VARJE TOM STOL BÄR PÅ EN UNIK BERÄTTELSE. En etnografisk studie om skolans arbete med problematisk skolfrånvaro

Sammanfattning

The aim of this ethnographic study has been to examine how school staff work withproblematic school absenteeism and how they understand the challenges connected tosupporting students with school absenteeism in Swedish schools. The study explored howrelationships, organizational structures and support were understood and managed within theschool context.The study draws on several theoretical perspectives including relational pedagogy, sense ofcoherence, emotional labour, moral work and bricolage. These perspectives are used toanalyse how school staff navigate emotional, relational and organizational demands in theireveryday work with school absenteeism.The study is based on a qualitative ethnographic approach. The empirical material wascollected during ten weeks of fieldwork conducted primarily in a primary school, an uppersecondary school and two municipal school administrations in southwestern Sweden. Theempirical material consists of participant observations, field notes and fifteen semi-structuredinterviews with professionals working with school absenteeism.The findings show that problematic school absenteeism cannot be understood solely as anindividual issue, but rather as a complex phenomenon shaped through interactions betweenstudents, school environments, relationships and organizational structures. Relationships,trust, emotional support and flexibility emerge as central factors in enabling students toreconnect with the school. School staff describe challenges related to limited resources andorganizational constraints, as well as difficulties when collaborating with parents and externalactors. The study further highlights how school staff continuously engage in emotional andmoral work while balancing care, responsibility, expectations and the individual needs ofstudents.The study is written in Swedish.