An evaluation of immigration and integration policies with respect to the muslim community in Iceland

Abstract

This paper contains research into the socio-economic integration of foreigners of Middle Eastern and/or Muslim background into Iceland. Its focus is on government integration policies in Iceland in comparison to the Scandinavian nations of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The policies themselves, ministries and official offices involved in the process of making the policies and putting them in action, the practical aspects of the policies such as delegation of tasks and their execution, are also examined and evaluated closely in the context of each country. Though the focus is on integration policies, issues concerning the integration of Muslims and Middle Eastern immigrants as found in literature on the subject are also dealt with. Interviews and focus groups with the goal of understanding the status of this particular immigrant community in Iceland were conducted and results of those interviews are contained in this paper.