This thesis discusses the importance of perceptions of time in social work. Time holds great significance in general society. Indeed the order and structure of society is based on time and when certain events are meant to occur. Time is also essential to man’s understanding and experience of the world. Hence, perception of time is a basic function that defines both the circumstances of social work, as well as the way in which individuals behave in the context of social work. Yet, perception of time remains a somewhat unexplored territory academically. For those reasons I have found it relevant to contribute to the studies of perceptions of time, specifically by examining its significance in the context of social work. Concretely this thesis discusses the various perceptions of time found among unemployed clients and social workers within the type of social work that aims at social activation. The thesis also discusses how these perceptions of time affect that social work.

My study employs a social constructionist approach. It is based on three focus group interviews with social workers and ten individual interviews with clients from three different social activation programs using a qualitative discursive method. The study’s analysis is based on the 170 page long transcription of these interviews.
With regard to the perceptions of time found among clients and social workers within social work that aims at social activation, my study shoved that all interviewees had a similar basic perception of time as a linear phenomenon. All interviewees also articulated a joint perception of time in general society. For the social workers it was particularly evident that they had many joint perceptions of time across the three social programs for activation. These perceptions of time all related to time in general society. However, for the clients it was particularly evident that they shifted between a number of different subject positions, such as client, employee and private individual. These varied subject positions entailed some very different perceptions of time. There was also a tendency for certain perceptions of time to relate to certain types of clients. All in all, I identified nineteen different discourses on time used by my interviewees.

Concerning how the clients’ and social workers’ perceptions of time affects the actual social work aimed at social activation, my study shoved that there was indeed an impact. The social workers’ perceptions of time were shown to affect the framework of the social programs for activation, the content of the social activation process, the planning of clients’ social activation process and future, as well as the general approach towards clients. The social workers’ perceptions of time were also found to lead to time managing and sanctioning in relation to social work. The perceptions of time that related to the clients’ subject positions as clients were shown to impact the social work by influencing the way in which the clients engage in the social activation process. The perceptions of time that related to the clients’ subject positions as private individuals were shown to impact the structure and content of the clients’ daily life while unemployed.

My subsequent analysis shoved a general tendency towards some perceptions of time not being accepted within the context of social work. Social activation process therefore required clients to suppress the alternative perceptions of time and adhere to the dominant perceptions in social work and society. Thus, there was a tendency for the hegemonical discourses on time in social work to suppress the perceptions of time that did not fit into the context of social work. In spite of this suppression of alternative perceptions of time some clients actively resisted the time hegemony by maintaining their individual practices and perceptions of time when not in contact with their social worker or the social system. These individual practices were partly maintained as a consequence of perceptions of time that were deeply embedded in the clients’ habitus after long periods of unemployment. They were also maintained as a part of the client’s autopoietic processes of self preservation. Adherence to general society’s temporal norms contradicted their self preservation during these periods of unemployment, where most of the clients’ time was spend at home.

Regarding the relationship between these varied perceptions of time and their significance, my study shoved that all the nineteen different perceptions that were identified among clients or social workers influence the social work in one way or another – whether it be the actual social work in activation programs or the results of the social work. The social workers’ perceptions of time and the general perception of time in society have the greater influence on the shape and results on the social work in connection with the social activation programs efforts towards social activation. The clients’ alternative perceptions of time have the greater influence on the long term results of the social work and whether it is even possible to perform social work aimed at social activation.