Swedes - Swedishness and Integration of Immigrants

Swedishness and Integration of Immigrants

Recent waves of immigration has triggered a debate in Sweden about what "Swedishness" actually is and about how immigrants can be integrated in Swedish society. In a report by the Swedish government it has been claimed that Swedishness usually is classified by researchers in five different ways: country of birth (i.e. Sweden), citizenship, consanguinity (i.e. perceived kinship), culture or language; and appearance. It also claims that a mix of these ideas is found in more mundane uses of the word Swedish, in media and ordinary speech and that it should be understood in the light of how national stories of Sweden have been formed over a long period of time.

This is a sensitive topic in Sweden and the mere notion of a Swedish ethnicity can be considered controversial, especially in politics. For example, Sweden's prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt was heavily criticised in the spring of 2012, after having used the word "ethnic Swedes".

Sweden's main statistics bureau Statistics Sweden (SCB) does not keep any record of ethnicity but about 20% of Sweden's population have foreign background. Some immigrants in Sweden feel that they experience "betweenship" which arises when others ascribe them an identity that they do not hold.

The increasing proportion of immigrants has caused concern from anti-immigration politicians like the Sweden Democrats who fear a demographic threat, espacially the rise of Islam in Sweden (see further: Islamophobia). However, polls show that the Swedes' general attitude towards immigrants has become "considerably more positive" in recent years.