Tímarit um menntarannsóknir - 01.01.2011, Page 154

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Geert van Hove
with children with disabilities. Some of
them manage to build bridges to the com-
munity. Some of them can get away from
the margins and create fascinating stories.
Within this part of her work the author
shows how theoretical frameworks and
concepts can guide us to a deeper level of
understanding. With this part of her work
Bjarnason shows how inductive and de-
ductive work can be combined in a pro-
ductive way.
The author gives us also a nice lesson in
the things we should keep in mind while
organizing qualitative research. In Appen-
dix 2 and throughout the whole book she
shows that research about this topic can’t
be called research if we are not guided by
the highest ethical standards. The author
uses the metaphor: ‘walking on eggshells’
to discuss her multiple positions. Being
a mother, being a mother of a son with a
label, being an Icelandic citizen, being a
researcher, being an advocate, Bjarnason
manages to teach us about the possible
pitfalls and benefits of these different per-
spectives. It has to be said she manages to
bring in her experiences without romanti-
cizing them. Appendix 2 should become
one of the basic texts in courses about
qualitative research.
One of the creative elements in this book
can be found in the deconstruction of the
concept of family while Bjarnason points
to the very specific position of fathers.
We know that a lot of “family research“ is
based on mother’s perspectives. We know
that a lot of researchers report about the
difficulties they are confronted with in
contacting fathers (they are absent, work-
ing…). The author is confronted with the
same ‘problems’ but manages - through
a kind of healthy stubbornness - to orga-
nize a lot of meetings with fathers. This
opens up possibilities to get insights into
family dynamics, positions and roles. In
conclusion, we also want to motivate col-
leagues to read the book because this book
is written within and about the Icelandic
context. Although one would think that
social networks in such a small country
are close and harmonious, and one would
think about slogans like “it needs a village
to raise a child“, parents of children with
disabilities in Iceland are bringing stories
about feeling lonely, about rejection and
isolation. This research result shows how
important strategies of active support for
families are, and how central the topic of
social capital should be, starting from ear-
ly support and intervention programmes.
Social Policy and Social Capital: Parents and
Exceptionality 1974–2007 by Dóra S. Bjarnason
is published by Nova Science Publishers, New
York, 2010.