Female Migrants in Search of Jobs: The Role of Social Capital in Labor Market Integration

Abstract: The labor market integration of immigrants in general, and female migrants in particular, remains a central developmental objective for counteracting inequalities within societies across Europe. Previous studies put forth the concept of social capital, the resources linked to an individual's network of social connections, to explain immigrants’ diverging labor market trajectories. Policy-makers also acknowledge social capital as a means to solve problems of inequality. Nonetheless, the popularity of the concept of social capital has evoked controversy regarding its effect. Moreover, social capital and integration research is also criticized for neglecting gender. Guided by social capital theory, economic embeddedness, and neo- assimilation theory, this thesis seeks to complement current literature on social capital and integration by illuminating the perceptions and experiences of labor market integration among female immigrants in Sweden. Based on empirical material gathered through interviews with women participating in the integration project “Klara Färdiga Kvinna” (KFK), findings suggest that social capital plays contradictory roles. On the one hand, it brings about inclusionary mechanisms. On the other, it is also considered a factor in exclusionary processes. Accordingly, social capital accumulation and utilization work in unpredictable ways. Furthermore, additional factors such as human capital, gender, and processes of “deskilling” shape the experiences of labor market integration.