Livsformsanalys och lokalt utvecklingsarbete: En pilotstudie om analysmetodens potental vid studier av socialt kapital, social ekonomi och hållbar utveckling

Report, 2002

This report describes the outcome of an interdisciplinary project at the Department of Work Science at Göteborg Univer- sity and at the Department of Built Environment & Sustainable Development at Chalmers Architecture. The purpose of the project was to try out a specific method – Life Mode Analysis – and to analyse its potentials to support local development work, with a particular focus on social capital, and the two interrelated themes of social economy and sustainable development. The interviewees in the field investigation have a background as refugees, as the study take a special interest in under- standing how the method is functioning in housing areas where the inhabitants to a large extent have had such experiences. The results of the study indicate a need for an integration of theories concerning social exclusion into – or as a parallel to – Life Mode Analysis. At least, this seems to be a necessity if the method is to be used in areas with many refugees, such as the suburban areas from the 60s and 70s surrounding major swedish urban centres. In other respects, Life Mode Analysis seems to be a relevant and very useful method for facilitating local development work. This is due to its potential to indicate how people in different life modes choose to engage them selves in social life. In the report it is also discussed how social economy is related to social capi- tal, as it is dependent on the existence of social capital, and at the same time contributes to its production. Further, sustainable development is discussed – it is also related to social capital as this constitutes one of the four cornerstones which together define the notion of sustainable development.