Evolution of Integration Initiatives by the Swedish Red Cross: A Comparative Study of Refugee Resettlement in the 1990s and 2015

The paper investigates the position of the Swedish Red Cross in two large periods of refugee resettlement in the 90s and 2015. Using a comparative perspective has enabled a thorough and retrospective observation of the differences in the integration initiatives of the organization during the respective time periods. In doing so, this thesis used the findings from interviews and documents to assess the relationship between the Swedish Red Cross and the Swedish authorities. By assessing the Swedish state’s connection with the SRC in terms of integration policies, the research theoretically investigates whether the integration attempts of the Swedish Red Cross have been imbued with agency and solidarity. The findings of the study suggest that the Swedish Red Cross today is more visible in the field, given that the state frequently shares the role of providing social services with local authorities and NGOs. As such, this research contributes to the body of scholarly research on the role of NGOs in the integration of the newly arrived focusing on the case of the Swedish Red Cross.