Key Takeaways
The topic for our second session of Arki 2026 sparked a rich discussion on one of the most pressing tensions in contemporary everyday life: the growing gap between what families are expected to do and the time and resources available to do it.
Alexander Ruser from the University of Agder opened this session by framing the family as a dual structure, at once a protected space governed by affection and kinship, and a frontline institution expected to absorb an ever-growing set of social pressures. Historically, families raised children and cared for the elderly. Today, that basic function has been layered with new expectations: raising competitive professionals, engaged citizens, responsible internet users, and mentally healthy individuals. All at once, and largely without external support.
A central thread of this session was the paradox of progress. Expanded access to higher education and greater career opportunities for women and working-class families are unambiguously positive developments. However, there are unexpected costs. As educational credentials become more widespread, competition intensifies, and parents feel increasing pressure to ensure their children stay ahead from an early age. The result is a kind of arms race of parenting, emotionally and logistically exhausting, without a clear finish line.
Ruser argued that the core problem is not that individual families are failing, rather that collective problems are being handed to individual families to solve. Whether it is screen time, mental health, eldercare, or civic education, the expectation is that each household will find its own solution. Those with economic means may outsource some of this labour, but doing so requires staying on the treadmill of work to afford it. For those without those means, the pressure is simply absorbed.
This, of course, has direct consequences for democratic participation. When schedules are full and energy is depleted, political engagement becomes a luxury. Ruser noted that the number of highly politicised young people began declining in the 1990s, and that it is genuinely difficult for families to prioritise civic engagement when deviation from competitive social norms risks their own children’s futures.
With this being said, all is not lost! Ruser suggested that the scale at which we imagine democratic participation may itself be part of the problem. Changing the world (or even just a city) requires enormous coordination. But changing a neighbourhood, for example, is more immediate and manageable. The family was historically the cradle of civic life precisely because it operated at a human scale. So, rebuilding civic engagement may mean starting there. And this is not a second-best option, it’s simply the most realistic first step toward a larger change.
Our discussion touched on broader themes raised by the audience: planetary inequality, the legacy of neoliberalism, and the question of what a good life actually looks like in 2026. These threads will continue to run through the remaining Arki sessions.
Session 3: Making Time for Democracy will take place on location at University of Agder and will not have an online component.
However, if you haven’t already, make sure to sign-up for Session 4: Everyday Life in Bosnia that will be a hybrid event taking place in Sarajevo & online!
See you on Tuesday, May 5th at 6pm Bosnia-Herzegovina time / 7pm Finland time
Comments are closed