In this thesis I argue that epistemic trust in religious authorities is different from epistemic trust in other kinds of authorities because God disturbs the two-party relationship between trustee and truster. I reach this conclusion by first examining the nature of epistemic trust in authorities and how it is justifiable to practice this kind of trust. I then compare these findings to the nature of epistemic trust in religious authorities and see that the general justification for epistemic trust in authorities is not sufficient, instead, God’s relationship with the trusting party, the layperson, needs to be taken into consideration in order to justify epistemic trust in religious authorities.

Segregation is an acknowledged issue in Sweden. The aim of this study was to examine the trust towards the social services among adolescents living in segregated areas in Gävle. Previous research shows the importance of trust to achieve a good work alliance and a good outcome. Four focus group discussions including 19 adolescents were held with representation from three segregated areas in Gävle. The empirical material has been analyzed on the bases of social constructivism and epistemic trust. The results show a lack of trust towards the social services and instead the adolescents put their trust in rumors, friends and family. The results also show a desire from the adolescents of more open relationships with the social workers as well as a wish for a trust creating work and spreading of information from the social services. The study thereby shows a flaw and a development area for the social services. / Segregation är ett uppmärksammat problem i Sverige. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur tilliten till socialtjänsten upplevs bland ungdomar i segregerade bostadsområden i Gävle kommun. Forskning visar på vikten av tillit för att uppnå en god arbetsallians och ett gott resultat. Fyra fokusgruppsdiskussioner med sammanlagt 19 ungdomar har genomförts med representanter från tre av Gävles segregerade områden. Det empiriska materialet har analyserats utifrån socialkonstruktivistisk teori samt epistemisk tillit. Resultaten visar en bristande tillit till socialtjänsten och att ungdomar istället litar på rykten, vänner och familj. Resultaten visar även en önskan från ungdomarnas sida om öppnare relationer med fältarbetare och socialsekreterare samt en önskan om ett tillitsskapande arbete och informationsspridning från socialtjänstens sida. Studien lyfter därmed fram en brist och ett utvecklingsområde för socialtjänsten.