Recognition as care: a longitudinal study of Arabic immigrants’ experiences of diabetes training in Denmark

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This longitudinal study provides critical insight into the social processes of municipal diabetes training for Arabic-speaking immigrants in Denmark focusing on participants’ experiences. Our study builds on observations of three diabetes courses and 36 interviews with participants at the start of, immediately following or 30–36 months after the courses. Lifestyle change and responsibility were dominant messages in the courses; over time and depending on their daily social context, participants selectively accepted and incorporated these messages. However, in retrospect, participants highlighted other meaningful benefits; these centred on reducing isolation and being met on their own terms regarding language and logistics. Most importantly, they remembered when treated with attention and respect by professionals and the mutual acknowledgement between participants. We use Axel Honneth’s notions of rights-based and solidarity-based recognition to analyse what was at stake in these experiences, and we engage Annemarie Mol’s concept of a logic of care to show how recognition unfolded practically during the training. We propose that participants’ wider social context and experiences of misrecognition situated the training experiences concerned with recognition. We also show exceptions. The sociality, which for some generated solidarity-based recognition, felt intimidating for others. We argue that the silent processes of recognition in the diabetes training carried significant meaning for participants, and that over time, many highlighted these as benefits rather than lifestyle change and responsibility.
Original languageEnglish
JournalCritical Public Health
Volume26
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)118-132
Number of pages15
ISSN0958-1596
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016

ID: 123417230