The Story of Victimhood—Basic Income Recipients Positioning Street-Level Bureaucracies

Sari Mäki

Department of Economics and Management, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.

DOI: 10.4236/aasoci.2013.31006                

Abstract

The article focuses on how people living on basic income benefits position street-level bureaucrats in their speech. The research material consists of 15 unstructured interviews gathered mainly in Association for unemployed. Analysis is done in the context of positioning theory. Participants always have moral positions in discussion and with these positions they have different rights and duties to say certain things. Interviewees’ speech and especially the word choice reflect on known story-line and interviewees’ position in it. There is always a new story-line for each shift in interviewees taken or given position. Basic income recipients position street-level bureaucrats as inadequate, disciplining and unpredictable. I interpret that these given positions enable a shift of autonomy from recipients to street-level bureaucrats. Hence the given positioning reflects the story-line of victimhood.

Keywords

Basic Income; Street-Level Bureaucracy; Positioning Theory; Victimhood

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Aatola, L., & Viinisalo, M. (1999). What is the cost of living? Saarij?rvi: National Institute for Health and Welfare.
[2]	Alvesson, M., & Karreman, D. (2000). Varietes of discourse: On the study of organizations through discourse analysis. Human Relations, 53, 1125-1149. doi:10.1177/0018726700539002
[3]	Autio, M., Wilska, T.-A., Kaartinen, R., & L?hteenmaa, J. (2009). The use of small instant loans among young adults—A gateway to a consumer insolvency? International Journal of Consumer Studies, 33, 407-415. doi:10.1111/j.1470-6431.2009.00789.x
[4]	Bullock, H. (2004). From the front lines of welfare reform: An analysis of social worker and welfare recipient attitudes. The Journal of Social Psychology, 144, 571-588. doi:10.3200/SOCP.144.6.571-590
[5]	Cole, A. M. (2007). The cult of true victimhood. From the war on welfare to the war on terror. Stanford, CA: Stanford.
[6]	Darbyshire, P., Muir-Cochrane, E., Fereday, J., Jureidini, J., & Drummond, A. (2006). Engagement with health and social care services: Perceptions of homeless young people with mental health problems. Health and Social Care in the Community, 14, 553-562. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2524.2006.00643.x
[7]	Davies, B., & Harré, R. (1990). Positioning: The discursive production of selves. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 20, 43-63. doi:10.1111/j.1468-5914.1990.tb00174.x
[8]	Dubois, V. (2010). The bureaucrat and the poor. Encounters in French welfare offices. Surrey: Ashgate.
[9]	Forma, P., Heikkil?, M., & Keskitalo, E. (1999). What is the decent minimum? Saarij?rvi: National Institute for Health and Welfare.
[10]	Fotaki, M. (2011). Towards developing new partnership in public services: Users as consumers, citizens and/or co-producers in health and social care in England and Sweden. Public Administration, 89, 933- 955. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9299.2010.01879.x
[11]	Harré, R., & van Langenhove, L. (1999). The dynamics of social episodes. In R. T. Harré, & L. van Langenhove (Eds.), Positioning theory. Moral contexts of intentional action (pp. 1-13). Oxford: Blackwell.
[12]	Honkanen, P., & Tervola, J. (2012). Changes in basic income benefits in 2012. Online working papers 35. Helsinki: The Social Insurance Institution of Finland.
[13]	Honkanen, P. (2006). Problems in unemployment allowance. Social security and health research: Working papers 54. Helsinki: The Social Insurance Institution of Finland.
[14]	Jost, J. J., & Levitt, A. J. (2010). Street to home. The experiences of long-term unsheltered homeless individuals in an outreach and housing placement program. Qualitative Social Work, 10, 244-263. doi:10.1177/1473325010369025
[15]	Juhila, K., & Abrams, L. S. (2011). Special issue editorial: Constructing identities is social work settings. Qualitative Soacial Work, 10, 277- 292. doi:10.1177/1473325011409480
[16]	Juntunen, E., Gr?nlund, H., & Hiilamo, H. (2006). In the last resort. The Churhc Council of Finnish Ev.Lut.Church. Publications 7. Helsinki: Hakapaino Oy.
[17]	Kohm, S. A. (2006). Welfare is the second last resort. The last resort is death. An exploratory analysis of social assistance, victimization and crime. Canadian Journal of Urban Research, 15, 86-108.
[18]	Kosunen, V. (1999). How much is enough? Reports. Saarij?rvi: National Institute for Health and Welfare.
[19]	Kraft, M. K., & Bush, I. R. (1998). Accountable welfare reform: What consumers think. Public Administration Review, 58, 406-416. doi:10.2307/977550
[20]	Lamb, S. (1999). Constructing the victim. Popular images and lasting labels. In Lamb, & Sharon (Eds.), New versions of victims. Feminist struggle with the concept (pp. 108-138). New York: New York University Press.
[21]	van Langenhove, L., & Harré, R. (1999). Introducing Positioning Theory. In R. T. Harré, & L. van Langenhove (Eds.), Positioning theory. Moral contexts of intentional action (pp. 14-31). Oxford: Blackwell.
[22]	Lehtinen, A.-R., Varjonen, J., Raijas, A., & Aalto, K. (2011). What is the cost of living? Reference budgets for a decent minimum standard of living in Finland. Helsinki: National Consumer Research Centre.
[23]	Lehto, M. (2009). Proposal of the Committee for reforming social protection (SATA Committee) for the main policylines in the total reform of social protection. Reports 10. Helsinki: Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
[24]	Lipsky, M. (1980). Street-level bureaucracy. Dilemmas of the individuals in public services. New York: Russel Sage Foundation.
[25]	Mannheim, K. (1952) The problem of a sociology of knowledge. In K. Mannheim (Ed.), Essays on the sociology of knowledge (pp. 134- 190). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
[26]	Miller, D. L. (2011). Being Called to Account Understanding Adolescents’ Narrative Identity Construction in Institutional Contexts. Qualitative Social Work, 10, 311-328. doi:10.1177/1473325011409479
[27]	Minow, M. (1993). Surviving victim talk. UCLA Law Review, 40, 1411-1445.
[28]	M?ki, S. (2011). Perusel?m?? perusturvalla—Taloudellisen niukkuuden kuluttajapositiot.
[29]	Peel, M. (2003). The lowest rung. Voices of Australian poverty. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511481581
[30]	P?ys?, J. (2010). Positioning narratives. In J. Ruusuvuori, P. Nikander, & M. Hyv?rinen (Eds.), Analysing interviews. Tampere: Vastapaino.
[31]	Ronai, C. R. (1999). In the line of sight at public eye. In search of a victim. In S. Lamb (Ed.), New versions of victims. Feminist struggle with the concept (pp. 139-157). New York: New York University Press.
[32]	Sakslin, M. (2008). Fundamental rights and reformation of income security. In P. T. Araj?rvi, & R. S?rkel? (Eds.), Bread and warmth, perspectives for renewal of social security. SOSTE Finnish Society for Social and Health. Vaajakoski: Gummerus.
[33]	Solberg, J. (2011). Activation encounters: Dilemmas of accountability in constructing clients as “knowledgeable”. Qualitative Social Work, 10, 381-398. doi:10.1177/1473325011409478
[34]	Teater, B. (2010). A qualitative evaluation of the section 8 housing choice voucher program. The recipients’ perspectives. Qualitative Social Work, 10, 503-519. doi:10.1177/1473325010371242
[35]	Virokannas, E. (2011). Identity categorization of motherhood in the context of drug abuse and child welfare services. Qualitative Social Work, 10, 329-345. doi:10.1177/1473325011408480