Researcher in charge: Mikko Ilmoniemi (mikko.ilmoniemi@tuni.fi)
The aim of this doctoral research is to enhance both theoretical and empirical understanding of social problems as conditions in which a contradictory tension between mutual recognition and oppression is simultaneously present. Empirically, the research focuses on welfare state institutions whose mission is to care for people in difficult life situations, safeguard their rights, and promote social inclusion—yet, at the same time and often unintentionally, marginalize individuals, perpetuate cultural stigmatization, expose people to violence, and undermine opportunities for participation in decision-making. In my research, I conceptualize and theorize the dynamic between mutual recognition and oppression, and provide it with empirical content by examining homelessness in Finland. Thus, my analysis is situated at the margins of the welfare state—spaces in which being signifies physical, cultural, social, and political exclusion.
Theoretically, my research draws firstly on Axel Honneth’s (1995) recognition theory, in which mutual recognition is understood as relations and social positions where individuals regard one another as (1) holders of rights and authors of norms (respect), (2) unique and important individuals (love), and (3) valued members of a community (esteem). The denial of recognition, in its most extreme forms, can be considered a form of oppression. Secondly, the study builds on Iris Marion Young’s (1990) political theory, which conceptualizes oppression as social relations and processes through which marginalization, powerlessness, cultural domination, violence, and exploitation become possible. While I do not disregard individual actors and their agency, I do not approach oppression as merely the result of individual actions, but rather as a condition that is constructed within institutional relations of ruling. Therefore, my study is grounded in the ontological and methodological foundations of Dorothy Smith’s (1987; 2005) institutional ethnography. I understand oppression as an everyday phenomenon, which draws attention to routine practices that are typically well-intentioned but whose deeper negative implications often remain unnoticed.
The research questions are: (1) What does everyday oppression mean in the context of the Finnish welfare state? (2) How is the tension between recognition and oppression manifested in the context of homelessness? (3) How is this tension constructed within institutional relations of ruling? These questions are addressed in four peer-reviewed articles, the findings of which are further developed and synthesized in the dissertation’s concluding summary. The diverse empirical data, situated within the “social problem” of homelessness, have been collected as part of three larger research projects at Tampere University. The data comprises four distinct sets: (1) narrative interviews with individuals who have experienced homelessness; (2) interviews with staff members working in a temporary accommodation service for the homeless, along with ethnographic fieldnotes; (3) interviews with staff members and political actors involved in the closure process of a housing unit for individuals with experiences of homelessness; and (4) client records from adult social services concerning individuals who have experienced homelessness. The research is situated within the field of social work research.