Roskilde University Horizons of security, state and extended family the Somali safety net in Scandinavia Zoppi, Marco Publication date: 2017 Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Citation for published version (APA): Zoppi, M. (2017). Horizons of security, state and extended family: the Somali safety net in Scandinavia. Roskilde Universitet. General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain. • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal. Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact [email protected] providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 29. Sep. 2021 Horizons of security State and extended family: the Somali safety net in Scandinavia Marco Zoppi Horizons of security State and extended family: the Somali safety net in Scandinavia Ph.D. thesis submitted by Marco Zoppi February 2017 Roskilde University Department of Communication and Arts Supervisors: Hans-Åke Persson (Roskilde University), Bo Petersson (Malmö University) Title Horizons of Security Subtitle State and extended family: the Somali safety net in Scandinavia Author Marco Zoppi Department Department of Communication and Arts University Roskilde University Cover design Ahmed A. Omar “Dharbaxo”. The rights to all and illustrations illustrations in this thesis belong to Ahmed A. Omar “Dharbaxo” © 2017. No part of these illustrations may be reproduced in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without his consent (email: [email protected]) Abstract Issues of welfare entitlements and “deservedness” are increasingly permeating political debates in present-day Scandinavian welfare states, which are worldwide renowned for their comprehensive safety net. The Somalis especially, are oftentimes singled out in political debates about immigration and integration policies as the “least integrated” group in the entire region, or as a “burden” for public finances. Against this background, this study emphasizes that issues of welfare and security exist also among the Somali diaspora in Scandinavia, although they have attracted considerably less attention. Therefore, I explore constructions as well as negotiations of the safety net, reflecting on the encounter between the Somali society, which is definable to a good extent as stateless, and the countries of the so-called Nordic model, which display conversely a crucial component of both “statism” and nationalism in their social security arrangements. In this manner, this study intends to account for historical patterns of integration from the specific point of view of welfare and security. In order to pursue this aim, I have conducted qualitative interviews with Somalis living in Scandinavia about themes where matters of welfare and security emerge: the qualitative approach allowed me to underline the variety of experiences and solutions adopted by my interlocutors to re- construct a meaningful safety net. The study concludes that the Somalis are experiencing relevant changes in the way they think and formulate expectations about the safety net, often embracing elements of both welfare systems; at the same time, not all of the integration measures set up by Scandinavian states are conducive for alleviating Somalis’ security issues, especially in the immediate time after the resettlement. This dynamic can open up for considerably degrees of insecurity and thus long-term social vulnerability among the Somalis. Resumé Spørgsmålet om hvem der fortjener disse velfærdsrettigheder gennemstrømmer i stigende grad politiske debatter i nutidens skandinaviske velfærdsstater, som er berømte verden over for deres omfattende sociale sikkerhedsnet. Særligt somaliere bliver ofte fremhævet i politiske debatter vedrørende immigration og integrations politik som den ”mindst integrerede” gruppe i hele regionen eller som en ”byrde” for offentlige midler. Det er med afsæt i denne kontekstuelle baggrund, at dette studie har undersøgt hvordan emner inden for velfærd og sikkerhed også eksisterer blandt den somaliske disapora i Skandinavien. Jeg undersøger derfor konstruktioner såvel som forhandlinger af det sociale sikkerhedsnet hos denne gruppe, hvor jeg reflekterer over mødet mellem det somaliske samfund, som – til en vis grad – kan defineres som statsløse, og de lande som tilhører den såkaldte nordiske model, som, i modsætning, fremviser en essentiel komponent af ”statisme” og nationalisme i deres organisering af sociale sikkerheds spørgsmål. På denne måde har dette studie til hensigt at redegøre for historiske mønstre af integration gennem det specifikke synspunkt af velfærd og sikkerhed. For at nå dette mål har jeg udført kvalitative interviews med somaliere boende i Skandinavien omkring tematikker såsom uddannelse og rollemodeller, der refererer til de overordnede temaer velfærd og sikkerhed. Gennem en kvalitativ tilgang understreger jeg de varierede erfaringer og løsninger, som mine informanter har gjort brug af for at re-konstruere et meningsfyldt sikkerhedsnet. Studiet konkluderer, at somaliere erfarer relevante forandringer i den måde, de tænker om og formulerer forventninger vedrørende sikkerhedsnet, hvor de ofte gør brug af elementer fra begge organisationerne af sociale sikkerheds spørgsmål; samtidig er det ikke alle integrationstiltag som er blevet iværksat af skandinaviske stater, der er gavnlige i forhold til at lette somaliers sikkerheds spørgsmål, særligt i den tid der kommer lige umiddelbart efter deres ankomst. Denne dynamik kan føre til stor af usikkerhed og endda længerevarende social sårbarhed blandt somaliere. Acknowledgements I am deeply indebted to all the people who helped and supported me during my years as Ph.D. student. First and foremost, a sincere expression of gratitude goes to my supervisor at RUC, Hans- Åke Persson, for his inspiring comments and reflections; his tireless effort to sharpen my analytic focus; his precious advises concerning the writing of the thesis, and the academic world at large; and finally, for all the cakes and good talks we shared along the way. I am also grateful to my second supervisor, Bo Petersson, for the meticulous feedback given on my research at different stages. Their excellent, combined support guided me in overcoming under-theorizations and pitfalls in this study. Among other things, their remarks and observations have saved the reader a good deal of redundancies, imprecisions and not least Pindaric flights. I would like to thank the Ørecomm network, particularly in the persons of its Co-Director Oscar Hemer and my Ph.D. colleague Maria Erliza Lopez Pedersen. The former, for the constructive criticism provided during the several feedback sessions; the latter, for the productive exchange of opinions about the doctoral enterprise, and for the academic experiences shared in Liège, İstanbul, and virtually, on our research blog. I wish to thank all the Somalis who patiently participated in the interviews that were carried out across the Scandinavian region. Their input has been crucial for this research, and I hope that the findings can be inspirational and useful for ongoing debates. Greatly appreciated was also the support received from the Diaspora Programme at the Danish Refugee Council, with a special mention for Ahmed A. Omar “Dharbaxo” (who is also the author of the illustrations in this thesis). I owe a special thanks to Erik Thorstensen and Aina Landsverk Hagen at the Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, for their logistic support, which has made my brief stay in the Norwegian capital very fruitful; and to Danielle Guldmann Sekwati, for her welcoming at Den Gamle By and further help with my research activities in Århus. I also like to mention all fellow researchers (a complete list would be too long!) who I have met along the way at Roskilde, Copenhagen, Malmö, Uppsala, Oslo, and Macerata, for their insights and comments on earlier drafts of this thesis. Last but not the least in this list is Roskilde University, and the Department of Communication and Arts: a great research milieu where I have had the opportunity to meet wonderful colleagues. A big thanks for the time spent together there to Chris, Søren, Rune, Hannibal, Cecilie, and to all those with whom I have shared nice moments at RUC, perhaps in front of a cup of coffee. I would also like to thank the University secretary staff, in particular Marianne and Gitte: their help has been very much appreciated. Frederiksberg, February 2017, Marco Zoppi List of figures Fig. 1 Two types of solidarity p. 44 Fig. 2 Somali and other asylum applicants in Scandinavia, 1992-2001 p. 47 Fig. 3 Summary of the interviews p. 63 Fig. 4 Occupational distribution of the interlocutors p. 65 Fig. 5 The different economic systems in Somalia p. 131 Fig. 6 The clan tree in Scandinavia p. 218 Fig. 7 Trust, individualization and clan p. 220 Fig. 8 Child Authorities p. 225 Fig. 9 Somalis in Scandinavia p. 251 Table of contents Introduction: experiencing hell in the welfare paradise