Monika Larsson

My research will produce a rich, empirically grounded account of how municipal senior centres in Sweden are organized, experienced, and shaped by broader institutional and policy frameworks. By combining participant observation with in-depth interviews with both visitors and staff across three different types of meeting places – in a large municipality, a small, and a digital senior centre – I aim to generate detailed insights into how everyday practices are coordinated, how participation is enabled or constrained, and how institutional texts and routines shape people’s opportunities for social engagement. The project will result in analytic descriptions that connect the micro-level of daily interactions with the macro-level of welfare governance, contributing to a deeper understanding of ageing, social inclusion, and the role of municipal meeting places in a changing welfare landscape.