ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses qualitative interviews that explore how Norwegian families with disabled children experienced societal participation and access to social welfare services during the pandemic. Conceptually, the authors take inspiration from recent work on affective citizenship as they draw attention to the affective ramifications of being excluded from social services, education, and healthcare. The findings show that the pandemic hampered these families’ sense of well-being and participation as a number of welfare services were shut down because of infection control measures. More importantly, social exclusion had deep affective consequences, with the families reporting that they felt underprioritised and abandoned by the state. One informant argued that emotional self-management was crucial to receive vital services: “You can cry, but you can’t get angry. The welfare administration accepts tears but not anger. You can’t get mad. Then, you don’t get anything.” Taken together, the findings from the chapter invite further research on how affect and citizenship are intertwined on multiple levels, where social exclusion may generate tears, frustration and anger that must be communicated and handled in particular ways when citizens go into dialogue with government officials to get the citizenship they are entitled to by law.
