Spatial justice in eldercare discourse in Swedish municipal comprehensive plans

Introduction A comprehensive plan (ÖP) is a municipal policy in Sweden that guides political ambitions for the use of spatial resources. As the built environment impacts the health and well-being of older people (WHO, 2016) and the aging issue is considered a welfare challenge, this study analyzes how the aging issue is treated in ÖP of Älvkarleby municipality. Theoretical framework and methods Foucauldian (1993:8) and Laclau and Mouffes (2001) discourse theoretical concepts such as “foreclosing procedures” and chain of equivalence and differences are used in the study to understand the dialectical relation between discourse, knowledge, and power that reinforces ideological domination. Spatial justice (Soja, 2010) is used to assess ÖP’s compliance with older people’s identity and agency. The themes and patterns of planning language are identified through the close reading of Älvkarleby’s ÖP. Results are analyzed using Fairclough’s (1995) critical discourse analysis (CDA) i.e. analysis of text, context, and structure. Results and Analysis Context: · Älvkarleby has 9625 people with 24.7% above 65 years old and is facing growth stagnation and outflow of young and working-age people. · Older people and other vulnerable groups’ contribution to growth ambition is silent in ÖP. · The exploitation of strengths such as “housing, tourism, and business…”(p14) and the influx of youth, working-age population, and companies are considered conditions of possibility for growth and welfare. · Growth-oriented planning discourse thus characterizes the ÖP which fits in Älvkarleby´s context. Text: · ÖP’s desire is to achieve “economically and ecologically robust structures” (ÖP, 2020:7- 86) · Truth claim is that the growth stagnation and welfare challenge are associated with “unbalanced demography with many older people” signified as “negative effects” (ibid, 2020:14) · Chain of equivalence: Welfare challenges are associated with eldercare, social services, low taxes, and disability. Growth ambition is associated with youth, natural ...