International Mobility and the Socio-Economic Conditions of Latin American ageing migrants

Migration and the dynamics of international mobility have shaped Swedish society for decades and remain central to contemporary questions of integration, welfare, and structural discrimination. While Sweden is often described as a country with strong welfare institutions and an emphasis on equality, migrants’ living conditions continue to be marked by unequal opportunities and structural barriers, particularly in relation to labour market access, recognition of qualifications, and experiences of racial discrimination. These inequalities can have long-term consequences across the life course, influencing not only employment and economic security, but also health, wellbeing, and conditions for ageing and retirement with dignity. However, research on migrants’ integration has often focused on short-term outcomes and has paid less attention to how structural inequalities accumulate over time and shape later-life conditions.

The overarching goal of this research project is to examine and analyse the life-course experiences of Latin American migrants ageing in Sweden, with particular focus on labour market trajectories, living conditions, experiences of ethnic discrimination, and transnational ties. By applying an intersectional and life course perspective, the project explores how migrants navigate in Sweden and how structural conditions shape inclusion, exclusion, and belonging over time.

The thesis is conducted as a monograph and is based on in-depth qualitative narrative interviews with Latin American migrants living in Sweden. Through a life-course approach, the study highlights how migration trajectories, working life, and experiences of discrimination influence everyday living conditions as well as possibilities for security and wellbeing in later life.

Doctoral student: Ada Lui Gallassi
Principal supervisor: Jessica H. Jönsson
Assistant supervisor: Maria Bennich