| 1. |
- Thelander, Joakim, 1964-
(författare)
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Introduction
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Scandinavian Studies in Criminology and Crime Prevention. - 1404-3858 .- 1651-2340. ; 13:2, s. 115-119
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 2. |
- Thelander, Joakim, 1964-
(författare)
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Meetings and time : a sociological study of public sector managers
- 2017
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In this study, the subject of modern organizational meetings in the public sector is discussed with focus on the concept of time, as a framework for understanding and analyzing modern meetings. How do the members of organizational staff describe and relate to the concept of time, in the context of meetings? Meetings are important for understanding how organizations are constituted in everyday work life, but also for understanding how time during workdays is experienced and socially constructed by the staff members.It is a qualitative study, where data was gathered in the form of ethnographic field observations (approximately 100 hours of observations) in public organizations, and interviews with managers (6 interviews) on different managerial levels within the organizations. The studied organizations are a public health care institution, and also one university within the Swedish public higher education. Three dimensions of meetings and time are highlighted in the study: using time for meetings, finding time for meetings, and the use of digital technology as a way of saving and taking time for meetings.The main conclusion of the study is that studying meetings and time, is important for understanding how meetings in modern public organizations are perceived. The social practices of using, finding, saving and taking time for meetings take place within a wider organizational context, and also within a wider personal context, which has implications influencing and changing the agency of time among the staff in the organizations. Likely, this is an important reason for the ambivalence towards meetings within organizations. Additionally, although this study focuses on public organizations, it may be relevant for understanding meetings in other forms of organizations as well.
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| 3. |
- Thelander, Joakim, 1964-
(författare)
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Sociology made relevant : Reflections on the use of sociological theory in research on social problems
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This article contributes methodological reasoning on how researchers can not only make social problems more sociologically relevant but also make sociology more relevant for research on social problems and social work. Using what David Silverman has described as a “two-step trick”, social problems are made more sociologically relevant, and also sociology is made more relevant for research on social problems. By moving in and out of the sociological territory, researchers may reframe and redefine the object of their studies to gain new insights and perspectives. Three specific examples from different contexts are discussed, in which sociology may function as such a perspective-generating device: institutional treatment, the deaf world and the problem of corruption.
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| 4. |
- Thelander, Joakim, 1964-
(författare)
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The sensitive interview : Methodological reflections on dealing with "sensitive" subjects during interviews
- 2012
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This presentation deals with the notion of "the sensitive interview". Many subjects in the field of criminology may be considered "sensitive"; they involve actions (one’s own or others) that may be deemed unlawful or immoral. In this presentation it is argued that the presumed sensitivity of a given subject must be considered potential rather than given beforehand. It is not an intrinsic, essential part of a given subject. Rather, it should be viewed as a result of the interaction which occurs during an interview. It is through the very act of treating a potentially sensitive subject in a cautious way that the subject is made sensitive. Viewed in this sense, the delicate or sensitive nature of a subject is in fact constituted as such during the interview and not by the subject matter. In this presentation, the notion of the sensitive interview is discussed and analyzed from an interactional perspective and by using concrete research examples. Traditional advice on how to deal with sensitive subjects during interviews is discussed. Normally, the interviewer is supposed to treat the presumed sensitive subject with great caution and care during an interview. The interviewer is supposed to start with less threatening questions, be sympathetic and accepting during the interview, not "pushing" the interviewed person into talking about issues that he or she wants to avoid, and so on. Although advice like the above naturally may be valid in some cases, if one follows them without discrimination they can also mean not getting the most from an interview. In fact, by treating a subject as sensitive the interviewer may end up with an impoverished and less interesting material. By avoiding treating a given subject as sensitive beforehand, it may be possible to obtain a less trivial and more rewarding interview material.
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| 5. |
- Thelander, Joakim, 1964-
(författare)
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The trip - a case of problematic friendship?
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Scandinavian Studies in Criminology and Crime Prevention. - 1404-3858 .- 1651-2340. ; 13:2, s. 152-165
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Sweden, there have been several cases in recent years where local politicians and officials have been accused of corrupt behaviour. This article concerns one such case, where a Chairman of the Municipal Board and a County Governor were invited by a wealthy business man to the inauguration of a vacation facility abroad. Their travel costs and lodgings were paid for by the business man, whose firm also sold equipment to the municipality as well as the county. When the trip became known to the prosecutors at the Swedish National Anti-Corruption Unit, a police investigation was conducted and charges raised against them for giving (the business man) and receiving (the Chairman and the County Governor) bribes. Eventually, after two trials (District Court and Court of Appeal), the Chairman, County Governor, and the business man were cleared of all charges against them. The trip was viewed by the courts as a gift, not a bribe. It is argued that the case raises interesting questions about entangled friendship relations and the blurred boundaries between private and professional roles which are important for understanding local corruption (and allegations of corruption) in Sweden. Therefore, the article's main focus concerns what could be described as actions in the grey zone.
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