At Link枚ping University鈥檚 Institute for Research on Migration, Ethnicity and Society (REMESO), migration and social justice are major focuses of research. The word migration means that a person has moved from one place to another, to live there temporarily or permanently 鈥� but in certain contexts, migration can instead be interpreted as a problem that needs to be solved.
Researchers at REMESO study why people migrate. They investigate how migration is managed politically at various levels, from the local to the global, and how these processes can lead to both inclusion and exclusion.
鈥�Migration is caused by war, disasters, economic injustice and political oppression 鈥� but it is also caused by people鈥檚 inclination to head for places where they believe they will find adventure, happiness, a future and wealth鈥� says Stefan Jonsson.
He explains that migration can be seen as something unusual or as a problem, but also as an inevitable and natural part of life.
Stress over residence permits and the labour market
Although the researchers at REMESO approach the concept of migration from different angles, they share a common starting point: they want to understand how people鈥檚 lives are shaped by the interplay between individual experiences and societal structures.
Kristoffer Jutvik is studying how migrants are affected by migration policy and residence permits.
鈥淭he group with temporary residence permits has lower levels of well-being when compared with those with permanent residence permits. The stress surrounding the residence permit has a strongly negative impact on one鈥檚 well-being; furthermore, temporary residence permits appear to have a negative effect on migrants鈥� future prospects鈥� says Kristoffer Jutvik
Karin Krifors conducts research into the infrastructures of migration; she highlights the systems that organise people鈥檚 lives, from labour markets and global supply chains to local meeting places and community life.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something that often remains somewhat invisible to us as long as it works. But if it breaks down and fails, then it becomes very clear what we鈥檙e missing鈥� says Karin Krifors.
Being included in Swedish society
鈥淎t its heart, this is about the kind of society we want to build. Do we want a society where we support one another? Or one that creates deep divisions between 鈥榬eal Swedes鈥� and 鈥榯he others鈥�? Who is included and who is excluded when politicians talk about safety and security?鈥� asks Anders Neergaard. He researches racism and how migration can be linked to security and control, and how the concept of security/safety (in Swedish trygghet) has changed in Swedish politics.
Researchers at REMESO are investigating how migration affects 鈥� and is affected by 鈥� societal institutions, from democracy, education and welfare to health, work and citizenship.
Immigrant optimism is a concept from Olav Nyg氓rd鈥檚 research. He shows that foreign-born people and their children often have higher educational aspirations than those born in Sweden 鈥� something which, in turn, can influence the school environment and optimism about the future.
鈥淚f you migrate, it鈥檚 often with the hope that you鈥檒l have a better life yourself or that your children will have a better life. In such cases, education is often part of these hopes for the future鈥� says Olav Nyg氓rd.
You can鈥檛 understand what people do today without understanding what they did yesterday.
To understand who a migrant is, it is important not to ignore their background.
鈥淎 person does not arrive in a new country as a blank slate; they arrive with a history,鈥� says Nubin Ciziri.
Her research shows that migrants鈥� backgrounds, education, professions, families, political experiences and the languages they speak are rendered invisible in the public debate.
鈥淭hey are reduced to the role of victims; their history and experiences disappear. I argue that you cannot understand what they are doing today without understanding what they did yesterday, says Nubin Ciziri.
鈥淧eople are squeezed into different categories, and this can lead to consequences such as receiving inappropriate treatment鈥� says Anna Bredstr枚m, who is investigating how perceptions of ethnicity and race can influence healthcare and medical assessments.
She is in favour of exploring whether there actually are differences, but the question is how.
鈥淲e need to use methods other than these questionable racial and ethnic categories. With them, there is a risk of stereotyping and of people being negatively affected鈥� says Anna Bredstr枚m.
Are we treated equally regardless of ethnicity?
Whiteness can be equated with blue eyes and blonde hair, but Catrin Lundstr枚m is researching where and when whiteness holds value.
鈥淲hiteness is a form of cultural capital 鈥� where whiteness is embodied in the individual and institutionalised in the world鈥� says Catrin Lundstr枚m.
Her research shows that there is an interplay between the European white body and white institutions, which allows them to move more freely than other groups.
Visions and practices for the future
According to Claudia Tazreiter鈥檚 research, it is important that we make the most of the benefits of democracy and make our voices heard.
鈥淚n Sweden and across Europe, we can see that fundamental values such as peace and a harmonious and sustainable society have become fragile and under threat鈥�.
She believes that populist movements and fascist parties are behind this shift, and that phenomena such as xenophobia and anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim racism have increased in scale.
鈥淣ot all citizens are active; for if they were, there would be a way to counteract these negative influences鈥� says Claudia Tazreiter.
