Social and Cultural Integration Challenges Among Pakistani Women Immigrants in Norway

Abstract

One of the manifestations of globalization is the rapid increase in international migration. Pakistanis immigrants have lived in Norway since the 1970s when the men came as labor migrants. They have settled in Norway afterward their wives joined them in the 1980s. This thesis shows how the social and cultural integration challenges among Pakistani immigrant women in Oslo, Norway during the period of 1980s to present. I am presenting challenges they have faced related to social integration like language, dressing, social network, contact with Pakistani community, member of social organizations and discrimination in job. I have also investigated the cultural (norms and behavior) challenges to integration and also throw light on how religious values become barrier in cultural integration. The ways of integration changed over the decades. I have done qualitative research method. I used snowball sampling technique to select informants for interviews. Primary data is collected through interviews during field work. I have taken ten interviews to get information from informants. Using these interviews from-Pakistani women immigrants, who moved Norway during the period of 1980s to present and relevant background theory and research have been used to give support to this study. Important themes such as social issues, religion, culture, and discrimination etc. My research focuses on Pakistani women immigrants in Norway. To explore the variety of factors which determine how Pakistani women immigrants are integrated in a new country (Norway) and culture play important role in integration, such as language, social network, society’s acceptance of minority culture and religious practices. To explore the barriers in the process of integration in Norwegian society from 1980s to now. The ways changing process of integration over the last five decades.