De sista entusiasterna? En studie av medborgarnas engagemang under ett decennium i Åsele, Borrby, Hasslarp och Tving
VoluntaryCommitmentNon-profit organizationsShared valuesSociologySociologiSocial problems and welfareNational insuranceSociala problemSocial välfärdSocialförsäkringSocial SciencesLaw and Political Science
The purpose of this study was to examine how commitment to a cause on a local basis had developed in four smaller groups during one decade. In 1996 I interviewed representatives in Åsele, Borrby, Hasslarp and Tving about their commitment and citizen initiative. Now, ten years later, I followed it up by interviewing them again. I wanted to know if the groups/associations still existed, if they had achieved their goals as they where pronounced ten years ago and how a strong commitment on a local basis can develop during ten years. Which phenomena decide whether the group develop or phase out? I use the term citizen commitment instead of citizen initiative to stress the fact that it is no longer an initiative but an on-going commitment. I have looked at the commitment from three levels:1) Micro - private reasons for commitment/activism2) Meso - relations between the member/activist and the organization/group/team3) Macro - relations between the association and the societyI found that the commitment had developed in quite different directions:- The support group in Borrby did not exist any more. Their work was done when the convicted youths had served their sentences. My respondent was clear on the fact that the inhabitants in the village of Borrby wanted to put this story behind.- The village interest associations in Hasslarp and Tving still existed, but had some problems of finding activities that attracted members and people living in the neighbourhood.- The association Sincaris Vänner in Åsele, still existed at the time for my interview (autumn 2006), but planned to soon phase out their work for the two Turkish families since the children now are grown up and they seem to manage on their own.To reflect my findings I have mainly used a theory about involvement in voluntary organizations developed by sociologist Anders P Lundberg. My conclusion is that the stronger the members of a group share common values, the stronger the possibility to reach a successful involvement with i.e. political influence. I also found that despite some of the respondents contrary opinions the groups have achieved at least some goals over the years. Perhaps they just needed someone "from outside" to help them see that.