They research life-changing conversations

Conversations play a central role in public services. Social services, the legal system, healthcare, and education all use conversations to provide support and make decisions about people's needs and rights. But how do these conversations take place? And how are they shaped by the situation and the participants? This research aims to understand how conversations drive work forward and shape relationships within institutional settings. It has roots in microsociology and linguistic interaction and has become increasingly important in how we understand communication in welfare services.

In Sweden, the foundation for this field was established by Elisabet Cedersund's work in the 1990s. She is now Professor Emerita at the Department of Culture and Society and was one of the first to explore how conversations in social services function. Her dissertation, From Personal Problem to Administrative Decision, published in 1992, quickly became a standard reference, showing how social workers use conversations both to investigate and provide support, while also being influenced by institutional structures and norms.

– When I started, social services' work had barely been researched, especially as it was difficult to gain access to confidential conversational data. A head of a social services office once said, "It will be interesting to see what you find behind those closed doors," which was provoking because he should have known, says Elisabet Cedersund.

Madeleine Wirzén, a researcher at the Department of Child Studies, was one of the researchers who had Elisabet Cedersund's dissertation on her desk during her PhD studies.
– Elisabet Cedersund's work has been crucial for the development of the field and remains highly relevant in today's research. I see my work as a continuation of what she started, but with a focus on children and young people, says Madeleine Wirzén.

In her research, Madeleine Wirzén examines children's participation in investigative conversations within social services.
– We aim to involve children without influencing their responses. By highlighting children's voices, we can create more inclusive and effective conversational methods, she explains.

Exploring how norms shape conversations

The research highlights that conversations within welfare institutions are not neutral exchanges of information. They reflect deeply rooted societal ideals, norms, and prejudices that influence interactions.
– In conversations about financial assistance, we often see that men are asked about work, while women are more often asked about childcare. This pattern reflects deeply entrenched gender roles, says Elisabet Cedersund.

Madeleine Wirzén emphasises that even subtle differences in how questions are framed can reveal social norms.
– Our analyses show that routine questions carry implicit values. Norms about parenthood and how poverty is managed shape how professionals structure their questions.

By recognising and understanding the norms that influence these conversations, social workers can become more aware of how they structure their questions and how they interact with different clients.
– The goal is not to point fingers, but to help professionals reflect on how they conduct conversations with clients and increase their awareness of norms and assumptions, explains Madeleine Wirzén.

Practice-based research with benefits for education

By analysing conversations, researchers can identify patterns that both support and hinder communication.
– We can provide concrete examples where conversations either help a client feel supported or where communication breaks down. Understanding these patterns is key to improving welfare services, says Elisabet Cedersund.

Both researchers emphasise that the aim is not to create normative guidelines or handbooks for professionals. Instead, they focus on highlighting the flexible and nuanced craftsmanship within social work, which constantly requires adaptation. They also stress the importance of continuous dialogue between research and practice.
– By collaborating with social workers and sharing our findings, we can deepen our understanding of the complexity of conversations. It's crucial to bridge the gap between research and practice; the ongoing dialogue allows us to continually refine our analysis, says Madeleine Wirzén.

The research also has practical applications in the education of social workers and other professionals.
– We use our research to provide practical examples of how professionals can develop their conversational skills. It's not just about listening, but actively understanding and responding based on the other person's perspective, explains Elisabet Cedersund.

Future challenges and opportunities

The future of conversational practices research lies in deepening the study of societal challenges such as digital communication, youth crime, and the growing role of technology in social practices.
– We are already seeing how interaction changes when interpreters are used or when conversations take place digitally. This creates new ways of communicating but also new challenges for both researchers and practitioners, says Elisabet Cedersund.

In August, Madeleine Wirzén organised an international conference in Norrköping, where researchers in conversational practices gathered to exchange ideas and network.
– We are still a relatively small research field, which makes it even more important to meet across national borders and share experiences, says Madeleine Wirzén.

With the help of international and interdisciplinary collaborations, research on conversational practices within welfare state institutions continues to develop, focusing on understanding and improving communication in meetings that can be crucial for individuals' lives.