“Little Mogadishu” in Stockholm, or “Apartheid with a Friendly Face” in Sweden

Abstract

The article analyzes the causes of spatial segregation of migrants from Africa in Sweden. The problem of segregation is most pervasive in Rinkeby – a district of the Swedish capital, whose population is more than half represented by migrants from Africa, primarily from Somalia. The segregation of Somalis in Rinkeby is caused by a complex of reasons: the inherited difficulties of the country’s housing system, the policy of multiculturalism in Swedish society carried out for decades, the socio-cultural characteristics of the Somalis themselves – the clan structure of their diaspora. The combination of a multicultural model of integration, which provides for the preservation and development of the cultural traditions of immigrant communities in Sweden, with the principles of the welfare state has actually led to the voluntary segregation of Somalis. Rinkeby is often referred to as “Little Mogadishu” and has acquired a dubious reputation as one of the most dangerous places to live in the country, which is caused by the marginalization and criminalization of the migrant population. The Swedish authorities are striving to implement programs aimed at improving the socio-economic indicators of districts such as Rinkeby through the elimination of the very mechanisms of segregation.