Migration And Multiculturalism In Scandinavia

Scandinavian societies have historically, and problematically, been understood as homogenous, when in fact they have a long history of ethnic and cultural pluralism due to colonialism and territorial conquest. Amid global tensions around border security and refugee crises, these powerful conversations with nineteen scholars about the past, present, and future of a region in transition capture the current cultural moment.

Literature, Language, and Multiculturalism in Scandinavia and the Low Countries presents a ground-breaking comparative approach to the study of multicultural literature. Focusing on the development of migration literature in Sweden, Denmark, Flanders, and the Netherlands, the volume argues that the political and institutional preconditions for the development of ‘multicultural’ literatures are still given within the frame of the nation-state. As a consequence, both the field of ‘migration literature’ and the (multi-)lingual quality of literary texts are shaped differently in each state and in each language area. The volume delineates the development of multicultural literature in Scandinavia and the Low Countries as a function of the specific language situations in these countries as well as the various political, institutional, and discursive contexts. This book not only offers a comprehensive theoretical and methodological analysis of multilingualism and multicultural literature, but also provides overviews sketching the discourse on multiculturalism, language and the development of the literary field in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Flanders. Besides it presents a broad range of in-depth analyses of selected literary texts from each of these countries.

Owing to increased migration dating from the 1990s, Nordic countries have gone through substantial cultural and social changes, resulting in increased debate surrounding the politics of multiculturalism. One of the central realms of the discussion around multiculturalism in the Nordic region concerns the media, which is considered to be a vital factor in the construction of society's values, as well as an essential tool in the integration process of migrants, providing as it does a symbolic arena for learning about and becoming part of society. This collection draws together the latest research from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden to look at different aspects of the relationship between media and migration in the Nordic region. Exploring the role played by the media in nation building and the power of the media in the definition of who 'belongs' in society, Media in Motion examines the practices of inclusion and exclusion that characterise mainstream media representations. The book also examines the manner in which recent technological changes suggest the emergence of a transnational and cosmopolitan media landscape; a space which blurs the boundaries of the national and transnational, as well as between the public and the private, with significant implications for the ways migrants may take and become part of society. As such, it will be of interest to those working in the fields of media, race and ethnicity, colonialism and postcolonial studies, and migration.

Diversity, inclusion and citizenship are highly contested concepts. This book sheds light on how the traditionally homogeneous welfare-states of Scandinavia struggle to develop as democratic societies in the globalisation era. In Denmark, Norway and Sweden, migration from all parts of the world continues to challenge the idea of social citizenship—highly endorsed in the Scandinavian tradition. The volume brings new perspectives on immigration and integration strategies employed by the three countries, and their consequences for social and political relations. Presenting in-depth analyses, based on up-to-date empirical data, the 19 authors scrutinise a number of dilemmas related to diversity and inclusion in multicultural societies. Exploring tensions in terms of rights and obligations, participation and identity, the chapters provide new insights into the complexity of majority-minority interaction, political traditions and democratic legitimacy. Drawing on case studies as well as comparative analyses, the authors present new and original empirical findings, and they also offer important theoretical contributions to general social science discourses. Taken together the chapters provide an indispensable source, not only for those seeking to understand the current trends in Scandinavian integration policies, but also for those who are generally interested in issues of diversity, inclusion and citizenship.

Migration, Family and the Welfare State explores understandings and practices of integration in the Scandinavian welfare societies of Denmark, Norway and Sweden through a comprehensive range of detailed ethnographic studies. Chapters examine discourses, policies and programs of integration in the three receiving societies, studying how these are experienced by migrant and refugee families as they seek to realize the hopes and ambitions for a better life that led them to leave their country of origin. The three Scandinavian countries have had parallel histories as welfare societies receiving increasing numbers of migrants and refugees after World War II, and yet they have reacted in dissimilar ways to the presence of foreigners, with Denmark developing tough immigration policies and nationalist integration requirements, Sweden asserting itself as a relatively open country with an official multicultural policy, and Norway taking a middle position. The book analyses the impact of these differences and similarities on immigrants, refugees and their descendants across three intersecting themes: integration as a welfare state project; integration as political discourse and practice; and integration as immigrants’ and refugees’ quest for improvement and belonging. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies.

This collection addresses the ways that Nordic countries have approached the issue of bringing ethnic minorities into the societal mainstream. With multicultural incorporation as an option, the authors explore the potential impact of the politics of identity in societies with social democratic welfare states committed to redistributive politics.

Chapter 1 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license. https://tandfbis.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/rt-files/docs/Open+Access+Chapters/9781138564275_oachapter1.pdf This book critically engages with dominant ideas of cultural homogeneity in the Nordic countries and contests the notion of homogeneity as a crucial determinant of social cohesion and societal security. Showing how national identities in the Nordic region have developed historically around notions of cultural and racial homogeneity, it exposes the varied histories of migration and the longstanding presence of ethnic minorities and indigenous people in the region that are ignored in dominant narratives. With attention to the implications of notions of homogeneity for the everyday lives of migrants and racialised minorities in the region, as well as the increasing securitisation of those perceived not to be part of the homogenous nation, this volume provides detailed analyses of how welfare state policies, media, and authorities seek to manage and govern cultural, religious, and racial differences. With studies of national minorities, indigenous people and migrants in the analysis of homogeneity and difference, it sheds light on the agency of minorities and the intertwining of securitisation policies with notions of culture, race, and religion in the government of difference. As such it will appeal to scholars and students in social sciences and humanities with interests in race and ethnicity, migration, postcolonialism, Nordic studies, multiculturalism, citizenship, and belonging.

"Museums across the world are facing the task of capturing, reflecting and representing the notion of complex identities; personal, religious and ethnic. Narratives of national allegiances are being slowly replaced and supplemented by indigenous and minority voices providing a more complex understanding of diversity especially where intangible heritage is called on as a witness. The approach taken by Scandinavian museums in response to this challenge highlights the hybrid forms of cultural diversity and how they interrelate and work together." "By bringing together debates and discussions of identity and diversity, this volume offers a particular insight into a broad geographic region and its diverse people, from the Sami and the limit to new migrants. It also presents a set of historical views on the formation of national museums and their contested perceptions of identity. Whilst developing new arguments and furthering an ongoing debate, it offers museum curators possible ways forward."--BOOK JACKET.

Gender has a profound impact on the discourse on migration as well as various aspects of integration, social and political life, public debate, and art. This volume focuses on immigration and the concept of diaspora through the experiences of women living in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Through a variety of case studies, the authors approach the multifaceted nature of interactions between these women and their adopted countries, considering both the local and the global. The text examines the "making of the Scandinavian" and the novel ways in which diasporic communities create gendered forms of belonging that transcend the nation state. Haci Akman is Associate Professor in the Faculty of the Humanities, at the University of Bergen, Norway. His research focuses on ethnicity, migration and diaspora, cultural heritage, and identity. His recent publications include Scandinavian Museums and Cultural Diversity (co-edited, Berghahn Books, 2008).