South Asian Youth in Scandinavia

This article throws light on the psychological situation of South Asian youth in Scandinavia, primarily in Denmark, and to some extent in Norway, through the youths’ inter-ethnic and intergenerational relationships. Within the social psychological conceptualisation of transmigration, inclusion and exclusion, individualisation and interdependency, these relationships are delineated on the basis of two empirical projects, combined with an array of secondary sources. South Asian youth are becoming a part of the receiving society along with developing their complex diaspora identities through strategies like forming relationships across ethnic borders, youth organisations and media consumption. Intergenerational relationships indicate negotiations for most, combining individualisation with interdependency, but with serious conflicts for some. The conclusions pinpoint the challenges for Scandinavian societies, South Asian countries and the South Asian diaspora living in Scandinavia.