Political Science Theses and Dissertations

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Never At Home: Immigrant Integration in Denmark and Sweden
(University of Oregon, 2020-02-27) Brown, Crystal; Cramer, Jane
This dissertation is a comparative analysis of immigration and integration policies in Denmark and Sweden. I compared these countries because they take different policy approaches to integration; Denmark uses assimilationist policies while Sweden takes a multicultural approach, but they are getting similar results. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCED) in 2015, both countries had high poverty levels for non-Western immigrants relative to the native populations—a surprise considering that they have robust social welfare systems. Relying on more than 12 months of fieldwork in Denmark and Sweden, the central goal of this study was to understand why the differences in policies produced a similar outcome of poverty levels. I did a historical analysis of the countries, I collected data using a survey questionnaire, and I did participant observations through field research. The findings from my research indicated connections between nation-building, belonging, historical myths, the perception of non-Western immigrants, and institutional barriers. I found that social practices trumped integration policies, which created similarities in outcomes.