Construing and Defining the Out of Control : Addiction in the Media 1968-2008.

The four scientific articles comprising this doctoral dissertation offer new information on the presentation and construction of addiction in the mass media during the period 1968 - 2008. Diachronic surveys as well as quantitative and qualitative content analyses were undertaken to discern trends during the period in question and to investigate underlying conceptions of the problems in contemporary media presentations. The research material for the first three articles consists of a sample of 200 texts from Finland s biggest daily newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, from the period 1968 - 2006. The fourth study examines English-language tabloid material published on the Internet in 2005 - 2008. A number of principal trends are identified. In addition to a significant increase in addiction reporting over time, the study shows that an internalisation of addiction problems took place in the media presentations under study. The phenomenon is portrayed and tackled from within the problems themselves, often from the viewpoint of the individuals concerned. The tone becomes more personal, and technical and detailed accounts are more and more frequent. Secondly, the concept of addiction is broadened. This can be dated to the 1990s. The concept undergoes a conventionalisation: it is used more frequently in a manner that is not thought to require explanation. The word riippuvuus (the closest equivalent to addiction in Finnish) was adopted more commonly in the reporting at the same time, in the 1990s. Thirdly, the results highlight individual self-governance as a superordinate principle in contemporary descriptions of addiction. If the principal demarcation in earlier texts was between us and them , it is now focused primarily on the individual s competence and ability to govern the self, to restrain and master one's behaviour. Finally, in the fourth study investigating textual constructions of female celebrities (Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears and Kate Moss) in Internet tabloids, various relations and functions of addiction problems, intoxication, body and gender were observed to function as cultural symbols. Addiction becomes a sign, or a style, that represents different significations in relation to the main characters in the tabloid stories. Tabloids, as a genre, play an important role by introducing other images of the problems than those featured in mainstream media. The study is positioned within the framework of modernity theory and its views on the need for self-reflexivity and biographies as tools for the creation and definition of the self. Traditional institutions such as the church, occupation, family etc. no longer play an important role in self-definition. This circumstance creates a need for a culture conveying stories of success and failure in relation to which the individual can position their own behaviour and life content. I propose that addiction , as a theme in media reporting, resolves the conflict that emanates from the ambivalence between the accessibility and the individualisation of consumer society, on the one hand, and the problematic behavioural patterns (addictions) that they may induce, on the other.

Käsityökohtaamisia muinaisuuden kanssa : Neulalla neulominen eli kinnasneulatekniikka ...muutakin kuin neulakinnas?

The aim of this study was to find out how the technique of knotless netting is perceived by the craftsperson of the twenty first century. In this study the craftspeople are represented by the researcher herself, seven craftspeople and teachers (3) teaching knotless netting as well as their students (21). The main interests of this study are the mental pictures and relationship to knotless netting that craftspeople have in the twenty first century. Points of focus are also the specific characteristics of knotless netting, as well as experimenting with new and different materials. The aim of these experiments has been to find new and unusual uses for knotless netting. Preserving knotless netting as a craft and technique are also questions dealt with in this study. The methodology of this study is a qualitative and phenomenographic study of several cases. The data collected are interviews of the teachers, observations in two knotless netting courses, questionnaires answered by the students in these courses and experimental samples made by the author and evaluated by other craftspeople. These samples were made during the years 2005-2008. The interviews, questionnaires and evaluations were conducted under winter and spring 2008. The reference literature is comprised from publications in several different fields. In this study ethnography is the most dominant field of reference due to the fact that knotless netting is so strongly linked to history and antiquity. In the past the technique of knotless netting has been passed down from generation to generation in whatever form the teacher has known. There are many different ways of stitching and binding in knotless netting. This technique is closely connected to traditional knotless netting mittens even today. Nowadays knotless knitting is taught in craft schools, evening classes and in other recreational courses. The concrete understanding of knotless netting by means of two-dimensional instructions is challenging. Craftspeople often require somebody to actually demonstrate the correct way to make the stitches and hold the work before they can proceed with the technique. The way knotless netting is perceived by craftspeople is linked to their backgrounds and preconstructed mental images concerning the technique. An etnographer approaches knotless netting in a different way from a crafts-scientist or a person in an evening class wishing to master the technique. The attitude of the teacher is passed on to students and also affects the way the student perceives knotless netting and its possibilities as a technique. A craftsperson has mixed feelings toward knotted netting. On the other hand the surfaces produced by this rare technique are intriguing but the costs due to the slow manufacturing process are seen as an encumbrance.

Työ- ja pääomapanokset maidontuotannon kannattavuustekijöinä - asema- ja automaattilypsytilojen vertailu

Maatalousyrittäjä toimii muuttuvassa toimintaympäristössä, jonka muutokset asettavat yrittäjälle ja yritykselle haasteita ja vaatimuksia. Tuotantoteorian mukaisesti maatalousyrittäjän oletetaan maksimoivan voittoa ja/tai minimoimaan kustannuksia. Tavoitteen saavuttamiseksi yrittäjä sopeuttaa tuotosmääriään ja panoskäyttöään vallitsevien olosuhteiden mukaan. Tuotantoteknologialla voidaan puolestaan vaikuttaa siihen, millaisia panoksia tuotoksen aikaansaamiseksi tarvitaan. Maidontuotannossa lypsyjärjestelmä on yksi keskeinen teknologiavalinta. Kannattavuus on Suomessa kriittinen tekijä maataloustuotannon kilpailukykyä ja pitkän ajan toimintaedellytyksiä ajatellen. Yhtenä merkittävänä tuotantokustannuksiin vaikuttavana tekijänä maidontuotannossa voidaan pitää keskimäärin korkeaa työkustannusta tuoteyksikköä kohden. Rakennekehityksellä tavoitellaan suurtuotannon etuja ja yksikkökustannusten alentamista. Yrityskoon kasvattamisen yhteyteen liittyy usein uuden tuotantoteknologian käyttöönotto. Uudella teknologialla ja siihen sijoitetulla pääomalla korvataan yhä kallistuvaa työpanosta. Uutta teknologiaa edustavat mm. automaattinen lypsyjärjestelmä. Keskeisintä kehityksessä on, että viljelijöiden on ollut mahdollista vähentää työn määrää tuotettua yksikköä kohti. Tämä on helpottanut tilakoon kasvua ja samalla on ollut mahdollista kasvattaa työmenekin silti olennaisesti kasvamatta. Ensimmäiset automaattilypsyjärjestelmät otettiin Suomessa käyttöön vuonna 2000 ja vuoden 2009 lopussa niitä oli jo 563 laitetta yhteensä 465 maidontuotantotilalla. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli tutkia asema- ja automaattilypsyä käyttävien tilojen tuottavuus- ja kannattavuuseroja ja miten investoinneilla pystytään korvaamaan työtä. Aineistona käytettiin maatalouden kannattavuuskirjanpitoaineistoa vuosilta 2005- 2008. Tutkimusaineistossa olivat mukana kaikki tilat, joilla tutkimusjakson alussa oli automaattinen lypsyjärjestelmä tai jotka siirtyivät siihen ajanjakson aikana. Automaattilypsytilojen vertailuryhmänä olivat maidontuotantoon keskittyneet samaan kokoluokkaan kuuluvat asemalypsytilat. Lypsyjärjestelmän valinnan maidontuottaja tekee omista lähtökohdistaan. Tässä tutkimuksessa tehty lypsyjärjestelmän taloudellinen valintaperusteiden tarkastelu osoittaa, että uuden teknologian käyttöönotto on haasteellista. Valinnan taustalla olevat odotukset eivät välttämättä toteudu ainakaan heti investoinnin jälkeisinä vuosina. Työn tuottavuus, määriteltynä työtuntia kohden tuotettuina maitokiloina, oli automaattilypsytiloilla parempi kuin asematiloilla. Pääoman tuottavuus, määriteltynä lypsykarjatalouden pääomaa (1000 €) kohti tuotettuina maitokiloina oli puolestaan asemalypsytiloilla parempi kuin automaattilypsytiloilla. Asemalypsytiloilla nettotuottavuus, työn sekä pääoman nettotuottavuudet olivat parempia kuin automaattitiloilla. Automaattitilojen kokonaistuottavuuden muutos oli 7,49 %, kun asematiloilla se oli vain 2,30 % tutkimusajanjakson aikana. Lehmää kohti työkustannukset pienenivät ja maksettujen korkojen määrät kasvoivat kummallakin lypsytavalla. Verrattaessa työkustannusten ja maksettujen korkomenojen muutosta voitiin havaita, että työkustannukset eivät automaattilypsytiloilla kuitenkaan pienentyneet niin paljon, että ne olisivat kattaneet maksettujen korkomenojen lisäyksen. Kannattavuuskertoimen perusteella kumpikaan tilaryhmä ei saavuttanut asettamiaan tavoitteita oman työn palkkavaatimuksen eikä oman pääoman korkovaatimuksen suhteen. Asemalypsytiloilla kannattavuus oli parempi ja yrittäjäntappio oli alhaisempi kuin automaattitiloilla.

Oikeustieteen ensimmäisen vuoden opiskelijoiden haasteet opiskelussa

The aim of this dissertation was to explore factors which affect first-year law students study success. A modified Biggs s 3P model was used as the theoretical framework. The model includes both personal and contextual factors in student learning. The participants were first-year law students from the academic years 2005-2008, and the data were collected through interviews, open-ended question and electronic questionnaires. Study I explored first-year law students spontaneous descriptions of their learning activities at the beginning of their studies as well as fast study pace law students who had already finished their first year. Even though, law students are selected through a demanding entrance examination, some of the beginner students mentioned using only one or very few learning activities, which were mainly non-generative strategies. On the other hand, it was typical for the fast study pace students to mention generative strategies and elements of organised effort in studying. Study II analysed the relationship between approaches to learning and study success in terms of earned study credits and grade point average among first-year law students in three years. Organised students and students applying a deep approach earned the highest number of credits and the highest grades, whereas students applying a surface approach and unorganised students applying a deep approach received the lowest number of credits and the lowest grades. The study confirms previous findings that organised students constitute the largest cluster among first-year law students. Study III explored factors affecting the study pace of law students during their first academic year. The factors mentioned by the students were classified into four categories of self-regulation: motivation, behaviour, cognition and context. The group of fast study pace students turned out to have good skills in all areas of self-regulation. Respectively, the slow study pace group showed more individual variation, and had weaknesses in one or more areas of self-regulation. In addition, students experienced, that other activities such as working affected their study pace, this could be constitute a fifth category. However, the slow and fast study pace students felt differently about work. According to the slow study pace students, work impeded their studying because it took up too much time. For their part, the fast study pace students were able to allocate their time effectively and felt working to be useful and a counterbalanced to their studying, as well as an opportunity to apply knowledge in practice. Study IV analysed differences in law students perceptions of their teaching-learning environments after three learning periods. The students perceptions were compared with pharmacy and veterinary students perceptions of their teaching-learning environments. The results showed that the law students experienced their teaching-learning environment more negatively than the pharmacy and veterinary students. The law students experienced that alignment, teaching for understanding, staff enthusiasm and support, along with constructive feedback were areas that could be developed at the Faculty. Together the four studies indicate that both law students learning skills and the teaching-learning environment could be further developed. The results imply that managing in the demanding teaching-learning environment of law requires student to effectively employ qualitative learning activities: organised studying and a deep approach to learning and good self-regulation skills. In addition to student counselling, it is important for students study success to direct the teaching-learning environment towards a more learning-focused than content-focused approach to teaching.

A Shared European History? Perceptions of Imperialism and Islam in Matriculation Examination Essays and History Textbooks

The European Union (EU) is faced with a continuous decrease in public support. There is a tension between the growing Euroscepticism and the concurrent academic discourse of a shared European identity. Informed and inspired by the current debates, this Master’s Thesis investigates the potential of a shared past to create shared identity. It also addresses the logic of cultural exclusion that is often connected to collective cultural identities. The source material is a combination of exam essays, written as answers to the history tests in the Finnish matriculation examinations of 2005-2008, and upper secondary school history textbooks. From the sources, current perceptions of Islam (as Europe’s Other) and the age of imperialism (as a debated period from Europe’s past) among the youth are studied. Through the analysis the thesis aims to indicate the level of consensus within the pupils’ identification with the past and with Europe. This objective is pursued through examining the pupils’ perceptions of Europe’s past and its relationship to non-European cultures and countries as they are manifested in the essays, and reflecting upon the level of influence that history textbooks as representatives of national hegemonic historical narratives might have on the contents, framings and emphases with and through which the pupils approach, imagine, and reproduce Europe’s past. The approach is based on previous research on the presence of history and the field of textbook research. The theoretical categories with which the sources are analyzed are derived primarily from literature on identity, European integration, history and memory, postcolonial criticism, and theorizations of European identity. Results of the research project suggest that the rhetoric of European superiority, despite its apparent demise, still resonates in contemporary understandings of Europeanness. Dominant perceptions of imperialism comprise of European agency and colonial submission, dominant perceptions of the Islamic world of fundamental difference. Identification with European history among the Finnish youth is rather shallow when examined through perceptions of imperialism; the Islamic world is perceived as Other and its representations are dominated by recent and contemporary international relations.

Ale jaskkot eatnigiella : Alkuperäiskansaliikkeen ja saamen kielen merkitys saamelaisten identiteetille

This study examines the Sámi people and the construction of the Sámi identity and the role of language in the cross-border Sámi movement within the context of the international indigenous movement and discourse between 1962 and 2008. The Sámi movement began as a reaction to state assimilation policies. This led to the birth of indigenous processes strengthening the Sámi cultures and languages. Activities across borders and the ethnopolitical processes in each of the Nordic countries in question also formed the basis of the internationalization of the Sámi people. The discourse on indigenous peoples has grown into a question of human rights, which is examined in different national and international contexts. The study is based on ethnographic data that has been collected via interviews, questionnaires and participant observation with the researched people in different meetings and events. Archive and newsprint material are also used. The approach of the study is auto-ethnographic. The post-colonial theories used in the study strive to destabilize power relations and the distinctions of otherness produced by colonialism, and to reclaim both one's own culture and language in the context of the indigenous movement. A standard model for this type of approach was created by Edward W. Said in his 1978 work Orientalism. The central concepts of the analysis are decolonization, otherness, ethnicity and identity. The dissertation consists of four published articles and an introduction. The subject matter is analyzed on three levels: global, European and Nordic. On the global level, the results demonstrate that the indigenous movement has constructed a new understanding of indigenousness with new rights. International treaties have facilitated the unification of new concepts and rights, such as the right to self-determination and language, also helping in transforming them into rights of the Sámi people on a national level. On the Nordic level, aligning the Sámi culture with indigenous discourse became significant for the process of developing the Sámi identity in the Sámi movement. In this process, the Sámi movement made use of Sámi languages in order to mobilize groups of people and to construct relatedness between different Sámi groups. The realization that one s own language is significant to one's culture has resulted in recreating the vitality, visibility and the legitimation of language in society more generally. The migration of the Sámi people from their traditional territories to increasingly multi-ethnic urban areas alters one's relationship to one's own community as the relationship to cultural traditions changes. Among the urban Sámi, who form a group of ‘new Sáminess’, linguistic discrimination and assimilation continue because of the lack of legislative and other effective language policy measures to promote the learning and use of the Sámi language.