Röster ur arbetslösheten : En kvalitativ studie som belyser arbetslösas situation

The levels of unemployment are unusually high compared to recent years, and the consequences are diligently debated in media. Swedish safety systems regarding people’s welfare have gone through changes lately which affected the situation negatively for many concerned citizens. This study aimed to illustrate individual’s situation of unemployment within their social context. We chose to focus on the respondent’s experiences, influences and managing skills pertaining to the situation of unemployment. Seven interviews with unemployed men and women, aged 21-64, where executed based on a qualitative approach. These interviews resulted in the empirical material which were compiled and analyzed. The theoretical standing point in this study was symbolic interactionism. The empirical material was also analyzed through the concepts of alienation, psychological illness, economical exposure and coping. The result of this study showed that all respondents experienced economical exposure according to their unemployment. This exposure lead to other quandary’s which contributed to development of coping strategies. Earlier research shows that unemployment is related to psychological illness which also was shown in this study. Alienation was nothing the respondents declared experience from according to that unemployment was common in their social contexts. On the contrary indirect alienation appeared in the empirical material based on individual situations