"De kom, de var här och de försvann" - En fallstudie angående stereotypa bilder av asylsökande i Laxå kommun.
Enemy imagesStereotypesLaxåCollective identitiesIntegrationSocial sciencesSamhällsvetenskaperPolitical and administrative sciencesStatsvetenskapFörvaltningskunskapSocial SciencesLaw and Political Science
In order for any society to exist there must be a sense of belonging. In other words "We" need to be made distinctive and differentiated from "the Others". The aim of this thesis is to examine the processes behind the making and upholding of collective identities and the consequences of doing so. Theories regarding stereotypes, enemy images, power over the discourse and glocalization have therefore been applied to an empirical example in the form of a case study.The study is made on the municipality of Laxå in Sweden. Representatives on assumed key positions have been interviewed on their and Laxå's inhabitants views on the asylum seekers in the community between the years 1986 and 2005.Yet another aim of the thesis is to examine the possible connection between the perceived collective identity and the decision to close down the asylum facility in Laxå. Additional empirical material has been gathered from the largest local newspaper for this purpose. I believe to have found a strong link between these two phenomena. The main explanation for this division in the society seems to have been a lack of integration between the different perceived groups. This thesis should therefore be seen as a contribution to the debate on integration of asylum seekers in the Swedish society.