“I don’t care if they call me black”: the impact of organisation and racism in Canadian and Swedish nursing homes

Abstract

Nursing homes for seniors are an integral part of the Canadian and Swedish welfare states; however, daily work takes place within different organisational contexts. In contrast to Sweden, Canadian nursing homes are larger, have lower staffing levels and are oriented towards a medical care model. In both countries, shaped by staffing shortages, there are more racialised workers employed in the care sector. Earlier research has noted how racialised staff might be exposed to racism from residents. In this study, we explore care workers’ experiences of racism and their perceptions of how racism is managed in the different organisational contexts.