Stationarity and Non-Stationarity in Immigrant Problem Discourse: 'The Politics of Migrant Youth'

Abstract

This article dissects debates about the "immigrant youth" over time, using the difference between stationary and non-stationary processes as the primary analytical tool. Using Sweden as an example, we show that the Swedish debate for decades was non-stationary, basically consisting of a number of independent and largely uncorrelated debates. The stationary, firmly placing immigrant youth as an originating principle in the debates, thus basing it on essentializing principles, is seen as a recent phenomenon. The wider implications of this change, for example with respect to multicultural ambitions, are outlined.

Keywords

• migrant integration discourses
• migrant youth characterizations
• stationarity