Integration and intercultural improvement in Araby/Dalbo : A pilot study about experiences and possibilities 

In the Swedish political debate there is a general agreement about the problems with the integration process regarding especially third country nationals from Africa and Asia. In various SOU reports,1 there are testimonies about flaws in the interaction between the majority community and minority groups (where newly arrived third-country nationals are an especially prevalent group). Thus, Sweden has for several decades been in transformation from a culturally relatively homogeneous nation into a multicultural society. There have of course been cultures like the Sami, Finnish, Roma and German present alongside the Swedish majority culture. However, today there are neighborhoods where people with a “traditional” Swedish cultural background are a minority. Furthermore in almost all parts of society, like school, health, media etc., there are indications of discrimination (SOU 2006:73). This seems to be in line with a general tendency within the European Union where increased multiculturality has been fueling anti-immigrant movements of which some has even gained enough popular support to gain seats in the EU-parliament