Linguistic negotiation in non-profit organization regarding identity. A study on narratives, metaphors and the use of ‘we’

Abstract

The political role of Sweden’s third sector is currently being renegotiated. Are services performed by the voluntary sector a necessary alternative to an inefficient welfare system, or do these services constitute a threat to the universal welfare state? This negotiation is the focus of the paper. My aim is to use linguistic theory, methods, and analysis of empirical data to capture how this negotiation took place within a voluntary non-profit organization. Based on a case study on Save the Children Sweden (where I was an embedded researcher for two years), I suggest that advocates in favour of third sector services gain advantages from certain linguistic features, such as by using ‘we’ in an inclusive, action-oriented way, by using metaphors grounded in activity, and by highlighting a specific version of the organization’s historical narrative.