Från norr till söder : En kvalitativ studie om projektdeltagares upplevelser av utbytet vid ett internationellt projekt

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study was to understand how project participants in a project between a Western country and an Africa country experience the exchange of knowledge and experiences. The study was conducted through qualitative semi-structured interviews with a hermeneutic approach. We interviewed nine participants from the project Tlokwe Inclusivity Disability Sector II, an international project between Växjö in Sweden and Potchefstroom in South Africa. Four of the interviews were conducted with participants from South Africa, and five of the interviews were conducted with participants from Sweden. The analysis of the material was based on previous research in the field and the theories of postcolonialism and indigenization. The result of the study shows that the participants from South Africa have received knowledge from Sweden that they have tried to adjust to their local conditions. The Swedish participants also feel that they have learned from this project, but a different kind of knowledge than the theoretical knowledge that they have conveyed to the South African participants. Cultural differences were central in all interviews, but although all participants that we have interviewed talked about these differences, it was not seen as a problem in the project.