| dc.description.abstract | This thesis aims to explore and gain in-depth insights into the everyday lives of six Asian immigrant women
based on their perspectives. Everyday life perspectives provide a new way of understanding one own's
personal stories based on the language of those studied. It offers a novel approach to looking at various
issues, and problems often dismissed, neglected or overlooked. It also provides a means of understanding
the wider world at large. This thesis is based on semi-structured interviews with six former participants of
work activation programs implemented by the Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi) and the
Norwegian and Welfare Organization (NAV) in Oslo, Norway.
In this thesis, I make use of the theory of social cohesion to explore the daily lives of six informants and
whether work activation programs have an impact on strengthening their feelings of cohesion as seen
through its three essential dimensions: social inclusion, social capital, and social mobility.
This thesis acknowledges that there are various challenges and facilitators experienced by the informants
in order to improve their labor market participation and to promote social cohesion. It is illustrated by how
they emphasized in their narratives, beginning from their entry into the Norwegian society, their struggles
over how to take care of their families, their efforts to learn the Norwegian language, establish new social
networks, and to find employment.
Based on the results, I argue that the six informants I spoke with described low integration and social
cohesion in the Norwegian labor market and society. It is exemplified by how the informants highlighted
what is taking place within their everyday lives and how this affects their opportunities to become active
and integrated into the labor market. Hence, the policy/measure should be more detail oriented. It should
give more focus on how to address the individual needs of the participants. The policy should focus on the
provision of a free and intensive Norwegian language course that is accessible to everyone. Likewise, the
policy should consider the qualifications and competencies of the participants and make use of them.
Lastly, it should strongly encourage employers to eliminate skepticism about hiring immigrants and allow
immigrants to work and make use of their educational background, competencies, and skills. | en |
