Learning for social inclusion in working life and society

On social initiatives targeting marginalized EU-migrants in Sweden.

Abstract

Social inclusion and lifelong learning are two key areas for the European Union’s labour market-, education- and social political areas. The EU has been successful in spreading these policy concepts in the member states and thus in affecting the national politics in Sweden and other countries. In this article I interrogate how EU-funded social initiatives targeting marginalized EU-migrants in Sweden seek to achieve learning for social inclusion. Particularly it is initiatives funded by FEAD – Fund for European Aid to the most Deprived – that is analysed. FEAD funded welfare projects in Sweden during 2014-2020.

The analysis is inspired by Foucault and others who have elaborated on his thoughts about governmentality and power. I analyse how members of the target group are being governed, as learning subjects, towards social inclusion. Here, I shed light on the issues of what the target groups are seen in need to learn in order to become included. Learning is, from this perspective, a matter of governing. Learning has been thoroughly analysed with approaches inspired by Michel Foucault. Learning is a key policy concept in the EU, and EU citizens are constantly urged to understand themselves as active lifelong learners, not least by becoming employable, which is seen as a crucial step towards social inclusion. From a Foucauldian perspective learning and governing are both a matter of ‘conducting the conduct’ of oneself and others. In this case, the learning activities seek to govern the target group towards becoming socially included in society and on the labour market. Against this background, it is crucial to interrogate how the problems represented in policy are dealt with and understood by various actors engaged in social initiatives for inclusion. Therefore, I analyse both the major EU policy that governs FEAD activities in Sweden and the statements of people engaged in projects funded by FEAD.

The aim of the study is to contribute with knowledge about how possibilities and constraints are constructed in relation to how learning and social inclusion can be facilitated for marginalized groups. The study contributes with knowledge about how conditions for learning for inclusion are understood by welfare professionals. In the article I analyse how problem representations, challenges and opportunities for learning in EU-funded social initiatives in Sweden are formulated and the rationalities underpinning the governing of the target groups. 

The empirical material consists of 16 qualitative interviews with people who, in various ways, are involved in the EU-funded initiatives, for instance project leaders, project coordinators and steering group members. The interviews were carried out in 2018 and 2019. During this period there were five FEAD-projects up and running. I have interviewed representatives from all five projects as well as from the FEAD headquarters in Sweden. In addition, the main policy guiding FEAD-funded activities in Sweden is analysed.

One of the main results of the study concerns the identification of two different learning rationalities: learning oriented towards the individual and learning oriented towards societal structures. The individually oriented learning rationality is concerned with the wellbeing of the induvial and focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle for the target group. The structurally oriented learning rationality is concerned with facilitating citizenship knowledge, knowledge about social rights and responsibilities in Sweden and in Europe. Through such focus, an increased awareness about civic issues, can strengthen the target groups participation in society.