Hybrid structures and cultural diversity in welfare services for people with intellectual disabilities. The case of inclusive education and disability arts in Sweden

Abstract

In this article, I deal with the professional and ethical implications within welfare organizations that are characterized by having what I refer to as a hybrid structure in inclusive education and disability arts in Sweden. The article is predominantly theoretical in its character and excerpts from empirical research are used primarily as illustrations of the theoretical issues and themes addressed. Empirical data was collected using qualitative research interviews and a digital web survey. The article suggests that hybrid structures carry both opportunities and threats, as such structures expose (welfare-) organizations to different sets of values and expectations. Both inclusive education and disability arts are constituted by somewhat antagonistic institutional logics. It is argued that this may cause professional ambiguity, considering that institutional logics inform the organizations about what is appropriate in relation to the daily work, e.g. aims, methods, ambitions, and professional relations. An important implication for further research is how teachers and school organizations, as well as cultural workers within social work organizations, deal with the risk of people with ID being stigmatized—through labelling, differentiation, or compensatory arrangements—without failing to address the fact that some individuals have, and always will have, special needs due to their ID.