The Making of "White Spaces" : The construction, disruption, and maintenance of stability in bipolar realities in Sweden

Sammanfattning: Bipolar disorder is a condition rarely approached in anthropological research, and even less so through the eyes of people living with the disorder. Therefore, to focus on understanding the experience of the state in-between episodes, here referred to as a “white space”, is rare and in need of further examination. The aim of this study was to explore the various experiences of a “white space”, how it is constructed, disrupted, and maintained. The thesis is also an attempt to look at what factors affect these experiences using the anthropology of becoming, and concepts of power and agency. With the interviews of eleven individuals that have experienced different lengths of “white spaces”, a representative of a non-profit organization, a clinical psychologist, and minor participant observation, the author explores the complex views, interpretations, and experiences of a life within a “white space”. Apart from the sub-field of medical anthropology, the thematic framework and concepts involve the anthropology of becoming, agency, and power to explain and discuss the “white space” experience. The analysis shows that a “white space” has many different forms and that agency and power have a great impact on the experience. What the author also discusses in the analysis is the dynamic between what they define as knowledge-production and knowledge-sharing, alongside agency and power in relation to these “white space” experiences. The author emphasizes the importance in using these concepts to further understand and affect the experiences of “white spaces” positively. The conclusion summarizes the findings and emphasizes the need to explore this form of research further.