"Utan naturen kan vi inte leva" - Associationer, erfarenheter, värderingar och miljöengagemang hos unga utomeuropéer i Malmö

Sammanfattning: ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to examine how young adults with non-European background and with an upbringing in a city associate to nature and what may have influenced these associations. Given that a majority of people live in cities, there is a risk that many young people do not spend time in natural environments, which may affect their associations to nature and also their environmentalism. The study also examines whether the respondents spend time in natural environments, if they value nature as important to protect and if there is a connection between the experiences and values of nature and environmentalism. Ten young adults have been interviewed in the city of Malmö, four men and six women, all aged between 18-21, and with a non-European background, all brought up in a city. A qualitative method was used and the analysis of the collected data was done with an inductive thematic analysis method. The results show that the respondents associate nature with greenery, trees, and freedom from cars, Internet and mobile phones. Places associated with nature were Malmö parks and the forest outside Malmö. Some experience that nature is everywhere while others contend nature can’t be found in the city. The respondents that spend time in nature do this for health reasons and to get away from the Internet and mobile phones. Common obstacles to visit nature are the distance, lack of time, bad weather, and lack of interest. All value nature as important to protect, but the values do not always lead to active environmentalism. Hindering factors for environmental commitment are lacking experience of "wild" nature during childhood, lack of knowledge, lack of interest and belief in their own power to make a change. Most of the associations and values are based in childhood experiences of nature with parents and school. Keywords: nature, environmentalism, young adults, non-European, association, experience, childhood, urban