Now I Know Norway from Within

Boundary Work and Belonging in Au Pairs' Narratives

Bibliographic Data

ID2436588
AuthorsOlga Tkach (0000-0002-0464-2305, Centre for Independent Social Research, corresponding author)
Year2016
Volume6
Issue4
Pages224-233
Publication date2016-12-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueNordic Journal of Migration Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1799-649X • E-ISSN: 1799-649X
PublisherHelsinki University Press (PUBLISHER • FI)
DOI10.1515/njmr-2016-0032
OpenAlexW2560333770
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited10

This article analyses how female au pairs from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) perceive some aspects of Norwegian society - public arrangements and rules; localities and social environment; and privacy and culture of parenting - to express their belonging to it. Applying the concept of boundary work, and drawing on in-depth biographical interviews with current and former au pairs, I show how they find their own place in a new context. I argue that boundary work through comparisons with the hosting Other and active reflection on differences and similarities of Norwegian and post-Soviet realities enables au pairs to appropriate new cultural and social sources and become more enthusiastic about subsequent integration in the host country

Archaeology · Art · Boundary-work · Commonwealth · Geography · Linguistics · Literature · Media studies · Narrative · Norwegian · Political science · Social science · Sociology · Engineering · Gender Politics and Representation · Gender Studies · Gender, Security, and Conflict · Law · Philosophy · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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