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Through a cross-national analysis of Iceland and Sweden, we investigate How are the two countries’ national and local educational systems ensuring access to education and social inclusion of immigrants and refugees? How do immigrant and refugee students talk about their agency in their classrooms, schools, and peer communities in rural contexts? Our analysis builds on fieldwork including classroom observations and interviews with immigrants (Iceland) and refugees (Sweden) aged 12–16 years, their teachers, and school principals, in four compulsory schools. The concept of ecology of equity is used to investigate power relations with regard to place and agency. The analysisalso includesinvestigation ofthepolitics oftheteaching profession in response to students’ diversity. Findings show that although some students describe that they do not feel “othered,” the majority, especially refugee students in Sweden, do feel excluded from theirpeers.TheIcelandicandSwedishruralschoolsareontheirownintacklingissuesofworking with these students, despite the fact that their practices may lead to reinforcing inequalities between schools and regions of the two countries. In this sense, the approach of the two countries does not reflect the ideals of the Nordic welfare system., Swedish Research Council, Ritrýnd grein

Iceland has increasingly been tangled in a dense network of various mobilities, leading to the growing transnational character of Icelandic society. This means that Iceland is involved in and affected by different forms of exchange and flows of ideas, capital, objects and people: emigration, immigration; involving foreign workers, refugees, human trafficking, business trips, educational and cultural transfer, and tourism. This edited volume brings together researchers focusing on Icelandic society from the per- spective of mobility and transnational connections. The chapters are based on inter- disciplinary research bringing in different ways highlighting the complex implications of mobilities and transnationalism for the Icelandic state, institutions, society and culture., Rannís grant no. 163350-051

The influx of refugees and immigrants into Iceland continues to affect the society socially, culturally, and politically. Like many other European countries, Iceland has become home to many refugees and immigrants, including young adults. This influx has affected the education system, and many schools have developed different models to serve the diverse needs of the increasing number of immigrant children entering the system. In spite of the obstacles – which include cultural and linguistic differences, struggles with different school systems and academic programs, educational level, financial standing or country of origin, little education, and limited family income – many refugee and immigrant students are enthusiastic about learning, and are able to succeed both academically and socially in their new learning spaces. Research has shown that immigrant students drop out of school as a result of different factors, such as not valuing school and having poor relationships with teachers and peers (Makarova & Herzog, 2013) and that immigrant teens in some ethnic groups suffer a higher dropout rate than the national average (Morse, 2005). According to a study conducted by Grétarsdóttir (2007) on educational progress among youth whose heritage language is not Icelandic, more than half of the respondents either never attended upper secondary education – i.e., the three to four years after compulsory school, typically about ages 16-19 – or dropped out. Understanding these students’ academic and social engagement and success may be critical for addressing the high dropout rates among immigrant students. Thus, the purpose of this study is to answer the question: What academic, personal, and social experiences account for the success of young immigrants and refugees while in upper secondary schools in Iceland? This study aimed to understand young immigrants’ and refugee students’ experiences of academic and social success in upper secondary schools in Iceland. In this study, 27 academically and socially successful students participated in one-hour semi-structured interviews. In the interviews, young immigrant and refugee students were asked about their attitudes toward their culture of origin and Icelandic culture and society, their experience of belonging to different groups, their aspirations and future goals in those settings, different learning environments and practise, their expectation of the schools and curriculum, and their motivations and obstacles including their language backgrounds. The study applies different theories, including culturally responsive pedagogy and multicultural education, that incline toward providing all students, regardless of their background, culture, language, race and ethnicities with the knowledge, tools and skills necessary to function harmoniously both in their community and globally. These theories facilitate the academic and social success of young immigrant and refugee students and create equity in the education system. The theoretical background chosen for this study aims to support the research questions and capture the depth of the data. Theories of inclusion and safe zones are discussed as ways to value diversity among these groups of students regardless of their background, language, ethnicity and race, and they address equitable opportunities for these students and to bring about equal, just and democratic society (Banks & Banks, 2013; Gay, 2018; Grant & Sleeter, 2013; Nieto, 2010; Pratt, 1991, 2007). Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2013) is used to analyze the data. This method is useful when one is trying to find commonalities in meaning among the participants’ responses. Knowledge about the reasons for the academic and social success of these students is important for policymakers, teachers, and governmental organisations, both in terms of societal stability and for the sake of individual refugee and immigrant youths. Bringing young immigrants’ and refugees’ academic and social success to light may also be significant in counteracting xenophobia. The findings reveal that various internal and external factors determine academic and social success of the refugee and immigrant students, including their desire, passion, and strength, as well as their interest in education and their future goals. They were intrinsically motivated, exerted effort, and refused to give up despite the various challenges they faced. Immigrant and refugee students’ journeys of success were also shaped by a set of visible factors both structural (inside their schools) and social (outside their schools, at home and in their communities).

Á síðastliðnum árum hefur fólk á flótta orðið sýnilegra á margvíslegan hátt. Greinin bendir á brotalamir sem oft má sjá í umræðunni um fólk á flótta og innflytjendur þar sem m.a. er gengið út frá því að Evrópa hafi lengi verið aðskilin frá umheiminum og eingöngu núna sé fólk að færa sig milli heimshluta. Undirstrikað er hvernig flokkun fólks í náttúrugerða hópa, eins og flóttamaður og hælisleitandi, getur falið í sér afmennskun og einföldun á aðstæðum þeirra. Greinin nálgast þetta viðfangsefni út frá sögum þriggja einstaklinga sem hafa flúið frá erfiðum aðstæðum í heimalandi sínu Níger og búa í Brussel í Belgíu, en speglar einnig efnið út frá íslenskri umræðu., People migrating to Europe in search for a new life have become increasingly visible in various ways for the last few years. The article stresses some of the weaknesses in discussions on migration to Europe, where it is often assumed that migration from the outside world has only recently been affecting Europe. The article emphasizes how classifications of people into categories such as „refugee“ and „immigrant“ and the naturalization of these categories, can lead to dehumanization and stark simplifications. The article approaches this through stories of three men in Brussels, Belgium who have fled difficult circumstances in their home country Niger. It also explores these issues from some Icelandic discussions.

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.

Fólki af erlendum uppruna hefur fjölgað mjög á Íslandi undanfarna áratugi. Menntakerfi gegna mikilvægu hlutverki við aðlögun barna og ungmenna að nýju samfélagi og við að stuðla að lýðræðislegri þátttöku þeirra. Markmið þessarar yfirlitsgreinar er að varpa ljósi á helstu niðurstöður nýlegra rannsókna höfundar og samstarfsfólks um málefni barna og ungmenna af erlendum uppruna. Fjallað er um reynslu innflytjenda og flóttafólks af menntun og þátttöku í íslensku samfélagi, reynslu kennara og stjórnenda af menntun barna og ungmenna af ólíkum uppruna, hvernig skólastarf hefur þróast til að mæta þörfum sífellt fjölbreyttari nemendahópa og hvaða leiðir eru færar í menntun fjölbreyttra hópa. Niðurstöður rannsóknanna benda til þess að mörg barnanna og ungmennanna hafi upplifað ýmsa erfiðleika í íslenskum skólum og frístundastarfi. Þrátt fyrir margs konar styrkleika sem þau telja sig hafa eiga þau í erfiðleikum með að læra íslensku og að tengjast íslenskum jafnöldrum. Samskipti heimila og skóla eru í sumum tilvikum ómarkviss og ófullnægjandi. Ein þessara rannsókna varpar þó ljósi á fjölmörg dæmi um öflugt og gott skólastarf, að nokkru leyti í anda fjölmenningarlegrar menntunar, þar sem áhersla er á lýðræðislega þátttöku og þar sem börnum og ungmennum af erlendum uppruna vegnar vel., Immigration to Iceland has increased rapidly in recent decades. People move to the country for different reasons, some as refugees. Education systems play a vital role in the integration of children and youth to a new society and in supporting their democratic participation. To be able to fulfill these roles, schools must to adjust to the needs of diverse groups of students and develop their practices according to demographic changes. The article, which presents an overview of literature, discusses the experiences of immigrants and refugees in Iceland of education and participation in Icelandic society. The article draws on research conducted with several groups of students at different school levels and their families the last 20 years. The experiences of practitioners in schools, teachers and principals at different levels of the education of children and youth of diverse origins are also addressed, as well as the development of educational practices in the past decades to respond to an increasingly diverse student group. The article concludes with a discussion on possible paths in the education of diverse groups of students in coming years. The theoretical background of most of the research studies is in critical approaches to education (Banks, 2013; May & Sleeter, 2010; Nieto, 2010) where the rights of minority groups to education are emphasized, as well as counteracting inequalities. Nieto (2010) claims that empowerment in schools entails that students are active participants instead of being passive receivers and that teachers build on their students’ resources and abilities in their teaching. The approaches of multilingual education for social justice also form a basis of the article. Scholars (Chumak-Horbatsch, 2012; Cummins, 2004; Skutnabb-Kangas et al., 2009) argue that it is important to make students’ heritage languages visible in schools and build on these in teaching. They note that these basic human rights of every student are often neglected. Theoretical writing on citizenship education, civic engagement and democratic participation of diverse groups (Sigrún Aðalbjarnardóttir, 2015, 2019) is also discussed. Sigrún Aðalbjarnardóttir (2015, 2019) notes that participation in decision-making in society is one of the pillars of democracy and that therefore it is important to promote young people’s interest and ability to engage in societal matters. Teachers should be supported in their professional development to reflect on their practices and to create learning communities. The findings of the research presented in the article indicate that many children and youths of immigrant and refugee background experience various challenges in Icelandic schools. These include lack of participation and civic engagement, difficulties in learning Icelandic, lack of support in their heritage languages, and marginalisation. However, the findings of recent research with youths at compulsory and secondary school levels indicate that they are positive towards the growing cultural, linguistic and religious diversity in Icelandic society and find it important for everyone to participate in discussions, learn about each other’s opinions and respect different views. A recent research project conducted in 27 schools on pre-, compulsory and upper secondary levels in four Nordic countries, including Iceland, focused on understanding the experiences of students of immigrant backgrounds who have succeeded in education and participation and how social justice and equity is represented in educational practices in their schools. The findings of the project reveal various initiatives in the schools which promote participation of diverse groups of students and build on the resources which they bring, such as different languages and cultures. The schools have developed multicultural and multilingual learning spaces for their students and staff. The project sheds light on how schools can develop educational practices which respond to the growing cultural, linguistic and religious diversity in Iceland, as well as in other Nordic countries, and create learning spaces where active participation and learning of all students is promoted.

The topic of this PhD dissertation is the social support networks adolescents of foreign origin and immigrant adolescents perceive to be available, both in their immediate environment (family, friends), and the more distal environment (neighborhood). More specifically, adolescents’ sociodemographic backgrounds and social support are explored in relation to their well-being (life satisfaction, and distress). Although previous studies have addressed immigrant adolescent well-being, there is a lack of deeper understanding of the association of sociodemographic background with well-being and the benefits of social support. Further, scholars have called for more research into friendship relations in diverse settings. The aims of the study were to investigate how social support and sociodemographic background relate to the well-being of adolescents of different ethnic backgrounds at the individual level and neighborhood level in Iceland, and how adolescents of native and foreign origin perceive social support from friendship networks, native friends and friends of foreign origin. The datasets used in the first two papers, come from the international research network Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) collected in Iceland in 2009–2010 (first paper) and 2013–2014 (second paper). The research is population based, based on administering a standardized questionnaire to 11-, 13-, and 15-year-olds. In the 2009–2010 data collection cycle, 11,561 students answered (87% response rate), and in 2013–2014, 10,561 participated (84% response rate). A third data collection cycle was designed for this study and data collection took place in the spring term of 2018. A total of 806 adolescents (82% response rate) from nine lower-secondary schools (8th–10th grade) answered an anonymous online questionnaire administered in their schools. The sampling method used was purposive sampling and included nine compulsory schools selected to participate based on their geographic location (the capital area and four towns in the country side), ethnic diversity (high, medium, and low ratio of foreign origin), indicators of average family economic status in the area (lower and higher), and school size (midsized and large). Findings revealed that youth of foreign origin were, on average, at a disadvantage in terms of family affluence and the likelihood of belonging to non-intact families. Furthermore, they perceived less social support from x family, friends, and classmates as compared to native youth. These disadvantages were associated with adolescents’ well-being and varied by ethnicity. Neighborhood (school area) family affluence corresponded to more well-being in general, but adolescents of foreign origin were less likely to benefit from higher levels of neighborhood affluence compared to native adolescents. Furthermore, the perceived social support from friends differed by the origin of friends. Adolescents of foreign origin perceived more social support from other friends of foreign origin than from native friends. In conclusion, the findings underscore the importance of improving the social and economic status of immigrant families. It is also important to increase resources and access to supportive systems for youth of foreign origin., Viðfangsefni þessa doktorsverkefnis er félagsleg tengsl og stuðningur unglinga af ólíku þjóðerni. Sjónum er beint að því hvernig þeir upplifa stuðning úr nánasta tengslaneti (vinir, fjölskylda) og íbúahverfi sínu. Líðan þeirra og lífsánægja er tengd fyrrgreindum stuðningi og efnahagslegum bakgrunni í fjölskyldu og íbúahverfi. Þótt rannsóknir hafi í nokkrum mæli beinst að líðan og velferð innflytjendabarna skortir þekkingu á því hvernig félagsleg staða tengist líðan þeirra og lífsánægju og hvernig félagslegur stuðningur gagnast þessum hópi til að fyrirbyggja vanlíðan og vansæld. Sér í lagi hafa vinatengsl unglinga af erlendum uppruna ekki hlotið næga athygli í rannsóknum. Markmið rannsóknarinnar var að kanna: 1) hvernig félagslegur stuðningur og félagsleg og efnahagsleg staða í fjölskyldu auk efnahagsstöðu íbúa hverfis tengdist líðan og lífsánægju ungmenna af ólíkum þjóðernisuppruna og 2) hvers konar félagslegan stuðning unglingar af erlendum uppruna gátu sótt til íslenskra vina og vina sem einnig höfðu erlendan bakgrunn. Doktorsverkefnið byggðist meðal annars á gögnum úr landskönnuninni Heilsa og lífskjör skólanema (HBSC – Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children) sem safnað var annars vegar 2009–2010 og hins vegar 2013– 2014 í 6., 8. og 10. bekk. Alls tóku 11561 nemendur þátt í fyrra skiptið (87% svarhlutfall) og 10561 tóku þátt 2013–2014 (84% svarhlutfall). Til viðbótar var ráðist í nýja gagnasöfnun fyrir rannsóknarverkefnið sem fór fram á vormisseri 2018. Í þeirri rannsókn tóku þátt alls 806 unglingar (82% svarhlutfall) í 8.–10. bekk úr níu grunnskólum. Beitt var markvissri úrtaksaðferð og voru skólarnir níu valdir til þátttöku með hliðsjón af staðsetningu (höfuðborgarsvæði og byggðakjarnar á landsbyggðinni), hlutfalli innflytjenda (hátt, meðalhátt og lágt), efnahagslegri stöðu fjölskyldna á svæði (lægri og hærri) og stærð skóla (meðalstórir og stórir). Helstu niðurstöður doktorsverkefnisins voru að meiri vanlíðan og minni lífsánægja kom fram hjá ungmennum af pólskum og asískum uppruna samanborið við ungmenni sem höfðu íslenskan uppruna. Þessir upprunahópar bjuggu að jafnaði við lakari félagslega og efnahagslega stöðu miðað við ungmenni sem höfðu íslenskan uppruna. Atriði á borð við bágari efnahag fjölskyldu, að búa ekki hjá báðum foreldrum eða að viii foreldrar voru án vinnu tengdust, síðri líðan og lífsánægju ungmenna. Jafnframt nutu ungmenni af erlendum uppruna síður stuðnings foreldra, vina og bekkjarfélaga en ungmenni af íslenskum uppruna, sem einnig skýrði lakari líðan og minni lífsánægju. Efnahagur fjölskyldna í íbúahverfi tengdist einnig líðan og lífsánægju unglinga, en ávinningur þess að búa í skólahverfi þar sem efnahagsstaða fjölskyldna var betri skilaði sér síður til unglinga af erlendum en innlendum uppruna. Þegar borinn var saman aðgangur hópanna að félagslegum stuðningi vina, nutu unglingar af erlendum uppruna síður tilfinningalegs stuðnings íslenskra vina en unglingar sem höfðu íslenskan uppruna. Niðurstöður rannsóknarinnar undirstrika mikilvægi þess að bæta stöðu innflytjendafjölskyldna á Íslandi og huga betur þeim stuðningsúrræðum sem til staðar eru og standa ungmennum af erlendum uppruna til boða., University of Iceland Doctoral Fund

International research has shown that immigrants are often at a disadvantage in the labor market and their expertise often underappreciated. The objective of this article is to review the recruitment process of companies in services, in regard to attitudes to foreign applicants by human resource managers. The research is based on the “thinking aloud” method, where interviewees in qualitative interviews were asked to think aloud while reviewing applicant information. The researchers fabricated six CVs for female applicants from six countries. After examination and discussion of the CVs, the human resource managers were asked further questions on the recruitment of immigrants in their company. The main findings are that human resource managers seem aware of prejudice against people from Eastern Europe, and were willing to hire a woman from Lithuania or Poland for the job. The findings further indicate that in the Icelandic labor market, prejudice centers strongly around religion, then Islam. The participants did, however, attempt to separate themselves from prejudice against Islam by referring to gender equality. The research further suggests that it might not be relevant to make a sharp distinction between skilled and unskilled workers. The findings suggest that the applicant ́s experience makes a difference when the experience has been gained in Iceland, while being much less important if gained somewhere else.

In the aftermath of the financial crisis that hit Iceland in October 2008, increased numbers of Icelanders migrated to Norway to seek employment due to difficult economic circumstances in Iceland. Using critical perspectives from postcolonial studies and critical whiteness studies, the paper explores how these Icelandic migrants in Norway make sense of their new position as economic migrants within a global economy characterised by a growing sense of precariousness, while past inequalities and racism continue to matter. We also examine how these migrants are perceived in Norwegian media, and how social discourses of Icelandic migrants reflect larger Norwegian debates on racism, desirability and cultural belonging. Media discourses in Norway and interviews with Icelandic migrants reveal a hierarchy of acceptability of migrants. Icelanders are positioned as highly desirable compared to other migrant groups due to the intersection of perceived racial belonging, nationality and class. Our discussion contributes, furthermore, towards a critical analysis of the category migrant, by exploring how the term immigrant (innvandrer/innflytjandi) is used in narratives of Icelandic migrants in Norway and in Norwegian media discussions, showing the negative and racialised connotations of the term immigrant and how its understanding is linked with vulnerable positions and discrimination., This research received doctoral grants from the University of Iceland Research Fund and the Icelandic Centre for Research (Rannís) (grant number 174347-051), and a grant from the Memorial Fund of Eðvarð Sigurðsson. The study is part of the research project Icelandic Identity in Crisis, funded by the Icelandic Centre for Research (grant number 130426-051).

The International Studies in Education Programme (ISEP) at the University of Iceland is in its tenth year. Since its inception in 2008 it has aimed to provide educational opportunities for a diverse student population in the Icelandic higher educational context. As a social justice response to the varied and growing (im) migrant population, the programme offers an interdisciplinary and international view of education for students interested in working in diverse educational settings. We conduct a concept analysis of strategic policies of the University of Iceland (UI) and its aims at internationalisation in relation to changing demographics within the student population. We suggest that internationalisation at the UI in its current form does not attend sufficiently to these changes. We suggest that internationalisation at the UI in its current form pays insufficient attention to changing demographics in Iceland given the underrepresentation of (im)migrant students. We propose a broader definition of internationalisation to reflect and respond to all international students in order to better serve the (im)migrant student population. We further argue for increased recognition of the programme’s contribution to the university’s internationalisation policy in the context of global demands for increased diversity in higher education. Our intention is to contribute to the dialogue on what constitutes quality international higher education at local, national and global levels., Ritrýnd grein

Í kjölfar aukinna fólksf lutninga síðustu áratugi hefur innf lytjendum fjölgað í háskólum á Íslandi. Þessi grein er byggð á niðurstöðum rannsóknarverkefnisins Væntingar og tækifæri innf lytjenda á Íslandi til háskólamenntunar og áskoranir henni tengdar (2016-2018) sem styrkt er af Rannís. Meginmarkmið rannsóknarverkefnisins er að öðlast skilning á upplifunum, reynslu, áskorunum og stuðningi við innf lytjendur í háskólanámi hérlendis. Í þessari grein eru kynntar helstu niðurstöður úr eigindlegri rannsókn með innf lytjendum sem eru núverandi og fyrrverandi háskólanemar á Íslandi. Gagna var af lað í rýnihópaviðtölum og einstaklingsviðtölum við alls 41 nemanda í þrem háskólum á Íslandi. Markmið rannsóknarinnar sem greinin fjallar um er að öðlast skilning á reynslu og upplifun innf lytjenda af kennsluaðferðum, áskorunum og stuðningi í þremur stærstu háskólunum á Íslandi, Háskóla Íslands, Háskólanum í Reykjavík og Háskólanum á Akureyri. Niðurstöðurnar benda til þess að f lestir þátttakendur upplifi að kennsluaðferðir í háskólunum séu nútímalegar. Þeir nefna hagnýtar kennsluaðferðir, svo sem umræðutíma og hópavinnu, og að byggt sé á þekkingu þeirra og reynslu. Skoðanir á þessum kennsluaðferðum eru þó mismunandi. Sumir þátttakendur telja hópavinnu vera góða, en aðrir upplifa hana sem tímasóun. Sumir sækjast eftir akademísku námi, á meðan aðrir vilja frekar læra eitthvað hagnýtt, sem þeir geti notað í framtíðarvinnu. Þá telja þátttakendur að jafnræði ríki milli nemenda og kennara í háskólunum, en það hafa þeir ekki alltaf upplifað í heimalöndum sínum. Niðurstöðurnar sýna einnig að nemendurnir eru langf lestir jákvæðir gagnvart kennslu og stuðningi í íslenskum háskólum en þeir glíma við ýmiss konar áskoranir. Fram kemur að þeir leita eftir mismunandi stuðningi, bæði formlegum og óformlegum, svo sem betra aðgengi að formlegum upplýsingum fyrir innf lytjendur á innra neti og á vefsíðum háskólanna. Óformlegur stuðningur, svo sem frá íslenskum samnemendum, t.d. við nemendur sem hafa lítið tengslanet hér á landi, virðist heldur ekki mikill. Þátttakendur glíma einnig við ýmiss konar vandamál, einkum tungumálaerfiðleika, en einnig samskiptavandamál og skort á upplýsingum. Þátttakendur frá löndum utan EES/ES glíma við erfiðleika tengda dvalarleyfi sem geta haft mikil áhrif á nám og líðan. Þessi rannsókn getur nýst háskólum við að bregðast við aukinni fjölbreytni meðal háskólanema., Rannís (163516)

Nemendum af erlendum uppruna hefur fjölgað mikið í íslenskum skólum. Það kallar á að skólar bregðist við námsþörfum þessa nemendahóps. Markmið þessarar greinar er að fjalla um reynslu kennara og foreldra af menntun nemenda af erlendum uppruna. Í eigindlegri rannsókn voru tekin viðtöl við þrjátíu og átta grunnskólakennara um reynslu þeirra af því að kenna nemendum af erlendum uppruna og helstu áskoranir sem því fylgja. Einnig voru tekin viðtöl við tíu erlenda foreldra um reynslu þeirra af íslenskum skólum. Niðurstöður sýna að kennarar telja sig ekki vera nægilega vel studda til þess að skilja og takast á við námsþarfir nemendanna. Upplifun foreldra litast af hugmyndum þeirra um skólann sem hinn hefðbundna stað fyrir nám og íslenska skólakerfið ögrar þessum skilningi þeirra. Skortur er á samvinnu og samskiptum milli forelda og kennara. Í niðurlagi er lagt til að skólar stuðli að markvissari umræðu um þarfir nemenda og væntingar foreldra svo að efla megi og bæta menntun nemenda af erlendum uppruna., There is a constantly growing number of students of foreign origin in Icelandic education. These changes require schools and teachers to respond to the educational needs these students may have. The results of Icelandic research on multicultural education have, in the main, suggested that the Icelandic school system is failing in its efforts to educate children of foreign origin. Current legislation on schools in Iceland strongly emphasises equality, and schools are expected to suit their operation as closely as possible to the situation and needs of the students; thus, in a broad sense, supporting every student’s development, welfare and education. This emphasis is reiterated, at each stage, in the Icelandic National Curriculum Guide for Compulsory Schools (Mennta- og menningarmálaráðuneyti, 2012b) Icelandic education policy is based on the ideology of the inclusive school which focuses on meeting students’ diverse needs, whether those be academic or social; thus the operation of the school attempts to ensure that students are given equal or equivalent educational opportunities The policy also emphasizes the diversity of the student group, leading to their varied needs. Despite the attempt to recognize diversity within the Icelandic school system, for example in legislation and curricula, the multicultural aspect of the education policy has not received much attention. In academic discourse on the inclusive school and multicultural education, research, both in Iceland and abroad shows that impediments to real change towards multicultural practices are not least to be found in attitudes to students who need additional assistance in their studies and in parents’ and teachers’ expectations towards them. When initiating and developing a multicultural, inclusive school operation, respect for families and their diverse backgrounds has a crucial role. School staff have to be prepared to work with parents of varied origin and to demonstrate an understanding of their circumstances and world view. The objective of this article is to examine the experience of teachers and parents of students with immigrant background with regard to their education. Answers are sought to the following research questions: How do teachers approach the education of children of foreign origin; and how do parents from abroad perceive and experience their children’s education? Focus group interviews were conducted with thirty eight teachers from six primary schools discussing their experience of teaching students of a foreign background and the main challenges they faced in this context. Individual interviews were also conducted with ten parents from abroad in relation to their perception of Icelandic schools and their children’s education, The research revealed that the teachers feel they are not sufficiently trained and prepared to tackle the demanding tasks of multicultural teaching. Furthermore, the support and encouragement needed to stimulate teachers’ interest and ambition to take on this kind of teaching appeared to be lacking. Due to insufficient communication between schools and homes, many parents are unfamiliar with the aims and methods of the Icelandic school system. This has caused foreign parents to distrust the school and prevented them from being able to keep close track of their children’s studies. The parents’ attitudes are coloured by their notions of the school as a traditional venue of study and the Icelandic school system challenges their traditional ideas in this respect. Cooperation and communication between parents and teachers is also lacking. The article suggests that these shortcomings should be dealt with and discussion and dialogue should be encouraged between the parties concerned, focusing on the students’ needs and parental expectations, with the aim of supporting and improving the education of students of foreign origin.

Publisher's version, This article examines LGBQ migrants’ experiences of living in Iceland, with a focus on LGBQ migrants from the Global South. LGBQ migrants may belong to various communities, for example, to their ethnic community, the queer community and to the wider Icelandic society, all of which affect their experiences. Various societal changes have taken place in Iceland in recent decades regarding LGBQ people, and at the same time, the number of international migrants who have taken up residence in Iceland has vastly increased. This article applies theories of belonging to LGBQ migrants’ subject-positions in society, using theories of racialization to explore the ways in which migrants’ experience exclusion and xenophobia. It draws on an intersectional approach to analyze how issues relating to people’s gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, nationality, and class overlap and shape their experiences, throughout the migration process and in their daily life. The findings show that LGBQ migrants employ a bifocal world view, while also demonstrating the ways in which they perceive racialization and a sense of (un)belonging in the Icelandic context. Furthermore, this study shows that migration can provide an opportunity for new. paths and practices regarding participants’ sexual orientation and identity construction., Funded by the Icelandic Research Fund-RANNIS (Grant of Excellence nr: 163362)

Migration is a gendered process that shapes the lives of men and women differently, because they generally occupy dissimilar positions within the household, the labour market and society. This article examines gender and migration within a Nordic context, between two countries that are often presented as gender equal in cross-national comparisons. The focus is on how the gendered division of labour is manifested in the experiences of Icelanders who migrated to Norway in the wake of the Icelandic financial crisis of October 2008. The results are based on interviews with people who migrated to Norway both with and without their families. In our analysis, we show how the gender-segregated labour market and gender norms lead to different positions and opportunities for men and women at times of economic crisis and migration. For study participants who migrated with their families, the relocation was often organized around the labour-market position and opportunities of men. Those who migrated without their families emphasized their roles as providers for their families. However, only the women described how their absence was perceived as a failure to fulfil childcare responsibilities. The findings highlight the resilience of the notions of men as providers and women as primary parents within “the gender-equal Nordic region”, and indicate how these roles may facilitate or discourage the migration of men and women., The research received doctoral grants from the University of Iceland Research Fund and the Icelandic Centre for Research (Rannís) (grant number 174347-051), and a grant from the Memorial Fund of Eðvarð Sigurðsson. The study is part of the research project Icelandic Identity in Crisis, funded by the Icelandic Centre for Research (grant number 130426-051).

The Icelandic language has a central role in defining Icelandic nationality. Given its importance in defining Icelandic nationality and as a precondition for citizenship, the article studies what learning the Icelandic language means for the growing numbers of immigrants who have arrived in Iceland in recent years. This ethnographic study presents immigrants’ perspectives on learning the language to be able to participate at work as well as gain access to the language community and Icelandic society in order to examine theory-based questions regarding processes of inclusion, exclusion and integration. Our study shows that although language is promoted as an important aspect in inclusion into Icelandic society, many of our participants who have attended classes but work mostly with other immigrants experience the language requirements instead as a boundary marker in terms of participation and belonging in Icelandic society.

Erlendar rannsóknir benda á að innflytjendur standa oft höllum fæti á vinnumarkaði og sérfræðiþekking þeirra er oft ekki metin að verðleikum. Markmið þessarar greinar er að skoða ráðningarferlið hjá þjónustufyrirtækjum út frá viðhorfum mannauðsstjóra til erlendra umsækjenda. Rannsóknin, sem er eigindleg, byggir á svokallaðri, hugsa upphátt (e. think aloud) aðferð. Rannsakendur útbjuggu sex ferilskrár kvenkyns umsækjenda, frá jafnmörgum löndum, með umsókn um starf bókara hjá stóru þjónustufyrirtæki. Mannauðsstjórar voru beðnir um að lesa yfir starfslýsingu og hugsa svo upphátt á meðan þeir fóru yfir ferilskrárnar og mátu umsækjendur. Eftir að yfirferð yfir ferilskrár var lokið voru mannauðsstjórar spurðir nánar út í ráðningar á innflytjendum í vinnu. Helstu niðurstöður greinarinnar eru að mannauðsstjórar virðast meðvitaðir um fordóma gagnvart einstaklingum frá Austur-Evrópu og setja ekki fyrir sig að ráða konu frá Litháen eða Póllandi í starf bókara. Mikilvægt er að undirstrika kynjaðar birtingarmyndir fordóma og hvernig niðurstöður gætu hafa verið aðrar ef um karlkyns umsækjendur hefði verið að ræða. Niðurstöður greinarinnar benda jafnframt til að fordómar á íslenskum vinnumarkaði birtast helst í kringum trúarbrögð, þ.e. sem andstaða við Íslam. Viðmælendur reyndu þó að aðskilja sig frá þessum fordómum með vísun til kynjajafnréttis. Einnig bendir rannsóknin til þess að varasamt sé að draga of skörp skil á milli starfsfólks með reynslu eða menntun (skilled) og fólks sem hefur litla reynslu eða menntun (unskilled). Niðurstöðurnar benda einnig til að reynsla umsækjenda sé að miklu leyti metin eftir uppruna. Það er, að reynslan skipti mun meira máli ef hennar var aflað á íslenskum vinnumarkaði., International research has shown that immigrants are often at a disadvantage in the labor market and their expertise often underappreciated. The objective of this article is to review the recruitment process of companies in services, in regard to attitudes to foreign applicants by human resource managers. The research is based on the “thinking aloud” method, where interviewees in qualitative interviews were asked to think aloud while reviewing applicant information. The researchers fabricated six CVs for female applicants from six countries. After examination and discussion of the CVs, the human resource managers were asked further questions on the recruitment of immigrants in their company. The main findings are that human resource managers seem aware of prejudice against people from Eastern Europe, and were willing to hire a woman from Lithuania or Poland for the job. The findings further indicate that in the Icelandic labor market, prejudice centers strongly around religion, then Islam. The participants did, however, attempt to separate themselves from prejudice against Islam by referring to gender equality. The research further suggests that it might not be relevant to make a sharp distinction between skilled and unskilled workers. The findings suggest that the applicant’s experience makes a difference when the experience has been gained in Iceland, while being much less important if gained somewhere else., Ritrýnt tímarit

Forskning i forskellige multikulturelle samfund og skoler i de seneste årtier har vist, at mange indvandrere og indvandrerbørn er marginaliserede. Dette har været et incitament for en række publikationer i de seneste årtier om skoleudvikling, læseplaner, pædagogik, skoleledelse, læreruddannelse og andre emner relateret til skole og uddannelse i multikulturelle kontekster. Forskningen har også vist eksempler på god praksis i sådanne sammenhænge,2 og i denne artikel vil vi præsentere et projekt som drejer sig om succeshistorier på dette område i Norden.

Racialization does not always take place through discourses of blackness as emphasized in American research, or exclusively in relation to immigration, as emphasized in the European context. As an affective process, racialization is entangled with particular views of nation-states and a sense of belonging in a wider community of nations where humanitarianism can play a large role. By looking at international development in Iceland, the paper emphasizes that racialization takes place in different spheres of society where Icelandic racial subjectivities are shaped by global ideas of humanitarianism and international development that intersect with older Icelandic anxieties of belonging with sovereign northern European nations. The article emphasizes whiteness as being embedded in local Icelandic conversions of nationhood and belonging, entangled in global international development discourses that involve mobilizations of the idea of ‘humanity’., University of Iceland Research Fund and The Icelandic Research Fund (RANNIS), project number 134226-052, Post print

A thesis submitted for a final examination for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology as an External Student of the University of London, The research is about the assimilation of women immigrants in Icelandic society through domesticity and the home. The focus is on the material practices that act to incorporate ‘foreign women’ into being Icelandic, accepting the ambivalence and resistances that act to preserve certain emotional attachments to former identities whilst at the same time considering the role of the senses and emotions in promoting knowledgeable, gendered subjects capable of acting in changed circumstances. In particular I look at the experience of immigrant women in making and running a home, bringing up their children and how this experience is materialized in daily activities. I focus on a group of German women who came to Iceland in 1949 to work, especially in rural areas where cheap labour was needed. Many of them stayed, married and established families and became Icelandic citizens. Immigration policies in Iceland have been strongly assimilationist and therefore the research shows the effects this assimilation has had on the identity of these women and what implications their identities have for understanding Icelandic identity in general. Comparison of this group to another younger one which has arrived in the last five to fifteen years makes apparent the role of domesticity and kinship relations in assimilating immigrant women into the Icelandic society. The research is carried out according to standard anthropological techniques of interviewing and participant observation. Archival and audio-video material is also used. The material collected is put into historical and social context through a focus on oral history and discussions of current memory work in anthropology and cultural Heritage studies.

Þessi ritrýnda útgáfa er afrakstur rannsóknaverkefnisins Inclusive Societies? The Integration of Immigrants in Iceland., Rannsóknin var styrkt af Rannsóknasjóði Rannís (styrkur nr. 184903-051).