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Niðurstöður 1 - 20 af 616

Disabled Women and Violence: Access to Justice
(University of Iceland, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, 2026-06) Gjecaj, Eliona; Rannveig Traustadóttir; Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics (UI); Félagsfræði-, mannfræði- og þjóðfræðideild (HÍ); School of Social Sciences (UI); Félagsvísindasvið (HÍ)
This dissertation explores access to justice for disabled women who have been subjected to gender-based violence. The research was conducted in Iceland and foregrounds the intersectional nature of the multiple forms of discrimination these women face, emphasizing their right to live free from violence and abuse, and their right to access justice as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Scholarship in this area remains surprisingly limited; therefore, the aim of this dissertation is to address this gap by creating new and much needed knowledge about the experiences of disabled women as well as of those who support them through the processes of detection, reporting, investigation and prosecution of violence. The doctoral research adopts an interdisciplinary human rights approach, combining disability studies, gender studies and disability human rights law. This framework emphasizes the intersecting forms of discrimination and unequal power relations that contribute to the social exclusion, marginalisation, and disempowerment of disabled women, rendering them more vulnerable to violence than both disabled men and nondisabled women. A multi-method qualitative approach was employed for data collection including 36 in-depth interviews with participants from key stakeholder groups identified as critical to the process of reporting and prosecution of the violence: disabled women, professionals working in support centres for survivors of violence, individuals within the justice system involved in reporting and prosecution, and experts in the field of disability, violence and justice. Qualitative interviews were essential in enabling an in-depth exploration of the lived experiences of the disabled women at the centre of the study. This approach recognizes and values the meanings they ascribe to their everyday experiences and ensures that the voices of marginalised groups are acknowledged. Additional data were gathered through document analysis and field observations. Document analysis comprised a detailed review of published life histories by disabled women, court documents, national laws and policies, and international human rights instruments with a particular focus on the CRPD. Field observations included attending court proceedings involving cases of violence against disabled women and visiting centres that provide support to survivors of violence. The study unfolded during the onset, progression, and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing insights into its impacts on the lives and experiences of disabled women while also introducing methodological challenges that shaped the research process. The findings document the lived experiences of violence described by disabled women, detailing its multiple forms and complex manifestations. The study highlights the low rates of reporting and explores the multifaceted reasons underlying this, including how the women conceptualise justice in relation to the barriers they face. Through an in-depth analysis of a single court case, the research also provides a critical lens on broader issues concerning access to justice for disabled women. It identifies factors that facilitate access to justice in accordance with CRPD obligations, as well as barriers that hinder, or have the potential to hinder, such access. Rights Protection Officers (RPOs) emerged as a particularly important procedural accommodation in facilitating effective access to justice. As a result, a part of the research focused on the scope of the work performed by Rights Protection Officers and their role in securing access to justice for disabled women. A key conclusion of this research is a call for Icelandic authorities to take meaningful action to protect disabled women from the pervasive violence they face and fulfil their duty to provide reasonable and procedural accommodation within the Icelandic justice system. This includes ensuring that all professionals involved receive appropriate training and awareness-raising grounded in the human rights principles and values of the CRPD. Without such reforms, access to justice will remain inconsistent and contingent upon the particular professionals assigned to a case—effectively rendering justice a matter of chance rather than a guaranteed right.
Brexit: A Case Study in Post-Truth Politics and European Disintegration
(University of Iceland, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Political Science, 2026-04-27) Orlando, Vittorio; Maximilian Conrad; Faculty of Political Science (UI); Stjórnmálafræðideild (HÍ); School of Social Sciences (UI); Félagsvísindasvið (HÍ)
This dissertation investigates Brexit as both a unique political event and a paradigmatic case of European disintegration, situating it within the broader context of post-truth politics. The overarching aim is to understand how ideological, structural, and communicative dynamics interact to challenge the cohesion of the European Union (EU). By combining five interlinked studies, the research develops a theory of European disintegration grounded in the role of crises, political actors, and post-truth narratives. Methodologically, the thesis employs qualitative case study designs, process tracing, qualitative content analysis, and frame analysis. Empirical materials include political speeches, campaign documents, party manifestos, media content, and EU institutional texts. The article-based format allows each publication to focus on a distinct dimension of disintegration while collectively contributing to the development of a comprehensive theoretical model. The first article analyses the causes of Brexit through process tracing, identifying the interplay between pre-existing ideological Euroscepticism, structural crises such as the Eurozone and refugee crises, and the strategic agency of political actors. It concludes that disintegration is best understood as the outcome of a triad of ideas, actors, and crises. The second article investigates the role of post-truth politics in the Leave campaign, demonstrating how misinformation and emotionally charged narratives framed EU membership as a risk. By classifying campaign materials into thematic groups, it shows how actors mobilised post-truth strategies across different arenas, confirming the centrality of communicative manipulation in disintegration processes. The third article explores Brexit’s impact on Euroscepticism in Italy and Germany. Through comparative content analysis of four Eurosceptic parties, it finds that Brexit served as a rhetorical benchmark. In Germany, the AfD openly advocated “DEXIT,” while in Italy, parties such as Lega and Fratelli d’Italia reinforced their Euroscepticism without pursuing withdrawal. Structural contexts and government participation largely explain these divergences, highlighting how Brexit influenced national discourses without producing uniform effects. The fourth article examines Brexit’s institutional consequences, focusing on differentiated integration. Analysing policy documents and official EU statements, it finds that while Brexit introduced disintegration pressures, it simultaneously reinforced differentiated integration, especially in monetary and foreign policy. This suggests that disintegration can reshape integration trajectories rather than simply weaken them. The fifth article assesses Eurosceptic narratives in the 2024 European Parliament elections, analysing materials from far-left and far-right parties. Using frame analysis, it identifies persistent themes—migration, governance, and economic sovereignty—mirroring the Leave campaign’s post-truth strategies. The findings indicate that destructive Euroscepticism remains strong, framing the EU as illegitimate, while constructive Euroscepticism advocates reform rather than withdrawal. Across the five studies, several consistent results emerge. First, political parties and institutions shape disintegration by constructing narratives that reframe EU membership as a matter of identity, security, and sovereignty. Second, ideological forces such as nationalism and economic anxiety interact with crises to provide fertile ground for disintegrative narratives. Third, post-truth politics intensifies these dynamics by privileging emotion and representation over factual accuracy. Finally, Brexit is shown to be both a cause and a symptom of European disintegration: while it has not produced immediate systemic collapse, it has reframed EU membership as reversible and provided a blueprint for future contestation. The dissertation concludes that European disintegration is a multidimensional process driven by the interaction of crises, actors, and ideational forces. Post-truth politics plays a pivotal role in this process, enabling political actors to transform crises into disintegrative opportunities. By integrating insights from Brexit and subsequent Eurosceptic developments, the thesis proposes a constructivist theory of disintegration that advances scholarly understanding of the EU’s vulnerabilities and future trajectories.
The Effects of Long-term Cessation of Grazing on Carbon Dynamics in Icelandic Grassland and Heathland
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Earth Sciences, 2026-05-20) Klopsch, Christian; Anna Guðrún Þórhallsdóttir; Faculty of Earth Sciences (UI); Jarðvísindadeild (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ)
Large herbivores are increasingly recognised as key regulators of terrestrial carbon cycling, yet empirical evidence on how long-term cessation of grazing alters carbon dynamics and storage remains limited. The aim of this PhD research is to investigate how multi-decadal cessation of grazing influences carbon fluxes and storage in sub-arctic grassland and heathland ecosystems. The study uses a network of grazer exclosures established 20-83 years ago across 34 sites in Iceland, with paired continuously grazed land. Growing-season CO₂ exchange was quantified through extensive chamber-based flux measurements and NDVI data, and carbon storage and pathways in the plant–soil system were assessed using 201 soil profiles to 60 cm depth. The study results show that across sites, long-term cessation of grazing was associated with a 37% lower growing-season net CO₂ uptake and lower vegetation greenness relative to grazed land. In topsoil (0–10 cm), soil organic carbon stocks were 8% lower in exclosures, accompanied by 21% lower fine-root biomass, while root functional traits remained largely unchanged. Grazed grassland retained both the highest net CO₂ uptake and largest SOC stocks. Cessation of grazing caused a transition toward heathland at several grassland sites, associated with lower productivity and carbon sequestration while it had more limited effects in long-established heathlands. Collectively, the findings demonstrate that sustained extensive grazing maintains higher carbon turnover, enhances below-ground carbon inputs, and supports long-term SOC storage in sub-arctic grassland. This dissertation provides comprehensive empirical evidence that grazing can function as a nature-based solution for preserving carbon sinks in sub-arctic ecosystems.
Metal ion escape and gas rarefaction in high power impulse magnetron sputtering
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Physical Sciences, 2026-05-29) Barynova, Kateryna; Jón Tómas Guðmundsson; Faculty of Physical Sciences (UI); Raunvísindadeild (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ)
High power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) is an advanced ionized physical vapor deposition (IPVD) technique that uses almost the same hardware as dc magnetron sputtering (dcMS), but is more flexible in tuning film characteristics. Compared to conventional dc magnetron sputtered films, thin films produced by HiPIMS typically have enhanced properties, such as better crystallinity, higher mass density, and improved phase composition, primarily due to low-energy ion bombardment during the film growth process. However, the broader use of HiPIMS in industrial applications is constrained by the main disadvantage: often a significantly lower deposition rate. This drawback is mainly attributed to the back-attraction of the film-forming species after they have been ionized in the dense plasma near the cathode target. The thesis focuses on addressing this primary limitation of HiPIMS by investigating the physics governing the discharge, and the relationship between sputter yield and deposition rate. The central goal was to analyze and further develop the ionization region model (IRM) of HiPIMS discharges to optimize the deposition process. The research involved computational modeling, including studies on working gas rarefaction across multiple target materials, the detailed modeling of discharges with chromium, aluminum, and graphite targets in various gas mixtures (e.g., Ne/Ar), and the analysis of the results obtained from the simulations. The main conclusion, supported by the data analysis of the IRM simulation results for various target materials under diverse discharge conditions, is that the sputter yield dictates the back-attraction probability of the sputtered species. The sputter yield is shown to be a key factor that significantly changes the discharge composition, electron temperature, degree of gas rarefaction, and, consequently, the possible limit on deposition rate and overall discharge characteristics. Furthermore, the sputter yield determines which process is mainly responsible for working gas rarefaction. In conclusion, this work establishes that the target sputter yield is important for controlling and optimizing the HiPIMS discharge. The thesis serves as an introduction to the physical processes investigated, while the detailed results of the work are presented in the attached articles. The work also includes a supplementary experimental part focused on measurements of the ionized flux fraction (IFF) in the deposition flux. This experimental data served for constraining one of the parameters within the IRM, thereby improving the model’s predictive power.
Lifandi texti - Áhrif þýðinga á sögu leiklistariðkunar á Íslandi
(Háskóli Íslands, Hugvísindasvið, Íslensku og menningardeild, 2026-05-18) Gunnlaugsdóttir, Tinna Þórdís; Gauti Kristmannsson; Íslensku og menningardeild (HÍ); Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies (UI); Hugvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Humanities (UI)
Í þessari rannsókn — sem ég kýs að kalla „Lifandi texta“ þar sem hún snýr fyrst og fremst að texta sem ætlaður er til lifandi flutnings af leiksviði — verður saga og þróun leiklistariðkunar á Íslandi rakin út frá hlutverki og vægi erlendra áhrifa og fyrirmynda. Þýðingar erlendra leikrita eru í kjarna rannsóknarinnar en einnig margvísleg hagræðing og endurritun texta fyrir leiksvið. Samhliða verður leitast við að varpa ljósi á þýðingarhugtakið með vísan til þýðingasögunnar og helstu fræðikenninga á því sviði, en með sérstöku tilliti til leikbókmennta og sviðshandrita, eða þess sem tekur til eða heimfæra má upp á slíkan texta. Helstu rannsóknarspurningarnar snúa að erlendum áhrifum, hvaðan þau komu, hvernig þau birtust og síðast en ekki síst hvaða merkjanlegu spor þau skildu eftir sig – og þar með vægi þeirra og áhrif á þróun leiklistarinnar í landinu. Niðurstöður rannsóknarinnar sýna að erlendar fyrirmyndir hafi vísað veginn í árdaga og að stælingar erlendra gamanleikja hafi verið sá efniviður sem gerði leiklistinni kleift að festa rætur á Íslandi. Íslensk leiklist og innlend leikritun rekur þannig upphaf sitt til þýðinga, auk þess sem ýmiss konar erlend áhrif og þýðingar í margbreytilegum og margvíslegum myndum og skilningi þess orðs, hafa til þessa dags stuðlað að áframhaldandi vexti starfsins og viðgangi þess. Í fyrsta kafla ritgerðarinnar er fjallað um þýðingar og þróun fræðigreinarinnar í stærra samhengi. Leitast er við að varpa ljósi á stefnumótandi skoðanir skálda og heimspekinga fyrri tíðar og athyglinni síðan beint að Íslandi og staðan hér á landi rakin að nokkru. Staldrað er við fyrstu þýðingar fagurbókmennta á síðari öldum á Íslandi og nálgun þýðenda er sett í samhengi við orðræðuna um mismunandi nálgun þýðenda að bókmenntatexta, en hér á landi voru það ljóðaþýðendur sem ruddu brautina og settu þeim sem á eftir komu fagurfræðileg og skáldskaparleg viðmið, ekki síst þýðendum bundins leiktexta. Umræðunnar um sérstöðu leiktexta er einnig getið og hugmynda þeirra fræðimanna sem einna fyrstir settu fram hugmyndir um æskilega nálgun að slíkum textum. Í öðrum kafla ritgerðarinnar er saga leiklistariðkunar í landinu rakin að nokkru og vísað til dæma af hlutverkaleikjum og skemmtanahaldi á fyrri öldum sem rekja má til þeirrar norrænu arfleifðar sem landnemar báru með sér til landsins. Því er síðan fylgt eftir hvernig þeirri arfleifð reiddi af í gegnum aldirnar og þá hvernig flest það sem menn gerðu sér til skemmtunar féll í ónáð eða var beinlínis bannað. Þrátt fyrir það var það látið óáreitt þegar hlutverkaleikir tóku að þrífast á skólaskemmtunum í Latínuskólanum í Skálholti og á átjándu öld og rakið hvernig þeir leikir þróuðust smám saman í frumstæða leiklistariðkun, en færð eru rök fyrir því að það starf hafi markað upphafið að ástundun þeirrar listgreinar í landinu í nútímaskilningi þess orðs. Sagan er síðan rakin frá því að Latínuskólinn flutti endanlega til Reykjavíkur um miðja nítjándu öld og leikstarf og skemmtanir skólapilta urðu hluti af bæjarmenningunni. Einstaklingar í bænum stóðu einnig fyrir stöku leiksýningum og fljótlega voru stofnaðir leikhópar og félög um starfið. Efniviðurinn var að mestu evrópskir gamanleikir, aðallega danskir, sem bárust til landsins í gegnum Kaupmannahöfn. Sumt var leikið á dönsku, sérstaklega framan af, annað í íslenskum þýðingum, stælingum eða staðfærslum, eins og vísað er til með dæmum. Sagan er síðan rakin til loka nítjándu aldar og getið um hvernig erlendar fyrirmyndir urðu aflvaki fyrstu innlendu leikritanna sem náðu máli. Í kaflanum er einnig komið inn á hina menningarpólitísku umræðu og leikritaþýðingar sem hluta af endurreisn þjóðtungunnar. Í þriðja kafla ritgerðarinnar er athyglinni beint sérstaklega að þýðingum sígildra leikbókmennta. Yfirlýst markmið var að reyna á þanþol og blæbrigði tungumálsins og sýna fram á hæfni þess til að skila stórbrotnum erlendum leikskáldskap. Lýsandi dæmi eru tekin úr fyrstu þýðingum sígildra leikbókmennta á íslensku og vitnað til þeirrar umræðu sem fylgdi útgáfu þeirra á prenti. Samhliða er komið inn á kenninguna um fjölkerfi samfélagsins, eða helstu ytri áhrifaþætti og viðleitni áhrifavalda til að stýra umræðunni. Einnig er í kaflanum varpað ljósi á stöðu leikrita og leikbókmennta innan bókmenntakerfisins á Íslandi, en með vönduðum þýðingum sígildra leikrita stækkaði mengi leikbókmennta auk þess sem þýðingar sköpuðu fordæmi og urðu grundvöllur frekari þróunar. Í kafla fjögur er innlend leiklistarsaga undir, allt frá því að leiklistarstarf í Reykjavík varð nokkuð samfellt við lok nítjándu aldar til fullgildrar atvinnustarfsemi um miðja tuttugustu öldina og áfram inn á fyrsta fjórðung þeirrar tuttugustu og fyrstu. Framboð leikrita er rannsakað sérstaklega og sýnt fram á að þýdd erlend leikrit hafi verið í meirihluta sviðsettra verka og sá efniviður sem fleytti starfinu áfram. Einnig er varpað ljósi á hvernig erlendarstefnur og straumar höfðu áhrif á verkefnaval og fólu í sér nýjar áskoranir. Sérstaða leiktexta er áréttuð og þær kröfur sem gera verður tiltexta sem beinlínis er þýddur til lifandi flutnings á leiksviði. Umræðan um skort á frambærilegum innlendum leikritum varð hávær með opnun Þjóðleikhússins og leikskáldunum kennt um, en starfsumhverfi höfunda var lítt hvetjandi, eins og rakið er og sama átti við um þýðendur. Í kafla fimm er sjónum beint að þeim margvíslegu erlendu áhrifum sem bárust til landsins með fólki sem menntaði sig og starfaði erlendis. Nýsköpun og tilraunastarf í erlendum leikhúsum varð að fyrirmynd þegar hér voru stofnaðir fyrstu sjálfstæðu atvinnuleikhóparnir. Einnig er komið inn á þau áhrif sem erlendir gestaleikstjórar höfðu á starfsemi atvinnuleikhúsanna með því að kynna og fylgja eftir nýrri nálgun að sígildum leiktextum. Tekin dæmi af stefnumótandi samstarfi erlendra og innlendra leikhúslistamanna sem leiddi til ögrandi túlkunar á efni sígildra leikrita. Einnig er komið inn á endurritun og hagræðingu og þau verkfæri þýðingafræðinnar sem nýta má í þágu nýtúlkunar á sígildum leiktexta, sem aftur er til þess fallin að endurnýja erindi hans og tilhöfðun. Varpað er ljósi á slíka nýtúlkun með raundæmum úr íslensku leikhúsi á síðari árum. Samhliða er vitnað til listrænna stjórnenda og þýðenda þeirra sömu verkefna, þar sem þeir ræða og skýra ásetning sinn og nálgun. Hér er hið nýskapandi afl þýðinga í formi endurritunar og hagræðingar áréttað og um leið hið nýskapandi afl leiklistarinnar til að opna áhorfendum nýjan skilning á eldri texta. Í kafla sex er athyglinni beint að höfundinum og þýðandanum í íslensku leikhúsi, en skilin þar á milli eru oft á tíðum óljós. Varpað er ljósi á hvað hugtakið „þýðing“ getur umfaðmað vítt svið, en það á jafnt við þegar texti er þýddur frá einu tungumáli til annars og þegar formi hugverks er breytt, eins og þegar skáldsaga eða annað höfundarverk á öðru formi er endurritað og því hagrætt fyrir leikhúsmiðilinn. Það á einnig við um túlkun leikara á leiksviði, eða þegar texti er túlkaður í lifandi flutningi. Í kaflanum er einnig varpað ljósi á stöðu höfundarins, sem lengst af stóð nokkuð höllum fæti í íslensku leikhúsi, en svo virðist sem það hafi tekið stjórnendur leikhúsanna tíma að átta sig á mikilvægi þess að hlúa að starfi þeirra. Sama á við um þýðendur sem oft fengu lítið svigrúm til að skila vinnu sinni. Hér er einnig er komið inn á umræðuna umleikgerðir og hvað telst fullgilt leikrit, eða hvað sé rétt að flokka sem höfundarverk og hvað endurvinnslu texta. Hér er dregið í efa það sjónarmið að uppruni hugmynda skipti sköpum og staðhæft að það sé úrvinnslan sem allt veltur á. Staða innlendrar leikritunar og nýsköpunar er síðan rædd í sögulegu samhengi og umræðunni fylgt eftir með samanburði, sem byggir á samantekt á fjölda innlendra og erlendra leikrita á verkefnaskrá Leikfélags Reykjavíkur og Þjóðleikhússins frá upphafi og til leikársins 2024-2025. Í kaflanum eru birt súlurit og línurit sem byggja á þessum upplýsingum og sýna fram á yfirgnæfandi meirihluta þýddra leikrita á verkefnaskrá beggja leikhúsanna frá upphafi, en samantektin er birt í heild sinni í viðaukum. Síðan eru niðurstöður dregnar saman og loksfylgja lokaorð höfundar.
The role of atrial fibrillation and aortic stiffness in brain structure and function
(University of Iceland, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, 2026) Gardarsdottir, Marianna; Davíð O. Arnar; Faculty of Medicine (UI); Læknadeild (HÍ); School of Health Sciences (UI); Heilbrigðisvísindasvið (HÍ)
Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and is associated not only with stroke and heart failure, but also with reduced brain volume and cognitive impairment. While thromboembolism explains part of this relationship, growing evidence suggests that additional mechanisms, including vascular, inflammatory, and hemodynamic processes, contribute to brain vulnerability in atrial fibrillation. Aortic stiffness, a manifestation of vascular aging, has similarly been linked to structural brain changes and cognitive decline. The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate whether disturbances in central hemodynamics represent a common pathway linking AF and aortic stiffness to alterations in brain perfusion, brain structure, and cognitive performance. In a population-based cohort of older adults, total cerebral blood flow measured by phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging and estimated brain perfusion were significantly lower in individuals with persistent atrial fibrillation compared with those in sinus rhythm. Individuals with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation had similar cerebral blood flow to those in sinus rhythm. Persistent atrial fibrillation was also associated with smaller relative brain volume assessed by magnetic resonance imaging, whereas cognitive performance did not differ significantly between groups. To explore whether atrial fibrillation-related hypoperfusion might be reversible, total cerebral blood flow and brain perfusion were measured before and after electrical cardioversion using phase contrast and arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging. Brain perfusion increased significantly in individuals who achieved and maintained sinus rhythm, whereas no significant change was observed in those who remained in atrial fibrillation. In a separate cohort, aortic stiffness assessed as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity measured by applanation tonometry was inversely associated with brain perfusion measured with arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging. Higher aortic stiffness was also associated with smaller relative total brain, grey matter, and white matter volumes, and with greater white matter hyperintensity burden. In multivariable analyses, aortic stiffness independently predicted lower brain perfusion whereas chronological age was the strongest determinant of structural brain measures. In conclusion, both atrial fibrillation and increased aortic stiffness were associated with reduced brain perfusion and markers of structural brain vulnerability. Restoration of sinus rhythm was accompanied by improvement in brain perfusion, supporting a dynamic hemodynamic mechanism. Together, these findings suggest that hemodynamic alterations represent an important pathway linking cardiovascular aging to brain vulnerability and highlight brain perfusion as a potential early marker of brain risk.
Zoning for Zero - Climate impacts of zoning plans in a Nordic context
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2026-05-20) Jama, Teemu; Jukka Heinonen; Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering (UI); Umhverfis- og byggingarverkfræðideild (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ)
This thesis examines the climate impacts of urban planning, with a focus on its primary institutional outcome: zoning plans. Methodologically, it contributes by analysing planning paradigms, typically addressed qualitatively in normative terms, through quantitative methods based on high-resolution spatial data of the built environment classified by their zoning plan denotations. Using this mixed-method approach grounded in Critical Realism, the thesis provides quantitative evidence on how land-use zoning influences the carbon footprint of urban development, with a qualitative analysis of the mechanisms behind this evidence. The quantitative results from the Nordic case cities challenge prevailing assumptions from two directions. On the one hand, high-density, efficiency-oriented zoning seems to fail to enable argued low-carbon lifestyles, instead reinforcing high-carbon behaviours through consumerism and increased travel. On the other hand, lower-density zoning, widely deemed unsustainable, tends to dominate also in cities in locations where residents have lower carbon intensities and overall emissions, even when income and household types are controlled. The findings reveal zoning’s causal power to shape global emissions from the bottom up, although it is currently applied counterproductively. The thesis demonstrates and argues that using zoning plans to manage climate impacts, rather than building rights with per capita–based efficiency metrics, is not only a feasible and historically defensible reconception of zoning but also essential for urban planning to retain its public mandate as a libertarian paternalistic policy tool for climate-friendly development.
“What’s Love Got to Do with It?” The Role of Gender in Time Used on Care, Love and Work among Doctorate Holders
(2026-05-22) Hjálmsdóttir, Andrea; Guðbjörg Linda Rafnsdóttir; Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics (UI); Félagsfræði-, mannfræði- og þjóðfræðideild (HÍ); School of Social Sciences (UI); Félagsvísindasvið (HÍ)
Over the last few decades, the share of doctorate degrees earned by women has increased considerably. Despite this trend, there is a scarcity of studies addressing gender disparities among doctorate holders, working within and outside academia. Although accounting for a relatively small portion of the labour force, doctorate holders' experiences are important, as they can provide an important insight into how well-educated people who often enjoy privileged working arrangements and flexibility, negotiate gender roles at home and in the workplace. The main aim of the research introduced in this thesis was to gain a better understanding of how and if time used on care, love labour and work, influences gendered outcomes on the career trajectories of doctorate holders working within and outside academia. The findings draw on quantitative and qualitative research data. In terms of quantitative data longitudinal individual register data from Iceland between 1997 and 2017 was used and the population analysed were doctoral graduates holding five to 20-year-old degrees. The average total earnings of male and female doctorate holders were compared in relative values, either depending on their field of study or employment within or outside academia. The findings based on the qualitative data are derived from two datasets: the first dataset comprised 32 open-ended interviews conducted with doctorate holders in Iceland, 16 men and 16 women, working within and outside academia; the second dataset comprised open-ended interviews with five men and five women working in a higher education institution in British Columbia, Canada. The findings from the quantitative study reveal a continuous gender gap in total earnings between the fifth and the tenth career years, regardless of the field of study or whether employment is within or outside academia. The novelty from the findings based on the qualitative data is mainly two folded: firstly, it provides multifaceted findings on work-family balance among doctorate holders working within and outside academia. The academics expressed more complex feelings about their daily lives than those working outside academia. The findings suggest that women, academics especially, experience limitless, boundaryless and invisible labour, both at home and at work, causing them considerable stress, while the men, within and outside academia, can selectively distance themselves from burdening caring roles at home and at work. Despite all the participants enjoying privileged working arrangements and flexibility, the participants in this research described having difficulties drawing lines around working hours. This applied especially to the participating academics, who, despite enjoying the most working arrangement flexibility, described working in a 'greedy' institution that absorbed all their time. Secondly, the findings offer a new insight into the different, yet strikingly similar, realities of academics in Iceland and Canada. This is a new perspective, to my knowledge. The most significant national difference observed in the findings was that welfare policies and having access to the extended family, played a role in career decisions among Icelanders. However, the similarities among Canadians and Icelanders in terms of stress experienced were remarkable, as the institutional structures of the academia as a workplace tailor the academics' working life very closely. The success of Iceland in terms of gender equality compared to Canada, is undermined by the structures of higher education institutions that demand long working hours and commitment and fosters competition. The study offers new insights by leveraging love labour and care as theoretical tools for analysing work-family balance and the career trajectories of doctorate holders working in and outside academia. Despite advancement in gender equality and implementation of several initiatives to advance gender equality by the government of Iceland, the findings of this thesis reveal highly traditional gendered division of labour among doctorate holders, illustrated by the fact that undertaking primary care is not central to men's identity. Such divisions of labour are maintained by patriarchal organizational structures and gendered power relations, resulting in highly gendered outcomes both at home and in the workplaces
Positional Leverage in Distant Institutional Environments: Insights from a Multilevel Context
(University of Iceland, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Business Administration, 2026-05) Ólafsdóttir, Bryndís; Erla Sólveig Kristjánsdóttir; Faculty of Business Administration (UI); Viðskiptafræðideild (HÍ); School of Social Sciences (UI); Félagsvísindasvið (HÍ)
This compilation thesis investigates internationalization and positional leverage within an institutionally distinct but developed host country environment. Adopting a holistic perspective, the research emphasizes the meso- and micro-level dynamics of internationalization, while situating them within the shaping influence of the macrolevel, institutional environment. It addresses gaps in the existing market entry literature related to cross-level dynamics, the role and positional leverage of institutional networks in the support environment, and the adaptation strategies of internationalizing firms. Employing a qualitative methodology, this exploratory research adopts a Constructivist Grounded Theory approach with simultaneous data collection and analysis, with the objective of constructing a theory and theoretical extension grounded in empirical field data. This aimed to provide insights into the institutional environment and the experiences of managers within internationalizing high-technology firms, as well as institutional actors within the support network. The research primarily relies on in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted on-site in Japan, Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden. Additionally, case studies and text analysis are utilized to enable triangulation, capture institutional dynamics across levels, and contextualize actor perspectives. Social constructivism underpins the philosophical stance of the thesis, emphasizing the interpretation of social phenomena, the complexity of perspectives, and the existence of multiple realities within the context. The qualities of the compilation papers are best captured through three unifying characteristics: theory development, interdisciplinary diversification, and contextualization. The results reveal significant findings from two research streams. The research consists of four journal articles, two published and two under review, referred to as ‘papers’ in the thesis. The first research stream, focused on institutional networks, encompasses the first three papers. It uncovers the positional power of these support networks within the bureaucratic host country environment. This power stems from the network's legitimized position and social status in the market, which enhances its leverage in accessing influential power players. Conversely, the antecedents and dynamics of supranational coopetition (simultaneous cooperation and competition) built on collective identity and closeness are also examined. It reveals how the nested tensions and competing interests characterizing this paradox can undermine the effectiveness and potential benefits of collaboration within the institutional networks and aid stakeholders. The second research stream, centered on high technology firms, comprises the fourth and final paper. This research illustrates how firms transition from outsidership to insidership by strategically developing their network position. It complements the first stream by examining how SMEs respond to institutional dynamics through strategic adaptation and capability development. They achieve this by leveraging both business and non-business actors to improve communication with local customers. It also highlights how firms learn and adapt to the market by enhancing four types of dynamic capabilities: culture-adjusting, network-shaping, establishment-reconfiguring, and service-improving. It demonstrates how there are both assets and liabilities associated with being an insider and an outsider. In conclusion, the institutionally distinct and multilayered structures of distant sociopolitical environments, coupled with the overall complexity and uncertainty of the global market, continue to pose significant challenges for Western firms and organizations during market entry. This thesis identifies two key strategies for facilitating smoother access. Firstly, home country institutional networks can act as valuable liaisons, enabling firms to navigate these challenging environments more effectively. They provide positional leverage within bureaucratic systems and capitalize on longstanding regional alliances. However, achieving success in regional collaboration requires balancing paradoxical tensions arising from competing interests and implementing improved governance through higher-level institutional support and leadership. Secondly, internationalizing firms can address the challenges of their liability of outsidership by adopting strategic positioning. By leveraging local actors to build trust and legitimacy and by enhancing their unique dynamic capabilities to adapt to the environment, these firms can significantly improve their chances of survival and success. The thesis contributes to internationalization studies and the broader field of organizational sociology through its interdisciplinary approach. It makes a notable impact on institutional theory by highlighting the connection between organizational legitimacy and status, and is further enriched by incorporating the concept of power to explain positional leverage. Additionally, the thesis significantly advances the coopetition approach by integrating paradox theory and game theory. It introduces the novel concept of supranational coopetition to explain the complexities of regional collaboration. It also extends the Uppsala internationalization process model by refining and advancing the conceptualization of network outsidership and its link to dynamic capabilities. These theoretical contributions are solidly grounded in rigorous empirical research and thorough analysis.
Enumerating score sequences and permutations by inversions and forbidden patterns
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Physical Sciences, 2026) Franklín, Atli Fannar; Anders Karl Claesson; Faculty of Physical Sciences (UI); Raunvísindadeild (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ)
This thesis studies the enumeration of score sequences and permutations. The first paper settles a conjecture of Hanna on a recursion for the number of score sequences of a tournament, derives a closed formula, and gives a quadratic-time algorithm. The second presents generating functions for permutations with few inversions: those with as many inversions as elements, and those with a fixed number of inversions fewer than elements. The third continues on the theme of inversions, enumerating pattern-avoiding permutations by inversions for all patterns of length at most 3. The fourth and last paper explores how to obtain bounds on the number of 1324-avoiding permutations by encoding permutations as walks in a directed graph.
Novel Hybrid Quantum-Classical Computing Algorithms Enhancing Satellite Remote Sensing Applications for Earth Observation
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, 2026-04) Delilbasic, Amer; Prof. Dr. Morris Riedel; Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science (UI); Iðnaðarverkfræði-, vélaverkfræði- og tölvunarfræðideild (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ)
Earth observation (EO) is increasingly driven by large-scale remote sensing (RS) data, acquired from satellite and airborne platforms across diverse temporal and spatial resolutions. These datasets are characterized not only by volume, but by complex properties such as multi-source heterogeneity, high dimensionality, nonlinear feature distributions, and spatio-temporal variability. Processing such data at operational scale introduces significant algorithmic and computational challenges, particularly in high resolution environmental monitoring and planetary-scale inference tasks. Quantum computing (QC) offers a computational paradigm fundamentally different from classical computing, leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics to perform operations in high-dimensional state spaces. This theoretical advantage makes QC a compelling candidate for selected EO tasks, especially those involving combinatorial optimization and learning tasks. However, the limited qubit fidelity and scale of current quantum hardware constrain their direct applicability to operational applications in Earth observation. This PhD thesis investigates the application of annealing-based and circuit-based quantum algorithms to EO, as well as the integration of quantum algorithms with classical devices, such as those in high-performance computing (HPC) environments. It examines acquisition scheduling and data classification tasks within EO workflows. Experiments assess practical algorithmic benefits, computational scalability, and constraints imposed by hybrid quantum-classical execution. Results demonstrate that quantum modules, when carefully embedded into HPC architectures, can enhance selected stages of EO pipelines, specifically using quantum machine learning and quantum optimization approaches.
Áföll, vald, samskipti: Upplifun prédikarans á átakatímum í ljósi prédikunarfræði.
(University of Iceland, School of Humanities, Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, 2026-03-12) Jörgensson Berndsen, Fritz Már; Dr. Sigríður Guðmarsdóttir og Dr. Pétur Pétursson; Guðfræði- og trúarbragðafræðideild (HÍ); Hugvísindasvið (HÍ)
Prédikunarfræði (e. homiletics) snerist löngum um undirbúning prédikunar, flutning hennar og miðlun. Á síðari árum hafa prédikunarfræðingar beint sjónum sínum að reynslu prédikarans sjálfs. Í ritgerðinni sem hér er sett fram er fengist við þau áhrif sem sjónarhóll og upplifanir prédikara hafa á prédikun. Samfélagslegar aðstæður áheyrenda eru einnig lykilþáttur í prédikunarfræðilegri umfjöllun ritgerðarinnar þar sem færð eru rök fyrir því að prédikunarfræðingar hafi almennt ekki gefið nægjanlegan gaum að þeim samfélagslegu áföllum er prédikarar og áheyrendur hafa upplifað. Tímabilið frá lokum 20. aldar til upphafs 21. aldar voru átakatímar fyrir þjóðkirkjuna sem þurfti að fást við mál er ollu henni og þjónum hennar vandræðum. Málin sem valin voru eru ferns konar og byggja sögulega greiningu ritgerðarinnar. Ein hjúskaparlög og kirkjuleg hjónavígsla hinsegin fólks olli deilum í samfélaginu og innan þjóðkirkjunnar. Næst kemur hið svokallaða biskupsmál er hófst árið 1996 þegar tvær konur ásökuðu þáverandi biskup Ólaf Skúlason um kynferðisbrot. Þá má nefna Kristnitökuhátíð á Þingvöllum sem var gagnrýnd vegna náins samstarfs þjóðkirkjunnar við Alþingi og valdamenn í stjórnmálum. Að lokum er fjallað um efnahagshrunið á Íslandi árið 2008 sem var einstakur viðburður sem leiddi af sér samfélagslegt áfall. Áskoranir átakatímabilsins fyrir, í og eftir hrun höfðu áhrif á hina evangelísk-lúthersku þjóðkirkju á Íslandi sem glímdi á þessu tímabili við ýmsar áskoranir af félagslegum toga. Höfundur rannsakar áhrif prédikunar á þessu tímabili og greinir áhrif þessa átakatímabils á prédikara og prédikun þeirra. Í ljósi prédikunarfræða má álykta að atburðir sem þessir geti haft áhrif á hvort tveggja, prédikara og áheyrendur þeirra. Átakatímabil vísar hér til samfélagslegra og stofnanatengdra umbreytinga sem höfðu áhrif á íslenskt samfélag, þjóðkirkju og prédikun presta á tímabilinu 1995-2015. Rannsóknarspurning ritgerðarinnar er: Hver er upplifun presta á Íslandi af því að prédika á átakatímum í aðstæðum hruns og áfalla? Ein af hinum stóru áskorunum ritgerðarinnar lýtur að áhrifum ólíkra tegunda valds og mögulegum áhrifum valdastöðu og misbeitingar valds á prédikun. Þessir þættir verða rannsakaðir út frá kenningum um áfallatengda prédikun. Aðrar kenningar sem ritgerðin byggir á lúta að tungutaki og samskiptum í prédikun. Í samtímanum verða samskipti prédikara við áheyrendur stöðugt flóknari, rétt eins og aðferðir til miðlunar á prédikun. Umræða í prédikunarfræði tengd hugmyndum úr síðnýlenduhyggju (e. postcolonialism) um áföll og vald hefur haft þau áhrif að nýjar rannsóknir á birtingarmyndum þessara þátta hafa fengið aukið rými. Ritgerðin byggir á eigindlegri viðtalsrannsókn þar sem tekin voru viðtöl við átta starfandi presta innan þjóðkirkjunnar um reynslu þeirra og upplifanir í samfélagslegu áfalli efnahagshrunsins. Viðtölin eru síðan greind og túlkuð út frá áðurnefndum kenningum. Viðmælendur rannsóknarinnar, rétt eins og áheyrendur þeirra, þurftu að fást við afleiðingar áfalla í eigin lífi, starfi og prédikun. Rætt er um mál sem tengjast lykilhugtökum ritgerðarinnar og prédikun tengda þeim. Þar ber á góma málefni á borð við traust, sjálfsmat presta, texta, tungutak, túlkun, samfélagsleg álitamál og áfallaaðstæður. Niðurstöður ritgerðarinnar benda til þess að átakatíminn ásamt samfélagslegu áfalli hruntímans hafi haft mikil áhrif á prédikara og áheyrendur þeirra. Í niðurstöðunum er að finna samsvörun við aðrar rannsóknir á reynslu prédikara af samfélagslegum áföllum. Nýsköpun þessarar ritgerðar felst í því að rannsaka reynslu íslenskra presta á umbrotatímum í sögu íslensks samfélags og þjóðkirkju.
Manifestations of inequality among adolescents in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
(University of Iceland, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, 2026) N´dure Baboudóttir, Fatou; Geir Gunnlaugsson; Félagsfræði-, mannfræði- og þjóðfræðideild (HÍ); Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics (UI); Félagsvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Social Sciences (UI)
Introduction. In low-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, adolescents (aged 10–19 years) are a rapidly growing demographic; however, their needs beyond sexual and reproductive health remain under-researched. This article-based thesis explores, through five peer-reviewed publications, the manifestations of inequality among adolescents in Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau, a low-income and fragile state in West Africa. Guided by the theoretical framework of social determinants of health and childhood and youth studies, it examines how structural conditions impact adolescents' life experiences and how they navigate the challenges they face. Aims. The overall aim of the research is to describe, analyse, and synthesise the manifestations of inequality in the lives of adolescents in Bissau. The specific aims are to explore (1) the social determinants of adolescents’ unequal access to education and use of digital technologies (Papers I–II and IV); (2) adolescents’ understanding of inequality in their daily lives and during global health crises (Papers III–V); and (3) adolescents’ responses to challenges in their everyday lives and during global health crises (Papers III– V). Methodology. Data collection is based on a multi-phase, mixed-methods approach in which quantitative methodology informs the qualitative component. The quantitative aspect consists of a Planet Youth survey questionnaire conducted among 2,039 school-attending adolescents (aged 14–19) in 12 public and four private schools in Bissau, analysing the determinants of educational and digital access. The results informed the qualitative component of the research, which included semi-structured interviews, focus group sessions, and a participatory photovoice project to explore adolescents' daily experiences across different socioeconomic backgrounds and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results. Findings reveal deep-seated inequalities. Access to education is starkly divided, with parental education and family income being the strongest determinants for enrolment in private schools, which offer more educational stability compared to resource-poor public schools, plagued by strikes and teacher absenteeism. Furthermore, access to computers and the internet is limited, disadvantaging girls and public-school students. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the global digital divide; school closures led to a universal loss of education in both public and private schools, with no remote learning provided or other support. Some adolescents reported hunger and a lack of food security, underscoring local inequality. Through the photovoice project, they insightfully outlined structural inequalities in their daily lives. Despite these barriers, the adolescents demonstrated remarkable determination, empathy, and strong aspirations for the future, proposing practical solutions to the challenges they face. Conclusions. Adolescents in Bissau confront systemic and interconnected inequalities in their daily lives. Their experiences necessitate integrated, equity-focused interventions targeting the socioeconomic determinants of health. By centring adolescents’ perspectives, the findings underscore the necessity of a child rights-based approach that institutionalises youth participation in policy and decision-making. The results highlight the importance of recognising adolescents as active agents in achieving sustainable development and a more equitable future for the next generation in Guinea-Bissau, with potential implications elsewhere.
A Study in Textual Transmission: Egils rímur and the “Younger Egla”
(University of Iceland, School of Humanities, Faculty of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies, 2026-02-28) Macháčková, Nikola; Svanhildur Óskarsdóttir; Íslensku- og menningardeild (HÍ); The Faculty of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies (UI); Hugvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Humanities (UI)
Egils saga er varðveitt í allnokkrum handritum og handritsbrotum og er elsta brotið frá miðri þrettándu öld (AM 162 A θ fol.). Viðfangsefni þessarar ritgerðar eru hinsvegar mun yngri birtingarmyndir sögunnar, Egils rímur frá miðri sautjándu öld, og „Yngri Egla“, prósaverk sem er að miklu leyti byggt á rímunum. Yngri Egla er varðveitt í fjórum handritum frá sautjándu og átjándu öld. Þrátt fyrir ótvírætt mikilvægi þeirra hafa þessar síðari alda umritanir ekki notið jafnmikillar fræðilegrar athygli og hin forna saga. Í þessari rannsókn er fjallað um aðlögun og viðtökur Egils sögu innan þeirrar breytilegu bókmenntamenningar sem ríkti á fyrri hluta nýaldar á Íslandi. Með því að rannsaka sex lykilhandrit sameinar rannsóknin hefðbundna textafræði og efnislega textafræði til að kanna textatengsl og það menningarlega samhengi sem hafði áhrif á þessar aðlaganir. Sá gjörningur að snúa sögum í bundið mál og svo aftur í prósa er algengur í íslenskri bókmenntahefð en þetta fyrirbæri hefur ekki verið rannsakað ítarlega hingað til, sérstaklega ekki í sambandi við Íslendingasögur. Varðveisla og endursköpun texta þessarar vinsælu sögu á sautjándu og átjándu öld getur gefið okkur innsýn í viðtökur sögunnar, samfélag þessa tíma og breytingar á bókmenntasmekk. Greiningin kortleggur tengslin milli Egils rímna og handrita af C-grein Egils sögu hinnar eldri, auk þess að rannsaka endursköpun þessara rímna í prósaverkinu „Yngri Eglu“. Í rannsókninni er sjónum einnig beint að félags- og efnahagslegu baksviði handritanna, ætlaður tilgangur þeirra og lesendahópur er skoðaður og sú algenga skoðun dregin í efa að „Yngri Egla“ sé „ómerkilegra“ verk en miðaldasagan. Þess í stað er leitast við að setja þetta prósaverk í stærra samhengi endurritunar yfir á ný form og bókmenntasmekks á fyrri hluta nýaldar á Íslandi. Þessi ritgerð felur í sér útgáfu (þá fyrstu sem unnin hefur verið) og greiningu á Egils rímum og endurmat á „Yngri Eglu“ og er þannig til þess fallin að auka skilning á þróun bókmenntagreina á tímum mikilla menningarbreytinga. Hún er bæði framlag til handritafræða og til íslenskrar bókmenntasögu og niðurstöðurnar varpa ljósi á flókin endurritunarferli og viðtökur sem einkenna bókmenntalandslagið á Íslandi eftir siðbreytingu.
Folklore as Intellectual Property: Attempts to Create an International Convention to Protect Traditional Culture
(University of Iceland, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Anthropology and Folkloristics, 2026-03-19) Karlsson, Áki Guðni; Valdimar Tr. Hafstein; Félagsfræði-, mannfræði- og þjóðfræðideild; Faculty of Social Sciences, Anthropology and Folkloristics; Félagsvísindasvið; School of Social Sciences
This dissertation is a study of approaches to the protection of traditional cultural expressions as intellectual property, debated at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) since 2001. The research focuses on the history of intellectual property for traditional culture, and the various ways in which the debate is framed. I analyse these frames in the context of geopolitical power struggles and groups fighting for cultural self-determination, while identifying stakeholder interests and the key actors involved. Based on my findings, I argue that the difficulty of defining traditional cultural expressions as intellectual property derives from the way intellectual property was conceived, by distinguishing modern art and the modern bourgeois artist, mostly based in the metropoles of European empires, from traditional art, created by people living in the provinces and colonies of the former. Intellectual property regulations created a situation where the former category of artists was able to benefit financially by creating art derived from the latter, but not the other way around. This imbalance lies at the root of repeated attempts to accommodate traditional culture within current standards of intellectual property. I argue that without substantial revision of those standards, such attempts are doomed to fail. My research is based on participant observation at meetings of WIPO’s Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) in Geneva, Switzerland, in depth interviews with its delegates, as well as an extensive study of related historical archives, to lay bare the genealogy of these 21st century debates in the context of the legal, cultural, and political history of the 20th century, as well as the intertwined histories of copyright and the field of folklore in the 19th century. This brought me to examine the long document trail left by decades of meetings, while focusing on the current talks in the IGC. I have attempted to identify the voices behind different policy positions. I have also endeavoured to trace the development of these positions, which sometimes extend far back in time. In many parts of the world, we find examples of conflict between people involved in traditional cultures that fall outside the purview of intellectual property law, and people whose cultural productions and inventions are directly derived from these traditions yet are protected as intellectual property. The rift that was put between these two types of creativity, is also the founding moment of “folklore” as a concept dedicated to the traditional arts. While attempts to settle the matter within WIPO have at the time of writing (in 2025) largely been in vain, the long intergovernmental debate (extending back more than 60 years) has led to several international conventions related to folklore, traditional culture vi and traditional knowledge, and a proliferation of literature dealing with the concept of cultural property from the standpoint of different scholarly disciplines. The present study is my contribution to a growing field of inquiry related to fundamental questions of cultural rights, cultural property, the possibility of balanced cultural exchanges, and the place and value of tradition in modern society.
Landslag í mótun: Örnefni og ferli nafngifta í Surtsey
(Háskóli Íslands, verkfræði og náttúruvísindasvið, líf- og umhverfisvísindasvið, 0026-03-04) Lárusdóttir, Birna; Edda R. H. Waage; Líf- og umhverfisvísindadeild (HÍ); Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI)
Markmið rannsóknarinnar er að varpa ljósi á örnefni sem hreyfanlegt og síbreytilegt afl og að draga upp mynd af því hvernig þessi hreyfanleiki hefur áhrif á landslag og sýn okkar á það. Nafngiftaferlið er í forgrunni, þ.e. að skoða hvernig örnefni og söfn örnefna verða til í tengslum við ýmsa aðra þætti. Til að draga fram inntak örnefnahugtaksins og hvernig það hefur þróast í fræðilegu ljósi eru sögu örnefnarannsókna á Íslandi gerð skil. Grafist er fyrir um viðhorf til örnefna, nafngiftaferla og örnefnasöfnunar og þar með könnuð tilurð gagna um örnefni eins og við þekkjum þau. Þá eru þekkt nafngiftaferli úr nútímanum notuð til að auka skilning á því hvernig örnefni verða til, hvernig þau endurspegla og hafa áhrif á heimsmynd okkar og varpa ljósi á menningarlegt vald yfir landfræðilegu rými og stöðum. Aðalrannsóknarefnið er örnefni í Surtsey, en hún varð til í eldsumbrotum haustið 1963. Þar gefst fágætt tækifæri til að rannsaka örnefnamyndun í nýju landi frá upphafi, en byggt er á ýmiss konar ritheimildum, vettvangskönnun og viðtölum. Aðferðafræðilegur grunnur verkefnisins er þverfræðilegur og stuðst við nálganir úr menningarlandfræði, félagslegri örnefnafræði og heimspeki. Þannig er horft á félagslegt umhverfi örnefna og m.a. hvernig þau eru ekki alltaf hlutlausir merkimiðar heldur gildishlaðin og jafnvel hápólitísk
Early Pleistocene environment and climate of the Nihewan Basin, NE China
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Earth Sciences, 2026-03-02) Moghazi, Ahmed H.; Steffen Mischke; Jarðvísindadeild (HÍ); Faculty of Earth Sciences (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI)
The Nihewan Basin in northern China preserves abundant Early Pleistocene Palaeolithic sites and represents one of the earliest locations of hominins outside Africa. Sediments from three excavation trenches at the Dachangliang ridge in the northeastern part of the Nihewan Basin were investigated in the PhD study to reconstruct the environmental and climatic changes and assess their relationship with hominin activities during the Early Pleistocene. A multi-proxy approach was applied, integrating field-based observations with grain-size, magnetic susceptibility and ostracod assemblage (bivalved micro-crustacean) analyses, as well as parameterized grain-size end-member modeling, cyclostratigraphic analysis and stable isotope analysis of ostracod shells (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values). The studied sediments were mostly interpreted as fluvially reworked, originally aeolian deposits which accumulated through six depositional cycles, alternating between dominantly a wetland with periods of lake and alluvial plain settings. The grain-size distributions of the synthetic NH-T composite section were attributed to a mixture of four distinct end members (EMs 1-4). EMs 1-3 were used to infer the history of East Asian winter/summer monsoons (EAWM/EASM) in the region. Inferred EASM conditions dominated during periods from ca. 1.66-1.62 Ma, 1.52-1.25 Ma and after 0.82 Ma, whereas EAWM conditions prevailed from ca. 1.62-1.52 Ma and during the Mid-Pleistocene transition (MPT) 1.25-0.82 Ma. The unexpectedly high δ¹⁸O-δ¹³C covariance suggests that the basin was mostly hydrologically closed, and waters affected by evaporation. Hydrological state shifts between more standing and flowing waters were detected. Assessed together with the synthetic archaeological record, hominins apparently occupied the basin during periods of prevailing EASM climate and more standing waters. Collectively, these insights refine our current perspectives of the favorable and less favorable climatic conditions that shaped the Early Pleistocene hominin activities in the region. Thus, this study establishes a foundation for continued research on the palaeoenvironments of Early Pleistocene hominins in East Asia.
Renewable conversion of CO2 to green fuels
(University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Physical Science, 2026-03-16) Ashraf, Naveed; Dr Younes Abghoui; Raunvísindadeild (HÍ); Physics (UI); Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI)
The excessive release of greenhouse gases has significantly endangered the Earth's ecosystem and resulted in major environmental impacts. The increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) from fossil fuel usage disturb natural cycles, increase global warming, cause glacial melting, and lead to climate change. Therefore, prompt actions are required to capture CO2 and transform it into renewable energy fuels to mitigate this problem. For decades, researchers and scientists have pursued the development of systems that can capture CO2 and transform it into valuable chemical molecules. Several techniques exist for the conversion of CO2 into valuable products, including biochemical, thermochemical, and photochemical processes; however, electrochemical approaches are particularly advantageous as they can utilize renewable energy, hence reducing the degradation of the environment. Electrocatalysis is considered a key and efficient technique for the sustainable generation of fuels and chemicals from renewable energy sources. These technologies not only diminish atmospheric CO2 levels but also serve as effective methods to meet the rapidly increasing energy demands by converting the captured CO2 into a fuel such as methane, methanol, ethanol, etc. in a renewable manner. This thesis employed the state-of-the-art Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to model more than 30 different surfaces in the rock-salt structured transition metal carbides (TMC) and in three dominant facets of (100), (110), and (111) as catalyst material for CO2 reduction reactions (CO2RR) and carbon monoxide reduction reactions (CORR). In addition to the conventional mechanism, the Mars van Krevelen (MvK) mechanism was investigated, a mechanism that is unique for these TMCs due to their crystallographic compositions. For CO2 reduction via a conventional mechanism, the (100) facet of vanadium carbide (VC) was found to enable formic acid production at an onset potential of 0.0 V. The (100) facet of wolfram carbide (WC) was identified as showing high activity for methanol synthesis at -0.36 V. From the (110) facets, tantalum carbide (TaC) demonstrated outstanding activity for C1 products, enabling formic acid formation at 0.0 V and methane formation at -0.21 V. The VC (110) facets showed relatively high activity for formic acid (-0.36 V) and methanol (-0.50 V) formation. The WC (110) was found to be a better option for generating C2 products, such as ethanol, ethane, and ethylene, with a comparatively low onset potential of -0.65 V. For CORR, our study demonstrates that CO is exergonically adsorbed on the surface of carbides, where TaC (100) and TaC (110) were predicted to have catalytic activity for methane formation at -0.32 V and -0.26 V, respectively. Overall, the analysis of CO2 and CO adsorption indicates that CO adsorption is more exergonic than CO2, hence making CORR more interesting than CO2RR on TMC catalysts. In addition, the (111) facets were found less interesting for CO2 reduction when compared with (100) and (110) facets.
Exploring the Gap Between Clinical Trials and Real World Practice in Psoriatic Arthritis
(University of Iceland, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, 2026-02-13) Palsson, Olafur; Björn Guðbjörnsson, Meliha C Kapetanovic; Læknadeild (HÍ); Faculty of Medicine (UI); Heilbrigðisvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Health Sciences (UI)
Sóragigt er langvinnur, mögulega alvarlegur bólgusjúkdómur í liðum tengdur húðsjúkdómnum psoriasis. Hann getur haft djúpar og langvarandi afleiðingar, bæði fyrir sjúklinga sem þjást af honum og fyrir samfélagið. Eftirlit og meðferð sóragigtar er afar fjölþætt og getur þarfnast þverfaglegs samstarfs. Meðferðarleiðbeiningar við sóragigt byggja að miklu leyti á niðurstöðum slembiraðaðra tvíblindra rannsókna, en við vitum að einungis um þriðjungur sjúklinga uppfyllir inntökuskilyrðin í rannsóknirnar, oft vegna aldurs eða of lítillar sjúkdómsvirkni við inntöku. Í fyrstu greininni sýnum við fram á að sjúklingar með sóragigt sem uppfylla ekki inntökuskilyrði slembiraðaðra rannsókna á líftæknilyfjum fá jafn mikinn ávinning af slíkum lyfjum og halda áfram notkun þeirra í sama mæli eins og þeir sem uppfylla inntökuskilyrðin. Einn þáttur meðferðar við sóragigt er að stilla langvinna liðverki. Bólgueyðandi gigtarlyf eru hornsteinn verkjameðferðar sóragigtar en af þeim er hægt að fá aukaverkanir sem geta jafnvel verið alvarlegar. Í annarri greininni sýnum við fram á að við upphaf líftæknilyfjameðferðar með TNF hemlum minnkar notkunin á bólgueyðandi gigtarlyfjum um 40-50%. Þetta gefur til kynna óbeinan öryggisávinning af því að hefja slíka meðferð. Markmið meðferðar við sóragigt er að upphefja öll einkenni og teikn um sjúkdóminn ef það er hægt, með öðrum orðum að koma sjúklingum í sjúkdómshlé, helst án nokkurra aukaverkana meðferðar. Að ná og viðhalda sjúkdómshlé yfir lengri tíma, svo kallað viðvarandi sjúkdómshlé, hefur sýnt sig bæta langtímahorfur í iktsýki í gegnum aukið líkamlegt hreysti, betri lífsgæði og minni þróun liðskemmda. Áhrif viðvarandi sjúkdómshlés hefur hingað til ekki verið mikið rannsakað í sóragigt. Í þriðju og fjórðu greininni skoðum við tíðni viðvarandi sjúkdómshlés og forspárþætti fyrir því bæði í Svíþjóð og á Íslandi. Þrátt fyrir gott aðgengi að lyfjameðferðum upplifir helmingur sjúklinga aldrei sjúkdómshlé og færri en þriðjungur þeirra fá viðvarandi sjúkdómshlé. Karlkyn og minni þreyta við upphaf meðferðar spá fyrir betri líkum á að ná viðvarandi sjúkdómshlé.
Exploration of microbial communities from Icelandic marine waters using metagenomics
(University of Iceland, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, 2024-12-18) Jégousse, Clara; Viggó Þór Marteinsson, María Guðjónsdóttir; Matvæla- og næringarfræðideild (HÍ); Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition (UI); Heilbrigðisvísindasvið (HÍ); School of Health Sciences (UI)
Marine microorganisms are vital in maintaining ocean health by supporting food webs and regulating biogeochemical cycles. The ocean around Iceland, where warm Atlantic and cold Arctic currents meet, is a unique marine environment. While primary production in Icelandic waters has been monitored since the 1950s with microscopy and satellite imaging, molecular insights into microbial taxonomic and metabolic diversity remain limited. This thesis investigates the microbial communities in Icelandic marine waters using metagenomics. The main objectives were to find out what species can be detected in Icelandic marine waters? in what proportions? what is their potential function in the marine ecosystem? and how do environmental factors shape their distribution? The findings of this thesis offer insights into the relationships between microbial communities and their environments, establishing a foundation for future research. The publicly available datasets from this study serve as a baseline, supporting ecosystem modelling and sustainable management of Icelandic marine waters in a changing climate.

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