To Örebro University

Abstract

We decided to explore former school pupils’ experiences of not conforming to the norm. Earlier studies have focused on the children as “the problem”.  We see this as worrying, especially since there is very little research focusing on the pupils’ own experiences. The children’s own perspective needs to be brought to the fore. We hope in a small way to contribute to this.

Our study consists of retrospective qualitative interviews with former school children, now all over the age of eighteen.

We have adopted a social constructionist perspective to illuminate the area. Social constructionism can be seen as a meta-theory underlying the choice of method, theory and research questions in our study. The study is qualitative and consists of five semi-structured interviews. As a theoretical and analytical tool we will construct a discourse using a psychological perspective.

We will base this on the work of Potter and Wetherell as well as Winther Jörgensen and Phillips’s discourse theories. Our qualitative approach means we will look at the role of speech production based on interpretation repertoires and subject positions. In this way, we can see how meanings form the building blocks used in the way people talk about, and thereby construct, the world of everyday interaction (Winther Jorgensen & Phillips 2000: 116).

In other words the discourses are a social act, a discursive practice. We are interested in analysing how the interviewees construct versions of social reality in their stories in relation to current social norms and discourses.

In addition to discursive psychological theory we have used Börjesson & Palmblad’s descriptions of the impact of verbal discourse about pupils at school on a macro level. They found that the pupils had been categorised as “deviant” and “problem children” during their time at school, also that there was an image of how the “desirable child” should be. We also applied Beckers’ theory of using the “outsider” in order to understand the mechanisms behind the position of not fitting into the norm.  Utilising these theories we analysed the five interviewees’ description of themselves, others and their situation at school to illuminate their experiences and also to highlight their description of the experience of being viewed as “deviant” during their school period.

Key words: Identity, Normality, School Norm, Outsider, Discourse psychology, Social constructionism