About the project
Similar numbers of Tamils live at present in Norway and Denmark numbering around 13,000. The population in Sweden is far smaller and estimated to be around 2000 only. At present there are more than 8000 Tamils living in Oslo, representing around two-thirds of all Tamils living in Norway. In Copenhagen, fewer than 500 Tamils live, and Stockholm has around 1000 Tamils. These numbers include the second generation, numbering about one-third of the total population of Tamils. Scandinavian countries, though with many similarities among t hem, do also present certain differences in the context of immigrant integration policy. The scale difference between the places does also matter in the context of the study, making a study of this nature both challenging and interesting. The project a dopts three hypotheses. These are described as follows:
- Remittance sending has been largely a first-generation practice and the moral obligation for sending remittances is minimal among the second generation Tamils.
- Remittance sending has impact o n standard of living; and positively contributes to better labour market and housing conditions, but negatively contributes to health problems and relative poverty among remittance-sending Tamils and thus plays an important role in integration issues.
- Remittance practices have association to place differences and have an impact on standard of living and integration through the differences in places and available social capital
Objectives
The primary objective of the project is to study the remittance practices and their consequences with standard of living and the integration process of Tamils living in Scandinavian capitals, Oslo Copenhagen and Stockholm.
Background
- The project period is May 2012 - April 2016.
- The researcher responsible for the project is Postdoctoral Fellow Sarvendra Tharmalingam.
- The project adopts a mixed methodology, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. As a prime source of data collection, it is planned to conduct a household survey. This study will also include a qualitative segment of interviews with the life story approach.
Financing
- The project is financed by The Research Council of Norway