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Katarina Jacobsson

Katarina Jacobsson

Head of Department | Professor | PhD | Reader in Sociology

Katarina Jacobsson

"'We Can't Just Do It Any Which Way' – Objectivity Work among Swedish Prosecutors"

Author

  • Katarina Jacobsson

Summary, in English

Objectivity is a principle widely acknowledged and honoured in contemporary society. Rather than treating objectivity as an a priori defined category to be tested empirically, I refer to the construction of objectivity as it is accomplished in practice as “objectivity work” and consider how Swedish prosecutors in interviews make and communicatively realize (i.e. “make real”) its claims. In analyzing two facets of objectivity work – maintaining objectivity and responses to objectivity violations – seven mechanisms are identified: appeals to (1) regulation, (2) duty, and (3) professionalism; responses to violations by (4) incantations of objectivity, (5) corrections, (6) proclamation by contrast, and (7) appeals to human fallibility. Directions for future research emphasize cross-cultural and cross-occupational comparisons, not only within the judiciary as objectivity is of a general concern in any area where disinterested truths are claimed. The concept of objectivity work allows one to study how various actors bring principle into everyday life.

Department/s

  • School of Social Work

Publishing year

2008

Language

English

Pages

46-67

Publication/Series

Qualitative Sociology Review

Volume

4

Issue

1

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Lodz University

Topic

  • Social Work

Keywords

  • Ethnomethodology
  • Accounts
  • Objectivity work
  • Prosecutors
  • Sweden
  • Constructionism

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1733-8077