A Case of Definition: Understandings of Gender Equality in the Context of Immigrant Integration

Abstract

The Introductory Law passed in 2003 represents the most comprehensive and systematic effort in integration of immigrants and refugees in the modern history of immigration in Norway. The ultimate goal of integration measures is immigrants participation in the labour market. At the same time, with the recent revival of nation-centric rhetoric and a redefinition of national core values across the Western world, including Norway, integration measures aim to introduce immigrants to values that form the basis of the nation and its cohesion. Given the importance of gender equality as one of the values central to the Norwegian state, and subsequently the national identity of its citizens, research on how this value is communicated to people who arrive to the country with hopes of becoming its citizens is called for. In spite of a seemingly unequivocal understanding of the concept of gender equality, different definitions and interpretations can be found on different administrative levels and among different actors in the integration process. Of a special interest to this thesis is to what extent the definitions described in official government policies overlap with the interpretations of the people who implement them and are in their capacity of the so-called street level bureaucrats arguably the actual policy. This study aims to address and interpret some of these differences.