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Nuets Förnöjsamhet - en grundad teori med utgångspunkt i Nordnorskt vardagsliv

Author

  • Ulrika Sandén

Summary, in English

ABSTRACT

Author: Ulrika Sandén
Title: Contentment in the moment (translated title)
Supervisor: Lars Harrysson and Hans Thulesius


This is a Classic Grounded Theory study aiming at understanding the everyday life in Polarfjorden, a Northern Norwegian rural and historically isolated area. After four and a half years of observations and interviews three concepts emerged, explaining how old survival knowledge has transformed from being historically a matter of life and death to contributing to increased contentment in today's society. Polarfjorden, which lies approximately 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, has a natural and climatic bound attitude towards life. Its history of isolation, harsh climate and risky occupations has created a proximity to death and a need for security. To create a balance to the barren, the village has evolved mechanisms, patterns, skills and rules of living - conscious and unconscious - to create order, security and greater contentment. These mechanisms and processes continually wash over the village like a flow of incidents, making people stay in the moment and in that moment feel more secure. The flow can be explained by three concepts: Doing safety, Destiny readiness and Middle consciousness. Doing safety means that the stereotypical structure of the village, straightforward and clear, paves the path for a helpful culture where it is seen as a matter of course to do things actively. This is partly to help each other, partly as therapy, but also a means to have fun. Destiny readiness is another concept that explains Polarfjorden's culture of acceptance that life is what it is. This is an evolved preparedness to uncontrollable events. Middle consciousness is an ability to create order. By placing those situations that can not be controlled into a standby mode, they can be disconnected from consciousness without being completely repressed. All together these concepts help explain the key cathegory: Contentment in the moment.

Publishing year

2014

Language

Swedish

Document type

Student publication for Master's degree (two years)

Topic

  • Social Sciences

Keywords

  • Grounded Theory
  • Contentment
  • altruism
  • Security
  • Happiness

Supervisor

  • Lars Harrysson
  • Hans Thulesius