Destination employment? : Contradictions and ambiguities in Swedish labour market policy for newly arrived migrants

Sweden’s “establishment reform” was introduced in 2010 with the ambition to increase the labour market participation of newly arrived migrants. It was in line with other labour market policies of the centre-right Alliance government, elected in 2006, which aimed to increase work incentives particularly for groups seen as “vulnerable” in, or excluded from, the labour market.By considering the history of ALMP and policies of migration linked to the labour market, the establishment reform can be seen as building both on earlier initiatives targeting certain groups, as well as the investment ambitions of labour market training programmes. At the same time, the integration approach to migration, developed by successive Social Democratic governments, has also largely been integrated through this reform. Thus, the establishment reform combines both social and labour market goals, leading to contradictions and ambiguities at the policy level and in practice.In this thesis I consider how the establishment reform combined workfare and social investment elements, including social support ambitions, through a qualitative study of its policy ambitions, organisational challenges and practical consequences, using documentary analysis, interviews and close to 200 individual cases from the Public Employment Service.It is argued that the ambiguities of the policy are present in the twin goals of workfare and social investment: above all, how to combine the disciplinary elements of active participation – positive and negative economic incentives to enter the labour market quickly – with the long-term goals of upskilling to improve the quality of employment, particularly in combination with the ambition to provide “individualised” support and to empower individuals.At the organisational level, these contradictions are played out in practice through the interactions between the individual participants and employment officers at the Public Employment Service, as well as private sector “establishment guides”. Here, the social needs of the participants achieve prominence, making it more difficult to focus on the reform’s work-first principles. This prioritisation on the ground can be defended by the policy’s stated goal to focus on the individual.A closer analysis at how the measures fit the group of newly arrived migrants is achieved through the construction of five “types” within the group. The trajectories of each type are explored, showing the different opportunities and difficulties they encounter through the establishment period, and how the measures are more suitable to some types than others

Fast track to the labour market? : Experiences of learning in an active labour market policy measure for migrant teachers in Sweden

This article analyses the case of a Swedish so-called “fast-track” programme for newly arrived migrant teachers with the use of a conceptual model of lifelong learning dimensions (Boyadjieva & Ilieva-Trichkova, 2016). The material is based on individual and focus group interviews with individual participants, public employment officers and university teachers. While some aspects of the course can be seen as transformative and allowing for intrinsic learning, the participants’ need for work often overshadowed more ambitious course goals. Nevertheless, the course provides participants with the opportunity to reflect on new aspects of teaching and broader societal values.Une voie rapide vers le marché du travail ? Expériences d'apprentissage dans le cadre d'une mesure de politique active du marché du travail pour les enseignant·e·s migrant·e·s en Suède Cet article analyse le cas d'un programme suédois dit "fast-track" pour les enseignant·e·s migrant·e·s nouvellement arrivé·e·s en utilisant un modèle conceptuel des dimensions de l'apprentissage tout au long de la vie (Boyadjieva & Ilieva-Trichkova, 2016). Le matériel est basé sur des entretiens individuels et de groupes de discussion avec les participant·e·s, les agent·e·s de l'emploi public et les enseignant·e·s universitaires. Bien que certains aspects du cours puissent être considérés comme transformatifs et permettant un apprentissage intrinsèque, le besoin de travail des participant·e·s a souvent éclipsé les objectifs plus ambitieux du cours. Néanmoins, le cours donne aux participant·e·s l'occasion de réfléchir à de nouveaux aspects de l'enseignement et à des valeurs sociétales plus larges.Schneller Weg in den Arbeitsmarkt? Lernerfahrungen in einer aktiven arbeitsmarktpolitischen Maßnahme für zugewanderte Lehrer in Schweden Dieser Artikel analysiert den Fall eines schwedischen sogenannten "Fast-Track"-Programms für neu angekommene Lehrer mit Migrationshintergrund unter Verwendung eines konzeptionellen Modells von Dimensionen des lebenslangen Lernens (Boyadjieva & Ilieva-Trichkova, 2016). Das Material basiert auf Einzel- und Fokusgruppeninterviews mit einzelnen Teilnehmern, öffentlichen Arbeitsvermittlern und Hochschullehrern. Während einige Aspekte des Kurses als transformativ angesehen werden können und intrinsisches Lernen ermöglichen, überschattete das Bedürfnis der Teilnehmer nach Arbeit oft die ehrgeizigeren Kursziele. Nichtsdestotrotz bietet der Kurs den Teilnehmern die Möglichkeit, über neue Aspekte der Lehre und weiter gefasste gesellschaftliche Werte zu reflektieren.¿Vía rápida al mercado laboral? Experiencias de aprendizaje en una medida de política activa del mercado laboral para los maestros migrantes en Suecia  En este artículo se analiza el caso de un programa sueco denominado "de vía rápida" para los maestros migrantes recién llegados, basado en un modelo conceptual de dimensiones de aprendizaje a lo largo de toda la vida (Boyadjieva & Ilieva-Trichkova, 2016). El material se basa en entrevistas individuales y en grupos de discusión con los participantes, funcionarios públicos y profesorado universitario. Si bien algunos aspectos del curso pueden considerarse transformadores y favorecedores de un aprendizaje intrínseco, la necesidad de trabajo de los participantes a menudo eclipsó los objetivos más ambiciosos del curso. No obstante, el curso brinda a los participantes la oportunidad de reflexionar sobre nuevos aspectos de la enseñanza y valores sociales más amplios

Being a Swedish teacher in practice : analysing migrant teachers' interactions and negotiation of national values

National values or imagined communities are often reflected in a country's educational system. In this paper, a teaching course for migrant teachers in Sweden is used to reflect on how some of these national values and practices are presented and subsequently negotiated by course leaders and course participants. While measures that emphasise national values are often criticised as assimilationist, building partly on Goffman's work it is argued that a discussion of national values can also serve to unveil hidden rituals that are otherwise taken for granted, while also pointing both to the potential usefulness and pitfalls of civic education. For example, while course teachers try to avoid presenting the Swedish value system as superior to that of other countries, certain 'sacred' national values, such as a commitment to gender equality, are seen as non-negotiable. For participants, their previous teaching identity can be used both as a resource in navigating the course and for work practice. But for some participants, their previous teaching identity is seen as in need of adjustment in order for them to follow Swedish teaching and school 'rituals'

Convergence, continuity and contradictions: a cross-national comparative study of family policy in Sweden and the United Kingdom

Family policy and its role in increasing female employment is a concern for national governments as well as supranational organisations such as the EU. The purpose of this thesis is to examine recent developments in family policy in Sweden and the UK, such as the introduction of a home care allowance in Sweden and proposals for flexible parental leave in the UK, to see whether there is policy convergence in the area of family policy between these two countries. Economic policy changes as promoted by international institutions have had consequences for national policy and it is therefore relevant to consider whether there are tendencies to policy convergence in the area of family policy. By using globalisation theories and Esping-Andersen’s typology of welfare regimes, recent changes in the UK and Sweden are analysed. The analysis shows that there are important ideological contradictions in terms of female employment in both countries. It is also found that the countries are path dependent to a certain extent but, at the same time, there are tendencies to convergence in line with EU and OECD recommendations in some areas. However, institutional welfare changes such as privatisation may also affect family policy, especially in the area of childcare, and pose further questions regarding the legitimacy of public welfare and the support for welfare programs

Migrant teachers and the negotiation of a (new) teaching identity

Employment of newly arrived migrants can be seen as one of the key aspects to managing both national labour market needs and the inclusion of individuals in both work and society. In Sweden, efforts to manage recent migration - for example, from Syria - has resulted in various labour market 'fast tracks' that aim to facilitate labour market integration. In this article, we consider how individual migrants attempt to negotiate the new national demands of professional identity to become teachers in Sweden by following a Swedish introduction course to teaching. The study builds on qualitative interviews and fieldwork following two different cohorts of students

Invandrade lärares erfarenheter efter Snabbspår och andra kompletterande lärarutbildningar

Syftet med studien är att belysa immigrerade lärares övergång från Snabbspåret och kompletterande utbildning till fasta anställningar i svensk skola. Studien bygger på kvalitativa intervjuer med lärare med migrationsbakgrund och med rektorer. I våra resultat diskuterar vi formella hinder för att arbeta i den svenska skolan som legitimerad lärare, såsom lärarlegitimationen, men också informella hinder såsom språkkrav i utbildningsverksamheten, tillgänglig information om legitimationsprocesser och anställning i den svenska skolan, samt olika förväntningar på vad lärarrollen i den svenska skolan kan innebära. Resultaten visar att lärarna pendlar mellan sin egen professionella förmåga och anpassningar till regler och förordningar. De deltagande lärarna vill ha trygga anställningar för att kunna försörja sig. Rektorerna i studien värderar praktisk kunskap om den svenska skolan i fråga om undervisning och bedömning. Samtidigt uppskattar de ofta den kompetens de migrerade lärarna tillför både i form av ämneskunskap och i form av ”integrationskompetens”. Flerspråkighet ses som något mycket positivt i vissa sammanhang, medan man i andra fokuserar på lärarnas bristande kunskaper i svenska och oförmåga att kommunicera. Endast lärarlegitimationen ses inte alltid som tillräcklig för att kunna garantera en anställning och en del rektorer ser också risker med tillsvidareanställningar och föredrar att prova om lärarna har tillräcklig språk- och undervisningsförmåga genom kortare anställningar. För lärarna innebär detta till att börja med en osäker väg till arbetsmarknaden. Anpassningen till den nya lärarrollen i Sverige är komplicerad och utmaningarna är många

Avhandlingsarbetet och forskarlivet : en historia om ensamhet, övergivenhet och mindervärdeskomplex

I denna artikel diskuterar vi hur handledare kan hjälpa doktorander hantera känslor av ensamhet, övergivenhet och karriärtvivel. I artikeln tar vi avstamp i quit-lit och stay-lit för att diskutera hur en kritisk syn på akademin kan hanteras i relationen mellan handledare och doktorand. Artikeln inleds med en bakgrundsbeskrivning av akademin i förändring. Granskningskultur, prestigekamp och en alltmer pressad akademisk arbetsmarknad är några av de aspekter som tas upp. Efter bakgrunden presenteras ett teoretiskt anslag som kombinerar sociologisk socialpsykologi med högskolepedagogik. Sedan ges exempel på quit-lit och staypieces som empiriskt material till vår analys