The study seeks to investigate and understand how individuals create their identity from the perspective of two countries and cultures, and how these affect their current lives today. The focus of the study is aimed at young adults who have mostly or entirely grown up in Sweden to parents that have migrated. The material is based on seven qualitative, semi-structured interviews. The result is then divided into three themes; ethnic and cultural belonging, life impact, and the preservation and passing on of culture. The derivation of the first theme is that there are mixed views regarding the cultural association of the persons interviewed. Some present a clear vision of their cultural belonging and identities as Swedes, while others give a more ambiguous depiction as they find themselves in between two cultures and are experiencing a certain ambivalence regarding their cultural belonging. The second theme describes the pros and cons of living alongside two cultures as well as the importance of language. One of the main advantages that emerge is that the respondents perceive themselves as having a broader perspective and a deeper understanding of other cultures and ethnicities. Negative aspects that individuals have experienced are discrimination and parental influence. This theme also addresses the importance of language regarding the cultural belonging of the individual. The respondents agree that the language is of importance for the feeling of belonging, and that it is natural to feel more connected to those who speak the same language. The third and last theme describes how the individuals retain their original culture in their everyday lives, and it furthermore deals with ideas regarding the future as well as the passing on of culture.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:lnu-19494 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Muratovic, Azra, Ahlqvist, Kajsa |
| Publisher | Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för socialt arbete, SA, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för socialt arbete, SA |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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