Mega Factory and Social Trust : Once in Skellefteå you are a Skelleftener?

Abstract: In my hometown Skellefteå in the north of Sweden, Northvolt is building a mega factory for the production of lithium batteries. Labour supply for this massive new industry will demanda large influx of people from all around the world. The rather homogeneous population of Skellefteå, characterized by high levels of social trust and cohesion, is expected to grow with up to 20% the coming decade, largely due to immigration. Research suggests that ethnic diversity might have negative effects on social trust and cohesion, but the evidence is mixed and seemingly context specific. The purpose of this work is to better understand how the increased diversity in the wake of the mega factory establishment might affect the social trustin Skellefteå. The purpose is pursued through a hermeneutical phenomenological study exploring how immigrant women experience social trust in Skellefteå. The findings suggest that factors connected to diversity may slow down interpersonal trust processes, nevertheless, immigrant women do experience and develop social and community trust in Skellefteå, through processes of recognition and accommodation. Also, a new word, Skelleftener, meaning someone living in Skellefteå regardless of origin, is suggested.