Opin vísindi

The politics of diversity: Social and political integration of immigrants in Iceland

The politics of diversity: Social and political integration of immigrants in Iceland


Title: The politics of diversity: Social and political integration of immigrants in Iceland
Author: Einarsdóttir, Þorgerður J.   orcid.org/0000-0001-8906-0760
Heijstra, Thamar Melanie
Rafnsdóttir, Gudbjörg LINDA   orcid.org/0000-0003-2662-5773
Date: 2018-05-30
Language: English
Scope: 131-148
University/Institute: Háskóli Íslands
University of Iceland
School: Félagsvísindasvið (HÍ)
School of Social Sciences (UI)
Department: Stjórnmálafræðideild (HÍ)
Faculty of Political Science (UI)
Félags- og mannvísindadeild (HÍ)
Faculty of Social and Human Sciences (UI)
Series: Stjórnmál og stjórnsýsla;14(1)
ISSN: 1670-6803
1670-679X (eISSN)
DOI: 10.13177/irpa.a.2018.14.1.6
Subject: Citizenship; Diversity; Integration; Immigrants; Participation; Ríkisborgararéttur; Innflytjendur; Þjóðernishópar; Nýbúar; Stjórnmálaþátttaka; Fjölmenning
URI: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/783

Show full item record

Abstract:

The ethnic diversity of modern states raises the question of where successful countries are in terms of immigrant inclusion. The number of immigrants in Iceland has increased significantly since 2004, and by the end of 2016, immigrants made up around 10% of the population of Iceland. Research reveals a gap between immigrants and natives in terms of social and political inclusion. This paper examines the social and political integration of male and female immigrants in Iceland via comparisons with the native population. We ask how native Icelanders and people with a non-Icelandic background experience their social position and political participation within Icelandic society. We focus on political efficacy, ideas about what makes a good citizen, and subjective status position as indicators of the degree of social and political integration. We use data from the 2014 International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) on Citizenship, which is based on a random sample of 2,000 individuals and random samples of 600 individuals each targeting two of the largest immigrant groups in Iceland—Lithuanians and Poles—as well as the largest Asian immigrant group: Filipinos. Although the findings show integration of immigrants up to a certain extent, the differences between Icelandic and non-Icelandic participants are apparent and include certain disadvantages for participants with a foreign background. Although other variables—such as income, education, paid employment status, and age—play a larger role in social and political status than foreign nationality, the findings of this study suggest that there is room to improve the integration of immigrants in Iceland.

Rights:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License

Files in this item

This item appears in the following Collection(s)