‘I’m Not Swedish Swedish’: Self-Appraised National and Ethnic Identification among Migrant-Descendants in Sweden

Abstract

As a country of high migration, Sweden presents an interesting case for the study of belongingness. For the children of migrants, ethnic and national identification, as well as ascriptive identity, can pose challenges to feelings of belongingness, which is an essential element for positive mental health. In this article, survey data were collected from 626 Swedes whose parents were born in the following countries: Somalia, Poland, Vietnam, and Turkey. The results show that Poles significantly felt they received more reflective appraisals of ascription than any other group. However, despite not feeling as if they were being ascribed as Swedish, most group members (regardless of ethnic origin) had high feelings of belongingness to Sweden. Overall, individuals who felt that being Swedish was important for their identity indicated the highest feelings of belongingness. Further, individuals across groups showed a positive correlation between their national identification and ethnic identification, indicating a feeling of membership to both. These results mirror previous research in Sweden where individuals’ ethnic and national identities were positively correlated. The ability to inhabit multiple identities as a member of different groups is the choice of an individual within a pluralistic society. Multiple memberships between groups need not be contradictory but rather an expression of different spheres of inhabitance.

Impact of a Pilot Peer-Mentoring Empowerment Program on Personal Well-Being for Migrant and Refugee Women in Western Australia

“…By acknowledging mentees’ strengths, the EMPOWER program enabled mentees to confirm their inner identity and, at the same time, promoted a sense of place in Australia. This aligns with Adolfsson (2021), who studied migrants’ sense of belonging in Sweden and found that ‘multiple memberships between groups need not be contradictory but rather an expression of different spheres of inhabitance’ [ 45 ]. A sense of belonging is a key component of mental health [ 45 ].…”

“…This aligns with Adolfsson (2021), who studied migrants’ sense of belonging in Sweden and found that ‘multiple memberships between groups need not be contradictory but rather an expression of different spheres of inhabitance’ [ 45 ]. A sense of belonging is a key component of mental health [ 45 ].…”