| dc.description.abstract | This master thesis is a study of territorial stigmatization and how it affects the identity of ethnic minority boys at Furuset. Territorial stigmatization is about the consequences of how negative and stereotypical impressions affects certain neighborhoods and the people living there (Wacquant, 2008, p. 115). Furuset is known for having a lower socio-economic status than the rest of Oslo. Research shows that young people at Furuset experience territorial stigmatization, and that they react to this stigmatization in different ways (Rosten, 2017, p. 58, 59). Based on this, the study operates with one main question: How does territorial stigmatization affect the identity of ethnic minority boys at Furuset? Three sub questions are designed out of the main question: 1) How do ethnic minority boys at Furuset experience their own neighborhood? 2) How do ethnic minority boys at Furuset experience being met by others?, and 3) How do ethnic minority boys at Furuset react to being met with territorial stigmatization? The three questions are designed to reflect different aspects of the territorial stigmatization.
The study uses Goffman´s (1963, 1992) theory of stigma and impression management as theoretical frameworks. His two theories offer a way to analyze different identity markers and how it affects the impressions that people create in each other. As an extension of the concept of stigma, the study makes use of Wacquant´s (2008) theory of territorial stigmatization. The study use qualitive method with interviews to answer the research questions. Six young men with ethnic minority background were interviewed. They shared their experiences related to their identity development of being a Furuset resident. The main findings suggest that the amount of territorial stigmatization they experience, depends on where they are and with whom they interact. Examples of different areas are such as school, work and public places. Identity markers mentioned in the interviews may be minority background, the way of talking and dressing, skin color, socio economic status and where they live. Over the last decade, it may seem like social media is a platform where territorial stigmatization is expressed in new ways. The social media platforms also represent an arena in which the young people can express and develop their identities as a response to the territorial stigmatization. The boys who were interviewed, expressed a lot of satisfaction of being Furuset residents. Keywords suchs as loyalty, belonging and social community were mentioned frequently. The study sheds light on how minority and majority can be defined, and whether the ethnic minority boys form a kind of majority at Furuset. The study is relevant within social work on the basis of themes such as inclusion, exclusion, cross-cultural resources, marginalization and identity development. | |
