Social Risks, the Nordic Welfare State and Institutional Trust – Do Migrants “Go Native”?

In modern Western societies, the welfare state became a source of security against social risks. In general, social risks are often characterized by high uncertainty and vulnerability, e.g. concerning old age or unemployment. By granting a certain insurance against social risks the welfare state, conversely, provides the individuals with a certain “basis” for coping with social risks. However, what are the mechanisms that “translate” this basis into the individuals’ perceptions and understandings?  Concerning this aspect, the role of institutional trust has been emphasized and characterized as both important for the individuals to handle social risks (i.e. “translation”) and the welfare state to gain and reproduce support by the citizens. The Nordic welfare states, characterized in general by a high social protection, universal, predominantly tax-financed welfare state arrangements, and comprehensive work/family policies, seem to do pretty well when it comes to trust, both concerning generalized social trust and institutional trust.

In this context, migrants in the Nordic countries constitute an interesting case – as newcomers to a high-trust country and thus its welfare state, how do they “adapt” concerning questions of how to handle social risks, the welfare state and institutional trust? Our empirical material consists of qualitative interviews with migrants in Denmark that contain e.g. topics like the migrants’ experiences with the Danish welfare state, their perception of it, how and if their perceptions on certain issues related to social risks have changed since their arrival in Denmark and how institutional trust is playing a role here. This gives us the possibility to shed light on mechanisms of (potential) institutional trust-building in the context of the Nordic welfare state.