Towards a United States of Africa? Combining Zambian and AU level debate.

Globalisaatio on luonut uuden maailmanjärjestelmän jonka myötä yksittäisten valtioiden vaikutusvalta on vähentynyt entisestään. Tämä pitää paikkansa erityisesti kehittyvien maiden kohdalla, esimerkiksi Afrikassa. Afrikka on pyrkinyt taistelemaan globalisaation tuomia negatiivisia vaikutuksia vastaan alueellistumisen ja maanosan yhtenäisyyttä ajavien hankkeiden kautta jo vuosikymmenien ajan, mutta toistaiseksi tulokset eivät ole olleet vakuttavia. Tällä hetkellä Afrikan Unionissa keskustellaan hankkeesta muodostaa Afrikan Yhdysvallat. Aiemmista hankkeista poiketen tämän uuden aloitteen ajatus perustuu ylikansallisuudelle, jossa yksittäiset valtiot luovuttavat valtaansa ylikansallisille elimille, kuten Afrikan Unionin hallitukselle. Näin ollen on tärkeää tarkastella aloitetta Afrikan Yhdysvaltojen perustamiseksi ja arvioida, voisiko tällainen ylikansallinen organisaatio auttaa Afrikkaa kääntämään globalisaation haittavaikutukset myönteisiksi. Tämä Pro Gradu-tutkielma väittää sen olevan mahdollista, mutta vain siinä tapauksessa että Afrikka on valmis hyväksymään yhtenäisyyden rajoitukset. Aiemman tutkimuksen vähyyden vuoksi on myös tarpeen tutkia Afrikan Yhdysvalloista kansallisilla tasoilla käytävää keskustelua. Tämän vuoksi tässä tutkielmassa painotetaan esimerkkimaa Sambian kautta yhden Afrikan Unionin jäsenmaan keskinäistä keskustelua aiheesta ja verrataan sitä Afrikan Unionin tason keskusteluun. Tutkielma sisältää kirjallisuuskatsauksen sekä tapaustutkimuksen. Tutkimusaineisto koostuu sambialaisista sanomalehtiotteista sekä Sambian valtion ja Afrikan Unionin virallisista asiakirjoista. Pääasiallisena tutkimusmenetelmänä on laadullinen sisällönanalyysi. Teoreettinen viitekehys perustuu afrikkalaisen valtion ja kansalaisyhteiskunnan, alueellistumisen, globalisaation hallinnan, pan-afrikkalaisuuden ja poliittisen integraation teorioihin sekä historialliseen katsaukseen Afrikan yhtenäisyydestä. Perimmäisenä tarkoituksena on lisätä ymmärrystä afrikkalaisesta valtiosta ja politiikasta. Tutkimuksen tulosten mukaan on havaittavissa aukko valtioiden virallisten toimijoiden näkemysten ja kansalaisyhteiskunnan huolenaiheiden välillä. Viralliset toimijat näyttävät olevan kansalaisyhteiskuntaa vahvemmin Afrikan Yhdysvaltojen kannalla. Virallisten toimijoiden korostaessa Afrikan aatteellista yhtenäisyyttä kansalaisyhteiskunta on huolissaan sen toteutumisesta käytännössä. Esiin nousee myös kysymys 'afrikkalaisesta' identiteetistä ja kansalaisuudesta sekä kommunikaatiosta valtion ja kansalaisten välillä.

Mediapolulla - Kasvatustieteellistä ja teknisen alan osaamista yhdistämässä : Opiskelijoiden yhteistyö ja oppiminen tieto- ja viestintätekniikkaprojektissa

The study concentrated on interdisciplinary teamwork of students in Helsinki University Department of Education and Helsinki University of Technology. Students worked in small interdisciplinary groups (n 12) to plan and teach in an information- and communication technology (ICT) club in elementary schools. The focus of the study was co-operation in the student groups and students learning experiences. Theoretical background of the study consists of theories of collaboration and socially shared cognition. Study was an qualitative case study and the data was collected with individual focus interviews and learning diaries. The data was categorised and the connections between categories were analysed with a table. Shared cognition appeared as a form of distribution of tasks and in the actual processes of shared expertise. The tasks were shared according to students expertise. Processes of shared expertise were joint knowledge building, integration of interests, awareness and exploitation of others expertise and allowing freedom for others to use their expertise. Additionally expression of ones own views and setting an example to others were one sided sharing of expertise. Students of technology were responsible of technical issues and the responsibility sphere of educational science students was more fragmented. For instance they concentrated in taking children s abilities into consideration. The sphere of shared cognition included also the need for tutoring and learning from others. Usually students did not directly learn from representative of other discipline, instead the learning for instance of social skills happened indirectly. Learning was fostered if learning was set as a goal and prevented if the differences in expertise were too minor. Sharing of cognition was prevented if co-operation was too problematic. Co-operation was usually successful. Good planning, good person chemistry and appreciation of expertise of others promoted success. Problems caused by different backgrounds were usually slight. Successful interaction was complementary and equal. Groups were usually able to circumvent problems in communication and use of justification in discussion promoted co-operation. When comparing the groups in the scope of the study, two were found to be notably opposed and the other groups located between these extreme cases, but the elements of success prevailed. Learning experiences concentrated on social skills, project management, school world and ICT. Essential was achieved field experience and observation of ones own capabilities. In organisation of student interdisciplinary co-operation is important to ensure sufficient differences in expertise and guide students to gain complementary interaction and appropriate setting of goals. Interdisciplinary field project prepared students to face the demands of

Kumppanuus on tiiviimpää kuin yhteistyö : Maahanmuuttajataustaisten vanhempien näkemyksiä kasvatuskumppanuudesta

The main idea of this study was to find out how immigrants understand and define successful co-operation and professional partnership in early childhood education. Another target of this research was to think over how the parents see professional partnership from their viewpoint, and how willing / ready the they are in engaging in the professional partnership with the day care personnel. The theoretical part of this research is based on theories of immigration and theories of it s different forms, theories of cultural varieties and theory of modernizing co-operation through using professional partnership. Also guidelines and policies for day care and early childhood education play a part in the theory section. Theory part is written to support research problems. The research method used in this study is peer interview. The interviewed are both immigrants and customers of day care services. The data collected is comprised of materials from peer interviews and personal background information. The interviewed were of Somalia and Russian ethnic groups. Interview were carried out in each group in the participants own mother tongue. These peer interviews showed that parents were interested and willing to discuss professional partnership. From this research one can conclude that the term professional partnership is seen as a complex term, and as a term difficult to understand. From the results it is seen that quite often the principles of professional partnership are not carried out in practise. According to the material gathered, the parents feel that lack of common language and prejudice against immigrants effectively prevents the professional partnership from being formed. The cultural differences can become challenging in a professional partnership. Based on this research, one can conclude that when different cultures meet, there has to be mutual will to understand and to be understood in order to make sure that the children s development, both educational and physical, is supported in a best possible way.

Alueellinen imago ja identiteetti liikkeessä

Regions are considered to be in competition for investments, industries, inhabitants and skilled labour nationally as well as internationally. In the context of tightening competition, more and more attention has been paid to regional attractors. A positive image is an important attractor in regional competition. In Finland, many towns and regions have either implemented or are planning to implement various image-enhancing campaigns or other measures aimed at improving their image. The role of identity is very important in developing a regional image. Good regional image should be based on a strong regional identity and awareness. Related to this is the perception of one's own region as separate from others and the familiarity of the region. If a region has no place in the awareness of its residents or if the inhabitants do not identify with it, its very existence as a social construct can be questioned. This means that building the regional image, which in this context is seen as social constructivism, is extremely difficult if the degree of regional awareness and identification is low. On the other hand, regional identity is being built also by developing the regional image. In a way, regional discourses have become more marketing-oriented in that instead of trying to create a regional esprit de corps there is now more image-oriented speech aimed at striving to improve the attractivity to outsiders of the region. Even though the goal is to bring the region to the attention of non-residents, a measure of construction of regional identity for the local population is automatically effected at the same time. Regional image and identity are consequences of linguistic producing and understanding of a region. It means that both image and identity are seen as language-created social constructions. The regional image is created through various discourses, but also the construction of a regional identity as regional consciousness and identification is largely a linguistic process. Essential in this context is perceiving the region as a discursive project characterized by its representation as texts, images and symbols. The linguistic production of a region is not a neutral description of "reality", but a representation based on interpretations, experiences and different motivations. Production and perceiving vary in time, so regional image and identity are on the move. This research is driven by the ongoing change of the regional system. The municipal and service structure reform is in progress and the number of municipalities seems to be on the decrease. At the same time, European Union s regional policy and regionalism on the whole are changing the status of sub-regions. At municipal level the crucial question is how the municipal structure reform will affect regional identity. This study points out that strong sense of municipal identity is a source of opposition to changes in municipal structure, but on the other hand the deinstitutionalization of the old municipality in municipal merger does not in itself mean the weakening of municipal identity.

Yhteisön ja yhteiskunnan ehdoilla : Seurakuntien ja kuntien yhteistyö vuorovaikutuksen näkökulmasta

In this research, the cooperation between Finnish municipalities and Evangelical Lutheran parishes is studied from the standpoint of institutional interaction. The most essential theoretical background for the study is the differentiation thesis of the secularization theory. Cooperation from the viewpoints of both organizations is examined using the functional approach. Furthermore, the market theory and other theories are applied in order to place the studied phenomenon in the wider context of the theories of the sociology of religion. Sacralization in modern society and its relationship with the differentiation thesis of the secularization theory are in the theoretical foci. In addition, along with a descriptive examination of cooperation, the normative sides of the phenomenon are discussed. The survey was conducted among all municipalities and parishes in continental Finland. The questionnaires were sent to all municipal managers of youth work and afternoon activities and to all managers of child, youth and social work in the parishes. The response rate for the municipalities was 73.9 % and for the parishes 69.5 %. In addition, two qualitative data were utilized. The aim of the study is to scrutinize what kind of limitations of differentiation can be caused by the interaction between the secular and the religious. In order to solve the problem, an empirical study of sacralization in the modern context is required. For this purpose, the survey was carried out to determine the effects of the religious on the secular and the impact of the secular on the religious. In the articles of the study the following relationships are discussed: the positions of municipalities and parishes in relation to the state and civil society; cooperation in relation to differentiation; sacralization in relation to the differentiation thesis and cooperation in relation to pluralism. The results of the study highlighted the significance of the cooperation, which was contrary to the secularization theory connected to religious sacralization. The acceptance of the appearance of religion in cooperation and parishes support for municipal function was high in municipalities. Religious cooperation was more active than secular cooperation within all fields. This was also true between fields: religiously orientated child work was more active than the societally orientated social work of the church. Religious cooperation in modern fields of activity underlined sacralization. However, the acceptance of sacralization was weaker in cities than rural areas. Positive relationships between the welfare function of municipalities and the religious function of parishes emphasized the incompleteness of differentiation and the importance of sacralization. The relationship of the function of municipalities with parishes was neither negative nor neutral. Thus, in the most active fields, that is, child work and the traditional social work of the church, the orientation of parishes in cooperation supported the functions of both organizations. In more passive fields, that is, youth work and the societal social work of the church, parishes were orientated towards supporting the municipal function. The orientation of municipalities to religion underlined the perception that religious function is necessary for cooperation. However, the official character of cooperation supported accommodation to the requirements of societal pluralism. According to the results, sacralization can be effective also at the institutional level. The religious effect of voluntary cooperation means that religious sacralization can also readjust to modern society. At the same time, the results of the study stressed the importance of institutional autonomy. Thus, the public sector has a central role in successful cooperation. The conditions of cooperation are weakened if there is no official support of cooperation or adjustment to the individual rights of modern society. The results called into question the one-directional assumptions in the secularization paradigm and the modernization theory in the background. In these assumptions, religion that represents the traditional is seen to give way to the modern, especially at the institutional level. Lack of an interactional view was identified as a central weakness of the secularization paradigm. In the theoretical approach created in the study, an interactional view between religious and secular institutions was made possible by limiting the core of the differentiation thesis to autonomy. The counter forces of differentiation are despecialization and sacralization. These changes in the secularization theory bring about new interactivity on the institutional level. In addition to the interactional approach, that is, the secularization and sacralization theory created as a synthesis of the study, interaction between the religious and the secular is discussed from the standpoint of multiple modernities. The spiritual welfare role of religion is seen as a potential supporter of secular institutions. Religion is set theoretically amongst other ideologies and agents, which can create communal bonds in modern society. Key words: cooperation, municipalities, parishes, sacralization, secularization, modernization, multiple modernities, differentiation, interaction, democracy, secularism, pluralism, civil society

Oppisopimus korkea-asteen koulutukseen Etelä-Savossa – ­alueellinen selvitys elinkeinoelämän valmiuksista korkea-asteen oppisopimuskoulutukseen

Selvityksen tavoitteena oli kartoittaa ensisijaisesti Etelä-Savon elinkeinoelämän valmiuksia sekä edellytyksiä ja tarpeita korkea-asteen oppisopimustyyppisen koulutuksen toteuttamiseksi. Oppisopimus on Suomessa korkea-asteella uusi koulutusväline, jonka käyttömuodot ja -ohjeet ovat vielä selkiytymättömiä. Tällä selvityksellä pyrittiin hahmottamaan, millaisena eteläsavolainen elinkeinoelämä haluaisi oppisopimuskoulutuksen alueen työnantajien ja korkeakoulutetun henkilöstön käyttöön. Hankkeessa haastateltiin 58 organisaation edustajia. Tulosten perusteella oppisopimuksen uskotaan soveltuvan korkea-asteella erityisesti täydennyskoulutukseen ja tutkinnon osien suorittamiseen, pätevöitymiseen ja kelpoisuuksien hankkimiseen sekä muuntokoulutukseen, mutta ei kokonaisten tutkintojen suorittamiseen. Tutkintoon johtavan koulutuksen osana oppisopimus lisäisi opiskelijoiden työelämätuntemusta sekä aktivoisi opiskelijoiden ja koulutusorganisaatioiden yhteistyötä elinkeino- ja muun työelämän kanssa keskieurooppalaiseen tapaan. Opetusministeriö on rajannut korkea-asteen oppisopimustyyppisen koulutuksen ainakin alkuvaiheessa erityispätevyyksiä tuottavaksi täydennyskoulutukseksi. Työelämän kannalta käyttöalueen olisi mielekästä olla laajempi. Oppisopimuskoulutuksen arvioidaan Etelä-Savossa soveltuvan ainakin seuraaville korkea-asteen koulutuksen sisältöalueille: markkinointi ja myynti, tutkimus ja tuotekehitys, esimiestyö, projektinhallinta sekä henkilöstöhallinto ja suunnittelu eri toimialoilla, laadunhallinta, ympäristö- ja turvallisuusasioiden hallinta johtamisjärjestelmineen, rahoitus- ja varainhoitopalvelut, tuotannonohjaus, laskenta, viestintä, kielenkäännöstyöt sekä alakohtaiset erityistehtävät mm. kirjasto- ja farmasia-alalla sekä julkishallinnossa. Koulutusmuotoina ajatellaan täydennys- tai muuntokoulutusta. Puolet haastatelluista pitää korkea-asteen oppisopimuskoulutusta kiinnostavana. Pilottikoulutuksen toteuttamiseen lähitulevaisuudessa suhtaudutaan melko varauksellisesti, mutta myös valmiuksia ilmenee. Kiinnostusta vähentävät järjestelmän selkiytymättömyys ja vallitseva taloudellinen taantuma, jonka vuoksi koulutettua työvoimaa on monilla aloilla tarjolla riittävästi. Toisaalta lama-aika nähdään otollisena koulutuksen järjestämiselle valmistauduttaessa tulevaan nousukauteen. Oppisopimuskoulutuksen työelämälähtöisyys ja joustavuus saavat kiitosta, mutta eräiltä osin järjestelmää ja käytäntöjä toivotaan kehitettävän. Kaivataan valtakunnallisia kriteerejä opiskelijoiden osaamisen varmistamiseksi, järjestelmän toimivuuden yhtenäistämiseksi ja vaikuttavuuden tehostamiseksi. Teoriaopintojen riittävään laaja-alaisuuteen toivotaan erityistä huomiota kauttaaltaan, mutta varsinkin korkeakoulutuksessa. Yhtäläisten ohjausresurssien mahdollistamiseksi toivotaan koulutusta ohjaajille ja suurempia rahallisia korvauksia. Myös opiskelijan palkan määrittelyyn kaivataan selkeyttä. Toivotaan koulutuksen järjestäjäosapuolten tiiviimpää yhteistyötä, jotta lopputulos voisi entistä paremmin vastata elinkeinoelämän tarpeisiin. Oppisopimuskoulutuksen koetaan nykyisessä muodossaan soveltuvan korkea-astetta paremmin toiselle asteelle, jolla se parhaimmillaan toimii hyvin. Opiskelijoiden, kouluttajien, ohjaajien, tutkijoiden ja päätöksentekijöiden monipuolisella yhteistyöllä oppisopimuksesta on mahdollista muovata myös korkea-asteelle varteenotettava soveltavaa osaamista edistävä koulutusväline, jonka käyttö ja kehittäminen hyödyttävät myös elinkeinoelämää.

Ortodonttien alueellinen jakautuminen Suomessa

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää ortodonttien tilannetta Suomessa: ikä- ja sukupuolijakaumaa, pää- ja sivutyöpaikkojen alueellista jakautumista kunta- ja sairaanhoitopiiritasolla, ortodonttien työssäkäyntialueita sekä sitä, oliko syntymä- ja koulutuspaikkakunnalla merkitystä myöhemmän työskentelypaikkakunnan valinnassa. Tutkimuksessa tarvittavat tiedot kerättiin aineiston pohjana olevaan listaan Suomen työikäisistä oikomishoidon erikoishammaslääkäreistä. Tutkimusaineistoa analysoitiin ja käsiteltiin tilastollisin keinoin. Tulokset havainnollistettiin teemakarttojen, diagrammien sekä taulukoiden avulla. Vuonna 2010 Suomessa toimi 159 ortodonttia, joista 75 prosenttia oli yli 45-vuotiaita. Eniten ortodontteja oli sijoittunut hammaslääketieteen koulutusta antavien yliopistokaupunkien, Helsingin, Turun ja Oulun, läheisyyteen. Vähiten ortodontteja työskenteli Itä- ja Pohjois-Suomen kunnissa. Jokaisessa sairaanhoitopiirissä ortodonttien määrä suhteessa väestöön oli liian pieni. 40 prosentilla ortodonteista sivutyöpaikka sijaitsi yli 50 kilometrin päässä päätyön paikkakunnasta ja 19 prosentilla yli 100 kilometrin päässä päätyön paikkakunnasta. Syntymä- ja ylioppilaaksitulon paikkakunnalla oli vaikutusta siihen, minne hakeuduttiin perustutkintoa opiskelemaan. Perustutkinnon suorittaneista keskimäärin 40 prosenttia jäi töihin samaan sairaanhoitopiiriin, jossa koulutusta antanut yliopisto sijaitsi. Yli puolet ortodonteista teki erikoistumisopinnot samassa yliopistossa kuin perusopinnot ja suurin osa jäi myös saman sairaanhoitopiirin alueelle töihin erikoistuttuaan.

Yhteinen kaupunki, eriytyvät kaupunginosat? : Kantaväestön ja maahanmuuttajataustaisten asukkaiden alueellinen eriytyminen ja muuttoliike pääkaupunkiseudulla

This thesis critically examines the patterns and processes of ethnic residential segregation in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area (HMA). These phenomena are examined in two main ways: a) between the native and immigrant populations and b) the extent to which different immigrant groups are sharing the same neighbourhoods. The main aim of the study is to test the extent to which the theoretical claims of the selective migration processes can explain the development of ethnic residential segregation in HMA. The data is mixed: it consists of neighbourhood-level statistics related to the migration, demography and housing stock. The selective migration flows are analysed within and between neighbourhood-types, defined on the basis of the percentages of foreign-language-speakers. For contextual purposes, the study also includes fifteen expert interviews who work within the housing sector. Firstly, the results show that, from the early 2000s the patterns of ethnic residential segregation have strengthened while the differences between neighbourhoods have grown. On a more general level the HMA can be divided into two main areas: some eastern and north-eastern neighbourhoods that have experienced the rise of immigrant concentrations and; the northern, north-western and southern parts of the HMA, where the number and percentages of immigrants have remained relatively low. However, within the eastern and north-eastern neighbourhoods there are also discernable internal differences that reflect the income levels of the inhabitants and the type of housing stock. The results also show that, the existing immigrant concentrations are ethnically and culturally mixed and thus qualitatively different from China town and Little-Italy enclaves of single groups of immigrants. Secondly, the results show that there are clear signs of the selective migration processes of the native and immigrant populations which have resulted in the discernable development of ethnic residential segregation. Migration flows of the native population have gravitated towards neighbourhoods, where the percentage of immigrants is below the HMA average. This has resulted in significant migration losses for neighbourhoods with established and developing concentrations of immigrants. Meanwhile, migration of immigrants has been drawn to neighbourhoods where their percentages are above the HMA average. However, the results also point to clear differences in the migration and spatial patterns of different immigrant groups. The spatial selectivity of migration is, thus, more prominent amongst the native population than when compared with immigrants. Overall, the results indicate that the reproduction of the selective migration flows of the native and immigrant populations will largely determine HMA s future development of ethnic residential segregation.

Asuntopolitiikka ja vieraskielisen väestön alueellinen keskittyminen Helsingissä vuosina 1992-2005

The aim of the thesis was to study the extent of spatial concentration of immigrant population in Helsinki and to analyse the impact of housing policy on ethnic residential segregation in 1992-2005. For the purpose of the study, immigrant population was defined based on the language spoken at home. The theory of residential segregation by Andersson and Molina formed the main theoretical framework for the study. According to Andersson and Molina ethnic residential segregation results from different dynamic intra-urban migration processes. Institutionally generated migration, i.e. migration patterns generated by various housing and immigrant policies and procedures, is one of the central factors in the development of ethnic segregation. The data of the study consisted of population and housing statistics and housing and immigrant policy documents of Helsinki municipality. Spatial concentration of immigrant population was studied both at district and building levels using GIS-methods and statistical methods. The housing policy of Helsinki municipality was analysed using a method created by Musterd et al. Musterd et al. categorise two types of policy approaches to residential segregation: spatial dispersion policy and compensating policy. The housing policy of Helsinki has a strong focus on social mixing and spatial dispersion of housing stock. Ethnic segregation is regarded as a threat. The importance of ethnic communities and networks is, however, acknowledged and small-scale concentration is therefore not considered harmful. Despite the spatial dispersion policy, the immigrant population is concentrated in the eastern, north-eastern and north-western suburbs of Helsinki. The spatial pattern of concentration was formed already at the beginning of the 1990's when immigration to Finland suddenly peaked. New immigrant groups were housed in the neighbourhoods where public housing was available at the time. Housing policy, namely the location of new residential areas and public housing blocks and the policies of public housing allocation were key factors influencing the residential patterns of immigrant population in the 1990's. The immigration and refugee policies of the state have also had an impact on the development. The concentration of immigrant population has continued in the same areas in the beginning of the 2000's. Dispersion to new areas has mainly taken place within the eastern and north-eastern parts of the city or in the adjacent areas. The migration patterns of native population and the reasonably rapid changes in the housing market have emerged as new factors generating and influencing the ethnic residential segregation in Helsinki in the 2000's. Due to social mixing and spatial dispersion policies, ethnic segregation in Helsinki has so far been fairly small-scale, concentrated in particular housing blocks. The number of residential buildings with a high share of immigrant population is very modest. However, the number of such buildings has doubled between 1996-2002. The concentration of immigrant population concerns mainly the public housing sector. The difference in the level of concentration between the public housing sector and privately owned housing companies is remarkable.

Periglasiaalisten ilmiöiden alueellinen mallintaminen subarktisessa ympäristössä

Periglacial processes act on cold, non-glacial regions where the landscape deveploment is mainly controlled by frost activity. Circa 25 percent of Earth's surface can be considered as periglacial. Geographical Information System combined with advanced statistical modeling methods, provides an efficient tool and new theoretical perspective for study of cold environments. The aim of this study was to: 1) model and predict the abundance of periglacial phenomena in subarctic environment with statistical modeling, 2) investigate the most import factors affecting the occurence of these phenomena with hierarchical partitioning, 3) compare two widely used statistical modeling methods: Generalized Linear Models and Generalized Additive Models, 4) study modeling resolution's effect on prediction and 5) study how spatially continous prediction can be obtained from point data. The observational data of this study consist of 369 points that were collected during the summers of 2009 and 2010 at the study area in Kilpisjärvi northern Lapland. The periglacial phenomena of interest were cryoturbations, slope processes, weathering, deflation, nivation and fluvial processes. The features were modeled using Generalized Linear Models (GLM) and Generalized Additive Models (GAM) based on Poisson-errors. The abundance of periglacial features were predicted based on these models to a spatial grid with a resolution of one hectare. The most important environmental factors were examined with hierarchical partitioning. The effect of modeling resolution was investigated with in a small independent study area with a spatial resolution of 0,01 hectare. The models explained 45-70 % of the occurence of periglacial phenomena. When spatial variables were added to the models the amount of explained deviance was considerably higher, which signalled a geographical trend structure. The ability of the models to predict periglacial phenomena were assessed with independent evaluation data. Spearman's correlation varied 0,258 - 0,754 between the observed and predicted values. Based on explained deviance, and the results of hierarchical partitioning, the most important environmental variables were mean altitude, vegetation and mean slope angle. The effect of modeling resolution was clear, too coarse resolution caused a loss of information, while finer resolution brought out more localized variation. The models ability to explain and predict periglacial phenomena in the study area were mostly good and moderate respectively. Differences between modeling methods were small, although the explained deviance was higher with GLM-models than GAMs. In turn, GAMs produced more realistic spatial predictions. The single most important environmental variable controlling the occurence of periglacial phenomena was mean altitude, which had strong correlations with many other explanatory variables. The ongoing global warming will have great impact especially in cold environments on high latitudes, and for this reason, an important research topic in the near future will be the response of periglacial environments to a warming climate.

Governance Matters : China's Developing Western Region with a Focus on Qinghai Province

This study is about governance in contemporary China. The focus is on Qinghai Province, one of the twelve provincial-level units included in the western region development strategy launched in 2000 by the government of China. Qinghai, the subject of the case study, is not a very well-known province. Hence, this study is significant, because it provides new knowledge about the province of Qinghai, its governance and diverse challenges, and deepens one s overall knowledge regarding China. Qinghai province is one of the slowest developing regions of China. My research problem is to analyze to what extent provincial development correlates with the quality of governance. The central concept of this research is good governance. This dissertation employs a grounded theory approach while the theoretical framework of this study is built on the Three World s approach of analyzing the three main themes, namely, the environment, economic development, and cultural diversity, and to support the empirical work. Philosophical issues in the humanities and contemporary theories of governance are brought in to provide deeper understanding of governance, and to understand to what extent and how characteristics of good governance (derived from the Western canon) are combined with Chinese tradition. A qualitative research method is chosen to provide a deeper understanding of the contemporary challenges of Qinghai (and China) and to provide some insight into the role and impact of governance on provincial development. It also focuses on the Tibetan ethnic group in order to develop as full an understanding as possible about the province. The challenges faced by Qinghai concern in particular its environment, economic development, and cultural diversity, all of which are closely interrelated. The findings demonstrate that Qinghai Province is not a powerful actor, because it has weak communications with the central government and weak collaboration with its stakeholders and civil society. How Qinghai s provincial government conducts provincial development remains a key question in terms of shaping the province s future. The question is how is Qinghai s government best able to govern in a way that is beneficial for the people. This study demonstrates that this is a significant question that challenges governance everywhere, and particularly in China given the absence of democracy. This study provides the ingredients for reflection as to how provincial government can be motivated to choose to govern in a sustainable way, instead of leaning on growth factors with too little consideration about the impact on the environment and the people.

Realia, Translation Strategies, and Subtitling : A study of two comedy sketch shows on DVD

Tutkielman tavoitteena on tutkia, millaisia käännösstrategioita DVD-tekstittämisessä suositaan reaalioita eli kulttuurisidonnaisia käsitteitä käännettäessä. Lähtökohtana on, että osaa strategioista voidaan käyttää reaalioiden kulttuurisen erilaisuuden korostamiseen, osaa taas tämän erilaisuuden häivyttämiseen. Nämä kaksi kategoriaa eivät kuitenkaan kata kaikkia mahdollisia strategioita, minkä vuoksi myös neutraalit strategiat otetaan tutkielmassa huomioon. Tutkielman aineisto koostuu Suomessa nimillä Ruuvit löysällä ja Pikku-Britannia tunnettujen brittiläisten sketsisarjojen DVD-julkaisuista. Molemmat tutkituista julkaisuista käsittävät yhden tuotantokauden. Formaatiltaan sketsisarjat perustuvat lukuisiin lyhyisiin kohtauksiin, joissa käsitellään useita eri aihealueita. Tämän vuoksi ne soveltuvat erinomaisesti reaalioiden tutkimukseen. Tutkittava kääntämisen laji on DVD-kääntäminen, koska sen merkityksen voidaan katsoa kasvaneen DVD:n lisääntyneen suosion myötä. Tutkielman teoriatausta muodostuu reaalioiden, käännösstrategioiden ja tekstityksen teoriasta. Näistä osa-alueista ensimmäisessä korostuu kulttuurin vaikutus kieleen ja siten myös kääntämiseen, kun taas toinen pohjautuu sekä tekstitason kotouttavista ja vieraannuttavista käännösstrategioista että sanatason lokaaleista strategioista esitettyyn teoriaan, ja kolmannessa nousevat esille sanan ja kuvan yhteistyö sekä muut tekstittämiseen vaikuttavat tekijät, kuten rajallinen käytettävissä oleva tila ja aika. Yhdessä teorian eri osa-alueet mahdollistavat tutkimuksen, jossa voidaan tarkastella kulttuuristen, kielellisten ja audiovisuaalisten piirteiden vaikutusta reaalioiden kääntämiseen. Tutkielmassa käytetään kvalitatiivista ja kvantitatiivista tutkimusmenetelmää. Kvalitatiivinen menetelmä perustuu käännösstrategioiden käyttötapojen kuvaamiseen tutkimalla tutkimusaineistosta transkriboituja reaalioiden käännöksiä yksittäisissä tapauksissa. Analyysissa otetaan huomioon ensisijaisesti reaalioiden tekstuaalinen ja audiovisuaalinen konteksti sekä niiden oletettu tunnistettavuus käännösten kohdekulttuurissa. Tätä analyysia täydennetään kaikkien havaittujen reaalioiden kääntämistä kuvaavalla kvantitatiivisella menetelmällä. Tutkielman tulokset viittaavat siihen, että erilaisten käännösstrategioiden välillä on huomattavia eroja siinä, millä tavoin ja miten usein niitä käytetään. Lisäksi tulokset osoittavat odotetusti sen, että kotouttavat ja vieraannuttavat strategiat eivät sulje toisiaan pois, vaan niitä molempia voidaan käyttää saman käännöksen sisällä. Kokonaisuutena tutkielmassa tuodaan ilmi monia aihealueen tutkimiseen liittyviä haasteita aina kulttuurin määrittelystä audiovisuaalisen aineiston analysoimiseen asti. Avainsanat: Kulttuurisidonnaiset käsitteet, käännösstrategia, tekstittäminen, kotouttaminen, vieraannuttaminen

Murtuva säätyvalta, kestävä eliitti : Senaattori Lennart Gripenbergin sukupiiri ja sääty-yhteiskunnan muodonmuutos

This study examines the transformation of the society of estates in the Finnish Grand Duchy through the case study of Senator Lennart Gripenberg and his family circle. While national borders and state structures changed, the connections between old ruling elite families remained intact as invisible family networks, ownership relations, economic collaboration and power of military families. These were the cornerstones of trust, which helped to strengthen positions gained in society. Also, these connections often had a central if unperceivable impact on social development and modernization. Broadly speaking, the intergenerational social reproduction made it possible for this network of connections to remain in power and, as an imperceptible factor, also influenced short-term developments in the long run. Decisions which in the short term appeared unproductive, would in the long run produce cumulative immaterial and material capital across generations as long-term investments. Social mobility, then, is a process which clearly takes several generations to become manifest. The study explores long-term strategies of reproducing and transferring the capital accumulated in multinational elite networks. Also, what was the relationship of these strategies to social change? For the representatives of the military estate the nobility and for those men of the highest estates who had benefited from military training, this very education of a technical-military nature was the key to steering, controlling and dealing with the challenges following the industrial breakthrough. The disintegration of the society of estates and the rising educational standards also increased the influence of those professionals previously excluded, which served to intensify competition for positions of power. The family connections highlighted in this study overlapped in many ways, working side by side and in tandem to manage the economic and political life in Finland, Russia and Sweden. The analysis of these ties has opened up a new angle to economic co-operation, for example, as seen in the position of such family networks not only in Finnish, but also Swedish and Russian corporations and in the long historical background of the collaboration. This also highlights in a new way the role of women in transferring the cumulative social capital and as silent business partners. The marriage strategies evident in business life clearly had an impact on the economic life. The collaborative networks which transcended generations, national boundaries and structures also uncover, as far as the elites are concerned, serious problems in comparative studies conducted from purely national premises. As the same influential families and persons in effect held several leading positions in society, the line would blur between public and invisible uses of power. The power networks thus aimed to build monopolies to secure their key positions at the helm. This study therefore examines the roles of Lennart Gripenberg senator, business executive, superintendent of the Department of Industry, factory inspector, and founding member of industrial interest groups as part of the reproduction strategies of the elite. The family and other networks of the powerful leaders of society, distinguished by social, economic and cultural capital, provided a solid backdrop for the so-called old elites in their quest for strategies to reproducing power in a changing world. Crucially, it was easier for the elites to gain expertise to steer the modernization process and thereby secure for the next generation a leading position in society, something that they traditionally, too, had had the greatest interest in.