Policies for Integration -Policies for Integration -institutions, resources and institutions, resources and

individuals individuals

Maritta SoininenMaritta SoininenAssociate ProfessorAssociate ProfessorDepartment of Political ScienceDepartment of Political ScienceUniversity of StockholmUniversity of StockholmStockholm, SwedenStockholm, Sweden

Problems of social and political inequality in Sweden

the institutional framework for immigrant the institutional framework for immigrant membership rights: membership rights: the corporatist policy-making modelthe corporatist policy-making modelthe social-democratic universal welfare state the social-democratic universal welfare state modelmodelwith the overall political goal of ‘equality’with the overall political goal of ‘equality’

today emerging patterns of social and political today emerging patterns of social and political inequality - not based on social class cleavages inequality - not based on social class cleavages but on ethnic divisionsbut on ethnic divisions

adaptational pressure on the democratic adaptational pressure on the democratic institutions institutions

How to address the issue of inequality in the Swedish political context?

the historical institutional legacies of the welfare the historical institutional legacies of the welfare state have informed the understanding of the state have informed the understanding of the problem of exclusion and ethnic inequality, its problem of exclusion and ethnic inequality, its causes and possible solutions - both in policy causes and possible solutions - both in policy discourse and researchdiscourse and research

the resource perspective: lack of different kinds the resource perspective: lack of different kinds of resources explains exclusionof resources explains exclusion

different understandings and their effects on different understandings and their effects on policy formulation and implementationpolicy formulation and implementation

Political consequences of the ‘resource Political consequences of the ‘resource approach’approach’

it informs the solutions to inequality: to provide the it informs the solutions to inequality: to provide the individuals and groups that lag behind with individuals and groups that lag behind with adequate resourcesadequate resources

such a solution is very much at the heart of the such a solution is very much at the heart of the Swedish universal welfare policies: ‘welfare Swedish universal welfare policies: ‘welfare management of ethnic inequality’ aims at management of ethnic inequality’ aims at strengthening equal opportunities strengthening equal opportunities

positive and consensus oriented positive and consensus oriented does not challenge any of the central values or does not challenge any of the central values or

institutionsinstitutions has broad political support in the Swedish context has broad political support in the Swedish context

What is the problem with the ‘resource approach’?

- ‘lack of adequate resources’ explanations tend to produce negative identity politics:

• the target groups for policy measures are identified in terms of the problems they have, and the resources they lack

• actively constructing immigrant groups in public policy discourse

• generalisations

• there is the risk of ‘blaming the victim’

Moreover...Moreover...

the ‘resource approach’ leaves unexamined the the ‘resource approach’ leaves unexamined the workings of political institutions: how their rules workings of political institutions: how their rules and routines might contribute to political and routines might contribute to political inequality in a societyinequality in a society

the workings of the societal institutions contribute the workings of the societal institutions contribute

to the unintended exclusion of minority members to the unintended exclusion of minority members

the positive effects of measures to recruit the positive effects of measures to recruit immigrants can easily be counteracted by the immigrants can easily be counteracted by the less visible but negative effects of dominating less visible but negative effects of dominating institutional routines institutional routines

Swedish anti-discrimination legislation as a policy Swedish anti-discrimination legislation as a policy instrument against inequalities instrument against inequalities

organisations working for increased democracy and organisations working for increased democracy and equality may have difficulties…equality may have difficulties…

corporatist tradition in policy making and ethnic corporatist tradition in policy making and ethnic minority interest?minority interest?

1994 legislation: priority given to altering public 1994 legislation: priority given to altering public opinion opinion

while immigrants in comprehensive labour market while immigrants in comprehensive labour market programs – positive action and affirmative actionprograms – positive action and affirmative action

1997 legislation anticipated the imminent EU 1997 legislation anticipated the imminent EU legislation: radical shift in the official problem legislation: radical shift in the official problem understanding understanding

ethnic monitoring – a missing policy instrumentethnic monitoring – a missing policy instrument

The shift in the Swedish integration policy The shift in the Swedish integration policy focus: focus:

from groups to individuals, from rights to from groups to individuals, from rights to

toolstools

The 1975 Immigrant and Minority Policy - Groups and Rights

‘‘equality’, ‘freedom of choice’ and ‘partnership’ – an approach to social, political and cultural rights

new linguistic and ethnic minority groups comprised of immigrants and their children - no distinction between immigrant and minority policy

1986 Immigrant Policy – reassessment of the status of immigrant groups

Integration policyIntegration policy of late 1990s – New tools of late 1990s – New tools for individuals for individuals

- to make immigrants ‘self-sufficient’ or ‘self-to make immigrants ‘self-sufficient’ or ‘self-supporting’ supporting’

- intends to enable immigrants to ‘acquire the intends to enable immigrants to ‘acquire the Swedish tools’ needed to manage on one’s own in Swedish tools’ needed to manage on one’s own in the Swedish societythe Swedish society

- requires that ’diversity’ ought to be the point of requires that ’diversity’ ought to be the point of departure when forming policy in generaldeparture when forming policy in general

- internationalisation and individualisation of the internationalisation and individualisation of the Swedish society – NPM and neo-liberal political Swedish society – NPM and neo-liberal political influences influences

Exclusion and the integration policy failure: what is Exclusion and the integration policy failure: what is the problem - addressing institutions or the problem - addressing institutions or individuals? individuals?

the integration policy failure - consensus from left to the integration policy failure - consensus from left to right right

the new ‘job-line’ policy - flexibility and employability of the new ‘job-line’ policy - flexibility and employability of the immigrantsthe immigrants

Integration policy abandoned - the National Integration Integration policy abandoned - the National Integration Board closed down Board closed down

no questions about what the main problem was: no questions about what the main problem was:

1.1. how the integration policy was designedhow the integration policy was designed

2.2. or if the problem was a less successful implementation or if the problem was a less successful implementation of the policy of the policy

Consequences Consequences

the focus on immigrants as individuals and on the the focus on immigrants as individuals and on the new demands put on them new demands put on them

informed by the policies representing a more informed by the policies representing a more repressive attitude towards immigrants and repressive attitude towards immigrants and refugees refugees

using of Integration policy as an instrument in using of Integration policy as an instrument in Immigration policy Immigration policy the ongoing political mobilisation around the the ongoing political mobilisation around the multiethnic order - the established political parties multiethnic order - the established political parties take a more restrictive approach to issues of take a more restrictive approach to issues of immigration and integrationimmigration and integration ‘‘welfare tradition equality’ contra rights based welfare tradition equality’ contra rights based notion of legal right to equal treatment notion of legal right to equal treatment