<p>Numerous studies raise the topic of highly educated immigrants whose education and list of qualifications devalue in the context of the Swedish labour market. However, little is known of those with foreign background who enter into higher education in Sweden. Our study attempts to shed some light onto the value of higher education relative to that of a person’s ethnic background. The background material features nine in-depth interviews of foreign background academics, as well as data extracted from an extensive survey study previously carried out at Växjö University. </p><p>Initially, the quantitative data showed that students with foreign background, including Swedish-born children of immigrants, had not managed to find qualified work upon completion of studies to the same extent as their Swedish background counterparts. The individual stories given in interviews support the assumption that social capital, in the form of access to networks or membership thereof, may decide the physical location of individual careers. Those who stayed in the region were either brought up locally or had established themselves through work practice. In some respects, those who left can be considered outsiders, whose chances of finding work largely depended on their establishing themselves elsewhere. Some had managed to find qualified work beyond their own acquaintances, but only through a long period of unemployment or doing unqualified work.</p><p>When it comes to the ethnic backgrounds of the interviewed, positive and negative aspects were brought up by some, while others did not consider it relevant with respect to their own careers. However, their stories provide examples of how ethnicity works as a deciding factor on the labour market in much the same way as, for instance, class and gender. In turn, this is an indication of underlying mechanisms on the labour market that rest on social ties.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA/oai:DiVA.org:vxu-5038 |
| Date | January 2009 |
| Creators | Broman, Erik, Flodin, Tim |
| Publisher | Växjö University, School of Social Sciences, Växjö University, School of Social Sciences |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, text |
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