A cultural psychology study of Nav’s role-related challenges : an analytical framework for active labor market policy and employer characteristics

A cultural psychology study of Nav’s role-related challenges : an analytical framework for active labor market policy and employer characteristics

En kulturpsykologisk belysning av Navs rollemessige utfordringer

9788272069789 PDF

2025

Engelsk

The Norwegian welfare state is widely recognized, both domestically and internationally, for delivering high-quality and equitable services to all citizens based on their needs. However, individuals seeking assistance from the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration (Nav) often perceive their interactions with the agency as deeply personal struggles. Drawing from my own experiences as a Nav worker, I hypothesized that the interaction between Nav and its clients transcends individual encounters to reflect a clash of cultures. To explore this hypothesis, I draw upon tools and perspectives from cultural psychology and constructivism as the primary theoretical framework. To collect empirical data, I opted to use in-depth interviews as the primary research method. The interviews were structured to prompt informants to share their experiences at Nav. At times, I engaged both clients and Nav workers in discussions about the clients' stories, as well as delving into the Nav workers' perspectives on these specific cases. In addition to interviews, empirical data was also acquired through unplanned observations, which served as a secondary method of data collection and provided context for further discussion with the informants. The empirical data scrutinized in this dissertation illuminates a discrepancy between individuals' external and internal identities as influenced by their interactions at Nav, moulded by their respective roles indicative at Nav. Social affiliations appear to wield considerable influence, to the extent that I posit that there is a sociocultural clash between those who work at Nav and those who utilize Nav, primarily stemming from unique roles and experiences in and around Nav. Moreover, I contend that this theoretical approach, bolstered by empirical evidence, can provide valuable insights into Nav, especially considering that the process of identity formation among those engaging with Nav remains a relatively under-researched area. This observation is not limited solely to Nav but appears to hold true for other social institutions and broader social interactions. By focusing on how clients and Nav caseworkers understandably perceive clients' cases from distinct vantage points, resulting in varying interpretations of clients' needs, the goal is to provide Nav with a more robust understanding of the socially constructed identities of those seeking the agency's assistance.