Sociologist to investigate Nordic integration policies

Immigrant integration is often described as the process by which immigrants and their descendants become part of the social and cultural fabric of their country of settlement.

‘This involves access to resources such as economic opportunities, language skills, and social networks that are crucial for navigating institutional landscapes and realising one's full potential,’ mentions Merlin Schaeffer, Professor and Director of Studies at the Department of Sociology.

‘Integration also raises the question of when distinctions between immigrant minorities and the majority population disappear,’ he adds.

Together with colleagues from Norway and Sweden, he has just received a grant of DKK 6.6 million from NordForsk for the project ‘Effects of Integration Policies on Long Run Outcomes in 3 Nordic Countries’.

In the project, Merlin Schaeffer and his colleagues will investigate the causal effects of policies on economic, social and political aspects of integration. The researchers will use natural experiments to analyse policy effects in the three Nordic countries using register data and harmonised survey data.

‘The combination of administrative data and surveys helps to understand immigrants' sense of belonging and their experiences of discrimination. These are aspects that are not captured by register data alone,’ Merlin Schaeffer points out.

Integration is complex

The project also delves into specific integration policies such as language training and welfare benefits.

‘Language training has been shown to improve employment outcomes and acquisition of citizenship. Conversely, the effects of cuts to welfare benefits for refugees on employment appear to be mixed, if not detrimental to their integration,’ says Merlin Schaeffer.

The project will also investigate how policy-driven changes affect non-direct indicators of integration, such as trust and attitudes towards gender equality.

This may challenge the assumption that economic and socio-cultural integration are inextricably linked. Merlin Schaeffer points to the ‘integration paradox’ where economically successful immigrants report experiences of discrimination more often.

‘Our project will show the complexity of integration processes and the need for nuanced, data-driven policy interventions to support immigrant populations. At a time when global displacement is growing, this is especially true for the integration of the most vulnerable groups,’ he notes.