Anerkendelse og stigmatisering: EN UDERSØGELSE AF BETYDNINGEN AF ANERKENDELSE OG STIGMATISERING FOR UNGE MED ET HANDICAP

Abstract

I Danmark vurderes det, at omkring 30 procent af befolkningen lever med et handicap, men alligevel er hverdagen for mange unge med et handicap præget af ulige deltagelsesmuligheder, ulige anerkendelse, diskrimination, stigmatisering samt eksklusion fra områder i samfundet såsom uddannelses- og arbejdsområder. Statistikkerne viser at unge med et handicap i langt mindre grad tager en uddannelse og flere står tillige udenfor arbejdsmarkedet. Undersøgelser viser, at unge med et handicap generelt har lavere uddannelsesniveau, højere frafald på uddannelser, mistrives samt har højere fravær. Uddannelse har stor betydning for den personlige udvikling, da det ofte er i de identitetsskabende år, at unge tager en uddannelse. Uddannelse er endvidere medvirkende til at øge livskvaliteten og er samtidig en væsentlig forudsætning for fremtidige jobmuligheder, så unge med et handicap undgår eksklusion senere i livet. Dette speciale har derfor til formål at undersøge hvilken betydning anerkendelse fra samfundet og fællesskabet har for unge med et handicaps valg om at påbegynde en uddannelse. Undersøgelsen er baseret på viden indsamlet gennem fire kvalitative interviews samt to dokumenter, til at underbygge analysens fund. Undersøgelsen er teoretisk funderet, hvorfor interviewene har været genstand for en teoretisk granskning med henblik på at undersøge, om anerkendelse fra samfundet og fællesskabet, samt mødet med stigmatiserende holdninger har for unge med et handicaps valg om at påbegynde en uddannelse. Undersøgelsen viser, at særligt anerkendelse i den private sfære medvirker til etableringen af et højt selvværd, hvilket leder til en forståelse af, at anerkendelse i den private sfære har betydning for unge med et handicaps praktiske forhold til sig selv. Anerkendelse i den private sfære har en styrkende effekt på unges selvværd, hvilket videre gør dem i stand til at indgå i fællesskaber og derigennem opnå anerkendelse af fællesskabet. Undersøgelsen fandt endvidere at der kan være forskel på, hvordan unge med et henholdsvis psykisk og fysisk handicap påvirkes af miskendelser og stigmatiserende fordomme. Analysen viser, at tre af informanterne i undersøgelsen har påbegyndt en uddannelse til trods for at være blevet miskendt og har oplevet at blive mødt af stigmatiserende fordomme, mens informanten der har et psykisk handicap i højere grad har oplevet, at det har haft en negativ påvirkning på hendes selvværd.

In Denmark, it is estimated that around 30 percent of the population lives with a disability, yet everyday life for many young people with a disability is characterized by unequal opportunities for participation, unequal recognition, discrimination, stigmatization and exclusion from areas of society such as educational and work areas. The statistics show that young people with a disability to a far lesser extent compared to young people without a disability get an education and are often not participating on the labor market. Studies show that young people with a disability generally have a lower level of education, higher drop-outs from education, low quality of life and higher absenteeism. Education has great influence on personal development, as it is often during the identity-forming years that young people take up an education. Education also contributes to increasing the quality of life and is at the same time an essential prerequisite for future job opportunities, so that young people with a disability avoid exclusion later in life. This thesis therefore aims to investigate the importance of recognition from society and the solidarity for young people with a disability in the consideration of choosing to start an education. The study is based on knowledge gathered through four qualitative interviews and two documents to support the findings of the analysis. The study is based on preexisting theory, and the interviews have therefore been the subject of a theoretical scrutiny on investigating whether recognition from society and the solidarity, as well as the encounter with stigmatizing attitudes, have on the consideration of choosing to start an education for young people with a disability. The study shows that especially recognition in the private sphere contributes to the establishment of a high self-esteem, which leads to an understanding that recognition in the private sphere is important for young people with a disability in their practical relationship they have to themselves. Recognition in the private sphere has a positive effect on young people's self-esteem, which further enables them to interact in solidarity and thereby gain recognition from the solidarity. The study also found that there can be a difference in how young people with a mental or physical disability are affected by the lack of recognition and stigmatizing prejudices. The analysis shows that three of the informants in the study have started an education even though they have experienced lack of recognition from the society and have been met with stigmatizing prejudices, while the informant who has a mental disability to a greater extent has experienced negative impact on her self-esteem due to the lack of recognition.

A master thesis from Aalborg University

Anerkendelse og stigmatisering: EN UDERSØGELSE AF BETYDNINGEN AF ANERKENDELSE OG STIGMATISERING FOR UNGE MED ET HANDICAP

[Recognition and Stigmatization: AN INVESTIGATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNITION AND STIGMATIZATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY]