Policies for Integration - institutions, resources and individuals Maritta Soininen Associate Professor Department of Political Science University of Stockholm Stockholm, Sweden

Problems of social and political inequality in Sweden the institutional framework for immigrant membership rights: the institutional framework for immigrant membership rights: the corporatist policy-making model the social-democratic universal welfare state model with the overall political goal of ‘equality’ today emerging patterns of social and political inequality - not based on social class cleavages but on ethnic divisions today emerging patterns of social and political inequality - not based on social class cleavages but on ethnic divisions adaptational pressure on the democratic institutions adaptational pressure on the democratic institutions

How to address the issue of inequality in the Swedish political context? the historical institutional legacies of the welfare state have informed the understanding of the problem of exclusion and ethnic inequality, its causes and possible solutions - both in policy discourse and research the resource perspective: lack of different kinds of resources explains exclusion different understandings and their effects on policy formulation and implementation

Political consequences of the ‘resource approach’ it informs the solutions to inequality: to provide the individuals and groups that lag behind with adequate resources it informs the solutions to inequality: to provide the individuals and groups that lag behind with adequate resources such a solution is very much at the heart of the Swedish universal welfare policies: ‘welfare management of ethnic inequality’ aims at strengthening equal opportunities such a solution is very much at the heart of the Swedish universal welfare policies: ‘welfare management of ethnic inequality’ aims at strengthening equal opportunities positive and consensus oriented positive and consensus oriented does not challenge any of the central values or institutions does not challenge any of the central values or institutions 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... the ‘resource approach’ leaves unexamined the workings of political institutions: how their rules and routines might contribute to political inequality in a society the ‘resource approach’ leaves unexamined the workings of political institutions: how their rules and routines might contribute to political inequality in a society the workings of the societal institutions contribute to the unintended exclusion of minority members the workings of the societal institutions contribute to the unintended exclusion of minority members the positive effects of measures to recruit immigrants can easily be counteracted by the less visible but negative effects of dominating institutional routines the positive effects of measures to recruit immigrants can easily be counteracted by the less visible but negative effects of dominating institutional routines

Swedish anti-discrimination legislation as a policy instrument against inequalities organisations working for increased democracy and equality may have difficulties… organisations working for increased democracy and equality may have difficulties… corporatist tradition in policy making and ethnic minority interest? corporatist tradition in policy making and ethnic minority interest? 1994 legislation: priority given to altering public opinion 1994 legislation: priority given to altering public opinion while immigrants in comprehensive labour market programs – positive action and affirmative action while immigrants in comprehensive labour market programs – positive action and affirmative action 1997 legislation anticipated the imminent EU legislation: radical shift in the official problem understanding 1997 legislation anticipated the imminent EU legislation: radical shift in the official problem understanding ethnic monitoring – a missing policy instrument ethnic monitoring – a missing policy instrument

The shift in the Swedish integration policy focus: from groups to individuals, from rights to tools from groups to individuals, from rights to tools

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 policy of late 1990s – New tools for individuals - to make immigrants ‘self-sufficient’ or ‘self-supporting’ - intends to enable immigrants to ‘acquire the Swedish tools’ needed to manage on one’s own in the Swedish society - requires that ’diversity’ ought to be the point of departure when forming policy in general - internationalisation and individualisation of the Swedish society – NPM and neo-liberal political influences

Exclusion and the integration policy failure: what is the problem - addressing institutions or individuals? the integration policy failure - consensus from left to right the integration policy failure - consensus from left to right the new ‘job-line’ policy - flexibility and employability of the immigrants the new ‘job-line’ policy - flexibility and employability of the immigrants Integration policy abandoned - the National Integration Board closed down Integration policy abandoned - the National Integration Board closed down no questions about what the main problem was: no questions about what the main problem was: 1. how the integration policy was designed 2. or if the problem was a less successful implementation of the policy

Consequences the focus on immigrants as individuals and on the new demands put on them the focus on immigrants as individuals and on the new demands put on them informed by the policies representing a more repressive attitude towards immigrants and refugees informed by the policies representing a more repressive attitude towards immigrants and refugees using of Integration policy as an instrument in Immigration policy using of Integration policy as an instrument in Immigration policy the ongoing political mobilisation around the multiethnic order - the established political parties take a more restrictive approach to issues of immigration and integration the ongoing political mobilisation around the multiethnic order - the established political parties take a more restrictive approach to issues of immigration and integration ‘welfare tradition equality’ contra rights based notion of legal right to equal treatment ‘welfare tradition equality’ contra rights based notion of legal right to equal treatment