Current Pan-Nordic research projects explore the success of educational intervention related to immigrant students at all levels in the education system (Ragnarsdottir and Schmidt, 2013). While this focus is invaluable, the dialogues around how the societies themselves are adjusting or changing in response to this population change are not as obvious. This presentation focuses on the popular reflection of immigrants in the social and educational systems.  Research questions: What are current and general „popular“ views held by Icelanders regarding the increasing diversity of their culture? How have these views developed over the past 15 years? What changes have been enacted in the educational system with a view to this? Where is success found and what characterizes this success?

The presentation discusses current literature and other social dialogue around immigrant life in Iceland.  Because these reflections are formed not only through the interactions teacher and schools have with the students and their families, but through media, preconceived ideas of the „other“, politics and the resultant policies developed around immigrants, the researcher addresses the question of national perception in a wider socio-cultural context. Often fear of bias or institutionalized racism within societies and education systems can hamper effective examination of integration and acculturation (Beach, Dovemark, Schwartz and Öhrn, 2013). To engage in a deeper examination, I use anthropological, sociological, cross-cultural and critical identity theories explore how difference and sameness are constructed in Icelandic culture in the context of the “immigrant.” The research, further, grounds itself in the concepts of democracy, human rights and equity, and inclusion as articulated in the most recent Icelandic educational curriculum reform (MoSEC, 2011).

The influx of immigrant labour continues to change and expand the Icelandic educational and social landscape (Statistics Iceland, 2014). Current public programs focus on increasing the inclusion of immigrants through interventions such as Café Lingua, a program of cultural exploration offered through the national library; Mother Tongues, a grass-roots organization aimed at supporting heritage language and culture learning and Flying carpets: Cultural Moots, a program that helps students and schools create conversations about cultural diversity as part of the changing Icelandic cultural landscape (Borgarbokasafn Reykjavikur, 01.02.2014). What these programs have in common is the focus on making the “other” more accessible and „consumable“ for the general public, without reflection on how it also supports continued „othering” in the Icelandic context. Recent articles regarding these issues in other Nordic countries focused on the attitudes and expectations that “natives” of the country hold and how this affects students’ educational achievement, cultural integration and academic success, when faced with national identities which may or may not have conflicting images of immigrant populations (Beach et al., 2013; Lappalainen, Odenber, Stenn-Olsen, 2013 and Berg, 2013). Still other research focuses on the educational success in Icelandic and Nordic education (Ragnarsdóttir et al, 2013).

While this research and activities focus on the well-being of immigrant students in Iceland it eschews the discussions occurring in news outlets, on social media sites and in political debates: such as the rights of Muslim immigrants to purchase land to build a mosque and a recent study which found that 93% of immigrants encounter racism in Iceland (Fréttablaðið, various dates 2013-2014).  Yet the most recent versions of Iceland´s national curriculum developed key focal programs and plans which include sustainability, democracy and human rights, equality and inclusion. This literature review and brief survey is intended to bridge the gap between how immigrants are supported in policy and how they are viewed in public discourse.

Beach, D.; Dovemark, M.; Schwartz, A.; Orhn, E. (2013). Complexities and contradictions of educational inclusion. Nordic studies in education (4,) p. 254-268. Universitetsforlaget, Norge. Borgarbokasafn Reykjavikur. Café Lingua. http://www.borgarbokasafn.is/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-4873/8476_read-34020/ (retrieved: 01.02.2014) Borgarbokasafn Reykjavikur. Fljugandi teppi: Menningarmot I leik-, grunn- og framhaldsskolum. http://borgarbokasafn.is/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-3373/5429_read-12893/ (retrieved: 01.02.2014) Lappalainen, S.; Odenbring, Y. & Steen-Olsen, T. (2013). Welfare, social justice and equality in educational setting in the Nordic countries. Nordic studies in education (4,) p. 249-253. Universitetsforlaget, Norge. Nordforsk (www.nordforsk.org, 17. 9.2013) Nordplus (www.nordplusonline.org, 17.9.2013) Ragnarsdóttir, H.; Schmidt, C. (editors.) (2013). Learning spaces for social justice: International perspectives on exemplary practices from preschool to secondary school. Trentham Books. London, UK. Steen-Olsen, T. (2013). Cultural belonging and peer relations among young people in multi-ethnic Norwegian suburbs. Nordic studies in education (4,) p. 314-328. Universitetsforlaget, Norge.