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Kafékultur, kommunikation och gränser

Oddner, Frans LU (2003) In Lund Dissertations in Sociology 55.
Abstract
The café is a social meeting place. An as yet un-moulded aspect of social life is boundaries – how meetings rest on boundaries between participants that their intercourse brings forth. The aim of this dissertation is to study the café as a sociological and social–psychological phenomenon and at the same time contribute to forming the social–psychological aspect of boundaries. The study also contributes to the understanding of the informal and elementary social life of our time; the café as a phenomenon is sociologically interesting regarding the expansion of café life in recent years – to be seen in contrast to the so–called ”death of cafés” which began in Sweden in the 1960s. The study is qualitative social-psychology, influenced by the... (More)
The café is a social meeting place. An as yet un-moulded aspect of social life is boundaries – how meetings rest on boundaries between participants that their intercourse brings forth. The aim of this dissertation is to study the café as a sociological and social–psychological phenomenon and at the same time contribute to forming the social–psychological aspect of boundaries. The study also contributes to the understanding of the informal and elementary social life of our time; the café as a phenomenon is sociologically interesting regarding the expansion of café life in recent years – to be seen in contrast to the so–called ”death of cafés” which began in Sweden in the 1960s. The study is qualitative social-psychology, influenced by the sociology and social–psychology of Simmel, Mead and Asplund. The café is explored from different points of view, and gives an understanding of the café as a context, its conducts and rules. The European cultural history of the café is described. The sociological significance of a café visit is analysed – a social pause in social life. Central in the dissertation is the empirical study (participant observations) conducted on cafés in Malmö (Sweden), especially a couple of observed café visits where the analysis is focused on the boundaries – and the relating to boundaries – which arise during the conversations. The social–psychological aspect of the boundary, the understanding of how boundaries between participants arise, are tested, threatened and vary in social processes is initially formed in a concept analysis. This is further developed in the analysis of the café conversations. The study presents a world of meaning in which participants relate to boundaries in both routine and improvised ways, depending upon how boundaries between participants in social interaction and communication arise, vary and are tested in the social processes. The concept of ‘limitrophe’ is introduced and formed – defined as events when one approaches boundaries close to the unknown and where the boundaries are decimated, while new ones are produced, when the participants are ready for it – genuine social contacts. The central themes are drawn together in the conclusion. The way of meeting in café is understood as ”local social publics” – a democratic and human aspect of the café today. The significance of boundaries is understood to make it possible for the participants to see where they are and where they are heading in the world that is produced through their communications; and furthermore to come in contact with other persons and their own concrete boundaries. A general distinction is also formed: ‘speaking ABOUT’ and ‘SPEAKING about’, two attitudes on how to relate to boundaries in the process of communication, where contact becomes possible with the latter attitude. In a way the café renaissance can be seen as an answer to the expansion of the abstract side of social life. Nevertheless the abstract side is present in the new café life; but it is the concrete side that is brought out in the dissertation. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Popular Abstract in Swedish

Kaféet är en mötesplats. Alla möten vilar på gränser - på gränser mellan de som möts, som umgänget frambringar. ”Kafékultur, kommunikation och gränser” är en studie av det sociala livet på kaféer, som utvecklar den socialpsykologiska innebörden av gränsen. Den kan ses som ett bidrag till förståelsen av vår tids informella och elementära sociala liv – intressant inte minst mot bakgrund av de senaste årens ökade kaféliv i Sverige. Kaféet diskuteras ur olika synvinklar. Kaféets kulturhistoria beskrivs och den sociologiska betydelsen av ett kafébesök diskuteras – en social paus i det sociala livet. Central i studien är analysen av ett antal observerade kafésamtal där fokus ligger på de gränser – och... (More)
Popular Abstract in Swedish

Kaféet är en mötesplats. Alla möten vilar på gränser - på gränser mellan de som möts, som umgänget frambringar. ”Kafékultur, kommunikation och gränser” är en studie av det sociala livet på kaféer, som utvecklar den socialpsykologiska innebörden av gränsen. Den kan ses som ett bidrag till förståelsen av vår tids informella och elementära sociala liv – intressant inte minst mot bakgrund av de senaste årens ökade kaféliv i Sverige. Kaféet diskuteras ur olika synvinklar. Kaféets kulturhistoria beskrivs och den sociologiska betydelsen av ett kafébesök diskuteras – en social paus i det sociala livet. Central i studien är analysen av ett antal observerade kafésamtal där fokus ligger på de gränser – och de förhållanden till gränserna – som uppstår under samtalen. Gränsens socialpsykologiska aspekt, förståelsen av hur gränser mellan människor uppstår, prövas, hotas och varieras i sociala processer, formas inledningsvis med hjälp av en begreppsanalys och utvecklas därefter vidare i analysen av kafésamtalen. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • Professor Berg, Lars-Erik, Skövde University
organization
alternative title
Café Culture, Communication and Boundaries
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
elementary and advanced sociality, concrete and abstract sociality, Social psychology, interpersonal relations, local life, public life, social life, social forms, café culture, Asplund, Mead, sociology, social-psychology, limitrophe, boundary, Café, communication, participant observation, social process, Socialpsykologi, social process, Asplund, Mead, Café
in
Lund Dissertations in Sociology
volume
55
pages
300 pages
publisher
Department of Sociology, Lund University
defense location
Carolinasalen, Lund
defense date
2003-11-14 10:15:00
external identifiers
  • other:ISRN: LUSADG/SASO--03/1155--SE
ISSN
1102-4712
ISBN
91-7267-157-2
language
Swedish
LU publication?
yes
id
e2cf7440-d0e1-41af-a4ca-e4e5ce24fc10 (old id 21402)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:51:20
date last changed
2021-11-26 17:47:47
@phdthesis{e2cf7440-d0e1-41af-a4ca-e4e5ce24fc10,
  abstract     = {{The café is a social meeting place. An as yet un-moulded aspect of social life is boundaries – how meetings rest on boundaries between participants that their intercourse brings forth. The aim of this dissertation is to study the café as a sociological and social–psychological phenomenon and at the same time contribute to forming the social–psychological aspect of boundaries. The study also contributes to the understanding of the informal and elementary social life of our time; the café as a phenomenon is sociologically interesting regarding the expansion of café life in recent years – to be seen in contrast to the so–called ”death of cafés” which began in Sweden in the 1960s. The study is qualitative social-psychology, influenced by the sociology and social–psychology of Simmel, Mead and Asplund. The café is explored from different points of view, and gives an understanding of the café as a context, its conducts and rules. The European cultural history of the café is described. The sociological significance of a café visit is analysed – a social pause in social life. Central in the dissertation is the empirical study (participant observations) conducted on cafés in Malmö (Sweden), especially a couple of observed café visits where the analysis is focused on the boundaries – and the relating to boundaries – which arise during the conversations. The social–psychological aspect of the boundary, the understanding of how boundaries between participants arise, are tested, threatened and vary in social processes is initially formed in a concept analysis. This is further developed in the analysis of the café conversations. The study presents a world of meaning in which participants relate to boundaries in both routine and improvised ways, depending upon how boundaries between participants in social interaction and communication arise, vary and are tested in the social processes. The concept of ‘limitrophe’ is introduced and formed – defined as events when one approaches boundaries close to the unknown and where the boundaries are decimated, while new ones are produced, when the participants are ready for it – genuine social contacts. The central themes are drawn together in the conclusion. The way of meeting in café is understood as ”local social publics” – a democratic and human aspect of the café today. The significance of boundaries is understood to make it possible for the participants to see where they are and where they are heading in the world that is produced through their communications; and furthermore to come in contact with other persons and their own concrete boundaries. A general distinction is also formed: ‘speaking ABOUT’ and ‘SPEAKING about’, two attitudes on how to relate to boundaries in the process of communication, where contact becomes possible with the latter attitude. In a way the café renaissance can be seen as an answer to the expansion of the abstract side of social life. Nevertheless the abstract side is present in the new café life; but it is the concrete side that is brought out in the dissertation.}},
  author       = {{Oddner, Frans}},
  isbn         = {{91-7267-157-2}},
  issn         = {{1102-4712}},
  keywords     = {{elementary and advanced sociality; concrete and abstract sociality; Social psychology; interpersonal relations; local life; public life; social life; social forms; café culture; Asplund; Mead; sociology; social-psychology; limitrophe; boundary; Café; communication; participant observation; social process; Socialpsykologi; social process; Asplund; Mead; Café}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  publisher    = {{Department of Sociology, Lund University}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  series       = {{Lund Dissertations in Sociology}},
  title        = {{Kafékultur, kommunikation och gränser}},
  volume       = {{55}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}