arbetat för fred världen över och kopplingen mellan kvinnorörelsen och fredsrörelsen är stark. Den poststrukturalistiska feministen Nira Yuval-Davis har sammanställt tre förklaringar till varför kvinnor arbetar med fred och varför de ofta väljer att göra detta i fredsorganisationer för enbart kvinnor. I denna teoriprövande studie har jag testat denna förklaringsmodell dels på det israeliska samhället, dels på fem olika fredsorienterade kvinnoorganisationer i Israel för att se om förklaringarna infrias eller kan förkastas. Undersökningen har visat att Yuval-Davis samtliga förklaringar infrias. Enligt den första förklaringen kan kvinnor, trots den allmänna värnplikten i Israel, anses tillhöra det civila samhället vilket innebär att de har möjlighet att arbeta för fred. Enligt den andra förklaringen väljer israeliska kvinnor att arbeta med fred i kvinnoorganisationer eftersom de diskrimineras i organisationer för både män och kvinnor. Enligt den tredje förklaringen ser feministiska kvinnor i Israel sitt fredsarbete som ett led i den feministiska kampen. Genom att arbeta för fred arbetar de även mot kvinnoförtryck

IX. Der homerische Hymnus an Hermes

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Tomato diseases, quality, yield and pesticide use : a field study in Nicaragua

Nicaraguan farmers have for a long time struggled with tomato production. The primary problem has been Begomovirus infection, which devastated the tomato production in the country in the 1990's. In the battle against the Begomovirus other problems in the native tomato production have been neglected. The overall goal with these projects was to identify common tomato diseases and to evaluate their effect on yield and quality of the tomato fruits at different nitrogen levels. This report contains two separate theses (chapter 2 and 3). The results of the studies are based on the same field experiments. To increase the understanding about local farming conditions (chapter 1), interviews were made at two locations. During the interviews the farmers were asked questions about the farms, their production and pesticide use. Today, the farmers overuse chemical products to control different pests. The Nicaraguan farmers in general have a strong belief that pesticides are the solution of all their agricultural problems. The thesis in chapter 2 deals with the effect of nitrogen on some diseases of tomato. The symptoms that appeared in the field experiment indicated that the plants were not infected by the suspected pathogens and lab results showed that symptoms on the plants were caused by two other diseases: bacterial wilt and powdery mildew (causing agents: Ralstonia solanacearum and Leveilulla taurica). The results showed that plants fertilised with double the normal amount of nitrogen were significantly more resistant to powdery mildew. There was also a significant difference between the varieties in severity of powdery mildew. Regarding bacterial wilt the results are ambiguous, one of the field experiments show no difference between the treatments but in the other experiment there was a considerably higher rate of infection in the to highest levels of nitrogen fertilisation. The aim of the study in chapter 3 was to evaluate the effects of nitrogen fertilization on the yield and quality of the tomato fruits and to evaluate the relations between the incidence of diseases and nitrogen fertilization on one hand and fruit quality on the other. The harvest was divided in good (marketable) and bad (not marketable) fractions. To evaluate the fruit quality, taste tests were carried out on the two first harvests and laboratory analyses of acid (% titratable acids) and sugar content (ºBrix) were measured on the second harvest. The results showed that the unfertilized plots had significantly lower foliar nitrogen content. The total harvest levels of the experiment were in similar range as the average harvest for the region (12-18 t/ha), but the marketable fraction was only between 39 and 50 % of the total yield. In the taste test, one of the varieties was significantly the most preferred variety, independent of fertilizing level. The high not marketable fraction was probably due to poor pollination and fruit set caused by high temperatures and heavy infections of Begomovirus and other diseases. It is also very important to identify the pathogen to know which diseases that are present in the field and how to treat them properly. A solution to many disease and quality problem could be a break in tomato production some time during the year to create a host free period for diseases and vectors.Nicaraguanska bönder har länge tvingats kämpa med problem i tomatodlingen. Det största problemet har varit infektion av Begomovirus, vilket fick katastrofala följder för tomatproduktionen på 1990-talet. I kampen mot Begomovirus glömdes andra problem i den inhemska tomatodlingen bort. Det övergripande målet med de här projekten var att identifiera vanliga tomatsjukdomar och utvärdera deras effekt på skörd och kvalitet på tomaterna vid olika kvävegivor. Rapporten innehåller två separata examensarbeten (kapitel 2 och 3). Resultaten från studierna bygger på samma fältexperiment. För att öka förståelsen om den inhemska tomatproduktionen (kapitel 1), intervjuades bönder i två byar. I intervjuerna ställdes frågor om gårdarna, produktionen och bekämpningsmedel. Idag finns en överanvändning av kemiska preparat för att kontrollera olika skadegörare och Nicaraguanska bönder har generellt sett en övertro på att bekämpningsmedel som en lösning på alla problem inom jordbruket. Examensarbetet i kapitel 2 handlar om effekten av kväve på vissa tomatsjukdomar. Symptomen som uppträdde i fält tydde på att det inte var de förväntade sjukdomarna och laboratorieresultaten visade att plantorna hade infekterats av två andra sjukdomar: bacterial wilt och mjöldagg (orsakad av Ralstonia solanacearum och Leveilulla taurica). Resultaten visade att plantorna som gödslats med dubbla normalgivan av kväve var mer motståndskraftiga mot mjöldagg, det fanns också en skillnad mellan sorterna när det gäller angrepp av mjöldagg. Angående bacterial wilt var resultaten tvetydiga, ett av fältförsöken visade ingen skillnad mellan behandlingarna, medan i det andra var det högre infektionsgrad i de högsta kvävegivorna. Syftet med studien i kapitel 3 var att utvärdera effekterna av kvävegödsling på skörden och kvalitén på tomaterna samt att utvärdera sambandet mellan förekomsten av sjukdom och mängden kväve å ena sidan och kvalitén å anda sidan. Skörden delades in i en bra (säljbar) och en dålig (icke säljbar) del. För att utvärdera fruktkvalitén gjordes smaktest på två skördar och laboratorieanalyser av syra (% titrerbar syra) och sockerinnehåll (ºBrix) på den andra skörden. Resultaten visade att ogödslade rutor hade signifikant lägre kväveinnehåll i blasten. Den totala skördenivån i fältförsöket var jämförbar med normala skördar i området (12-18 t/ha), men andelen säljbara frukter var endast 39 till 50 % av den totala skörden. Smaktesten visade att den ena sorten föredrogs av panelen oberoende av kvävegiva. Den höga andelen icke säljbara frukter berodde troligen på dålig pollination och fruktbildning orsakad av hög temperatur och kraftiga infektioner av Begomovirus och andra sjukdomar. Det är också mycket viktigt att identifiera patogener för att veta vilka sjukdomar som finns i fält och hur de bäst skall bekämpas. En lösning till många sjukdoms- och kvalitetsproblem skulle kunna vara att införa ett uppehåll i tomatodlingen någon gång under året, för att skapa en värdfri period för sjukdomar och vektorer

Kvinnors högre utbildning i Rwanda - En feministisk diskursanalytisk studie

Uppsatsen analyserar Rwandas arbete för kvinnors högre utbildning och problempresentationen bakom den rådande ojämställdheten. En kritisk feministisk diskursanalys utifrån Carols Bacchis metod ”What’s the problem represented to be?” används för att analysera två statliga utbildningsdokument från Rwanda. Bacchis metod består av sex frågor för att analysera vad det riktiga ”problemet” antas vara i dessa dokument. Uppsatsen använder en feministisk teoribildning inom genusarbete och utvecklingsstudier för att problematisera innehållet i dokumenten. Uppsatsen finner att trots att dokumenten till viss del uppmärksammar genus som en social konstruktion, grundas satsningarna i ett synsätt där genus likställs med kvinnor. Det framställs att problemet är kvinnors brist på tillgång till högre utbildning. Satsningarna motiveras genom att kvinnors utbildning anses vara viktigt för landets socioekonomiska utveckling. Vidare finner vi att satsningar på kvinnor inom högre utbildning sker inom manligt associerade utbildningar där den framtida ekonomiska vinningen för landet är stor

Impacts of saline water intrusion on the daily lives in the Mekong Delta Viet Nam

We conducted a field study in the coastal province of Ben Tre, Viet Nam. Saline intrusion is a reality for people living in this province and one objective of our study was to ask for views and consequences of this phenomenon. The study was conducted by making qualitative interviews with farmers and various authorities in the province during the spring of 2011. Water samples were collected and the total electrical conductivity was measured in order get an understanding of the range of saline levels in the region. The study was done in cooperation with Can Tho University, Viet Nam and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden. The majority of the interviewees regarded saltwater intrusion to be a problem and a challenge. Problematic features observed in the study were for instance that the levels of salinity had increased during the last several years and that saltwater had intruded further into the province during that time. Farmers expressed their concern that there was little they could do to change their situation. Answers received from our interviews differed between farmers and local authorities with respect to their way of communication. This calls for a development and strengthening of the cooperation and communication between local authorities, researchers and farmers. Adaptations and measures that have been taken into account during the past several years include the building of dams and installing of gates. Switches of cropping systems have been frequent in the area with a significant rate of change from rice cultivation to integration of shrimp and prawn cultivation by using rice varieties with a short rotation period. In order to obtain a lasting improvement we believe that a holistic and long-term approach is necessary to minimize the negative impacts of saline intrusion

The relative clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of three contrasting approaches to partner notification for curable sexually transmitted infections: a cluster randomised trial in primary care

Since 1998 there has been a substantial increase in reported cases of sexually transmitted infection (STI), most strikingly in the 16–24 years age group.1 Across genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in the UK in 2007, young people accounted for 65% of chlamydia cases, 50% of cases of genital warts and 50% of gonorrhoea infections.1 Chlamydia is the most common STI in under-25s. Since 1998, the rate of diagnosed chlamydia has more than doubled in the 16–24 years age group (from 447 per 100,000 in 1998 to 1102 per 100,000 in 2007). This may be because of a combination of a higher proportion of young people testing, improved diagnostic methods and increased risk behaviour.1 Chlamydia infection can frequently go undetected, particularly in women, as it is often asymptomatic.1 If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in women. This highlights the importance of testing this higher-risk age group to ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment. It is estimated that 11–12% of 16- to 19-year-olds presenting at a GUM clinic with an acute STI will become reinfected within a year.2 In order to minimise reinfection, preventative measures are required, including effective methods of notifying partners to ensure rapid diagnosis and treatment and reduce the likelihood of index patients being reinfected from the same source

Toscana Virus in Spain

Toscana virus (TOSV, Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae) infection is one of the most prevalent arboviruses in Spain. Within the objectives of a multidisciplinary network, a study on the epidemiology of TOSV was conducted in Granada, in southern Spain. The overall seroprevalence rate was 24.9%, significantly increasing with age. TOSV was detected in 3 of 103 sandfly pools by viral culture or reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction from a region of the L gene. Nucleotide sequence homology was 99%–100% in TOSV from vectors and patients and 80%–81% compared to the Italian strain ISS Phl.3. Sequencing of the N gene of TOSV isolates from patients and vectors indicated 87%–88% and 100% homology at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively, compared to the Italian strain. These findings demonstrate the circulation of at least 2 different lineages of TOSV in the Mediterranean basin, the Italian lineage and the Spanish lineage.Grant sponsor was Red EVITAR, Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, Spanish Ministry of Health, grant no. G03/059. Ximena Collao has a research grant from Valparaiso University (MECESUP project, Chile). The study of vectors, i.e., capture of phlebotomines and taxonomic classification, was supported by the Junta de Andalucía, research grant CVI 176. Dr Sanbonmatsu-Gámez is a microbiologist on a fellowship from the EVITAR network (Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, Spanish Ministry of Health; grant no. G03/059). Her research interest focuses on viral infectious diseases, especially arthropodborne viral diseases