DOCSLIB.ORG

The Risk of Type 1 Diabetes Among Offspring of Immigrant Mothers In

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Risk of Type 1 Diabetes Among Offspring of Immigrant Mothers In 934 Diabetes Care Volume 38, May 2015 Hozan Ismael Hussen,1 Tahereh Moradi,1,2 The Risk of Type 1 Diabetes Among and Martina Persson3 Offspring of Immigrant Mothers in Relation to the Duration of Residency in Sweden Diabetes Care 2015;38:934–936 | DOI: 10.2337/dc14-2348 OBJECTIVE The risk for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is increased in the second compared with the first generation of immigrants in Sweden. We investigated the effect of the mother’s duration of stay in Sweden on the risk of T1DM in the offspring. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Using data from national registries, we identified all subjects with T1DM among 984,798 children born in Sweden (aged 0–18 years) between 1992 and 2009. In- cidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% CI were estimated using Poisson regression. RESULTS Offspring of mothers living in Sweden for up to 5 years had a 22% lower risk of T1DM (adjusted IRR 0.78, 95% CI 0.63–0.96) compared with offspring of mothers living in Sweden for 11 years or more. The risk increased with the mother’s duration of stay in Sweden. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the hypothesis that immigration to Sweden is associated with exposure to new environmental factors that contribute to the development of T1DM in genetically susceptible individuals. The incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) varies greatly between countries and different ethnic groups (1). This is likely a reflection of differences in genetic 1Department of Environmental Medicine, Division susceptibility and environmental exposures between populations. Sweden has one of Epidemiology, Unit of Cardiovascular Epidemi- of the highest reported incidences of T1DM in the world (2). In Sweden, offspring of ology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden 2Centre for Epidemiology and Social Medicine, immigrants from most parts of the world have a decreased risk of T1DM compared Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, NOVEL COMMUNICATIONS IN DIABETES with native Swedes (3). However, the risk of T1DM is increased in offspring of Stockholm, Sweden immigrants from Eastern Africa (4). A number of environmental factors have been 3Department of Medicine, Clinical Epidemiology suggested to contribute to the development of T1DM in genetically susceptible Unit, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, individuals (5–8). Immigration, will by necessity lead to a change in certain environ- Sweden mental exposures. Investigation of the effect of exposure to a new environment on Corresponding author: Martina Persson, martina. [email protected]. the risk for T1DM in different immigrant groups could hopefully add new informa- tion on the gene-environment interaction for the development of T1DM. Received 6 October 2014 and accepted 18 January 2015. This nationwide cohort study analyzed the risk of T1DM in offspring of immigrants © 2015 by the American Diabetes Association. in relation to the number of years the mother had lived in Sweden before the baby Readers may use this article as long as the work was born. We hypothesized that the risk of T1DM in the offspring of immigrant is properly cited, the use is educational and not mothers would increase with their duration of stay in Sweden. for profit, and the work is not altered. Hussen and Associates 935 Table 1—IRR and 95% CI of T1DM among children and young adults (aged 0–18 years) born in Sweden between years 1992 and 2004 and followed until 2009 by maternal duration of residence in Sweden before the child’s birth and parental country of birth IRR* (95% CI) IRR** (95% CI) Duration of residence of mothers before child’s birth Duration of residence of mothers before child’sbirth 0–5 years 6–10 years $11 years Swedes 0–5 years 6–10 years $11 years Swedes Parental migration status Foreign born vs. Swedes† 0.54 (0.47–0.63) 0.69 (0.56–0.84) 0.71 (0.61–0.83) 1 0.55 (0.48–0.64) 0.69 (0.57–0.85) 0.71 (0.62–0.83) 1 Foreign born†† 0.77 (0.62–0.94) 0.98 (0.76–1.25) 1 0.78 (0.63–0.96) 0.96 (0.75–1.24) 1 East African vs. Swedes† 1.03 (0.72–1.46) 1.39 (0.86–2.24) 2.34 (1.30–4.24) 1 1.00 (0.70–1.42) 1.32 (0.82–2.14) 2.27 (1.25–4.10) 1 East African†† 0.36 (0.17–0.75) 0.48 (0.21–1.09) 1 0.39 (0.17–0.86) 0.49 (0.21–1.12) 1 Other Nordic vs. Sweden† 0.85 (0.54–1.33) 1.11 (0.69–1.78) 1.07 (0.87–1.32) 1 0.88 (0.56–1.38) 1.13 (0.70–1.81) 1.08 (0.88–1.33) 1 Other Nordic†† 1.11 (0.43–2.86) 1.34 (0.44–4.04) 1 0.94 (0.34–2.55) 1.22 (0.40–3.75) 1 The study base comprised 1,263,358 individuals. Exclusions: infants delivered before 28th or after 43rd completed weeks of gestation, from multiple births, with any congenital malformation, individuals with missing data on gestational age, missing data on birth weight, infants with a birth weight 6 6 standard deviations from the mean, records with missing or extreme data on maternal height, weight, and age, and women with invalid immigration. The final cohort comprised 984,798 eligible individuals. *Adjusted for child’s age at follow-up. **Adjusted for maternal age, maternal BMI, smoking at enrollment, parental education, parity, preeclampsia, and child’s sex and age at follow-up. †Swedes as a reference. ††Longest duration of stay as a reference. 10 – ned fi rst. 5years,6 ned as foreign fi – fi ), emigration, sbirth.Parental ’ 1996 and ICD-10: – rst de nal cohort comprised fi ed in the national pa- ed by parental country fi ed into 0 fi fi fi 18 years, born and living – 11 years. Risk estimates $ sbirth,classi ’ 18 years, identi The outcome of interest was de All statistical analyses were per- Themainexposurevariablewasmater- rst trimester BMI, maternal smoking, – years, and were adjusted for maternal age atfi delivery, parental education, parity, preeclampsia, birthweight,andsexandageofthechild at follow-up. tient registry according to thetenth ninth and Swedish versions ofcode 250 ICD between (ICD-9 1987ICD-10 and code 1996, E10 and from 1997 onwards). formed with SAS 9.3stitute, software Inc., Cary, (SAS NC). In- as a diagnosis of T1DM0 in children aged RESULTS During the study periodand between 2009, 1992 4,825 cases of T1DM were Statistical Analysis Using Poisson regression models,culated we incidence cal- rate ratios (IRRs)95% with CI to estimatethe the offspring, strati risk of T1DM in born (both parents born abroad).ther We categorized fur- parents as ofrents Nordic born (pa- in Finland,and Iceland) Norway, and East Denmark, African (parents born in East African countries) origin. nal duration of staychild in Sweden before the Follow-up The cohort members were followed from the date of birth between 1992 anduntil 2004 the date ofcording diagnosis to of T1DM the ac- SwedishICD versions (ICD-9: 250, of 1987 the death, or end of follow-up (31 December 2009), whichever occurred of birth and maternal duration of residency in Sweden before the child country of birth was Study Cohort The study base consisted of 1,263,358 in- dividuals aged 0 in Sweden any time1992 between and 31 1 December 2004. January After exclu- sions (Table 1), the 984,798 eligible individuals. E10, 1997 and onwards RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Database We used data fromset, a The nationwide Migration data and(9), Health which Cohort is thevariety result of of Swedish linkage nationaldemographic of registers. health a and care.diabetesjournals.org 936 Mother’s Duration of Stay and T1DM in Offspring Diabetes Care Volume 38, May 2015 diagnosed among 984,798 Sweden-born Exposure to viral infections and early full access to all the data in the study and takes children between 0 and 18 years of age; introduction of certain nutrients, such as responsibility for the integrity of the data and of these, 474 children were offspring of cow’s milk and gluten, may contribute to the accuracy of the data analysis. immigrant mothers. Offspring of moth- the development of T1DM in the geneti- References ers living in Sweden for up to 5 years cally susceptible individual (5,10). Data 1. Karvonen M, Viik-Kajander M, Moltchanova had a 22% lower risk of T1DM (IRR also indicate that different exposures E, Libman I, LaPorte R, Tuomilehto J. Incidence 0.78, 95% CI 0.63–0.96; Table 1) com- may interact and increase the risk for of childhood type 1 diabetes worldwide. Diabe- pared with offspring of mothers living T1DM even further (11). In Sweden, the tes Mondiale (DiaMond) Project Group. Diabe- in Sweden for at least 11 years. The cold climate with increased time spent tes Care 2000;23:1516–1526 risk of T1DM in offspring of immigrants indoors may facilitate the spread of viral 2. DIAMOND Project Group. Incidence and trends of childhood type 1 diabetes worldwide increased with increasing duration of infections, and the consumption of milk 1990-1999. Diabet Med 2006;23:857–866 the mother’s stay in Sweden. Offspring products and gluten is high. The finding of 3. Hussen HI, Yang D, Cnattingius S, Moradi T. of mothers from eastern Africa had the increasing risks of T1DM in the offspring Type I diabetes among children and young adults: same risk pattern with increasing risks of immigrants with length of stay in Swe- the role of country of birth, socioeconomic posi- – with longer duration of stay.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Dark Unknown History
    Ds 2014:8 The Dark Unknown History White Paper on Abuses and Rights Violations Against Roma in the 20th Century Ds 2014:8 The Dark Unknown History White Paper on Abuses and Rights Violations Against Roma in the 20th Century 2 Swedish Government Official Reports (SOU) and Ministry Publications Series (Ds) can be purchased from Fritzes' customer service. Fritzes Offentliga Publikationer are responsible for distributing copies of Swedish Government Official Reports (SOU) and Ministry publications series (Ds) for referral purposes when commissioned to do so by the Government Offices' Office for Administrative Affairs. Address for orders: Fritzes customer service 106 47 Stockholm Fax orders to: +46 (0)8-598 191 91 Order by phone: +46 (0)8-598 191 90 Email: [email protected] Internet: www.fritzes.se Svara på remiss – hur och varför. [Respond to a proposal referred for consideration – how and why.] Prime Minister's Office (SB PM 2003:2, revised 02/05/2009) – A small booklet that makes it easier for those who have to respond to a proposal referred for consideration. The booklet is free and can be downloaded or ordered from http://www.regeringen.se/ (only available in Swedish) Cover: Blomquist Annonsbyrå AB. Printed by Elanders Sverige AB Stockholm 2015 ISBN 978-91-38-24266-7 ISSN 0284-6012 3 Preface In March 2014, the then Minister for Integration Erik Ullenhag presented a White Paper entitled ‘The Dark Unknown History’. It describes an important part of Swedish history that had previously been little known. The White Paper has been very well received. Both Roma people and the majority population have shown great interest in it, as have public bodies, central government agencies and local authorities.
    [Show full text]
  • The Labor Market Integration of New Immigrants in Sweden by Pieter Bevelander and Nahikari Irastorza
    CATCHING UP THE LABOR MARKET INTEGRAtiON OF NEW IMMIGRANTS IN SWEDEN By Pieter Bevelander and Nahikari Irastorza A Series on The Labor Market Integration of New Arrivals in Europe: Employment Trajectories THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION MPI INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM CATCHING UP The Labor Market Integration of New Immigrants in Sweden Pieter Bevelander and Nahikari Irastorza April 2014 This project was funded by the European Union Acknowledgments This report is part of a project conducted by the Migration Policy Institute and the International Labour Office called “The Labor Market Integration of New Arrivals in Europe.” The project examines immigrants’ trajectories into skilled employment in the initial years after arrival, as well as the policy interventions that seek to support their economic integration. The project includes case studies of the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. This research was undertaken for the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion. This report has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union. © 2014 Migration Policy Institute and International Labour Organization. All Rights Reserved. Cover Design: April Siruno Typesetting: Marissa Esthimer, MPI No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the International Labour Office (ILO). A full-text PDF of this document is available for free download from www. migrationpolicy.org or www.ilo.org.
    [Show full text]
  • Immigrant Fertility in Sweden, 2000–2011: a Descriptive Note
    DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH VOLUME 30, ARTICLE 30, PAGES 887898 PUBLISHED 20 MARCH 2014 http://www.demographic-research.org/Volumes/Vol30/30/ DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2014.30.30 Descriptive Finding Immigrant fertility in Sweden, 2000–2011: A descriptive note Lotta Persson Jan M. Hoem © 2014 Lotta Persson & Jan M. Hoem. This open-access work is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 2.0 Germany, which permits use, reproduction & distribution in any medium for non-commercial purposes, provided the original author(s) and source are given credit. See http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/de/ Table of Contents 1 Immigrant fertility and the fertility disruption hypothesis 888 2 Countries of origin 889 3 Cumulative fertility by duration since immigration 890 4 Empirical results 891 4.1 Female immigrants 891 4.2 Male immigrants 893 5 Discussion 894 6 Acknowledgements 895 References 896 Demographic Research: Volume 30, Article 30 Descriptive Finding Immigrant fertility in Sweden, 2000–2011: A descriptive note Lotta Persson1 Jan M. Hoem2 Abstract BACKGROUND Modern Scandinavian population registers provide excellent data sources that allow a user to quickly gain an impression of the level of fertility and its structure across subpopulations. This may also allow the analyst to check a feature of the much-cited disruption hypothesis, at least in part. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this note is to exploit this potential to give an overview of the structure of recent total fertility after immigration to Sweden from various groups of sending countries, separately for males and females. In the process we demonstrate to what extent the post-migration fertility compensation which is part of the fertility disruption hypothesis is fulfilled in our study population.
    [Show full text]
  • OPENING DOORS to LABOUR IMMIGRATION LESSONS from SWEDEN by Lisa Pelling ABOUT the AUTHOR
    OPENING DOORS TO LABOUR IMMIGRATION LESSONS FROM SWEDEN by Lisa Pelling ABOUT THE AUTHOR : Lisa Pelling has a doctorate in political science from the University of Vienna. She is the chief analyst at the independent progressive think tank Arena Idé, and has written extensively about labour migration to Sweden. Report published in August 2020 by: Foundation for European progressive Studies Rue Montoyer 40 B-1000 Brussels, Belgium +32 2 234 69 00 [email protected] www.feps-europe.eu @FEPS_Europe Copyright © 2020 by Foundation for European Progressive Studies This publication was produced with the financial support of the European Parliament. This study does not represent the collective views of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies, but only the opinion of the author. The responsibility of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies is limited to approving its publication as worthy of consideration for the global progressive movement. English language editor: Nicole Robinson Layout and cover: Triptyque TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6 AN EMPLOYER-DRIVEN SYSTEM ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Will Future Immigration to Sweden Make It Easier to Finance the Welfare System? Jan Ekberg
    Will Future Immigration to Sweden Make it Easier to Finance the Welfare System? Jan Ekberg To cite this version: Jan Ekberg. Will Future Immigration to Sweden Make it Easier to Finance the Welfare System?. European Journal of Population / Revue européenne de Démographie, 2011, 27 (1), pp.103-124. 10.1007/s10680-010-9227-5. hal-00608028 HAL Id: hal-00608028 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00608028 Submitted on 12 Jul 2011 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. EUJP269R2 Will future immigration to Sweden make it easier to finance the welfare system? Jan Ekberg is professor of economics at the Centre of Labour Market Policy Research (CAFO), School of Management and Economics, Linneaus University, Växjö, Sweden. e-mail: [email protected] JEL classification: F22, J15, H5 Acknowledgements I am grateful to the Expert Group on Public Finance (ESO) at the Ministry of Finance, Sweden, for financial support of this study. I am also grateful for useful comments and suggestions from two anonymous referees and from the editor, from ESO’s reference group, from Ali Ahmed and Lennart Delander Linnaeus University Växjö, and from Christer Gerdes Stockholm University and Martin Ådahl Fores.
    [Show full text]
  • Foreign Background and Criminal Offending Among Young Males in Stockholm Amber L. Beckley for Presentation to the Department Of
    Foreign background and criminal offending among young males in Stockholm Amber L. Beckley For presentation to the Department of Criminology May 19, 2014 Seminar paper, do not cite. Contents Forward ...................................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3 Theories on immigrant criminality ............................................................................................. 6 Sociological theories ............................................................................................................... 6 Acculturation development ................................................................................................... 18 Past research on immigrant offending: A global perspective .................................................. 21 Context: Immigrant Youth in Sweden ..................................................................................... 24 The Neighborhood ................................................................................................................ 25 Education and Employment .................................................................................................. 26 Identity .................................................................................................................................. 28 The Family ...........................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Exploration of Organised Crime and 'Undermining' in Sweden
    Exploration of organised crime and ‘undermining’ in Sweden Prof. Dr. Pieter Tops (Police Academy, Tilburg University) Dr. Ronald van der Wal (Police Academy) Contents 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 2 2 Even in Sweden………………………………………………...…………………………3 3 Street gangs in Sweden ....................................................................................................... 5 4 Explanations for the growth of a violent street gang culture in Sweden .......................... 12 4.1 Social-economic change ............................................................................................ 12 4.2 Social deprivation and segregation ........................................................................... 14 4.3 Disadvantaged areas ................................................................................................. 15 4.4 Political polarization ................................................................................................. 17 4.5 Access to weapons ..................................................................................................... 18 4.6 The position of the police .......................................................................................... 19 5 Other forms of organized crime ........................................................................................ 23 5.1 Drug related crime ...................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Indian High-Skilled Labor Migrants in Sweden a Study About Social Integration, Interpersonal Communication and National Identification
    Indian high-skilled labor migrants in Sweden A study about social integration, interpersonal communication and national identification Carl Larsson Communication for Development One-year master 15 Credits Spring/2018 Supervisor: Michael Krona Abstract This research aims to understand the extent to which integration among Indian high- skilled labor migrants in the Swedish society has occurred. The study takes it stance from the following research field: Social integration, interpersonal communication and national identification. These three research fields are assembled into a model used to analyze the empirical data. As a method, nine semi-structured interviews are used with ten Indian national interviewees in total. The Interviews are conducted in the southern part of Sweden in three different cities, Malmö, Lund and Helsingborg. Core findings show proof of employment as a central part in integration. Other findings show lack of Swedish language as an issue for better social integration; low levels of interpersonal communication between the interviewees and other social groups in Sweden which leads to low levels of Swedish national identification. In the discussion, the study stresses the importance of: communication between social groups in order to have better integration; time as an important factor for integration and the need of mutual accommodation between social groups in a pluralistic society like Sweden, to improve levels of integration. Key Words: Social integration; Interpersonal communication; National identification; Globalization;
    [Show full text]
  • Acquisition and Loss of Citizenship in Sweden: from Jus Sanguinis to Jus Domicilii
    WORKING PAPER SERIES CITIZENSHIP, MIGRATION, AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION IN SWEDEN: A MODEL FOR EUROPE? Elena Dingu-Kyrklund CERIS Working Paper No. 52 January 2007 Series Editor for 2006/07 Michael J. Doucet, PhD Department of Geography Ryerson University 350 Victoria Street Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3 [email protected] Joint Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Settlement – Toronto The CERIS Working Paper Series Manuscripts on topics related to immigration, settlement, and cultural diversity in urban centres are welcome. Preference may be given to the publication of manuscripts that are the result of research projects funded through CERIS. All manuscripts must be submitted in both digital and hard-copy form, and should include an Abstract of 100-200 words and a list of keywords. If you have comments or proposals regarding the CERIS Working Paper Series please contact the Editor at: (416) 946-3110 or e-mail at <[email protected]> Copyright of the articles in the CERIS Working Paper Series is retained by the author(s) The views expressed in these articles are those of the author(s), and opinions on the content of the articles should be communicated directly to the author(s) themselves. JOINT CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR RESEARCH ON IMMIGRATION AND SETTLEMENT – TORONTO (CERIS) 246 Bloor Street West, 7th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1V4 Telephone (416) 946-3110 Facsimile (416) 971-3094 Citizenship, Migration, and Social Integration in Sweden: A Model for Europe?1 Elena Dingu-Kyrklund Centre for Research in International Migration and Ethnic Relations Stockholm University 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT Transnational migration has been a constant element of human existence.
    [Show full text]
  • Who Undermines the Welfare State? Austerity-Dogmatism and the U-Turn in Swedish Asylum Policy
    Social Inclusion (ISSN: 2183–2803) 2018, Volume 6, Issue 1, Pages 199–207 DOI: 10.17645/si.v6i1.1285 Article Who Undermines the Welfare State? Austerity-Dogmatism and the U-Turn in Swedish Asylum Policy Simone Scarpa * and Carl-Ulrik Schierup REMESO—Institute for Research on Migration, Ethnicity and Society, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden; E-Mails: [email protected] (S.C.), [email protected] (C.-U.S.) * Corresponding author Submitted: 24 November 2017 | Accepted: 12 February 2018 | Published: 29 March 2018 Abstract Within the EU, the so-called “refugee crisis” has been predominantly dealt with as an ill-timed and untenable financial burden. Since the 2007–08 financial crisis, the overarching objective of policy initiatives by EU-governments has been to keep public expenditure firmly under control. Thus, Sweden’s decision to grant permanent residence to all Syrians seeking asylum in 2013 seemed to represent a paradigmatic exception, pointing to the possibility of combining a humanitarian ap- proach in the “long summer of migration” with generous welfare provisions. At the end of 2015, however, Sweden reversed its asylum policy, reducing its intake of refugees to the EU-mandated minimum. The main political parties embraced the mainstream view that an open-door refugee policy is not only detrimental to the welfare state, but could possibly trigger a “system breakdown”. In this article, we challenge this widely accepted narrative by arguing that the sustainability of the Swedish welfare state has not been undermined by refugee migration but rather by the Swedish government’s unbending adherence to austerity politics.
    [Show full text]
  • The Key to Integration?
    The Key to Integration? A Study of Language as a Policy Strategy for Social Integration of Immigrants in Sweden Laureta Xhelili Rogova Master of Science in Welfare Policies and Management Thesis supervisor: Ylva Stubbergaard Department of Political Science Lund University June 2014 Acknowledgments I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all who made this thesis possible. I am grateful to the Department of Political Science at Lund University for giving me the opportunity to constantly learn and develop as a student. I want to thank my supervisor, Ylva Stubbergaard, for her enthusiastic encouragement and useful feedback throughout this whole process. My grateful thanks are also extended to all interview participants for their valuable inputs. I also wish to thank my family: my lovely parents for being the best role models any child could ever have; my amazing brother and sister for always being there for me; and my wonderful husband for his patience, support and above all, his unconditional love. I am truly blessed to have you in my life. Last but not least, I want to thank my best friend, Emma Andersson, for believing in me and giving me the necessary pep-talks whenever I need it. Abstract The objectives of the Swedish integration policy are for everyone in Sweden to enjoy equal rights, obligations, and opportunities. The main focus of the policy is on early and individual efforts in language learning so that people who come to Sweden can get a job and live independently. This thesis addresses this issue by seeking to identify and analyze the challenges of integration in Sweden and specifically understand how language learning as a policy strategy helps in the social integration of immigrants into Swedish society.
    [Show full text]
  • Jantelagen and Multiculturalism
    Jantelagen and Multiculturalism A Dynamic Dual Sofie Fredlund-Blomst Contents Abbreviations and Acronyms 2 Introduction 3 1 From Emigration to Immigration: redefining a nation 14 A Historical Perspective 15 Introduction of Regulated Immigration 15 Commitment to Human Rights, International Law and the Protection of those in Need 16 The New Face of Immigration 20 The Sustainability of Sweden’s Migration Policy 22 2 The Swedish Model 24 The Origins of Multiculturalism: a look at national policies of integration 26 The Present “retreat of multiculturalism” 31 Masking the Retreat with Rhetoric 34 The Failures of Integration 35 Engineering Differences: the role of the welfare state 38 3 Integration or Segregation: implications of a polarized society 39 The Miljonprogram : structured segregation and the rise of polarized communities 40 Case Study: Rosengård as the symbol of failed integration 42 Fanning the Flame: the role of the media in perpetuating stereotypes and differences 43 Traps of Alienation: the implications of segregation on integration 55 Conclusion 57 Appendix 62 Bibliography 79 - 1 - Abbreviations and Acronyms BRA Brottsförebyggande Rådet (The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention) DN Dagens Nyheter EEA European Economic Area EU European Union MIPEX Migrant Integration Policy Index SCB Statistiska Centralbyrån (Statistics Sweden) SFI Svenska för Invandrare (Swedish for Immigrants) SvD Svenska Dagbladet UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - 2 - Introduction Introduction Over half a century has passed since the flows of post-war migration began and European nations are still struggling to define methods for the incorporation of immigrants. Although former waves of migration were largely comprised of labor migrants and temporary guest- workers, contemporary migrations are characterized by their degree of diversity and permanency.
    [Show full text]