1.
Hjorth Aronsson, Christina, 1948-
(författare)
Struktur, handling och rumslig morfologi : Två fall av förnyelse och byggande i urban miljö
1999
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
The dissertation addresses problems concerning relations between decentralised welfare and centralised planning and building authorities as central matters in the public sector on communal level. Problems concerning relations between public planning and private market according to building are also focused. The study is based on Durkheim's macrosociology, social epistemology, and sociology of knowledge, developing an analysis model built upon Mary Douglas' grid-group typology, new-durkheimian theory of ritual action and urban semiotics. Key concepts are cosmologies, social welfare, market, and claims for influence on the process of physical planning. The analysis is made in relation to changes in welfare state perspective on macro level.The study's empirical material is collected from documents, official statistics, and interviews with essential actors in public sector and private enterprises, reflecting renewal efforts and of new planning.Decentralization of public decision-making evolves claims of local influence as results of new insights and knowledge among local professionals and politicians as results of new cooperation. Emancipation and ambivalence in relation central-local are consequences. Increased participation from private market on planning and building reflect knowledge-based differences and tensions due to their respective cosmological belonging. Changes in the post-war welfare sector are reflected in accumulated problems in a neighbourhood-area. Decarceration is reflected as normalisation in ordinary housing. On urban level, this reflects increased morphological, as well as socio-economical differentiation. Theoretically is discussed the possible expansion of grid-group typology through integrating concepts of action, of structure, and of spatial morphology (semiotics), called intra- and inter cosmological phenomena.
2.
Jönhill, Jan Inge
(författare)
Samhället som system och dess ekologiska omvärld. En studie i Niklas Luhmanns sociologiska systemteori
1997
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
This thesis is divided into two main parts. The first part is an exposé of Niklas Luhmann’s comprehensive sociological systems theory. Systems theory is a theory focusing upon the distinction between system and environment. In the first chapter the systems theoretical foundations as related to theory of science, its basic methodology, its central concepts and their historical development are presented and discussed. In the second and third chapter the presentation and discussion takes its point of departure in the two primary levels of analysis: the theory of social systems as communication systems; and the as well special as general theory of society as social system, respectively. One of Luhmann’s many challenging thesis – inspired by the phenomenology of Schutz and the second order cybernetics of von Foerster – is that the sociologist primarily is an observer of observations of (other) observations; another that social systems operate as autopoietic systems, i.e. as self-referential and “self-producing”, operatively closed, but cognitively open systems. The theory of society comprises of four parts: 1) the theory of communication media, 2) of evolution, 3) of differentiation, and 4) of society’s self-description. According to the theory of differentiation, the systems of economy, politics, law, science, family, etc., are operating as functions systems in the system of society. One conclusion of the analysis is that in modern society the distinction between inclusion and exclusion is a main, guiding distinction for the understanding of how persons are connected to society. The second part of the thesis is a systems theoretical analysis of the ecological environmental problems of society, thereby showing the relevance of systems theory in the understanding a contemporary sociological issue. The analysis is carried out around three theses: 1) Society can only relate and react to the environmental problem through communication; 2) Modern society is, to a high degree, dependent upon technology. Therefore, it is exposed to risks. Risk should be seen mainly as a form of danger caused by decisions of one’s own. Risk is thus not contrary to security, but a distinction between danger and risk; 3) Functional differentiation, which is shown to have a lot of advantages to the modern complex society, also causes great difficulties in attempting to solve environmental problems. However, this insight brings, as is shown, the only key to solutions. The environmental issue makes more urgent not only the development of an ”environmental sociology”, but first and foremost a general theory of society.
3.
Bruhn, Anders
(författare)
Individualiseringen och det fackliga kollektivet : En studie av industritjänstemäns förhållningssätt till facket
1999
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
This dissertation is based on a research project focusing privately employed industrial white-collar workers in Gothenburg, Sweden. The project was initiated due to signs of changes in the way employees perceive and act in relation to the union. The aim of this thesis is to study the causes behind individual patterns of action in relation to union membership and activity. My ambition is to increase our knowledge of the conditions of unions in contemporary working life, as well as of organisations of interest more generally. The problem is tackled in two steps: First I describe and analyse the individual motives behind different patterns of action. Second I analyse contextual causes, both in the workplace and in society at large, behind changes in motives evidenced today. My point of departure is theories about value change and individualization. The concept of value is here used to analyse how the individualization process changes the conditions for organized collective behaviour. My methodological approach is multistrategic. The main component of the approach is qualitative interviews. I interviewed employees at seven different companys during the period of 1993-1995. 1997 these were complemented with a postal survey to a representative sample of the target group in Gothenburg. The analysis reveals a distinctive generation gap in motives in relation to union membership and activity. Group-utility based instrumental views about the union, often in connection with "solidarity" and other traditional union values, was quite common among the older employees. These views were related to "security-based" materialistic value patterns. Instrumental considerations based on personal utility were mote frequent among the younger employees and coexisted with "private post-materialistic" value patterns. The private postmaterialist is fairly open-minded, critically reflexive and ambivalent. He/she gives priority to "libertarian" values, such as personal development and self-fulfilment. Situationally bound activities and objects ate not evaluated in relation to any deeper ideological convictions. As a result of this peripheral values, attitudes and actions adapt rapidly to situational changes and opinions are easily altered. This is a "risk-group" for unions and other established organizations of interest. They are not against organized collectives as such. To participate though, they demand direct personal influence and benefits. To attract them unions has to revaluate both how activity is carried out and what issues to give priority. Private postmaterialism is, along with the more principled and ideologically based "social" variant of postmaterialism, a reflection of increasing individualism. Causes for value change and individualisation can be accounted for by changes in the socialisation process and the growing differentiation and fragmentation in todays complex society.
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6.
Westin Hellertz, Pia
(författare)
Kvinnors kunskapssyn och lärandestrategier? : En studie av tjugosju kvinnliga socionomstuderande
1999
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Denna studie undersöker inledningsvis socionomutbildningen ur ett historiskt könsperspektiv; en yrkesförberedande utbildning som genom inträdet i universitetets organisation och strukturer och genom utvecklingen av det akademiska ämnet 'socialt arbete' successivt akademiserats på de traditionella villkor som format akademin genom århundraden, villkor som utvecklats av män för mäns bildning, samtidigt som de socionomstuderande kvinnorna utgör 82% av undervisningsgrupperna. Forskningen i socialt arbete har maskuliniserats genom att professorer och forskare i huvudsak är män. Huvudsyftet med studien är att undersöka hur denna majoritet av kvinnor, vars främsta syfte är att bli verksamma socialarbetare, ser på kunskap, på sig själva som lärande och hur de lär, d.v.s. vilka lärandestrategier de använder sig av inom ramen för dessa akademiska strukturer. Nästan hälften av de intervjuade kvinnorna kommer från arbetarklassbakgrund och den andra hälften från medelklassmiljöer. En mycket stor andel av kvinnorna ur medelklassmiljö har en psykosocialt svår uppväxtmiljö miljö bakom sig, med missbruk inom familjen, våld och sexuella övergrepp. En modell över kvinnornas lärandeprofiler, vilken bygger på kunskapsdimensionerna kunskapens källa, kunskapsinriktning, kunskapsorientering och kunskapsväg, visar att de intervjuade kvinnorna har mycket olika förhållningssätt till kunskap och till lärande. De flesta är dock i huvudsak "relationsorienterade praktiker" eller "relationsorienterade teoretiker". Ålder och tidigare erfarenheter har en viss betydelse i sammanhanget. Endast en liten andel är "distansorienterade teoretiker". Avslutningsvis föreslås att socionomutbildningen får en medvetet frigörande och transcenderande funktion avseende traditionella könskonstruktioner. Forskning omkring och praktiska erfarenheter av bl.a. feministisk pedagogik kan utgöra inspirationskällor för denna medvetandegörande och transcenderande didaktik.
