Integration and the Art of Making a Society: The Case of Swedish Society

During the last refugee wave in the mid-2010s, Sweden received a high proportion of refugees compared to other countries. In connection with this, the debate about the country’s ability to manage the integration of immigrants intensified. The dominant discourse, which also had political repercussions, was that integration has failed. This chapter reflects on immigrants and ‘Swedishness’ in relation to integration, ethnicity and equality. Swedish Popular Adult education, ‘folkbildning’, will be used as an example of a democratic educational environment for collective learning, and as an instrument for successful democratization of the society promoting social cohesion and reducing inequality. The chapter examines the role of education for integration and inclusion, and the questions of who is a Swede, how one becomes a Swede.