Multireligious Cooperation and the Integration of Muslim Migrants in Sweden

• Published date: 01 July 2020
• Date: 01 July 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0002716220939919

939919ANN
THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMYTHE INTEGRATION OF MUSLIM MIGRANTS IN SWEDEN
research-article2020
In recent years, as the number of migrants arriving
in europe has grown, faith-based organizations have
become intimately involved in assisting migrants’ short-
and long-term integration. this article describes an
innovative cooperative project between minority (mosque)
and majority (church) religious institutions designed
to enhance integration between Muslim migrants and
their predominantly Christian host community. Using
survey and interview data, this study finds that partici-
Multireligious pants reported enhanced feelings of welcoming, larger
networks of friends and acquaintances, and more engage-
Cooperation ment in activities after participating in the project.
Keywords: multireligious cooperation; integration;
and the
migrants; religion
Integration of
Muslim
Although the number of migrants arriving
in europe has now declined since its peak
Migrants in in 2015 (when more than a million arrived
[Clayton and Holland 2015]), the process of
Sweden
integration continues for the approximately
850,000 migrants who have arrived at europe’s
borders between 2016 and 2019 (IOM 2020).
Although many debate how to reduce the size
of the migrant population and distribute it
among european Member States (bbC 2019),
others acknowledge migrants’ legitimate rights
By
to stay and integrate into new host communi-
MAJbrItt LyCk-bOweN
ties (Lyck-bowen and Owen 2018). Successful
integration of Muslim migrants is especially
important in light of negative perceptions
about Muslims and Muslim migrants as a risk
to security, threat to social cohesion, and
Majbritt Lyck-Bowen is a research fellow at Centre of
Religion, Reconciliation and Peace and a lecturer in
reconciliation and peacebuilding at the University of
Winchester. She is also the program leader of the dis-
tance learning MA in reconciliation/reconciliation and
peacebuilding. She is currently managing a research
project that focuses on religious actors’ involvement in
the integration of migrants.
Correspondence: Majbritt.Lyck-bowen@winchester.ac.uk
DOI: 10.1177/0002716220939919
168
ANNALS, AAPSS, 690, July 2020

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tHe INteGrAtION OF MUSLIM MIGrANtS IN SweDeN
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inability to integrate in predominantly Christian host communities (bbC 2018;
Falk 2017; Statham and tillie 2016; wagenvoorde 2017). Although national
authorities have played a significant role in offering long-term assistance to
migrants, many european countries have increasingly turned to civil society
organizations to welcome and integrate migrants (enjolras and Strømsnes
2018; Józ´wiak; Sánchez-Domínguez, and Sorando 2018; Lyck-bowen and
Owen 2018).
In many countries, faith-based organizations (FbOs) are now actively involved
in helping to welcome and integrate migrants (CCMe 2015; Hough 2016; Lyck-
bowen and Owen 2018; Lyck-bowen 2019). this is not new; many Christian
FbOs have a long-standing tradition of aiding migrants in need, working alone or
with secular partners to welcome and integrate migrants (Lyck-bowen and Owen
2018). However, in response to the recent increase in migration to europe, some
FbOs have begun to cooperate with FbOs from different religions on integration
projects (weißt du wer ich bin? 2018; Lyck-bowen and Owen 2018; Lyck-bowen
2019). One example is in Stockholm, where a mosque and church have set up the
Goda Grannar (Good Neighbors) project that aims to welcome and integrate
migrants through a wide range of activities (Goda Grannar 2018). Can such a
program assist Muslim migrants to bond with other migrants from similar back-
grounds, to build bridges to the local community, and to integrate them into their
host communities (Allen 2010; Connor and koenig 2013; elliott and yusuf
2014)? In this article, I use interview and survey data to explore whether and how
the Goda Grannar program aided in the integration of Muslim migrants who took
part in the project in fall 2018.
though there is no general agreement in the literature as to what constitutes
successful integration, some common features such as a sense of belonging; and
civic, social, economic, and cultural participation of migrants are often linked to
successful integration (Lyck-bowen and Owen 2018). Integration is a complex
and dynamic dual process of participation and interaction. keeping this in...