Huffington Post UK: The Blame Game After Riots: It's Not All About Inequality, Unemployment and Integration

Those seeking rationale and reason for the riots have turned to rising levels of wealth inequality, a lack of integration of migrant youth, and the segregation of these communities in 'ghettos.' Amid the shock and awe, there are two key points that have yet to be discussed. The first is that there has been a broad tendency, within and outside Sweden, to praise Swedish policies which have not actually yielded their intended outcomes. The second is the long swept-under-the-carpet issue of racism in Sweden.
As commenters discuss the failures of integration in Sweden, the instinct has been to shirk responsibility with claims that 'they have not integrated.' Minds immediately turn to Sweden's renowned open-door, liberal immigration policies. Indeed, according to the Migrant Integration Policy Index, which ranks integration policies according to best practices and European standards, Sweden's integration policies rank the highest of 29 European countries. Their policies have been lauded internationally for their human rights compliance and generosity. By this logic, if the government is getting it right, then of course migrants are to blame for failing to achieve integration. After all, they live in one of the most egalitarian countries in the world. But though we may be able to laud Sweden for its policy design, we often gloss over the actual outcomes that have resulted from these policies. It's like judging a book by its cover.
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Inequalities between foreign-born and Swedish-born workers remain rife...These outcomes should be the first sign that something has gone wrong. Just because the goals are well set, does not mean outcomes will follow. And if outcomes are not achieved, then the methods need to be changed.
Secondly, both integration and the reason for these riots go far beyond unemployment. What we have been seeing in Stockholm over the last week is fundamentally a race relations issue...Anyone who has spent time in Sweden knows that Swedes are averse to talking about racism...And then there is the critical issue of police brutality and racial profiling...
It's time to face the reality that governments, law enforcement, and yes - majority communities must also claim responsibility for the events that have taken place over the last week. It's also time to talk honestly about white privilege and how it often skews the name, blame, and shame game when it comes to social unrest in diverse societies...Read more