Från främling till tvetydig svensk
En kvalitativ undersökning av namnbyte från utländskt klingande namn till svenskklingande namn
The essay, based on interviews with eight people, deals with name changes from a foreign-sounding name to Swedish-sounding name. The aim is to investigate the reasons behind the name change and whether experiences of ethnic discrimination were among these reasons. Furthermore, I explore the consequences of the name change, and whether the name change was an effective strategy to avoid ethnic discrimination. The study employs qualitative method; I carry out eight interviews with four women and four men, and analyze the empirical material by means of post-colonial theory in which categorizing, otherness and passing are significant terms. The results show that the name change takes place primarily to reduce a sense of otherness, and the discursively locked positions a foreign-sounding name creates. The name change helps the individual to avoid being questioned as much as before, making the individual more likely to pass. The name change facilitates social interaction with others and leads to a greater sense of inclusion, creating more favorable conditions of work and career development. The subject can thus pass from a position of stranger to a more familiar or ambiguous body.