HILF: How did I claim my place? Young immigrant women's successful path into Swedish society

Young immigrant women, in particular, are at risk of facing discrimination in the workplace, in education and in community life, which can have a negative impact on both their living conditions and their health. At the same time, there is a great need to understand both societal structural challenges and how society can better support integration in an increasingly multicultural Sweden.

This research project therefore focuses not primarily on the problems, but on what actually helps young immigrant women find their place in society. The project investigates which experiences, relationships and opportunities have been crucial to their path into work, study and community life. There is a particular focus on so-called turning points, that is, events or encounters that the participants feel have changed their lives and strengthened their ability to take their place in society. The project also seeks to understand how these experiences affect the women’s identity, optimism about the future, health and sense of personal agency.

The project takes into account the structural conditions of society and the fact that people’s individual circumstances vary depending on factors such as economic status, ethnicity, religion and health. To capture the participants’ own stories, the project primarily uses interviews, in which the women are given the opportunity to describe their life experiences and their journey into Swedish society.