Browsing by Subject "säädösvalmistelu"

The aim of this research was to investigate and describe, first, the discourses built within the referral procedure concerning the new legislation of pupil and student welfare, and second, how these discourses are connected to the historical development of pupil and student welfare and its sociopolitical purpose. In this research, reforming the pupil and student welafare legislation under one act (Pupil and and Student Welfare Act) is seen as a part of the historical development of the wefare state while the discourses involved in the procedure are considered an activity determining the pupil and student welfare. The referral statements were investigated in the framework of critical discourse analysis, applying the model presented by Norman Fairclough. The data was analysed on the levels of text, discourse practices and sociocultural practices and connections between these. The analysis focused on the content of and the rhetorical devices found in the referral discourse, and these observations were interpreted and explained within the context of the sociopolitical development of pupil welfare and referral procedure of the preparation of legislation. The data of this research consists of statements given on the draft law of Pupil and Student Welfare act found on the website of the Council of State. There were altogether 57 statements on the draft law and 13 of these were selected for the present study. These statements were given by the interest groups and professionals organizations of those in charge of the implementation of pupil and student welfare: teachers, school wefare officials, school psychologists, school doctors and nurses. The central finding of this research was that the predominant discourse position adopted by the occupational groups implementing pupil and student welfare was professionalism. Professionalism was both used to validate the discourse and built through the discourse. The discourses in which pupil and student welfare were seen as cooperation or a working method appeared subordinate to professionalism. A significant finding in the analysis of the referral discourse was the total absence of pupils and students in any other position but as objects of the actions of professionals.