In Otherwise than Being (1974), Levinas asked if and how philosophy could make justice of the concrete ethical meeting by philosophical practice, which is unconditionally conditioned by language. Language, understood as partly situated in being and ontology, is analysed as an appropriation of the other, who is other than being. Language could therefore according to Levinas never fully express the other – sometimes referred to as “otherism”. A condition, then, that needs to be fulfilled for philosophical practice to reach the goal of making justice for the other, and hence be meaningful in the Levinasian picture, is to transcend language through language. In the essay, I analyse through textual interpretation what appears to be a contradiction regarding Levinas’ answer to the possibility of transcendence through and by language in philosophy. On one hand, it appears as if philosophy could not overcome language through language, and that philosophical practice therefore is not meaningful. On the other hand, it appears as if sceptical discourse could overcome language through language. Scepticism might then be considered as the only meaningful practice and philosophy a game of deconstructive dialogue. Since skepticism is understood as a part of philosophy, this would imply that there is a contradiction. I argue that the contradiction could be understood as apparent when considering the criticism executed in Levinas’ analysis of language. I suggest that the contradiction is apparent because sceptical interchange is meaningful.

Denna studie undersöker hur jobbcoacher framställer nyanländas anställningsbarhet och utsatta position på den svenska arbetsmarknaden. Genom en socialkonstruktivistiskt ansats och kvalitativ metod, har vi intervjuat sju jobbcoacher om deras framställning av nyanländas anställningsbarhet. Studien undersöker även hur jobbcoacher resonerar och beskriver vilka hinder och möjligheter nyanlända möter i etableringen på den svenska arbetsmarknad. Studien undersöker ytterligare hur jobbcoachernas beskrivningar kan förstås utifrån kritiska teorier om andrafiering, fördomar och diskriminering. Resultatet visar att jobbcoacherna framställer att nyanlända befinner sig i en utsatt situation och att de möter flertalet hinder vid etablering på den svenska arbetsmarknaden. Språkkunskaper i det svenska språket, bristande nätverk och arbetsgivares attityder är tre exempel på hinder som nyanlända möts av. Resultatet visar vidare att nyanlända erbjuds insatser som språkträning och intervjuträning. Slutligen visar studien att jobbcoachernas beskrivning av nyanländas anställningsbarhet kan förstås som en slags “andrafierad” bild av nyanlända eftersom de målas upp som en “annorlunda” grupp på arbetsmarknaden i behov av särskilda insatser. Vi hoppas att studien bidrar med förståelse och kunskap om nyanländas situation på den svenska arbetsmarknaden. / This study investigate how job coaches presents newcomers' employability and their vulnerable position in the Swedish labour market. Through a social constructivist approach and qualitative method, we have interviewed seven job coaches about their portrayal of new arrivals' employability. The study also examines how job coaches' reason and describes what obstacles and opportunities newcomers encounter in their establishing in the Swedish labour market. The study further investigates how job coaches' descriptions can be understood on the basis of critical theories of ‘othering’, prejudices and discrimination. The results show that job coaches represent newcomer's vulnerable situation and that they encounter several obstacles in their establishing in the Swedish labour market. Language skills in the Swedish language, lack of networks and the attitude of employers are three examples of obstacles that new arrivals encounter. The results also show that newcomers are offered supportive measures, such as language training and interview training. Finally, the study shows that job coaches descriptions of newcomer's employability can be understood as a kind of "othering" image of newcomers because they are presented as a "different" group in the labour market, in need of special efforts. We hope that this study contributes with understanding and knowledge of the situation of newcomers in the Swedish labour market.