\ud83c\udf89 My new study is now published!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everyday integration in Nordic welfare societies often hinges on something deceptively simple: access to clear, reliable, and usable information. From understanding healthcare systems to navigating the labour market, education, and social life, immigrants\u2019 sense of belonging is shaped through everyday information encounters. This insight motivated my newly published article in Library & Information Science Research:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBelonging through information: Mapping immigrant integration needs in Nordic societies\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udd17 https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.lisr.2026.101400<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The article is part of Mobile Futures – Research Consortium<\/a> and was carried out in collaboration with Migration Institute of Finland<\/a> & \u00c5bo Akademi University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udcca Conceptual focus of the study<\/p>\n\n\n\n The article maps immigrant integration through five interconnected dimensions, placing belonging at the centre and showing how information needs cut across all areas of everyday life:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Social integration \u2013 information about social networks, community activities, family support, childcare services, volunteering, and peer support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Health integration \u2013 information on how healthcare systems work in practice, public vs. private services, entitlements, interpreters, mental health support, and medical communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Labour market integration \u2013 information about recognition of foreign qualifications, job-search practices, labour laws, workplace rights, and professional networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Cultural integration \u2013 information on local norms and customs, cultural events, community centres, media, and opportunities to express and maintain one\u2019s own cultural traditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Educational integration \u2013 information about language learning, the education system, student services, scholarships, and educational and career pathways for both adults and children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Based on semi-structured interviews with 54 first-generation immigrants in Finland, Sweden, and Norway, the findings show that integration challenges are not only about policies or services, but about whether information is understandable, accessible in familiar languages, and actionable in everyday situations. When institutional information is fragmented or unclear, people rely heavily on informal networks\u2014often at the cost of confidence, wellbeing, and a sense of belonging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udcc4 Read the article:<\/p>\n\n\n\n