eSocSci Migration Network: State barriers to political participation among migrants in NZ & Sweden
Channel: e socsci
Date: 29/03/2018

New Zealand and Sweden differ with regard to predominant type of immigration (economic or humanitarian), sending countries, migrants’ education levels and migrant integration policies, yet in both countries enfranchised migrants vote at lower rate than native-born. This paper utilises data from focus groups with migrants and interviews with election officials in New Zealand and Sweden to identify and compare barriers to political participation among migrants in the two countries. Participants in both countries report insufficient access to political information as a major barrier to voting. However, participants in New Zealand and Sweden differ in their feelings of belonging to the host country and perceptions of risk associated with participating in politics. I discuss findings from focus groups in the context of relevant policies in New Zealand and Sweden, such as access to welfare, mandatory and non-mandatory introductory courses for migrants and refugees, citizenship policy and the framing of migrants in policy discourse. The paper concludes with policy recommendations.