Between Mobility and Inclusion: The Position of Mother Tongue Instruction in Sweden and Denmark

Migration to Scandinavia has taken place quite similarly in Sweden and Denmark since the Second World War. However, from the 1980s onwards, Sweden and Denmark have become increasingly dissimilar in terms of migration policy, which went hand in hand with education policy for newcomers. Mother tongue instruction for newcomers may improve the process of integration and social cohesion; nevertheless, this is provided for differently in Sweden and Denmark. This study takes into account different social dynamics in order to research what the position of mother tongue instruction is in policy documents and media discourse in both Sweden and Denmark, to determine what the effects of mother tongue instruction are, and subsequently to figure out what is necessary to find the balance between mobility and inclusion – all these for creating further social cohesion and avoiding segregation.