Astrid Strandbu

When emotions count in construction of interview data

This article highlights the significance of a methodology that includes the emotions as an integral element in the construction and analysis of data. The research question is: how can an emotional self-awareness of the researcher on data contribute towards understanding and knowledge. The objective is to display how reflections on the emotions of the researchers provide increased depth of the construction of the data and the topic studied. The empirical data have been obtained from two PhD projects on child and family contact with child protection authorities in Norway. The sampled material derives from situations in the interviews that particularly affected us emotionally and which we reflected on several years after the interviews took place. Through a re-analysis of the interview process, we display how the researchers constructed the data and how we, in the original research, overlooked important questions. Our analytical approach in the original project as in this re-analysis is constructivist interactionism. For the re-analysis, we both draw on the epistemology of emotion and the concept ‘account’. The article contributes to the development of methods by demonstrating how analysis might be made more reflective and transparent by taking the emotions of the researcher into account. The implication for practice is that we recommend a ‘re-consideration’ of data when one is emotionally aroused, and also to engage associates in the analysis.

The Involvement of Children in the Process of Mandatory Family Mediation

Mediation is mandatory for all separated divorcing/separating spouses and co-habiting partners in Norway with children under the age of 16. A mediation model called “Children in Mediation” (Barn i mekling, known as BIM) systematically includes children in the mediation process. In the article, we address two key issues based on statements from children to their parents as well as questionnaires completed by mediators and children in 250 mediations. Our first focus is on how the children’s actorship is expressed in the mediation context. We show that when given the opportunity, children largely choose to speak up, and we present some examples of their statements. We thematise the contradictory considerations of participation and children’s right to protection and assert that children’s potential vulnerability cannot, in general, justify preventing them from participation. Our second focus is on children’s experiences of their own participation and their general views on the inclusion of children in mandatory mediation and relationship breakdowns. In this analysis, we include how the level of conflict and problem accumulation in the family impacts the children’s decision-making about whether to participate or not. In the absolute majority of cases, children have positive experiences of their participation and encourage other children to participate. These assessments were made regardless of the level of conflict and degree of problem accumulation in the family.

Family group conferences: from Maori culture to decision-making model in work with late modern families in Norway

Models and methods within social work and child protection services are disseminated across cultural and national borders. The family group conference (FGC), with its origins in traditional Maori culture, is one example of this. The application of this model presupposes an ‘extended family’. Based on sociological theory, we highlight and problematise the explicit inattention to relevant cultural differences. The assumed existence of the extended family is implied in the direct translation of the term. The family in late modern society is often described as diversified, elective and shifting. We argue that FGC is relevant to such families. In our conclusion, we point out that despite changes, the family remains associated with traditional family values as solidarity and joint obligations, responsibilities and continuity. FGC vitalise traditional family values and facilitate for modern families performing traditional family practices. From our exploration of discourses and analyses on how FGC may be transformed from supporting Maori traditional culture to become a decision model in a CPS of a society such as Norway, we find there is a compliance with two fundamental factors: the late modern familys negotiating practices and the revitalisation of traditional family values.