Östeuropéer på Gotland
om anpassning, integration och europeisk gemenskap
Eastern Europeans in Gotland is an essay with the purpose to find out how persons born in Eastern Europeans countries have adapted and integrated on Gotland. European community and notions about other groups of immigrants on Gotland have been relevant questions besides. The results of the essay show that the conditions for adaptation and integration are very different between the periods of time and for the individuals, depending on how they arrived to Sweden. The migrant workers quickly adapted to the labour market and had good premises to be in a position of financial independence. The demands of skills were low in the 60?s, but as a result of this, many of them didn?t learn the Swedish language very well and during the crisis in the 90?s they were no longer that attractive on the labour market. My essay also shows that most Eastern Europeans today are more aware of the benefits of their origin countries now becoming members of the EU, compared to immigrants from other parts of the world, they consider themselves to have better chances on the labour market and in the society on Gotland. A curious observation is that the immigrants on Gotland are not automatically seen as ?the others? in the society; the local population more likely distinguish ?the islanders? and ?the mainlanders?.