Den gyllene medelvägen
en diskussion kring unga invandrares erfarenheter av mötet mellan ursprunglig och svensk kultur och hur detta har påverkat valet av identitet
National identityYoung immigrantGlobalizationOntological safetySocial changesTheory of social workSociala förändringarTeorier om socialt arbeteSocial Sciences
The purpose of this study was to discuss young immigrant's experiences of the meeting between their original culture and swedish culture. In this discussion certain emphasis is laid on the formation of identity. In a more specific manner the aim was to find out which underlying circumstances contributed to the individuals choice in considering him- or herself as swedish or not and what these circumstances depended on.The empirical material of this study consists of five lifestories based on the methodological study of narrative. I have analyzed the material with help from Anthony Giddens' theory of structuration with starting point in the conception of ontological safety. I identified four different themes that frequently recured in each lifestory: identity in migration- and integrationsprocesses, the open doors of globalization, "swedish" identity and belonging in two cultures. From these themes I have been able to draw following conclusions: firstly, young immigrants refuse to choose one national identity because they find elements too identify with in both countrie's cultures. Instead they integrate the two and form an identity and lifestyle that suit their person and with which they feel secure. Secondly the results show that globalization has had both a positive and negativ impact on the forming of a persons identity. Positive because it has made it easier for young immigrants to keep in touch with and visit their homecountry which consequently makes it easier for them to identify with their original culture and negative because globalization has made identities more fragmented and of less significance for the individual.