Does direct democracy mean more equal democracy? A study of government responsiveness in advanced democracies

As it constitutes a main feature of contemporary democracy, government responsiveness has provided the basis for large a body of literature, usually finding that public policy tends to reflect the preferences of citizens. However, more recent research has found representational bias in that policies tend to be considerably more responsive to the preferences of the rich than to those of the poor, meaning that the democratic principle of political equality is violated. This has highlighted the need to further examine what the factors and causal mechanisms behind such differential responsiveness are. Since they decide how political preferences are translated into policy, institutional structures are expected to affect the extent to which public preferences are represented and to whose preferences policies are responsive to. Direct democratic institutions have raised attention in this respect because they may incentivise citizens to engage more in politics and the possibility of popular referendums may force representatives to consider potential vetoes from the population. On the other hand, direct democracy may also enhance representational inequalities because the rich are better positioned to take advantage of such institutions. To investigate whether direct democracy affects representational inequalities based on income, I construct an original dataset where I link ISSP survey data with corresponding public spending data. The dataset covers 26 advanced democracies over 5 time points in the period 1985-2016 and is analysed using time-series cross-sectional methods. In line with previous research, I find that governments tend to be responsive to the preferences of citizens, but that this responsiveness is tilted towards the preferences of the rich. Furthermore, I find that direct democracy has no significant impact on general responsiveness or inequality in terms of representation.MasteroppgaveSAMPOL350MASV-SAP

The Integration of a New Ideology and Its Fragile Dependency on Memories in The Handmaid's Tale

In this thesis I will explore how ideology has been implemented in The Republic of Gilead as they are amid a forced ideological shift, turning away from an ideology much like our own, and building a new society grounded on an extremist Christian ideology heavily influenced by Biblical scripture. I will also explore how both Gilead and Offred use and abuse memories in order to both maintain and resist ideology. By examining certain scenes in the novel through the lens of theories on ideology and memory, I will highlight the integration of a new ideology and its fragile dependency on memories, as well as examine the “Historical Notes” epilogue in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale

The end of a long term relationship between the price of crude oil and natural gas : a cointegration approach

In this master thesis we explore the relationship between the natural gas price and crude oil price in the U.S. We find that the prices have been cointegrated in the period from 1997-2006, and that the prices have decoupled in the period after this. We have discussed factors explaining the historical coupling of the prices, and factors explaining why the prices have decoupled. We argue that the main reason for decoupling is the shale gas production boom in the U.S. We find no single main reason for the historical cointegration relationship, but argue that this is a sum of many different factors. Many of these based on an energy arbitrage argument. We also discuss the future outlook for this price relationship, with special focus on expectations about the future developments in the natural gas market. Following this we have a discussion around the implications of the currently low natural gas price, and high crude oil price on the economics of gas to liquids technology in the U.S. W

The ESG Effect on IPO Underpricing: A study using textual analysis to explore the effect of ESC disclosure on IPOs first-day returns on Oslo Stock Exchange and Euronext Growth

This thesis examines the relationship between ESC disclosure and underpricing of IPOs on Oslo Stock Exchange and Euronext Growth. By employing textual analysis methods and an ESC dictionary, we construct a measure of ESC disclosure in IPO prospectuses for all companies. Thus, solving issues with sample selection biases due to lacking coverage from commercial rating agencies. We analyse a sample of 145 IPOs from January 2015 until December 2021 and find that a one standard deviation increase in our measure of Environmental disclosure leads to a 1.44% increase in first-day returns. The results suggest that Environmental disclosure increases investors' appetite for a stock in its initial offering and that Social, Governance and ESC disclosure in total does not significantly affect a stock's initial return. Hence, companies with relatively more Environmental disclosure tend to yield better first-day trading results.nhhma

Bounded RDF Data Transformations

RDF data transformations are transformations of RDF graphs to RDF graphs which preserve in different degree the data content in the source to the target. These transformation therefore give special attention to the data elements in such graphs—under the assumption that data elements reside in the subjects and objects of RDF triples, and the peculiar fact that the set of vertices and set of edges in an RDF graph are not necessarily disjoint. Bounded homomorphisms are used to define these transformations, which not only ensure that data from the source is structurally preserved in the target, but also require, in various ways, the target data to be related back to the source. The result of this paper is a theoretical toolkit of transformation characteristics with which detailed control over the transformation target may be exercised. We explore these characteristics in two different RDF graph representations, and give an algorithm for checking existence of transformations

CpG oligonucleotides bind TLR9 and RRM-Containing proteins in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)

Background: Bacterial DNA is well-known for its potent immunostimulatory properties which have been attributed to the abundance of CpG dinucleotides within the genomes of prokaryotes. Research has found that mammalian TLR9 is a receptor which mediates the immune response to CpG DNA; however, its functional properties in non-mammalian vertebrates are still poorly characterized. Leukocytes isolated from lower vertebrates, including teleosts, respond to CpG DNA and TLR9 has been identified in many fish species; however, the ligand-binding properties of fish TLR9 have, so far, not been studied. The fact that some vertebrates, like chicken, lack TLR9 and use an alternative molecule (TLR21) as a receptor for CpGs has questioned the functional conservation of TLR9 within vertebrates. Results: In the current study, TLR9 from Atlantic salmon (SsTLR9) has been found to interact with synthetic oligonucleotides via a CpG-independent but a pH-dependent mechanism. The endogenous receptor, expressed by primary mononuclear phagocytes colocalizes with CpG oligonucleotides (ODNs) in vesicles that appear to be endosomes. When overexpressed in salmonid cell lines, SsTLR9 spontaneously activates ISRE-containing promoters of genes involved in the IFN response; however, the transgenic receptor fails to translocate to CpG-containing endosomes. This indicates that only specific immune cell types have the ability to relocate the receptor to the appropriate cellular compartments where it may become activated by its ligand. In addition, through co-precipitation and mass spectrometry, two salmon proteins - hnRNPA0 and NCOA5, which both contain RNA-binding domains (RRM), were found to bind CpG ODNs, suggesting they may be involved in the CpG response in salmon leukocytes. Conclusion: The presented data are the first to demonstrate that the DNA-binding properties of TLR9 are conserved between teleosts and mammals. The current study also identifies additional molecules which may function as mediators of the immunostimulatory properties of foreign DNA

Teaching Cultural Heritage In Culturally Diverse Early Childhood Centres In Norway

This article discusses teaching cultural heritage in culturally diverse Early Childhood Centres (ECCs) in Norway. What type of cultural heritage should be conveyed in an ECC with cultural diversity, and in what ways can this happen? Based on interviews with directors and pedagogical leaders in selected ECCs, staff members’ understanding of the concept of cultural heritage and their teaching of heritage in practice is analysed. The findings are analysed within a theoretical framework of cultural heritage, diversity and children’s ‘formation’ (Bildung). The study reveals a lack of consciousness of cultural heritage on behalf of the ECC staff, as well as an absence of criteria for the selection of teaching content. Despite this, the centres have developed a variety of methods and tools in their work with culture and traditions. A critical approach to cultural heritage together with development of competence in the staff is needed. A stronger emphasis on teaching content and on common elements shared by several cultures would strengthen the ECCs’ work in this area.publishedVersio

«Sykt lykkelig på sosiale medier» : ungdom og sosiale medier i det postmoderne samfunn : hvordan bruker – og fremstiller dagens ungdom seg på sosiale medier?

Masteroppgave samfunnskunnskap SV505 - Universitetet i Agder 2019Denne oppgaven omhandler ungdoms bruk av og fremstilling av seg selv på sosiale medier i lys av samtiden, det postmoderne samfunn. Oppgaven tar for seg hvilke medier ungdom bruker, hvordan og hvorfordebruker sosiale medier, samt hvor mye tid de bruker på sosiale medier. Også hvordan unge presenterer og fremstiller seg selv i ulike sosiale medier blir undersøkt. Med utgangpunkt i den såkalte«Generasjon prestasjon» vies ungdoms opplevelse av press og stress på sosiale medier ekstra oppmerksomhet.Oppgaven baserer seg på en empirisk –kvantitativ spørreundersøkelse av til sammen 148 ungdommer i ungdomsskolen og på videregående skole. Datamaterialet vil bli presentert i sammenheng med tidligere teori og forskning for å gi et beskrivende bilde av ungdoms bruk av –og fremstilling på sosiale medier. De empiriske funnene i denne oppgaven bekrefter mye av den tidligere forskningen om sosiale medier, og understreker ytterligere sosiale mediers fremtredende rolle i unge menneskers liv.Det er ingen tvil om at det er Snapchat, YouTube og Instagram som skiller seg ut som de mestpopulære mediene i dette utvalget. YouTube er i en særposisjon blant guttene, mens Snapchat står sterkest hos jentene. Bruksmønsteret varierer noe ut ifra hvilket sosialt medium ungdommene tar i bruk, men det handler hovedsakelig om å holde kontakten med venner og som underholdning når de kjeder seg. Samtidig fremkommer det at ungdom har et svært ambivalent forhold til de digitale nyskapningene, da de både finner dem tidkrevende og oppslukende, samt avkoblende og relasjonsbyggende. Videre fremkommer det at ungdom forholder seg til andre sosiale koder og normer på sosiale medier enn i vennegjengen. Resultatene peker på at sosiale medier er en plass hvor en ikke skal kreve for mye oppmerksomhet eller tro en er noe. Dermed kan det tenkes at janteloven er noe som står sterkt på sosiale medier på tross av det individorienterte klimaet i dagens samfunn.Når det gjelder inntrykksstyring er dette noe jentene er seg mer bevisst på enn guttene. Jentene ser ut til å være mer oppmerksomme på sitt publikum, de bryr seg mer om hvordan andre oppfatter dem og hvilket inntrykk de gir, og de er mer kritiske i forhold til hva de deler i sosiale medier.Resultatene fra egen forskning tyder likevel på at flertallet klarer å mestre tilværelsen på sosiale medier, og opplever å bli lite stresset av det. Nøkkelord:Sosiale medier, postmodernismen, Generasjon prestasjon, stress og pres