Det ligger i deras händer : En sociologisk studie om segregationen mellan Bredäng och Mälarhöjden

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study is to bring out the social economic residential segregation that exists in Bredäng and in Mälarhöjden by experiences and perceptions from local residents with a qualitative research. The study will also show how these expectations forms from local residents in these districts. Both these districts take place in southern Stockholm. Bredäng, the public housing neighborhood and Mälarhöjden, the garden neighborhood are two districts that was built up during two different eras but has a social economic difference bigger than the geographic distance. The majority of the local residents in Bredäng are low incomes and have a lack of university or college education. The majority of the local residents in Mälarhöjden have a higher percentage of university graduates and the average income per year are twice the size of Bredängs resident’s. The main focus of this study will be to inquire into why the social economic elements lead to residential segregation in these districts, but also in how Mälaräng will effect on this. The main focus will be to examine why the social economic elements leads to how segregation forms from the expectations that exist. It generally occurs similar beliefs and perceptions from all respondents about these districts. The results shows that all respondents confirms that it exist social economic differences between Bredäng and Mälarhöjden with consequences that Bredäng becomes the segregated district towards to Mälarhöjden that is considered the “fancier” district with higher “status”. We have used the concept segregation that is central in this study and two theoretical points, Goffman’s identity and Elias and Scotson who writes about established and outsiders. We use the theoretical perspectives to connect the empirical part about how individuals form experiences and perceptions toward to the opposite district. We also find how identity creations forms from the categories that the individual gets.