Abstract We decided to explore former school pupils’ experiences of not conforming to the norm. Earlier studies have focused on the children as “the problem”.  We see this as worrying, especially since there is very little research focusing on the pupils’ own experiences. The children’s own perspective needs to be brought to the fore. We hope in a small way to contribute to this. Our study consists of retrospective qualitative interviews with former school children, now all over the age of eighteen. We have adopted a social constructionist perspective to illuminate the area. Social constructionism can be seen as a meta-theory underlying the choice of method, theory and research questions in our study. The study is qualitative and consists of five semi-structured interviews. As a theoretical and analytical tool we will construct a discourse using a psychological perspective. We will base this on the work of Potter and Wetherell as well as Winther Jörgensen and Phillips’s discourse theories. Our qualitative approach means we will look at the role of speech production based on interpretation repertoires and subject positions. In this way, we can see how meanings form the building blocks used in the way people talk about, and thereby construct, the world of everyday interaction (Winther Jorgensen & Phillips 2000: 116). In other words the discourses are a social act, a discursive practice. We are interested in analysing how the interviewees construct versions of social reality in their stories in relation to current social norms and discourses. In addition to discursive psychological theory we have used Börjesson & Palmblad’s descriptions of the impact of verbal discourse about pupils at school on a macro level. They found that the pupils had been categorised as “deviant” and “problem children” during their time at school, also that there was an image of how the “desirable child” should be. We also applied Beckers’ theory of using the “outsider” in order to understand the mechanisms behind the position of not fitting into the norm.  Utilising these theories we analysed the five interviewees’ description of themselves, others and their situation at school to illuminate their experiences and also to highlight their description of the experience of being viewed as “deviant” during their school period. Key words: Identity, Normality, School Norm, Outsider, Discourse psychology, Social constructionism

Syftet med denna studie var att ta reda på hur en utanförstående upplever, påverkas av, och hanterar en konflikt mellan arbetskamrater på arbetsplatsen. En kvalitativ studie med öppna intervjuer genomfördes med åtta deltagare. Data analyserades med induktiv tematisk analys. Resultatet visade att konflikter på arbetsplatsen påverkar såväl individen, arbetsgruppen som hela arbetsplatsen negativt. Den utanförstående upplever konflikter på arbetsplatsen som påfrestande och att de på flera olika sätt påverkas negativt av dem. Hur utanförstående upplever, påverkas av och hanterar konflikter mellan arbetskamrater är framför allt beroende av konfliktens innehåll och allvar. De negativa känslorna visar sig vara starkare vid konflikter där någon upplevs bli utsatt eller illa behandlad och då ökar även viljan att ingripa i konflikten. Vid konflikter som mestadels rör arbetsfrågor uppkommer istället känslor av passivitet, många vill ta avstånd och anser att konflikten är löjlig och onödig. / The purpose of this study was to find out how an bystander feels, gets influenced by, and handles a conflict among colleagues at work. A qualitative study with eight participants, using open interviews was conducted. Data were analyzed by inductive thematic analysis. The results showed that workplace conflicts affect the individual, the work group and the entire workplace negatively. Bystanders experience workplace conflicts as stressful and that they are negatively affected by them in several ways. How outsiders perceive, are affected by and deal with conflicts between colleagues depend on the content and severity of the conflict. The negative emotions appears to be stronger in conflicts where someone is considered to be victimized or treated badly and the willingness to intervene in such conflict increases. Conflicts mostly related to work issues mainly arise feelings of passivity. People often want to dissociate themselves because they consider the conflict to be ridiculous and unnecessary.

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