Discourse analysis of the swedish integration politics
This essay is a discourse analysis of the integration politics of the different parties
in the Swedish parliament and the non-parliamentary party ?the Swedish
Democrats?, as it is presented on their respective web pages. The overall purpose
is to problematize and shed a light on how the current discourse(s) about
integration are constituted. Also of interest is how these construct our knowledge
and experience of the phenomena. We furthermore want to illustrate the social
consequences of such discourses on the construction and organization of identities
and groups, and, as a result, the courses of action that becomes available. Our
essay has a methodological and theoretical foundation that is based upon
discourse theory ? an approach with a view of the reality as both socially
constructed and as communicated by linguistic organisation. Unsurprisingly then,
it is our ontological standpoint that it is language that constructs and gives our
reality a meaning, rather than a naturalistic objective and value-free reflection of
the world. The analysis identifies some general themes that could be viewed upon
as the foundation of the integration-discourse. We find that this discourse is
organized around a mythical idea of the Swedish society, which is identified as a
broader discourse about the concept of the nation. The ideational process works
through the construction of a separation from other nations, and thus an indirect
creation of a group (Swedes) belonging to the own nation and community. As a
result a division is made between those who belong to the society and those who
do not (immigrants). In order to get access to the Swedish society, in other words
to integrate and escape alienation, the excluded must get an employment. The
various discourses differ on reasons behind the failing integration, a finding that
we discuss and problematize around in the study. The overall conclusion is that
the discourses is unable to contribute to integration process and instead
consolidates the divide between immigrants and Swedes.