The purpose of this thesis is to examine which factors that can explain the variation in EU citizens support for a larger integration of social issues within the EU from a country perspective where 18 EU countries are included in the statistical analysis. The thesis is based on five theoretical assumptions in order to try to explain the variation in the citizen´s support between different EU countries for more decision-making at an EU level for health and social security issues. To study these relations, a multivariate regression analysis is used. The result shows that none of the theoretical assumptions can explain the differences between citizens' support for a more social Europe. The thesis complementary bivariate Pearson R-tests show, on the other hand, that there is a correlation between support for the national government and values for cognitive mobilization (how politically interested citizens are and how often citizens discuss EU issues) and the support for more decision-making at the EU level. However, the result show a opposite direction for the correlations than the theoretical assumptions of the thesis initiates. This emphasizes the relevance of the theoretical framework of this thesis; the concept of response variability, which means that citizens are ambivalent in their support towards different EU issues. Because earlier research for some of the variables are based on theories of european integration from a one dimensional perspective and not from a policy-specific perspective for increased social integration, there is an important difference between these theoretical bases that stand in conflict with each other.

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This essay discusses the question of whether describing people in essentialist terms violates the people being object to the description. The discussion is based on Kimberley Brownlee’s argumentation which states that there exists a right against social deprivation. To speak of people in crime-related, stigmatising and negatively charged terms – such as the term “criminal” – risks reducing the individual’s identity to solely the criminal aspect, and deprive them the opportunity of creating and sustaining other identities. A person’s role as a social contributor to family members and other close relatives is made more difficult, and the creation of social bonds outside the criminal sphere diminishes. This essay also brings up the critique put forward by Laura Valentini, who states that the lack in social needs is unsatisfiable in reality, and therefore it cannot be said to be a fundamental right, as Brownlee argues. The essay develops the thesis that, even though it is impossible to guarantee everyone meaningful social relationships, it is the duty of public institutions to facilitate and support the creation of these relationships. Furthermore, the use of essentialist terms – by both journalists, as well as politicians and other people in power – inhibit individuals the opportunity to create meaningful relational bonds, which could be paramount for their development and well-being. / essentiella termer. Diskussionen baseras på Kimberley Brownlees argumentation som menar att det finns en rättighet mot socialt berövande. Att tala om människor i brottsrelaterade, stigmatiserande och negativt laddade termer – såsom termen ”kriminell” – riskerar att reducera individens identitet till endast den kriminella aspekten, och fråntar dem möjligheten att skapa och bibehålla andra identiteter. Personens roll som socialt bidragande för familjemedlemmar och andra närstående försvåras, och skapandet av sociala band utanför ett kriminellt umgänge riskerar att minskas. Uppsatsen tar också upp kritik framfört av Laura Valentini, som menar att bristandet av sociala behov inte går att tillfredsställa i praktiken och att det därför inte kan påstås vara en fundamental rättighet, såsom Brownlee hävdar. Uppsatsen driver tesen att, även om det inte går att garantera en människa betydelsefulla sociala relationer, så är det de samhälleliga institutionernas uppgift att underlätta och stödja skapandet av dessa relationer. Och användandet av essentiella termer – av såväl journalister som politiker och andra makthavare – hämmar människors möjlighet till meningsfulla relationella band, vilka är viktiga för personens utveckling och välmående.

The aim of this thesis is to explore how young adults from ethnic minority backgrounds experience social citizenship and social participation. How do they understand their social rights and duties? What are the possibilities and obstacles for their social participation? Based on the background of different studies in Sweden, that usually focus on conditions in bigger cities, this study discusses social citizenship among ethnic minority youth in the context of a middle-sized Swedish town. In contrast to research on ethnicity and youth in Sweden, that discuss social problems and social exclusion in terms of the deficient cultural, linguistic and social competence of the individuals, this study focuses on different kinds of resources and experiences of agency among young people from migrant backgrounds. Their experiences of active social citizenship and social participation fill also a gap in the contemporary research from the perspective of social inclusion. The theoretical framework is based on the concept of social citizenship as discussed by T. H. Marshall (1950), T. Bottomore (1992) and inspired by research on the subjective dimension of social citizenship conducted by R. Lister (1997, 2003, 2007). In order to grasp the subjective dimension of social citizenship, this thesis deals with differentiated expressions of universal social citizenship in terms of agency and participation in different areas of social life. Using a qualitative approach, seventeen people have been interviewed. The interviews have been analysed from an intersectional perspective where gender, age, marital status and longevity in Sweden appear to be concurrent categories. The results point towards tendencies of enclavisation among these young adults usually articulating experience of weak social bonding in relation to the Swedish majority population. Some informants refer to their expectations of living in bigger cities or a third country, and have plans to move as a strategy for better, more integrated and less discriminated conditions of future life. In sum, the central expectations of the interviewees on the improvement of their social citizenship conditions are the following: They want to be active citizens and are willing to contribute to the development of a more inclusive Swedish society. This thesis contributes to our current understanding of how young adults from ethnic minority backgrounds, experience social citizenship and social participation within the areas of: housing, education, labour-market, leisure and policy. / Denna rapport handlar om hur unga kvinnor och män med utländsk bakgrund i en medelstor svensk stad upplever social delaktighet. I fokus står vardagslivets sociala medborgarskap och hur människor förstår sina sociala rättigheter och skyldigheter och på vilket sätt detta påverkar deras medverkan i samhällslivet. Rapporten visar att de unga kvinnorna och männen har engagemang och uttrycker ansvarskänsla och vilja till social delaktighet i det svenska samhället. Samtidig upplever de inte alltid ett fullvärdigt socialt medborgarskap på grund av etnisk diskriminering. Helene Jacobson Pettersson är doktorand i socialt arbete vid Institutionen för vårdvetenskap och socialt arbete, Växjö universitet. Hon är anställd som universitetsadjunkt i socialt arbete vid Högskolan i Kalmar. Detta är hennes licentiatavhandling.

<p>The aim of this thesis is to explore how young adults from ethnic minority backgrounds experience social citizenship and social participation. How do they understand their social rights and duties? What are the possibilities and obstacles for their social participation? Based on the background of different studies in Sweden, that usually focus on conditions in bigger cities, this study discusses social citizenship among ethnic minority youth in the context of a middle-sized Swedish town. In contrast to research on ethnicity and youth in Sweden, that discuss social problems and social exclusion in terms of the deficient cultural, linguistic and social competence of the individuals, this study focuses on different kinds of resources and experiences of agency among young people from migrant backgrounds. Their experiences of active social citizenship and social participation fill also a gap in the contemporary research from the perspective of social inclusion. The theoretical framework is based on the concept of social citizenship as discussed by T. H. Marshall (1950), T. Bottomore (1992) and inspired by research on the subjective dimension of social citizenship conducted by R. Lister (1997, 2003, 2007). In order to grasp the subjective dimension of social citizenship, this thesis deals with differentiated expressions of universal social citizenship in terms of agency and participation in different areas of social life. Using a qualitative approach, seventeen people have been interviewed. The interviews have been analysed from an intersectional perspective where gender, age, marital status and longevity in Sweden appear to be concurrent categories. The results point towards tendencies of enclavisation among these young adults usually articulating experience of weak social bonding in relation to the Swedish majority population. Some informants refer to their expectations of living in bigger cities or a third country, and have plans to move as a strategy for better, more integrated and less discriminated conditions of future life. In sum, the central expectations of the interviewees on the improvement of their social citizenship conditions are the following: They want to be active citizens and are willing to contribute to the development of a more inclusive Swedish society. This thesis contributes to our current understanding of how young adults from ethnic minority backgrounds, experience social citizenship and social participation within the areas of: housing, education, labour-market, leisure and policy.</p> / <p>Denna rapport handlar om hur unga kvinnor och män med utländsk bakgrund i en medelstor svensk stad upplever social delaktighet. I fokus står vardagslivets sociala medborgarskap och hur människor förstår sina sociala rättigheter och skyldigheter och på vilket sätt detta påverkar deras medverkan i samhällslivet. Rapporten visar att de unga kvinnorna och männen har engagemang och uttrycker ansvarskänsla och vilja till social delaktighet i det svenska samhället. Samtidig upplever de inte alltid ett fullvärdigt socialt medborgarskap på grund av etnisk diskriminering. Helene Jacobson Pettersson är doktorand i socialt arbete vid Institutionen för vårdvetenskap och socialt arbete, Växjö universitet. Hon är anställd som universitetsadjunkt i socialt arbete vid Högskolan i Kalmar. Detta är hennes licentiatavhandling.</p>