Browsing by Author "Warenius, Louise"

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Kan kvalitetsarbete vara utan kvalitet? En diskursanalys av utbildningsaktörers tal om problem och lösningar för skolan
(2015-09-23) Warenius, Louise; University of Gothenburg/School of Public Administration; Göteborgs universitet/Förvaltningshögskolan
The aim of this study has been to examine how different actors in the Swedish educational system are producing a discourse based on the concept of quality focusing on problems and solutions in order the improve the Swedish school system as a whole. The empirical material used in the thesis consists of a Government proposal concerning a certification system for teachers, a publication from the unions Lärarförbundet and Lärarnas Riksförbund that organize teachers and a document from the Swedish Schools Inspectorate, whose mission is to audit schools. The theoretical approach used is based on the discourse theory of Michel Foucault; consequently, the analysis focuses on power and knowledge. Throughout the study, the results have shown that the perception of the concept of quality varies amongst the different actors. Neither opinions regarding ends, nor means have been shown to comply fully with each other between the different groups. The concept of quality as seen by the government seems to refer to the standa dization of teachers' certifications, in addition to their ways of teaching. The government is aiming to create conformity regarding the students’ achievements. Meanwhile the teachers’ unions hold another perspective. According to the two organisations, quality is generated when a school promotes quality management – not specifically when the students demonstrate high capacity. Regarding the Inspectorates view on quality, they have a strict focus on governance and the principal’s role in the educational work. When it comes to the problems and solutions in the educational policy area, the three groups both show differences and similarities concerning how they perceive these. According to discourse theory, the production of knowledge in this case focuses on the lack of status of the teaching profession and a declining equivalency throughout Swedish schools. Elements of power have been found as products of the quality discourse among the different actors. They are characterized by the government’s promotion of legal certainty, a readmission of the teacher’s professional role and a somewhat changed view of the principal’s responsibilities.
Macron et l’Europe: Pas de ligne rouge, que des horizons ? Une analyse de l’ethos dans le discours « Initiative pour l’Europe » prononcé par Emmanuel Macron à la Sorbonne le 26 septembre 2017
(2020-12-17) Warenius, Louise; University of Gothenburg/Department of Languages and Literatures; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för språk och litteraturer
In this study, a discourse analysis focusing on the speaker's self-image, ethos, is conducted. The analysis looks at a speech regarding "a new initiative for Europe" given by the French President Emmanuel Macron at La Sorbonne the 26th of September 2017. The research questions asked looks at the characteristics of Macron's ethos in this speech and what role this ethos plays in Macron's arguments in his speech. Concerning the construction of Macron's ethos, the use of the pronoun "we" plays an important role, therefor it seemed wise to also look at the concept of a collective ethos. This theoretical choice is legitimized by the fact that it is interesting to analyse the collective ethos in the context of a discourse on European integration. The analysis shows that there are a number of attributes related to what Macron expresses in his speech that can be referred to as elements of his ethos, and that this ethos is used in the speech for several purposes. Macron is undoubtedly one of the main representatives of a line where more European integration is the answer to many societal challenges, which is visible in his speech and characterizes his ethos to a large extent.
Sustainable Capitalism in the Making? The Marshallian Citizenship Conceptualisation Expanded in a European Circular Economy
(2018-02-07) Warenius, Louise; Göteborgs universitet/Statsvetenskapliga institutionen; University of Gothenburg/Department of Political Science
In contrast to a linear system of take-make-dispose when it comes to production and consumption patterns, a circular economy aims at preserving and using resources to its maximum, promoting a longer durability of products and stands for the minimising of waste. This can be seen as a part of a broader paradigm of sustainable economic growth, which the European Commission and many of the European Union’s member states on the national level aim at integrating into society as a whole. Resource use is overall an issue surrounded by political conflict, and this since some argue that there are limits to how much growth that can be generated without using too much of the earth’s resources, while some mean that we can find ways to overcome these limits. In democratic societies, conflict is to a large extent handled on the basis of citizenship and political participation. In this theory-developing thesis, the citizenship theory as presented by T.H. Marshall is confronted with sustainable growth, with a circular economy as its specific dimension. The result shows that civil, political and social rights as presented in Marshall’s original historical study are all affected by a circular economy. When applying the developed theoretical framework to empirical material in the form of policy documents stemming from the European Commission and from member states of the European Union, it becomes clear that there are also other aspects, such as differing political ideologies and geopolitical concern, that is surrounding the idea of a circular economy in relation to the citizenship concept.