”En av oss - men ändå inte” : Diskriminerande diskurser mot kvinnor med invandrarbakgrund i arbetslivet

Sammanfattning

This study explores how women with immigrant backgrounds experience their work relationships and their position within Swedish workplaces. Using semi-structured interviews and critical discourse analysis, the study examines how gender and ethnicity intersect to shape women’s everyday work-life conditions. Drawing on Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality and Foucault’s concept of power, the analysis highlights both structural and discursive mechanisms that influence how these women are perceived and evaluated. The results show that the women frequently encounter low expectations and stereotypical assumptions about immigrants, affecting how their competence is assessed. Many describe having to perform significantly better than their Swedish colleagues to receive equal recognition, as Swedishness functions as an implicit norm for professionalism. Participants also recount limited opportunities for advancement, with less experienced Swedish colleagues often being prioritized. To navigate these norms, several women adjust their language, behaviour, or even their names to appear “more Swedish”. The study shows that expressions of discrimination differ between sectors, in lower educated jobs it tends to be direct and explicit, while in higher educated professions it appears more subtly through assumptions about cultural fit. Overall, the study shows that the women’s work lives are shaped by complex power relations that restrict their participation and career development. The findings underline the need for further research on how organizations can challenge the norms that reproduce inequality.