Mid Sweden University

Sea nomads or 'sea people,' namely the 'Bajau Laut' in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia are skilled divers, and many Bajau Laut make a living from freediving. Men do most of the spearfishing, but women also dive, predominantly for gathering sea food. They start to dive at an early age and spend most days of their lives on and in the sea. Our objective was to study their diving and way of life, to reveal if modern humans have the physiological potential for making a living from breath-hold diving for fishing and gathering. Bajau Laut were visited for a total of nine months, during three periods from 2010-2013, in a combined physiological and social-Anthropological study. The diving physiology studies focused on a total of 10 male divers, whose working day diving while spearfishing was logged with time-depth loggers. One group of 5 divers were engaged in shallow (5-7 m) spearfishing with an underwater working time of 60%, when diving for 2-9 h. The other group of 5 divers went to a mean depth of 10 m and had an underwater working time of 50%, when diving for 3-9 h per day. During that time, between one and eight kilograms of coral fish, blow fish, moray eels and octopuses were caught, per diver. Seafood collected by the women included clams, crustaceans, sea weed and sea cucumbers. Life among the Bajau Laut was much like it was 25 years ago, although in some areas the fish stock is diminishing, making it necessary for the Bajau Laut to spend more time in the water to obtain the same quantity of fish. It was concluded that modern humans do possess the physiological qualities necessary for making a living from hunting-gathering via breath-hold diving.

This article analyses language interpretation in the context of maternity health care. By scrutinising how maternity health care staff reflects upon their experiences from the everyday institutional setting, the article shows that they are caught between a discourse on language interpretation as migrants’ rights and a racialised discourse where language is intertwined with notions of ‘otherness’. As such, language interpretation becomes subsumed into a range of different practices that seek to discipline migrant women to meet the demands from Swedish society. In the article, therefore, the everyday practice by the health care staff is looked upon as a form of citizenship-making, and the article emphasises how racialised discourses take different shapes in different institutional contexts. Thus, the article shows that the practice of language interpretation cannot, in this context, be fully understood without including the larger socio-political context.

Few other tourism activities attract large crowds to specific areas over a short period of time like events. Yet, despite their environmental impacts, actors—from residents to organisers—seem to accept them. Understanding the socio-cultural mechanisms behind this acceptance can further explain how tourism continues to impact nature without curtailing development in the Anthropocene. The aim of this dissertation is to enhance understanding of the acceptance of environmental impacts from tourism activities. This is achieved by shifting the scale from environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gas emissions, to physical impacts on nature, such as the wear and tear on land and trails during nature-based events. The empirical data and qualitative fieldwork were conducted in rural areas of Jämtland, Sweden, integrating interviews, observations and document analysis, and involving four key actors across a compilation of four articles: local government authorities responsible for issuing permits, local residents who use nature in the vicinity of the events, event organisers and participants in trail running and mountain biking events. The empirical data is analysed through a post-development theory lens to challenge established knowledge and development frameworks in tourism and to illustrate how a dynamic use of resources can foster acceptance.

The results identified five socio-cultural mechanisms that shape acceptance. First, a mechanism of scale illustrates how actors relate environmental impact to both local and global contexts. Relating the impacts in terms of scale reshapes the actors’ acceptance by comparing the physical impacts on nature to broader global environmental impacts. Second, a mechanism of growth shows how actors view the expansion of events as separate from their environmental impact. Acceptance arises because actors do not fully reflect on the cumulative effects of impacts. When actors place themselves outside of the immediate event, the total amount of impacts becomes more obvious. Third, a mechanism of ownership reveals three types of ownership that influence acceptance: ownership linked to social responsibility, national pride and economic interests. Fourth, a mechanism of responsibility shows how actors shift responsibility for mitigating environmental impacts onto others. When actors distance themselves from the immediate space or become part of a broader chain of responsibility, the physical impacts on nature become accepted. Finally, a mechanism of limits shows that acceptance is tied to shifting boundaries of what is considered acceptable as the event becomes integrated into a wider plurality of activities. The main argument of this dissertation is that the acceptance of physical impacts on nature from events depends on actors’ willingness to adapt to other actors. When events are closely connected to various tourism and other actors in the area, this plurality creates acceptance even if tourism activities affect the actors’ everyday lives.

Drawing inspiration from Davydd Greenwood’s “Culture by the Pound,” this chapter delves into tourism development from an introspective viewpoint. Based on my 13 years of living and working in Lisbon, I have crafted four vignettes from fragmented memories to explore the evolu- tion of tourism with poignant emotions as it became interwoven into everyday life. Reflecting on my experiences, I provide an analysis of informal development, which arises from a grassroots perspective when tourism occurs spontaneously and without management. Local residents utilized existing resources for tourism purposes, shaping their own tourist activities. Ultimately, I underscore the significance of examining tourism development beyond structured planning and acknowledging its organic growth and transformation. 

In Sweden, cultural competence if often singled out as both a strategy and solution for managing differences attributed to migrants, but few studies have critically investigated the idea of cultural competence. This article is an empirical contribution, based on an ethnographic study, and analyses talk and actions in the everyday practice in special residential homes for boys and young men. It examines when, how and in relation to what and whom cultural competence is made relevant, with special focus on how notions about cultural competence positions the staff in the studied institutions; organisationally, in relation to different work tasks and in narratives about the care and treatment provided. The analysis shows that cultural competence is almost exclusively attributed to staff who have a migrant background, and that the position as cultural competent is ambiguous. On the one hand a position as expert, on the other hand surrounded by a suspicion not to be professional. Staff who are ascribed cultural competence are made into representatives of cultural difference and locked into culturalised and ethnified positions. Thus, cultural competence rather emerges as a tool to master and control the boys who are placed in the studied institutions than as a tool to affect a change process in support of multiculturalism.

Studien undersöker hur etnicitet görs till en central kategori för skolans sociala organisation och används för att markera skillnader och gör elever till svenskar och invandrare. Intresset riktas också mot hur konstruktioner av etnicitet är förbundna med social komplexitet och samspelar med andra relationer, såsom kön och klass. Studien är baserad på etnografiska fältstudier i en högstadieskolan och omfattar deltagande observationer och intervjuer. Av studien framgår att de skillnader som genereras och upprätthålls via skolpersonalens handlande, resonemang och interaktioner med eleverna måste förstås som sammansatta, varierande och nära förbundna med skolsammanhanget. Detta innebär att enskilda elever inte enbart och omväxlande identifieras som invandrare eller svenskar, utan beroende på sammanhanget också uppfattas vara detta i olika omfattning. Eexempelvis blir elever som presterar väl i skolarbetet i mindre utsträckning identifierade som invandrare. En viktig iakttagelse är att skolpersonalens dagliga arbete med eleverna omges av höga ambitioner vad gäller rättvisa och tolerans, men att dessa intentioner sällan förenas med insikt om de maktaspekter som omger sociala relationer. Istället överskuggas den dagliga praktiken av att fullfölja olika undervisningsmoment, där uppmärksamheten koncentreras till klassrumssituationen framför att synliggöra eller diskutera elevers skilda erfarenheter och livsvillkor. Därmed riskerar även skolans intentioner och möjligheter att arbeta för jämlikhet och mot diskriminering att förvandlas så att den snarare producerar och upprätthåller ojämlika relationer.

Case-studies of whether and how heritage can be used to bring about reconciliation. This volume explores one of the most critical issues of our time: whether heritage can contribute to a more peaceful society and future. It reflects a core belief that heritage can provide solutions to reconciling peoples and demonstrates the amount of significant work being carried out internationally. Based round the core themes of new and emerging ideas around heritage and peace, heritage and peace-building in practice, and heritage, peace-building and sites, the twenty contributions seek to raise perceptions and understanding of heritage-based peace-building practices. Responding to the emphasis placed on conflict, war and memorialization, they reflect exploratory yet significant steps towards reclaiming the history, theory, and practice of peacebuilding as serious issues for heritage in contemporary society. The geographical scope of the book includes contributions from Europe, notably the Balkans and Northern Ireland, the Middle East, and Kenya. Diana Walters is an International Heritage Consultant and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Exeter; Daniel Laven is Associate Professor of Human Geography, Department of Tourism Studies and Geography/European Tourism Research Institute (ETOUR), Mid Sweden University; Peter Davis is Emeritus Professor of Museology, Newcastle University. Contributors: Tatjana Cvjeticanin, Peter Davis, Jonathan Eaton, David Fleming, Seth Frankel, Timothy Gachanga, Alon Gelbman, Felicity Gibling, Will Glendinning, Elaine Heumann Gurian, Lejla Hadzic, Feras Hammami, Lotte Hughes, Bosse Lagerqvist, Daniel Laven, Bernadette Lynch, Elena Monicelli, Yongtanit Pimonsathean, Saleem H. Ali, Sultan Somjee, Peter Stone, Michèle Taylor, Peter van den Dungen, Alda Vezic, Jasper Visser, Diana Walters.

This book delves into the intricate landscape of respiratory diseases among older people, shedding light on their biosocial encounters while grappling with chronic breathlessness. While respiratory ailments predominantly afflict older people, often stemming from lifestyle choices like smoking, contemporary factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and escalating air pollution further exacerbate respiratory health challenges. Rooted in ethnographic research conducted in the UK, the narrative intricately captures the quotidian struggles associated with abnormal breathing—an aspect typically overlooked despite its indispensability to life. Through poignant accounts, the book elucidates the profound transformations engendered by medical diagnoses, delving into their ripple effects on personal relationships and social engagements, while also offering insights into coping mechanisms. Chapters traverse the contours of patient identity, societal perceptions, community healthcare dynamics, advocacy endeavours, and the intrinsic link between health and human rights. Notably, the author delves into the pivotal role of support groups such as Breathe Easy, the empowering realm of ‘self-help’, and the organic formation of communities to address diverse social needs. With its multidisciplinary approach, this book appeals to a broad spectrum of scholars spanning anthropology, sociology, gerontology, and public health, offering a rich tapestry of insights into the intricate interplay between health, society, and individual experiences.

Breathlessness is a condition we all know something about, as it is normal to get out of breath when physically overexerted. However, breathlessness may also be an abnormal manifestation commonly understood, assessed, and defined as the first vital symptom of respiratory disease-such as in asthma, bronchiectasis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or pulmonary fibrosis. This dissertation is based on multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork conducted predominantly amongst support groups for people with respiratory disease in the North of England, and sheds light on how communities are formed around chronic breathlessness. By utilising (and reconceptualising) the postmodern framework of biosociality, this dissertation explores how people living with respiratory disease negotiate and incorporate different kinds of health-related knowledge in their everyday lives-explicitly in support group settings outside of the clinic. People are living longer than ever before according to the World Health Organization, and chronic conditions are now the chief causes of death globally and have surfaced as major causes of disability and functional dependency. More specifically, in the United Kingdom 115,000 people die each year of chronic respiratory disease, which makes it one of the three biggest killer disease areas in the country. These mortality figures have remained stagnant for the past decades. What is more, in the era of neoliberalism respiratory care is individualised. Public health responses now emphasise the responsibility of individuals over collective or institutional responsibility, which is predominantly enforced through self-care and by training (or activating) patients in taking their medications and monitoring their pulmonary performance. By attending to public health responses in neoliberal times where respiratory healthcare regimens are habitually individualised, this dissertation contributes to understandings of biomedical subjectivities. Explicitly, it examines how support groups-as biosocial gatherings-can be understood as technologies for bridging dialogues between subjective and collective bodily experiences of health, illness, and wellbeing.

Review of Susanne Ekman (2012) Authority and autonomy: Paradoxes in modern knowledge work. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Case-studies of whether and how heritage can be used to bring about reconciliation. This volume explores one of the most critical issues of our time: whether heritage can contribute to a more peaceful society and future. It reflects a core belief that heritage can provide solutions to reconciling peoples and demonstrates the amount of significant work being carried out internationally. Based round the core themes of new and emerging ideas around heritage and peace, heritage and peace-building in practice, and heritage, peace-building and sites, the twenty contributions seek to raise perceptions and understanding of heritage-based peace-building practices. Responding to the emphasis placed on conflict, war and memorialization, they reflect exploratory yet significant steps towards reclaiming the history, theory, and practice of peacebuilding as serious issues for heritage in contemporary society. The geographical scope of the book includes contributions from Europe, notably the Balkans and Northern Ireland, the Middle East, and Kenya. Diana Walters is an International Heritage Consultant and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Exeter; Daniel Laven is Associate Professor of Human Geography, Department of Tourism Studies and Geography/European Tourism Research Institute (ETOUR), Mid Sweden University; Peter Davis is Emeritus Professor of Museology, Newcastle University. Contributors: Tatjana Cvjeticanin, Peter Davis, Jonathan Eaton, David Fleming, Seth Frankel, Timothy Gachanga, Alon Gelbman, Felicity Gibling, Will Glendinning, Elaine Heumann Gurian, Lejla Hadzic, Feras Hammami, Lotte Hughes, Bosse Lagerqvist, Daniel Laven, Bernadette Lynch, Elena Monicelli, Yongtanit Pimonsathean, Saleem H. Ali, Sultan Somjee, Peter Stone, Michèle Taylor, Peter van den Dungen, Alda Vezic, Jasper Visser, Diana Walters.