Somalis in Sweden: Regional Dimension

Abstract

The article discusses the process of formation and development of parallel societies in Sweden in the case of the Somali community. The transformation of Sweden into a country of mass immigration, which began in the second half of the 20th century, and its positioning as a “humanitarian superpower” significantly changes the country’s socio-cultural space. The authors conclude that the narrow spatial localization of the extraneous cultural and confessional population, with a specific imperative of behavior, results inthe formation of parallel communities, and in the case of the Somali community, to its marginalization. Within these segregated areas on the territory of Sweden, a fragmented social space is formed, the interaction between the subjects of which is similar to that in Somalia. At the same time the Swedish state organizations lose their monopoly on the implementation of the legislatively fixed rights and freedoms of citizens across these territories. It negatively affects Sweden’s internal security aspects, leading to an increase in the radicalization of Swedish society and in the threat of terrorism. The current situation undermines the security not only of Sweden itself, but also of its EU neighbors – primarily the Nordic countries. Therefore, nowadays, the integration of immigrants from the Muslim countries of Asia and Africa is one of the most important problems facing the Swedish government and the entire Swedish society.