“I do not know why, but I always wanted to go away”: Brazilian migrants’ reflections on their transnational experiences and sense of belonging in Sweden

Abstract: This thesis aims to explore the transnational experiences of Brazilian immigrants living in Sweden. As a contribution to media and migration studies, this research investigates the immigrants’ non-mediated and mediated practices that influence their sense of belonging in the host country. There is scarce research comprising Brazilian immigrants abroad, particularly in Sweden, compared to other Latin American migrants. This study opens rooms for words, emotions, bodily gestures, and immigrants' authencity to share their perspectives of what being a Brazilian immigrant in Sweden means to them. As a case study of a particular immigrant group, fifteen Brazilian immigrants living in Malmö and Lund tell their life stories. This is qualitative research with semi-structured interviews inspired by ethnographic methods and a non-media-centric approach. The ethnographic inspiration in the interviews comprises of a creative map-drawing, through which Brazilians illustrate their everyday life experiences in Sweden and Brazil. Therefore, this thesis builds on interviews and creative ways to comprehend the complexities of immigrants’ experiences and their sense of belonging. The findings show that immigrants’ transnational experience is given through adaptation processes that trigger different emotions, identity recognition, and nuances of their sense of belonging. This thesis reveals that mediated and non-mediated practices, combined, enhance how the immigrant makes sense of place while facing feelings of belonging. The study further sheds light on how mediated practices contribute to the immigrant keeping ties to Brazil and keeping connections with family and friends in Brazil while enhancing bonding in Sweden. Finally, the thesis underscores how mediated practices support matters of integration, and how integration and a sense of belonging are differently understood according to the particularity of each immigrant’s life story.