Flyktingungdomars upplevelser av deras etniska identitet

The aim of this study has been to reach a deeper understanding of how refugee adolescences experience their ethnic identity, particular ethnic consciousness in terms of integration, assimilation and segregation. Further my intention has been to investigate if the adolescences experienced changes in their ethnic identity. In order to investigate these questions a qualitative method consisting of four interviews were conducted. The study included two young men at the age of 18, and two young women at the age of 17 and 18. Three of the interviewed persons can be defined as refugees, but not the fourth adolescence. I define the fourth adolescence as an immigrant because she didn’t feel forced to escape to Sweden because of reasons as persecution, torture or war, like the other adolescences experienced. The results showed that three of the adolescences had a quite strong consciousness about their ethnic identity. However these three adolescences have not yet been integrated to the Swedish society, but rather perceives quite segregated. The fourth adolescence in the study didn’t have a very strong consciousness to her ethnic identity, unlike the other individuals in the study. However she experiences a connection toward the western value- system. This is because she was born and raised in a western country. With consideration of that, this adolescence is quite integrated to the Swedish society.