This research area focuses on community work, preventive social work, and broad social initiatives at the policy and organisational levels. Concepts such as socially sustainable development, social capital, collaboration, community-oriented support, and user influence are central to this field.
The Swedish Social Services Act states that the social services must be well-acquainted with the living conditions in the municipality, and that they should contribute in community planning, and promote good living conditions for all. Despite this, broad social initiatives have struggled to gain traction in social work practice and research, often being overshadowed by more individual-focused and problem-oriented interventions. The latest Social Services Inquiry (SOU 2020:47) reaffirms the importance of social services contributing to social sustainability, emphasising preventive social work not only at the individual level but also at group, organisational, and societal levels.
The department's research in this area spans over a variety of target groups and perspectives. We conduct research on conditions for socially sustainable housing provision, socially sustainable meeting places for children and young people, and how social capital can be used as a tool in the planning and design of socially sustainable residential areas. Additionally, we study collaboration between social services' elder and disability care and municipal community planning. Our research also focuses on how various welfare actors organise their activities and on user influence, particularly in the field of mental health, as well as studies on the impact of social and housing policies on residential segregation. The research questions in this area go beyond an individual problem-focused perspective and broadly address how social work can help counteract social inequality in health, housing, and life opportunities among different groups and locations in society.
Researchers in this field collaborate with several Swedish and international networks. Examples include Nätverket för samhällsarbete och deltagande forskning (SamNet), Nätverket för boende och välfärd, the International Society for Social Capital Research (ISSC), and the Nordic Health Promotion Research Network (NHPRN).
Additionally, the department's researchers work with various societal actors. For instance, there is a long-term collaboration with Umeå municipality and the Commission for a Socially Sustainable Umeå. We also have an established partnership with Umeå Municipality on how municipalities can improve community planning, support, and services for older residents to increase independence and prolong active participation in society. Furthermore, we have an ongoing collaboration with Norrbotten Municipalities, exemplified by a communication project where researchers from the department share useful research findings on socially sustainable communities to support development in northern Sweden.
