Institutional change in a democratic society (completed)
How is modern society constituted? Sociological theory is characterized by a 'top-down' perspective or of individual characteristics. This project will choose an alternative approach, from the bottom up, to describe how large social institutions hang together.
For more information visit the project's Norwegian pages
About the project
Three areas are chosen to focus upon:
- Mechanisms and patterns of institutional change
- A limited set of institutions
- Democracy as constitutive of processes in modern society.
Empirically, the emphasis of the research is on the society of the Scandinavian type. Scandinavian societies have a government that is strong and liberal at a time, making social life differs from the basic features of the international literature. This requires extensive comparative perspectives.
Objectives
The project is divided into three main parts:
Part A clarifies normative theory of democracy and theory of institutional change. A major inspiration for democratic theory is John Rawls' normative theory which addresses specific institutions, such as public organs, employment and welfare. The understanding of institutional change is developed in the light of theories of variations in capitalism and welfare regimes.
Part B goes into the changes in public life. One line points towards to general problems related to freedom of expression and political communication, rationality grounds and standards for political debate. Another points towards effects of new social media, both in mobilizing people to participate in democratic society and in the flow of information in society.
Part C addresses institutional change at work and in the welfare state, and what characterizes Scandinavia, compared with Continental Europe and the Anglo-American world. Typologies that separate these forms are well known, but are predominantly static. The project will better understand the dynamics, and thus what creates stability and change in the Nordic combination of work and welfare.
The project builds on extensive empirical research at all three collaborative institutions.
Cooperation
The project is a collaboration between the Department of Sociology and Human Geography, University of Oslo, Institute for Social Research, and Fafo
Funding scheme
The total grant award was for NOK 2 874 000.
- Insitution of sociology's prioritized projects (ISPSAM)
- The Research Council of Norway
Project period
October 2014 - December 2017
Publications
- Mari Teigen (2018). Can descriptive representation be justified outside politics?, In Gunnar C. Aakvaag; Cathrine Holst & Fredrik Engelstad (ed.), Democratic State and Democratic Society. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-063407-5. 9. s 193 - 212
- Fredrik Engelstad; Cathrine Holst & Gunnar C. Aakvaag (2018). Introduction: Democracy, Institutional Compatibility and Change, In Fredrik Engelstad; Gunnar C. Aakvaag & Cathrine Holst (ed.), Democratic State and Democratic Society. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-063407-5. Chapter 1. s 1 - 21
- Fredrik Engelstad (2018). Social Institutions and the Quality of Democracy, In Gunnar C. Aakvaag; Fredrik Engelstad & Cathrine Holst (ed.), Democratic State and Democratic Society. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-063407-5. 2. s 22 - 47
- Fredrik Engelstad (2018). Elite Compromise as a Mode of Institutional Change: The United States and Norway Compared, In Fredrik Engelstad; Gunnar C. Aakvaag & Cathrine Holst (ed.), Democratic State and Democratic Society. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-063407-5. 17. s 363 - 388
- Fredrik Engelstad (2018). Afterword: Institutional Differentiation and Change, In Cathrine Holst; Gunnar C. Aakvaag & Fredrik Engelstad (ed.), Democratic State and Democratic Society. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-063407-5. 18. s 389 - 400
- Signe Bock Segaard (2017). The Institutional Anchoring of Social Media Venues as Arenas for Local Political Communication. Perceptions by Voters and Politicians, In Fredrik Engelstad; Kari Steen-Johnsen; Jon Rogstad & Håkon Larsen (ed.), Institutional Change in the Public Sphere: Views on the Nordic Model. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-054633-0. 6. s 118 - 138
- Håkon Larsen (2017). The Public Sphere as an Arena for Legitimation Work: The Case of Cultural Organizations, In Jon Rogstad; Håkon Larsen; Fredrik Engelstad & Kari Steen-Johnsen (ed.), Institutional Change in the Public Sphere: Views on the Nordic Model. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-054633-0. 10. s 201 - 219
- Fredrik Engelstad; Håkon Larsen & Jon Rogstad (2017). The Public Sphere in the Nordic Model, In Kari Steen-Johnsen; Fredrik Engelstad; Håkon Larsen & Jon Rogstad (ed.), Institutional Change in the Public Sphere: Views on the Nordic Model. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-054633-0. 3. s 46 - 70
- Fredrik Engelstad; Håkon Larsen; Jon Rogstad & Kari Steen-Johnsen (2017). Introduction: The Public Sphere in Change. Institutional Perspectives on Neo-corporatist Society, In Jon Rogstad; Håkon Larsen; Kari Steen-Johnsen & Fredrik Engelstad (ed.), Institutional Change in the Public Sphere: Views on the Nordic Model. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-054633-0. 1. s 1 - 21
- Knut Lundby (2017). Public Religion in Mediatized Transformations, In Jon Rogstad; Kari Steen-Johnsen; Håkon Larsen & Fredrik Engelstad (ed.), Institutional Change in the Public Sphere: Views on the Nordic Model. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-054633-0. Chapter 12. s 241 - 263
- Bernard Enjolras & Kari Steen-Johnsen (2017). The digital transformation of the political public sphere: a sociological perspective, In Jon Rogstad; Kari Steen-Johnsen; Håkon Larsen & Fredrik Engelstad (ed.), Institutional Change in the Public Sphere: Views on the Nordic Model. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-054633-0. Chapter 5. s 99 - 117
- Fredrik Engelstad (2017). Strategic Communication and Institutional Change., In Jon Rogstad; Håkon Larsen; Fredrik Engelstad & Kari Steen-Johnsen (ed.), Institutional Change in the Public Sphere: Views on the Nordic Model. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-054633-0. 17.
- Inger Furseth (2017). The Return of Religion in the Public Sphere? The Public Role of Nordic Faith Communities., In Fredrik Engelstad; Håkon Larsen; Jon Rogstad & Kari Steen-Johnsen (ed.), Institutional Change in the Public Sphere: Views on the Nordic Model. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-054633-0. 11.
- Anniken Hagelund & Axel West Pedersen (2015). To Reform or Not to Reform? Explaining the Coexistence of Successful Pension Reform and Sick Pay Inertia in Norway, In Fredrik Engelstad & Anniken Hagelund (ed.), Cooperation and Conflict the Nordic Way : Work, Welfare, and Institutional Change in Scandinavia. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-044428-5. Chapter 12. s 220 - 242
- Anne Lise Ellingsæter (2015). Making, Unmaking and Remaking: The Evolution of Nordic Cash for Childcare Schemes, In Fredrik Engelstad & Anniken Hagelund (ed.), Cooperation and Conflict the Nordic Way : Work, Welfare, and Institutional Change in Scandinavia. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-044428-5. Kapittel 14. s 262 - 280
- Anniken Hagelund & Fredrik Engelstad (2015). Introduction: Institutional Change in Neo- Corporatist Society, In Fredrik Engelstad & Anniken Hagelund (ed.), Cooperation and Conflict the Nordic Way : Work, Welfare, and Institutional Change in Scandinavia. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-044428-5. 1. s 1 - 16
- Mari Teigen (2015). The Making of Gender Quotas for Corporate Boards in Norway, In Fredrik Engelstad & Anniken Hagelund (ed.), Cooperation and Conflict the Nordic Way : Work, Welfare, and Institutional Change in Scandinavia. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-044428-5. 6. s 96 - 117
- Torgeir Nyen & Anna Hagen Tønder (2015). Cooperation and Reform in Vocational Education and Training, In Fredrik Engelstad & Anniken Hagelund (ed.), Cooperation and Conflict the Nordic Way : Work, Welfare, and Institutional Change in Scandinavia. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-044428-5. 11. s 201 - 218
- Jørgen Svalund (2015). Cooperation and Power in Labour Adjustment Choices: A Nordic Perspective, In Fredrik Engelstad & Anniken Hagelund (ed.), Cooperation and Conflict the Nordic Way : Work, Welfare, and Institutional Change in Scandinavia. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-044428-5. Kapitel 9. s 157 - 178
- Fredrik Engelstad (2015). Property Rights, Governance, and Power Balances., In Fredrik Engelstad & Anniken Hagelund (ed.), Cooperation and Conflict the Nordic Way : Work, Welfare, and Institutional Change in Scandinavia. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-044428-5. Part 1. s 36 - 55
- Fredrik Engelstad (2015). Conflict, Compromise, Cooperation Concluding Reflections., In Fredrik Engelstad & Anniken Hagelund (ed.), Cooperation and Conflict the Nordic Way : Work, Welfare, and Institutional Change in Scandinavia. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-044428-5. Part IV. s 282 - 292
- Dag Olberg (2015). Regulating the temporary layoff institution- coalitions and drift, In Fredrik Engelstad & Anniken Hagelund (ed.), Cooperation and Conflict the Nordic Way : Work, Welfare, and Institutional Change in Scandinavia. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-044428-5. 8. s 136 - 156
- Jon Rogstad; Kari Steen-Johnsen; Fredrik Engelstad & Håkon Larsen (ed.) (2017). Institutional Change in the Public Sphere: Views on the Nordic Model. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-054633-0. 269 s.
- Anniken Hagelund & Fredrik Engelstad (ed.) (2015). Cooperation and Conflict the Nordic Way : Work, Welfare, and Institutional Change in Scandinavia. De Gruyter Open. ISBN 978-3-11-044428-5. 298 s.
- Fredrik Engelstad (2017). Innledning.
- Fredrik Engelstad (2017). Demokrati og institusjoner i endring.
- Anniken Hagelund (2017). Velferdsstaten i endring.
- Mia Vabø (2017). The dynamic of change in Public service organizations.
