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”Gå eller rulla – Alla vill knulla!” : Funktionsrättsaktivism i nyliberala landskap

Karlsson, Mikael LU (2020)
Abstract
This study follows groups in Sweden that are involved in a political struggle to change norms regarding sexuality and disability. The groups are mostly connected to the disability movement or the movement of sexual politics. The following questions have guided the research process: How do the groups describe their activities? What strategies do they use? What relations can be identified between them? What obstacles and possibilities do they meet? What space of action is created and maintained for the struggle, taking into account the political, cultural and economic context that they act within?

In total, 43 interviews were conducted, predominantly with persons active in the struggle. Furthermore, the analysis is based on... (More)
This study follows groups in Sweden that are involved in a political struggle to change norms regarding sexuality and disability. The groups are mostly connected to the disability movement or the movement of sexual politics. The following questions have guided the research process: How do the groups describe their activities? What strategies do they use? What relations can be identified between them? What obstacles and possibilities do they meet? What space of action is created and maintained for the struggle, taking into account the political, cultural and economic context that they act within?

In total, 43 interviews were conducted, predominantly with persons active in the struggle. Furthermore, the analysis is based on participation in the groups’ activities and archival studies of their publications, applications and reports to the funding agencies.

The study concludes that an emphasis on knowledge and education always has been and continues to be the main focus for the groups’ political struggle. During the decade of 2010, this focus on education was related to norm criticism (normkritik), which enabled the activists to turn the focus from the deviant to the prescriptive normal. During the years of austerity within welfare services for disabled persons, the political struggle has shifted from a struggle mostly run for and by disability organisations to a situation where more able-bodied allies participate in the struggle, a development that is analysed with help of Crip Theory and the concept of “discursive climate of tolerance”. The analysis also shows how the fund-giving agencies and the projectification of civil society depoliticise, professionalise and dematerialise the political struggle.

This dissertation’s main contribution is thus a case study of neoliberal co-optation, a process in which neoliberal hegemony incorporates and appropriates other discourses and practices. The dissertation argues for the need to crip neoliberal co-optation, i.e. to ask questions about what subjects that are interpellated and what space of action is thereby created. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • Senior lecturer Wasshede, Cathrin, University of Gothenburg
organization
alternative title
"Walking or rolling - everybody wants to fuck!" : Disability activism in neoliberal landscapes
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Social movements, civil society, neoliberalism, Crip theory, disability activism, sexual politics, extended case studies, institutional ethnography, Social movements, Civil Society, neoliberalism, Crip theory, disability activism, sexual politics, extended case studies, Institutional ethnography
pages
376 pages
publisher
Arkiv förlag
defense location
Edens hörsal, Allhelgona kyrkogata 14, Lund
defense date
2020-11-27 13:15:00
ISBN
978-91-7924-346-3
DOI
10.13068/9789179243470
language
Swedish
LU publication?
yes
id
a6e34aec-e818-4ac8-a5f3-703a37df2366
date added to LUP
2020-11-04 10:50:36
date last changed
2021-10-22 11:37:46
@phdthesis{a6e34aec-e818-4ac8-a5f3-703a37df2366,
  abstract     = {{This study follows groups in Sweden that are involved in a political struggle to change norms regarding sexuality and disability. The groups are mostly connected to the disability movement or the movement of sexual politics. The following questions have guided the research process: How do the groups describe their activities? What strategies do they use? What relations can be identified between them? What obstacles and possibilities do they meet? What space of action is created and maintained for the struggle, taking into account the political, cultural and economic context that they act within?<br/><br/>In total, 43 interviews were conducted, predominantly with persons active in the struggle. Furthermore, the analysis is based on participation in the groups’ activities and archival studies of their publications, applications and reports to the funding agencies.<br/><br/>The study concludes that an emphasis on knowledge and education always has been and continues to be the main focus for the groups’ political struggle. During the decade of 2010, this focus on education was related to norm criticism (normkritik), which enabled the activists to turn the focus from the deviant to the prescriptive normal. During the years of austerity within welfare services for disabled persons, the political struggle has shifted from a struggle mostly run for and by disability organisations to a situation where more able-bodied allies participate in the struggle, a development that is analysed with help of Crip Theory and the concept of “discursive climate of tolerance”. The analysis also shows how the fund-giving agencies and the projectification of civil society depoliticise, professionalise and dematerialise the political struggle.<br/><br/>This dissertation’s main contribution is thus a case study of neoliberal co-optation, a process in which neoliberal hegemony incorporates and appropriates other discourses and practices. The dissertation argues for the need to crip neoliberal co-optation, i.e. to ask questions about what subjects that are interpellated and what space of action is thereby created.}},
  author       = {{Karlsson, Mikael}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-7924-346-3}},
  keywords     = {{Social movements; civil society; neoliberalism; Crip theory; disability activism; sexual politics; extended case studies; institutional ethnography; Social movements; Civil Society; neoliberalism; Crip theory; disability activism; sexual politics; extended case studies; Institutional ethnography}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  month        = {{11}},
  publisher    = {{Arkiv förlag}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{”Gå eller rulla – Alla vill knulla!” : Funktionsrättsaktivism i nyliberala landskap}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.13068/9789179243470}},
  doi          = {{10.13068/9789179243470}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}