Communication for Development One-year master
15 Credits 2020
Supervisor: Josepha Wessels
A European Future:
Expectations versus realities that immigrants
find when coming to Sweden.
Jeremy Brooks
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Table of contents:
Abstract ... 3 Aknowledgements ... 4 Introduction ... 5 Historical Background ... 6 Theoretical Approach ... 7 Research Question & Hypothesis ... 10 Epistemological and Ontological Perpectives ... 11 Methodology ... 12 Results ... 21 Conclusion ... 30 Concluding Reflections and Future Studies ... 32 Appendix 1 ... 35 Appendix 2 ... 373
Abstract
Typically, when we think of Sweden it is often thought in terms of a harmonious society where diversity, equality and freedom has intertwined itself into the daily fabric of society. This essay explores the experiences and expectations of immigrants who arrived in Sweden in the 1980’s. It is a qualitative study and uses semi-structured interviews and focuses in particular on immigrants of Syriac and Assyrian decent who arrived in this time period. In general, this paper aims to look at how and what information they had been communicated before entering the country and whether or not their own personal expectations were met in regard to access to food, shelter and education. The overarching research question is: the experiences of immigrants and aid workers alike – are they in line with the communicated expectations they had upon entering Sweden. The aim is to explore what motivated the immigrants to choose Sweden in particular and if there were any hindrances or predispositions that they encountered. The results that emerged from the qualitative data suggest in general the move to Sweden was based on the communicated experiences of relatives and the church, thus what they had expected and experienced was similar. This essay is guided by a constructivist epistemology with a hermeneutic perspective that aims to describe, analyse and draw conclusions based on the purpose of the case study.
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Acknowledgements
I would like to warmly thank all those involved in this study. It would not have been possible without the generosity of those I have interviewed in sharing their personal stories both triumphs, trials and tribulations. Thank you to Josepha Wessels for her candid supervision, and also thank you to my wife Sibel and 3 children who through countless hours of discussion were able to help guide my thoughts and research. Lastly, and most importantly thank you to the ComDev team at the University of Mälmo and in particular Hugo Boothby and Tobias Denskus who both I found to be inspirational in their teaching. The entire team at ComDev are a fantastic group and in a league of their own of both experience and knowledge!5
Introduction
This is a study within the broader theme of Communication for Development in relation to the use of C4D in regard to immigrant issues. Specifically, I will aim to be looking at the experience of immigrants and aid workers with a Syriac and Assyrian background coming to Sweden in the 1980’s. I intend to use a qualitative semi-structured interview method with an ethnographic technique approach to the theoretical framework and to explore the challenges and potential these approaches have (Creswell, 2014).In this paper two groups of people and their experiences will be explored. Firstly, immigrants who arrived in Sweden in the 1980’s will be looked at in both the context of their communicated expectations versus experiences when arriving and the difference of the two (Grigonis, 2016). As mentioned, I will then use semi-structured interviews as a data collection method to gather both empirical data about the respondent’s background whilst also allow for new unexplored opinions to be expressed through the use or open- ended questions. Along with the perspective of the immigrant I will secondly be again using qualitative semi-structured interviews to look at a second group, specifically those who worked as aid workers during this time period and that have been involved with working with these immigrants during these times. In this sub-group I will seek to find information in terms of communicated targets versus experience of their work. In both of these cases it will also be looked at what issues have arisen during this time and how this has impacted the work that they have been able to do. In general, this paper focuses specifically on the experience of the immigrants arriving to Sweden. It aims to look at how and what information they had been communicated before entering the country and whether or not their own personal expectations were met in regard to access to food, shelter and education.
Initially an introduction to the historical background to the project will be presented, followed by introducing the preliminary research questions. After which it is intended that the foundation of the theory is laid in current literature and continue with the
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research questions and hypothesis. Finally, the various research methods will be explored, a content analysis given and the challenges and implications of using the chosen research methods will be outlined in the discussion.
Historical Background
Human history itself has seen multiple large-scale population movements from specific areas and countries. This has often been attributed to times when an individual or group’s safety and security is jeopardised and access to basic needs such as food, shelter and education are severely diminished. Sweden has not been an exception to this as the country’s population movement has both been inward and outward over the course of the last century (Kyhati & Dahlstedt, 2015). In the 1980’s however during a time of prosperity for many in Europe and previous to 1995 when Sweden officially joined the European Union, Sweden was seen as a successful sovereign country and in the period of inward migration with a promise of peace, good living standards and security to those who came.These movements have been driven by a series of factors and according to Kyhati & Dahlstedt (2015), these have included political, economic, socio-cultural and climatic conditions. In these period we can see that an immigrational movement to Sweden from the Syriac and Assyrian people both from Turkey, Syria and Iraq where a driving factor as to why they left their homes was in search of consistent access to basic needs such as food, shelter and education due to period of religious persecution and unrest.
In 2017 the Syriac and Assyrian communities celebrated their 50-year anniversary of coming after the first movement began on the 9th of March 1967. Then, as it is now, they were escaping a life of war and a life of persecution in particular for their Christian faith along with hopes and dreams of a better future not only for themselves but for future generations (Lundgren, 2017). But why Sweden? As in the 1960’s, the 1980’s was a time of prosperity in Sweden where the country required a large number of foreign workers to be able to supply the growing demand of ‘people power’ that was needed. Through various direct and indirect communicative process the government together with the Swedish Church had opened several projects to fill this gap, including the ‘million people programs’ in the 70’s and in
7 essence set about a communications for development campaign by advertising Sweden and opening the borders to immigrants that could help fuel the need for the marketplace both in terms of work power and consummation. One of the largest NGO organs involved in this process at the time was the Swedish Church who at that time felt “compelled to bring their brethren” so to speak to a safer place and escape religious persecution (Lundgren, 2017). By the late 1970’s both the Syriac and Assyrian Church were also becoming predominant in Sweden having set up local organisations in several parts of the country. It was on the back of this movement that many neighbourhoods in the Swedish capital, Stockholm quickly established new municipalities that were predominantly filled with people of Syriac & Assyrian descent such as Norsborg and Hallunda and also outside of the main city to the south in Södertälje. This continual movement from the 1970’s to the 1980’s also created a communicative network of family and friends that sought to help the next generation find opportunities in the country. This study then looks at the movement from the period of 1980 to 1989 and who are now seen as established in Sweden. It aims to look at what communicative processes for development that were involved and how they gained the information they had been received before entering the Sweden and whether or not their own personal expectations were met in regard to access to food, shelter and education.
Theoretical Approach
Generally speaking, the use of communications for development (C4D) and social change is about understanding and evaluating the role played by communication processes, information and the media in directed and non-directed social change (Thomas, 2014). A variety of theoretical Communications for Development models can be used to devise communication strategies for development and as Servaes (2017) notes in particular when dealing with large-scale population movements the need for careful planning of communication and implementation is essential. But also, equally important is the emphasis on creativity and flexibility in the planning process. To fit the criteria for this
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study the Development Support Communication (DSC) approach which is a form of Diffusion Model is used.
The 4 main components of this model are as follows:
1. Needs Assessment/Information Gathering: It is at this first level that agencies involved determine key development priorities. This can be done by a variety of measures including but not limited to through field surveys, community consensus, interviews with field specialists and subject matter specialists. It is also at this level where the use of technology transfers can be seen as readily available and in what way they could be of value.
2. Decision Making/Strategy Development: Here it is decided the priority of what needs is set in order. In relation to this study in particular, as outlined in beginning access to food, shelter and education is of top priority. According to (Servaes, 2017) identifying the target group for the communication strategy along with seeking information regarding a multiple of areas including baseline knowledge and attitudes is also of benefit. 3. Implementation: Is then looking at the process or revising and finalizing material then the distribution and monitoring the campaign as it unfolds. In this context we look at the work that both the Swedish government did when deciding to open its borders to allow large large-scale inward population movement, together with the Swedish Church as the sought to help the Syriac and Assyrian communities due to a sense of belonging in regard to faith and religion. 4. Evaluation: An important aim of the framework when evaluating this is to break down unhelpful divisions, including those between different theoretical and methodological paradigms, which according to Lennie, June, & Tacchi (2013) have hindered progress in this area. To do this we then look at the seven inter-related components of the framework for evaluating C4D (see figure 1.1).
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Figure 1.1 The seven interrelated components for evaluation Lennie, June, & Tacchi (2013)
With this in mind a Holistic approach is deemed as the most suitable approach of evaluation as the process recognises that social, cultural and economic systems within C4D “are dynamic, historical and capable of continuous transformation and change.” (Lennie, June, & Tacchi 2013). In this context we look at trying to understand the interrelationships/connections between various organisations, in this case the Swedish and Syriac Church and the boundaries and networks that can affect the outcomes of C4D.
This line of thinking and evaluation as Hearn (2009) describes will be broadly taken into account when formulating the line of questioning for the interviews:
o What kinds of communication and information activities do local people carry out or wish to carry out?
o What communications resources are available to them – media content, technologies, and skills?
o How do they understand the way these resources can be used? o Who do they communicate with, and why?
o How does a particular medium – like radio or the internet – fit into existing social networks?
o Does it expand those networks?
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Research Question and Hypothesis
The research area of this paper is two-dimensional. On one hand I will be exploring the experience of those who immigrated to Sweden in the 1980’s to see what expectations lay at the foundation of their decision to move to Sweden and secondly what impact the communication processes had on those decisions. To do this I will be using a qualitative approach to look at facts of whether those expectations had been met and in which areas it was lacking and compare the expectations and experiences.
The secondary part of the investigation looks at those who worked directly with immigrant issues during this time period. This will be done again in a qualitative approach and initially the interview will be semi-structured where the experiences of the workers are scribed. Secondary as with the use of open-ended questions I will seek to find if the aid workers felt they were able to provide the support intended to those arriving and what difficulties were faced. In regard to the hypothesis itself this will be: The experiences of immigrants and aid workers alike – are they in line with the communicated expectations they had upon entering Sweden? The line of inquiry that the paper will then seeks to answer is:
1. What communicated expectations did the immigrant entering Sweden have before coming? 2. How did educational and previous work experience impact the experience and also what is their experience to access to medical services? 3. What experiences have the aid workers had with the immigrants, both positive and negatives? 4. How has the standard of work in relation to integration, education and also to the process of when they left?
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Epistemological and Ontological Perspectives
Before deciding how to carry out the study it is vital to first explore how of the epistemological and ontological perspectives will be taken. This is important, as knowledge of the research philosophy will allow me to understand which designs will work and which will not. As Gray (2018) states “while ontology embodies the understanding of what is, epistemology tries to understand what it means to know.” In this context we are able to firstly help clarify issues of research design as epistemology helps determine what kind of knowledge are legitimate and accurate (Gray, 2018). This line of approach can be seen below in figure 1. Figure 1: The elements of the research process (Gray, 2018).
In terms of an epistemological perspective the study design is to be based on a constructivist epistemology with a hermeneutic perspective that aims to describe, analyse and draw conclusions based on the purpose of the case study (Gray, 2018). In this paper it will mean that the objects of research, immigrants and staff, will act independently from the observer. In other words, the knowledge that already exists in regard to the line of
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inquiry is advanced through the process of theory building, in which discoveries add to what is already known as the information is gathered.
The use of critical realism in this paper will also offer a general framework for the methodological research but will not be associated with any particular set of methods. Keeping in mind that a qualitative analysis cannot always be interpreted to reveal the results that could or are wanted to be taken from the data (Mills et al, 2010). Also, to be noted, though not always the case, it is more likely that quantitative methods is favoured by a positivist epistemology and qualitative methods if the paper leans to a more interpretive approach (Gray, 2018).
Methodology
Framework
The methodological framework in the present study has been based on constructivist epistemology as a theory of knowledge. A constructivist perspective assumes that meaning is created based on how people interact with the world. Kvale and Brinkmann (2014) believe that epistemology is the philosophy of knowledge, the ideas people build about it and how it is acquired. Against this background, a qualitative interview study was chosen based on the purpose of the study: to develop in-depth knowledge of how immigrants see themselves both in being part of the process of immigration but also immigration themselves. For the study's data collection method, semi-structured interview questions were chosen as the survey style, to enable comprehensive material on data collection responses, whilst at the same time providing an opportunity for respondents to speak freely. Based on constructivist epistemology, I have started from hermeneutics as a scientific theory for the interpretation of analysis in order to openly interpret the transcribed text according to meanings. The design of the study is described below with the methodological reference framework as a starting point.
Qualitative interview study
In a qualitative interview study, the researcher strives to understand the world from the respondent’s perspective, to clarify their world based on their experiences and reflections. Due to the purpose of this survey a qualitative interview study in the research13 design was suitable. Kvale and Brinkmann (2014) put forth that there are different forms of interviews, each of which serves different purposes. In qualitative research interviews, the purpose they state is to produce knowledge that is constructed in a mutual interaction between the interviewer and the respondent. Information is not discovered but is created dynamically through the questions asked and the answers given. Thus, semi-structured interviews were deemed to be used based on this purpose. The intention of the survey has been to interpret the meaning of what the respondents described. In light of the purpose of the study, the starting point for interviews has been to let the respondents reflect on their own personal experiences about how they came to Sweden and what it has been like since arriving. By asking both closed and open questions, I have firstly invited them to answer on specific aspects so that I was able to use a background comparison in my analysis. Then the respondents have been given the opportunity to develop their answers so they can add something more that they might have reflected on during the interview or if a new memory or emotion emerged.
Hermeneutics
As stated previously this study is based on the hermeneutic scientific theory which is to understand, describe and interpret the data collection answers for possible meanings. According to Thiselton (2009) in a historical perspective, hermeneutics can be described as interpreting messages dating back to biblical meaning. From a hermeneutic point of view, there is the realisation that the outside world or a phenomenon can be interpreted in several different ways and that there is not just one method. The one who then interprets is a co-creator of what is interpreted and thus influences what and how something is expressed. Again, historically Thiselton (2009) describes the hermeneutic approach as an encounter between the text, the object, and the reader. The understanding arises in the meeting and means renewal and re-creation. The meeting therefore is a description of an empirical event which means that those who interpret meaning from a hermeneutic perspective must build on an openness to allow a world to open up by listening to the text as it entails clarifying meanings. It is the text that is to be interpreted, not the researcher's intention with it. This means theoretically that you are part of what you are trying to understand. It14
is also important however to recognise that my pre-determined knowledge of the subject matter as a student and also being married to a Syriac immigrant from Turkey, may also have influenced the examination procedure. According to Kvale & Brinkmann (2014), emphasis may be placed on pre-determined knowledge in the research area in qualitative studies meaning the pre-understanding that I have forms the basis for the research procedure and for example, the specific choice of subject matters and issues.
According to Thiselton (2009), such an example of influence may be that the researcher, in this case myself, adds other meanings to the interpretation than what was originally intended by the respondents' stories. To combat this, I have instead of pre-determining the division of categories for analysis started this process from the point of inductive coding where the raw textual data is interrupted by the researcher. With this in mind it is my understanding that my personal insight may serve a strength as I am able to appreciate theocratically with more meaning as to what is being said. This is described in more detail in the analysis section.
Reliability and credibility
As in all studies the credibility is fundamentally based on the use of approaches that are proven and recognised for sound research. In quantitative studies, the concepts of generalisation, validity and reliability are used if the results are able to be duplicated. In other words, if the survey would be conducted again and can demonstrate the same outcome it therefore demonstrates the quality of the survey (Gray, 2018). Qualitative studies however use different concepts and there is disagreement about which concepts should define the quality of qualitative studies (Miles, Huberman & Saldañas 2020). By this it is meant that when a semi-structured interview takes place multiple factors may influence the outcome. This could be due to specific emphasis on words used that may ignite the respondent’s memory or how they interrupt the question given the context it is presented with.
In this study, the concepts of reliability and objectivity are used to assess the level of credibility of the study. The transparency of the research procedure is a crucial element for achieving this (Yin, 2013), as it is in the research procedure and how it is presented scientifically that shows its credibility. Miles, Huberman & Saldañas (2020) also add
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certain criteria to qualitative research studies in regard to this. They believe, among other things, that the knowledge discovered should be presented in a clear and systematically related way for the study to be highly credible. The scientific theories used have to be relevant in relation to the purpose of the study, which is to be presented clearly and uniformly. The research questions that have been asked and discussed in this study are therefore related directly to the purpose of the study. Areas such as weaknesses or uncertainties have been identified and noted in the test interviews sequence that occurred beforehand. If done accordingly then the study's credibility and survey instrument which in this case is semi-structured interviews therefore should give similar results if conducted again by others and if the same questions are asked. The interviews cannot be generalised or as the study only covers 10 respondents. My approach has been neutral both in interviews and in the analysis process for objectivity.
Process of Selection
The study interviews a total of 10 respondents. Eight of which who are Syriac immigrants that immigrated in Sweden in the 1980’s and 2 aid-workers who have been working with the process of asylum seekers and migration in Sweden during that time. There have been many thoughts about the study's selection and delimitation. Initially, the idea of the study was to focus on current movement and interview a large number of immigrants who still had not entered the Sweden. It was proposed that given the sheer size of the immigrant population the study was intended to be based on a sample of 100 migrants in the Reception Centre in Moria which is meant to accommodate 3,000 people, but currently has more than 8,700, including 3,000 children (unicef.org 2019). But due to societal changes in a time of pandemic due to the coronavirus, I received a denial to my request of visiting the Reception Centre and was told that it is not possible due to prevailing circumstances. Noting also at the time of this submission of the study the Reception Centre in its former capacity now no longer exists at all due to a recent fire.
This contributed to the planning and investigation process taking longer than I had anticipated from the beginning. I readjusted my line of questioning from future
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expectations to past and made a much more thorough interview guide as I needed to gather as much information as possible.
The selection requirements were that the immigrants must have arrived and settled to Sweden a sometime between 1980 and 1989. That they must have come via the legal process of seeking asylum or traditional immigration processes and that they need to have resided in Sweden up until the time of the interview. In the case of the aid workers, the selection requirements were similar in that they needed to have been working with in this field in the 1980’s. It should again also be mentioned that I had personal ties to the people being involved in that my wife of 20-years was also Syriac immigrant who sought asylum and moved to Sweden in the 1980’s. However, to make sure the interviews were presented in the most neutral way possible I did not use any members of our immediate family.
Data Collection
In relation to the purpose of the study the research instrument consisted of semi-structured interviews, which was judged to be an appropriate method. As Kvale and Brinkmann (2014) point to, this form of interview allows the person, in this case the respondent to describe their “life world” which allows the researcher to discover patterns during the interview. This falls in line also with the hermeneutic scientific theory being used which is to understand, describe and interpret the data collection answers for possible meanings. In other words, the data is not be collected rather co-authored (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2014).
I prepared a number of interview questions (see Appendix 1) and left the room to allow each respondent to read through the questions. When I returned, I then allowed the interview to be guided by what the respondent says. This meant that some questions were sometimes not asked in the specific order in which the interview guide was constructed, rather new questions or follow-up questions became relevant, which I had not considered from the beginning and they therefore were taken into account, which strengthened the study's investigation.
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A weakness however of the chosen method was that some parts of what certain respondents told were not as relevant. This sometimes created off topic discussion that became both lengthy in the transcribing stage and also made the point lost. Therefore, the respondents were encouraged to develop their thoughts when needed to get their answers specific to the interview questions and the research questions. For some interviews, the question was repeated or reformulated when the respondent’s narrative was outside the research question. The respondents were coded from Im1 to Im8 for the immigrant respondents and AW1 to AW2 for the aid-workers.
Procedure
Both before and during the study, a literature review was conducted continuously to ascertain what communicative experiences had been documented previously and in which way social change had come in regard to large scale population movements. Reports, dissertations, articles as well as books form the basis for the theoretical background and documents have been searched in databases such as the Malmö University, Google Scholar and the DiVA Digital Science Archive. The statistics presented were both taken from Statistics Sweden along with general information gathered from the UNHCR. Examples of keywords that have been entered have been; immigration to Sweden, expectations of immigrants, reasons for immigration to Sweden and asylum procedures in Sweden. To strengthen the credibility of the sources the articles used have been peer-reviewed and therefore been judged to be valid as they function as a form of self-regulation. Books that were used have consisted of methodology books and books within the framework of the course literature that was included in the Master's program at Malmö University, as well as books from previous parts of the Communication for Development degree. An Interview Guide (see Appendix 1) with data collection questions was formulated to specify the overall research questions and was used in the interviews. An information letter was sent to the 10 respondents initially via e-mail in connection with a request for participation in the current survey and its purpose, as well as a presentation of the researcher. The interview guide itself was not sent in advance as to not contaminate the answers. However, the disadvantage to this was possibly that the answers could have been more detailed if they had received the interview questions in beforehand.
18 The respondents were then asked to decide a time that suited them so that they would feel that they could set aside enough time for the interview. The interviews then took place over a three-week period as two needed to be rebooked due to other commitments. All respondents except two were located in Stockholm when I was situated and for those two who were not in Stockholm an app called TapeACall was used, which is a mobile phone conversation recording app. For the interviews that were face to face, my own audio recording app on my mobile phone was used. The interviews lasted between 21 minutes and 36 minutes, depending on how much the respondents themselves told and the follow-up questions asked.
Each audio recording was then transcribed in its own Microsoft Word document in a password-protected computer on the same day and the data collection material resulted in a total of 37 pages including background data. The material was then analysed during each research question to carefully examine how the respondents answered the particular research questions.
Ethical Aspects and Considerations
In regard to the ethical aspects of interviews it was as Gray (2018) notes to be done in a responsible manner meaning the result and information obtained are both valid and credible. To achieve this Gray (2018) discusses the importance of showing respect to the respondent’s privacy when answering, as they may reveal personal information that is not meant for the study. That informed consent is given before the interview process begins (see Appendix 2). And thirdly that any bias that the interviewer has is taken into account and worked actively against when conducting the semi-structured question. According to Vinogradov (2011) whilst numerous studies have been conducted among immigrants all over the Western world, virtually no attention has been paid to ethical aspects of such studies. Ethical problems that may have arisen and influenced the results could have included lower average levels of education among respondents, unfamiliarity with social context in the procedure and linguistic disadvantages that may have been identified as potential sources of ethical ambiguity.
19 To limit these issues as much as possible the respondents were offered translations of the questions into their native language and told about the purpose of the survey, what the work is for and about their confidentiality rights. As Vinogradov (2011) suggests in order for the survey to be done in a responsible manner the respondents were also be given the right to voluntarily decide whether or not to participate without any justification. The respondents were also informed that the personal data would be handled confidentially by coding their names when transcribing on a password-protected computer and that both the recording and transcription will be deleted once the study was finalised and approved. The respondent’s background data was also categorically generalized to safeguard their confidentiality and entered into tables, for example, age was put in ranges of 41-45, 46-50 years.
In this study it was the researchers’ responsibility to make sure that this information was disclosed to all respondents in the same manner so that they received identical information and lowered the risk of misinterpretation or contamination of the responses. In my opinion, all interviewees were safe and comfortable in the environment I presented with saying what they wanted to say and contributed to a conversation with the open-ended questions. In terms of other forms of methodology that was considered this included focus group discussions. This was decided against for two reasons. In the case of focus-groups the results may become idiosyncratic (Stewart et al, 2007, as cited in Gray, 2018) and therefore hard to generalise when looking at the results. The second being due to the current pandemic that was occurring at the time of the interview and data collection stage.
Analysis
The analysis method in the present study has been based on Gray (2018) and also Miles, Huberman and Saldaña's (2020) description of the coding process in qualitative studies. According to both Gray (2018) and Miles, Huberman and Saldaña (2020), coding can be divided into deductive coding and inductive coding. The deductive coding is based on an already determined division of codes or categories, after which the researcher must find relevant parts of the material that fit into these codes. Inductive coding is about
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discovering the meaning and essence of the material, based on which codes are created. This according to Given (2018) is an intellectual process of categorizing qualitative textual data into clusters of similar entities, to identify relationships and patterns of consistency and it is from this second point where this study has started. Given the nature of this study and as mentioned earlier not wanting to contaminate the findings with my own pre-disposed definitions, an inductive approach was used. The encoding itself was a multi-step process that took time and required reflection. The work was carried out in successions and was an ongoing process of analysing the collected material for reflection and interpretation. The collected material was then broken down into smaller components in order for the meaning to emerge from what the respondents had answered. This gave the opportunity to understand, interpret and relate the respondents' stories based on their own experiences and reflections.
In order to be able to analyse the interviews in depth, according to Gray (2018) it was necessary to read the transcribed text several times. The process then began by reading through each transcript one after another to get, as Bergström and Boréus (2017) describe, a comprehensive understanding of material and holistic view of what the text was about. In the first cycle, relevant parts that could be related to the purpose of the study and issues were marked. In the next step or second cycle, it was time sort the empirical material through repeated reading to obtain what is relevant to the focus of the study. Then the text was encoded into ‘pieces’ and divided into information related to the two predominant issues of the lines of inquiry. These pieces were then condensed into short sentences and given a summary code that titled the content of the unit, which was then entered into matrices and created categories and main categories of what emerged during the coding process.
Even though it was a time-consuming experience, the advantage of condensing the material so thoroughly was that it strengthened the collection responses by emphasizing that which was significant. This then allowed me to choose key responses that summarized the general answers from the other respondents. This is shown later in the results section 1a-1b and 2a-2b.
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Method Discussion
When preparing the interview guide, the initial idea was to formulate questions in order to get as comprehensive material as possible. During the test interviews, I discovered that several of the questions were not particularly well worded or ordered and too long which meant that I had to repeat some of the questions after I had asked them. One way to avoid this in the final interviews was to re-word the questions to a more concise form that allowed a more natural flow to the discussion.
Once the adjustments were made it was confirmed as a success when several of the respondents expressed afterwards that it was stimulating to participate in the interview as they were able about to talk freely and reflect on the experiences from a long time ago – whereas this was not the case in the test stage. It also confirmed that the chosen data collection method with semi-structured interviews as an instrument was a suitable method for the study together with the underlying ideas in the theory of hermeneutics as it allowed me to understand, describe and interpret the data collection answers for possible meanings.
Results
The purpose of the study was to develop in-depth knowledge of the expectations and experiences of immigrants coming to Sweden and the aid workers that worked with them. Against this background the underlying questions were divided into two-main categories for each group respectively. In the case of the immigrant the first category was what expectations did the immigrant entering Europe have before coming with the sub-category of how this information was communicated and why they chose Sweden in particular. 1. Growing up in xxx can you remember or think back to when you first were coming to Europe, what you thought it would be like? 2. How did you get this information (friends, family, Church etc)?
3. When you then decided to come to the EU why did you choose Sweden / Was Sweden always your first choice and why?
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The second category of questions was then in relation to see if the experience was different depending on the sub-category of educational level and work experience and access to medical services. 1. When you first arrived in Sweden where were you living, and can you tell me a bit about how you found accommodation? Have you required help with this? 2. In your home country what did you work as and in in terms of work opportunities since arriving to Sweden how have you found work? 3. What educational level did you have in your home country? 4. Have you studied in Sweden – to what level etc
5. How did you find the access to being able to study in Sweden? Did you need support/can you tell me about your experiences?
6. In terms of medical treatment have you ever needed help during your time in Sweden and was it easy to access or did you find any problems? Then in regard to the aid workers the first category of questions was in specific to what experiences the aid workers had with the immigrants, both positive and negatives. With the sub-categories of communication and of the programs they ran. 1) How long have you worked with immigrants coming to Sweden? 2) Were you given adequate training before working? 3) How did you communicate with the immigrants? 4) How long did they stay with you? 5) What do they do during that time?
6) How well do you feel you have been at accomplishing your goals? Can you describe the positives and negatives? The second category of questions was then in relation to how they met their targets in the field with the sub-categories of work training and resource allocation. 1) What work related areas have been positive? 2) What do you find most rewarding? 3) What negatives have you meet and how have you tackled them?
4) Is there any other information you would have liked to of had before you began?
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5) How do you know how they are after they leave? Is there a follow up?
The results begin by presenting background data on the interviewees, after which the results that answer the study's questions are presented in the two main categories, each with their following sub-categories. Note the background data is only given for the immigrants as the 2 aid workers that were interviewed had similar work experience and educational levels. The only difference being that of gender, one was male and the other female.
Background Data
The results for the background data about the immigrants is designed to give general information about who participated in the study (Grey, 2018). Background facts include gender, age, employment status, educational level and marital status.Table 1: Gender distribution among the interviewees
Gender Male Female
Total respondents 2 6 Table 1 shows an uneven distribution of gender, with 75 per cent female and 25 per cent men participating in the study. However, it does not have a decisive impact on the study as this study does not focus on a gender perspective when migrating to Sweden. However, it could be an interesting aspect to investigate for future studies. Table 2: Age distribution among the interviewees Age range 35-40 41-45 46–50 51-55
Respondents Im8 Im1, Im2 Im4, Im5, Im6 Im7, Im3
The respondents' ages are between 35–55 years and were entered into four categories with age ranges according to Table 2. The table shows that 60 per cent of immigrants included in the study are between 41–50 years old. 25% were 51-55 and the remaining were 35-40 years of age.
24 Table 3: Current employment status Employment status Employed Unemployed Respondents Im2, Im3, Im4, Im6, Im7, Im8 Im1, Im5 Table 3 shows that 75% of the immigrants were currently employed in Sweden at the time of the study whilst 25% were not. Table 4: Educational level
Level Have not completed
High School in Sweden Have completed high school in Sweden Have studied further in Sweden Respondents 4 3 1 The results in Table 4 show that 50% of the respondents have not completed high school education (year 12) either before arriving or after arriving in Sweden. Whilst the other 50% have and out of that 1 respondent had then studied further and completed their university level education.
Table 5: Marital status
Marital status Single Married Widowed
Respondents 1 6 1 Table 5 shows that 6 of the 8 or 75% are currently married in Sweden. The question of being Widowed was never put to the interviewees, rather that information came later during the interview process.
Analysis of Background Data
The purpose of the tables is to draw attention to and provide an overview of background data on the respondents. As noted previously the background data is only given for the immigrants as the 2 aid-workers that were interviewed had similar work experience and educational levels. When comparing the immigrant’s employment status in Table 3 and educational level in Table 4 it can be interpreted combined with the interviews that whether or not the immigrant had studied further once coming to Sweden had no bearing on their employment opportunities. What may have been interesting here is to also ask for them25 yearly income levels to see if that correlated with education level, however it did not fit the profile of this study and would have felt too intrusive. In regards to Table 2 the results were as expected since the study itself focused on a 10yr time period, that being the 1980’s at it was already assumed that those being question would sit within the age range of 41-50 so as to be able to give their own perspective on experiences and expectations rather than just simply moving with their families as a young child. This point is discussed further later on. Lastly, comparing Table 1 and 5, that being gender and marital status and then taking those numbers do not seem to have affected either employment status or opportunity to further any of the respondents.
Interview (1a) Immigrants: Expectations of the immigrant entering Sweden
before coming to the European Union?
In regard to the first section the results showed that the immigrant’s reflections and experiences both differ and have common denominators. The respondents used different formulations in the initial part of the interview when asked about their predisposed view of how it would be to move and live in Sweden. This differentiation I found correlated to the age of the person upon arriving to Sweden. Those respondents who were older were able to describe in much more detail as to why the move to Sweden occurred and what it meant for them in terms of their current situation. Im3 “Growing up there was always talk of how it would be if we moved to Europe. My parents spoke to how different life was for them and the restrictions they were put under.”
Im6 “We always had contact with our other cousins in Europe, particularly in Holland. We had decided long ago that we would move, and it was only a matter of time until we did.”
In the next part of this line of inquiry it was directly related to the communication processes and how the immigrants had received that information and where. The
26 common denominator here was how they got this information. In a time before social media, google and smart phones all of the information they had received was via their local church, family & friends and media in particular television. This was in an informal setting and taken typically over the dinner table as a family meeting. In all circumstances it was the parents who decided if and when the immigration process and application for asylum would occur and this was irrespective of whether the parents themselves were also to initially follow or not. Im5 “It was my father who decided. My uncle and his family had already gone to Sweden via Germany and it was decided that once they had settled, we would of course follow.” Im4 “I still remember sitting eating dinner when my father came in with the news that we would be leaving in a month. I had no idea what Europe was, only that our neighbours had moved there the year before.” The final part of this line of inquiry was specific to why the immigrants and their families had chosen Sweden. In all cases except one it was that they already had family living there and were wanting to move closer together. The reasons given behind this were common in that they wanted to keep the immediate family as a unit and stay together. Only in one case was the respondent the first to move.
Im7 “I was the first to move. Originally, I was just going to stay with family in Germany but then we decided to go to Sweden as so many people we met along the way had gone there. So, I went up. One thing after another happened, I got work and as soon as I got temporary residence the rest of my family came, cousins and their parents. It seemed natural to stay as I had nothing back home anymore.
Interview (1b) Immigrants: How did educational and previous work
experience impact their experience?
For the second section in regard to immigration it became harder to pull out the information I wanted in regard to the research question. This was in part to that the
27 questions themselves assumed that the people being questioned would have already been of age in completing school in their homeland or been at work. But also due to 75% of the respondents being female it was expressed during the interviews that their lives were a lot more traditional within their culture before coming to Sweden. By that I mean that mostly the girls were at home and not expected to be providing an income to the family and thus not required to work. So, in that context almost all the information focused solely on after their arrival. The first part of this section was in regard to living spaces and accommodation when they first moved to Sweden. In all cases except one accommodation had been with family until they were able to find a place for themselves. This of course was after the application for asylum had been granted. Until that time, they were spread out into various ‘centres’ in Sweden mixed with other immigrants who were going through the same procedure. Im2 “I can still remember when I first arrived. I was so nervous even though I had my family with me. But when we arrived, somewhere up north of Östersund in Sweden I think it was, we came to one place first where we didn’t know anyone. Then moved after a few weeks to another place and all I could remember is everyone spoke the same language. It was like being home but colder as we came at the end of September.”
The next part of the section was focused on both previous work experience and levels of education. Here it became most important to gather information about what access the. immigrant had to education when coming to Sweden. Was is hard, was there help? It was this line of questioning I found most interesting as the respondents themselves expressed great pride in that they were able to manage the Swedish school system even though having no Swedish upon arrival.
Im8 “I was too young at the time to work in Turkey when we moved. But I still remember my first day at school. I had no idea what most people were saying as I only knew basic phrases at that time. But my cousins helped me. I was the first to go and complete high school and the first ever to go and continue to university.
Im4 “I was the oldest of three and we were all put in the same school. My two younger siblings were twins, so we all had each other at school, and we learnt Swedish fast. At
28 that time, I think people were a lot more patient than today. Now everyone expects you to know Swedish before you come and that’s impossible” Lastly, this section was then focusing on access to medical services. Given that a majority of the interviewees we between the ages of 41-50 none had needed any major medical treatment since arriving and felt they had equal access. In terms of family, pregnancy, birth and access to services for their children all respondents that had children had the same answer that they felt well taken care of and not any trouble in regard to access. Im1: I am a full-time mother and have three children. I fell pregnant with the first not long after being married and never had any trouble with access to medical services in Sweden. We also have a cousin that is a doctor now so anything that my parents are worried about he will call for them and translate. It’s harder when they don’t know the language so well. But for us who were younger when we came, we have never had a problem”
Interview (2a) Aid Workers: What experiences have the aid workers had
with the migrants, both positive and negatives?
In this section it was the intention to gather as many people possible that had worked with immigration during the 1980’s. Both aid workers that I found had done just that and continue to do so today, with the exception both had also had a ‘hiatus’ and worked with other fields and then came back.In regard to this section the results showed that the aid workers reflections and experiences both have multiple common denominators. In particular the first three questions, how long had they been working, were they given adequate training and how long did they communicate to the immigrants:
AW1: “I was young, in my 20’s when the first wave of asylum seekers came, it was nothing I had planned as a career but something that I fell into before going to university. About training, well there wasn’t much, we were more of a holding centre that helped them with their basic needs.”
29 Aw2: “In the beginning it was almost impossible to communicate, some of us used cards with pictures as their levels of Swedish was zero and English for most very low. But it worked. We had a system where we would point to a card and say the word and they would understand what we meant. In that situation we all learnt fast.” The second part then focused on the duration of the immigrants stay, daily duties and what positive and negatives the felt about the situation. It became clear that both of the aid workers felt a lot more comfortable in their role today. In particular AW1 who had later gone to study to become a qualified social worker. AW1: “Today I am a lot more ready for what to expect. I think it also comes of age. I know what is expected of me in my role more and also how I can… I guess you could say help in the best possible way of getting them comfortable. It is not easy to come to Sweden and not know anything. We have a completely different culture here to what they are used to.” AW2: “Negatives, well it is always hard because we never know how long they will be with us. Since the laws have changed about education and rights to stay it is hard to know if we are just holding them until they are denied or if we are actually working with them as they will stay in the future.”
Interview (2b) Aid Workers: How has the standard of work in relation to
integration, education and also to the process of when they left?
This section of the interview process became to me as a researcher one of the most interesting parts. Both of the aid workers were very clear about what has been positive and what they found most rewarding. In terms of the studies objectives and finding out about the expectations it also gave an insight into the struggles that they perceived. AW1: “Most positive is when we are able to reunite families. Many of them have stories of multiple crossings of country borders and hardships that only few could ever imagine.”30 AW2: “It’s hard to say one single thing that I find most positive or negative. I have been doing this a long time now and I really think you need to enjoy what you are doing to do this kind of work.” The next part of the interview process was where both of the aid workers spoke at length about the troubles the perceive in the work they do. AW2 would not go on record or answer officially but said the current political environment in Sweden is affecting the public opinion and making it harder for ‘them’ to do their job as many of the centres had been attacked over recent years due to disinformation. A second an equally important part of this section was the follow up process which was described best by AW1: AW1: “No we do not know what happens to them after they leave us. One day they are waiting for a decision the next day when they are granted to stay in Sweden they are gone. I think as a trained social worker I find that hardest as I sometimes wonder, most with those you get a good connection to as to how it is going for them.”
Summary
In the interviews with the immigrants it was clearly seen that in terms of the communication elements of immigrating to Sweden that they had been given access to information both before and upon arrival. Whether or not this was due to governmental support, from their Church or family was sometimes hard to distinguish. Areas for improvement of course would be to have more information available but now with social media and the internet so widely available there are multiple channels which the Swedish government is able to reach this audience. One part which became most interesting was when asked what they thought of the Syriac and Assyrian immigrants coming today if the differences the saw. In particular it was Im7 who spoke of the different ideologies of the two. Im7 stated that when they first arrived, they were hungry for any work and to fit in as much as possible and make a life for their families, whereas they saw the new wave as more “lazy” and expected things to be given to them. For example, that a job should be provided through the family and that they do not need to struggle or search in the same way. The aid workers although only 2 had both similar experiences as well when it came to the communication processes of their work and expectations. Both enjoyed thoroughly their
31 work but were frustrated over certain conditions including as mentioned the change in laws in Sweden and the shift in the political environment. I found when interviewing that I could sense a feeling of both accomplishment in what they were doing and pride but at the same time frustration.
Conclusion
The purpose of the study was to develop and gain further knowledge of how Syrian and Assyrian immigrants see themselves both in being part of the process of migration but also migration themselves when coming to Sweden. Against this background, the primary questions were: What expectations did the immigrant entering Sweden have before coming? How did educational and previous work experience impact the experience? In regard to this line of questioning it was seen that the immigrant themselves in terms of communicated expectancies relied heavily on that of family and friends. Instead of what we now see as the typical lines of communication for social change those participating in the survey were not able exposed to such forms of online information and thus made their own expectations based on what they had heard directly from those already arrived in a form of story-telling. Whether or not those expectations then fitted with reality can be seen in that since the 1980’s that out of all of those who were interviewed in this study have continued to bring family and friends to Sweden and none have yet returned. In relation to the second part of whether or not educational levels and work experience impacted on their journey they have all as mentioned in the beginning been able to take part of an ever-growing network of a growing Syriac and Assyrian community once their residency permits came through. That enabled them to get settled quicker than those who first arrived in the 1960’s and also establish themselves quicker in the local communities. As for the second part of this study it was focused on the aid workers who had been responsible for looking after those who first arrived as asylum seekers. What experiences have the aid workers had with the migrants, both positive and negatives? How has the standard of work in relation to integration, education and also to the process of when they left?32 This line of questioning brought forth interesting points of view, of which I the researcher had not thought of beforehand. In particular when firstly discussing the length of duration for asylum seekers in the camps it had not occurred to me to ask what percentage are approved compared to that of before. The positives they brought forth from their work was multiple including as mentioned the feeling of success when able to reunite families with loved ones. However, in the second section when discussing integration, it was at that point where many negatives that were actually out of the hands of the workers themselves became apparent. A discussion of low levels of education in the field going hand in hand with low educational levels among many workers gave a sense of frustration. As also mentioned, the change in laws and political climate seemed to make their already difficult jobs harder due to a social stigma that was not apparent when they first began their line of work. In all the communicated expectations and experiences of both the immigrants who sought asylum in Sweden and the aid workers that were present at that time seem to fall in line with the theory that Sweden had indeed provided a life that they were expecting where education, good living standards and work placement was achievable for all who were willing and able to come.
Concluding reflections and future studies
Although the direct purpose of the study has been to seek answers to research questions, the indirect purpose has not been to find any definitive answers, rather it has been about opening up new questions that can contribute to the research field of immigration issues in the future. A greater part of the immigrants’ concern when coming was consistently accommodation out of fear of not being able to settle properly. This was also interrupted from the aid workers answers when discussing the changing political scene and the ramifications for it. Considering the stigma that seems to be placed on many immigrants currently coming to Sweden an important question for further research is:What conditions can politicians create for immigration and integration to occur more smoothly in Sweden for the future. Are the communication processes in place today enabling social change or is it instead hindering the process since it has not been updated from the first influx of Syriac and Assyrian immigrants seeking asylum in the 1960’s?
33
References:
Creswell, J. w. (2014) ‘Mixed Methods Research’, in Given, L. M. (ed.) The Sage Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Ltd, pp. 194–206. doi: 10.1002/9781118411360.wbcla142. Dahlstedt, Magnus. London : Routledge, 2015. 1 online resource (301 pages) Language: English, Databas: Malmö University Library Catalogue ECHR. 2020. European Convention on Human Rights - Official texts, Convention and Protocols . [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=basictexts&c=. [Accessed 08 January 2020]. Grigonis, S., (2016). EU in the face of migrant crisis: Reasons for ineffective human rights protection. International Comparative Jurisprudence, 2, 93-98. Given, L. M. (2008). The SAGE encyclopedia of qualitative research methods (Vols. 1-0). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. doi: 10.4135/9781412963909 Gray, D. E. (2018). Doing research in the real world. (4: e uppl.). London: SAGE. Kvale, S. & Brinkmann, S. (2014). Den kvalitativa forskningsintervjun. (3: e uppl.). Lund: Studentlitteratur. Lundgren, S., 2017. Assyrierna Femtio År I Sverige. North Carolina: Nineveh Press. Lennie, June, and Jo Tacchi. Evaluating Communication for Development : A Framework for Social Change, Taylor & Francis Group, 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/malmo/detail.action?docID=1125180. Created from malmo on 2020-10-05 11:58:13. Miles, M. B, Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2020). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (4th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage. Mills, A.J, Durepos, G., and Wiebe, E. (2010). Encyclopedia of case study research, vol. 0, SAGE Publications, Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, [Accessed 8 March 2020], doi: 10.4135/9781412957397. Papada, E. et al. (2019) ‘Pop-up governance: Transforming the management of migrant populations through humanitarian and security practices in Lesbos, Greece, 2015–2017’, Environment and Planning D: Society and Space. doi: 10.1177/0263775819891167.34 Servaes, J (ed.) 2007, Communication for Development and Social Change, SAGE Publications, New Delhi. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [5 October 2020]. Thiselton A. C. (2009) Hermeneutics : An Introduction. Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans. Available at: https://search-ebscohost-com.proxy.mau.se/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1058494&site=eds-live (Accessed: 5 August 2020). Theofanidis, D. and Fountouki, A. (2019) ‘Refugees and Migrants in Greece: An Ethnographic Reflective Case Study’, Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 30(1), pp. 26–31. doi: 10.1177/1043659618781699. The UN Refugee Centre. 2019. The 1951 Refugee Convention. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.unhcr.org/1951-refugee-convention.html. [Accessed 10 March 2020]. Unicef. (2019). More than 1,100 unaccompanied refugee and migrant children in Greece need urgent shelter and protection. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/more-1100-unaccompanied-refugee-and-migrant-children-greece-need-urgent-shelter-and. [Accessed 9 March 2020]. Vinogradov, E. (2011). Ethical Aspects of Research on Ethnic/Immigrant Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship Research Journal, 1(3), pp. -. Retrieved 7 Jan. 2020, from doi:10.2202/2157-5665.1017 Yin, R. K. (2013). Kvalitativ forskning, från start till mål. Lund: Studentlitteratur. Ödman, P-J. (2016). Tolkning, förståelse, vetande. Hermeneutik i teori och praktik. Lund: Studentlitteratur.
35 Appendix 1: Updated Interview guide May 2020
Research Question:
The experiences of migrants and workers alike are not in line with the directives set out by the European Convention of Rights.Immigrants:
Background info: Sex: Age: Employment status: Educational level: Marital status: Questions based on research question 1a: - What expectations did the migrant entering Sweden have before coming to the European Union? 1. Growing up in xxx can you remember or think back to when you first were coming to Europe, what you thought it would be like? 2. How did you get this information (friends, family, church etc)? 3. When you first decided to come to the EU why did you choose Sweden / Was Sweden your first choice and why? Questions based on research question 1b:- How did educational and previous work experience impact the experience and access to medical services?
1. When you first arrived in Sweden where were you living, and can you tell me a bit about how you found accommodation? Have you required help with this? 2. In your home country what did you work as and in in terms of work
opportunities since arriving to Sweden how have you found work? 3. What educational level did you have in your home country?
36 5. How did you find the access to being able to study in Sweden? Did you need support/can you tell me about your experiences? 6. In terms of medical treatment have you ever needed help during your time in Sweden and was it easy to access or did you find any problems?
Aid Workers:
Questions based on research question 2a: - What experiences have the aid workers had with the migrants, both positive and negatives? 1. How long have you worked with migrants coming to Sweden? 2. Were you given adequate training before working? 3. How did you communicate with the migrants? 4. How long did they stay with you? 5. What do they do during that time? 6. How well do you feel you have been at accomplishing your goals? Can you describe the positives and negatives? Questions based on research question 2b: - How has the standard of work in relation to integration, education and also to the process of when they left? 1. What work related areas have been positive? 2. What do you find most rewarding? 3. What negatives have you meet and how have you tackled them? 4. Is there any other information you would have liked to of had before you began? 5. How do you know how they are after they leave? Is there a follow up?37 Appendix 2: Inquiry to respondents about participating in an interview survey Hello,
My name is Jeremy Brooks and I am currently undertaking my Master’s program in Communication for Development at Malmö University. At the end of this program I am conducting a study looking at the experience of the immigrants arriving to Sweden. I aim to look at how and what information had been communicated with immigrants before entering Sweden and whether or not their own personal expectations were met in regard to access to food, shelter and education. • The study itself and all information will be handled under the protection of the GDPR privacy protection law for individuals along with Malmö University’s ethical guidelines. • The interview itself will take approximately 30 minutes. • They will be recorded to allow me to transcribe the information. Which when done will not use your real name, rather encoded and shall be done on a password protected computer. • After this is done and the information, I need is take I will then delete these files both audio and electronic when handing in the final paper for submission. • The study is voluntary, and you can cancel your participation at any time without any justification, even after the interview has been completed and transcribed. • You also have the opportunity to take part in the transcript of your interview and get a copy of the independent work. • My study with the coded the results are a public document and will be available in DiVA which is a national digital scientific archive database. I am wondering if you want to participate in the study? You can reply to me via my email address below. Jeremy Brooks Mr.jcbrooks@gmail.com 0761 893 983
