{"id":5975,"date":"2026-03-16T13:18:31","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T20:18:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edtechuvic.ca\/edci336\/2026\/03\/16\/weekly-reflection-5-understanding-current-events-in-sweden\/"},"modified":"2026-03-16T13:18:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T20:18:31","slug":"weekly-reflection-5-understanding-current-events-in-sweden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edtechuvic.ca\/edci336\/2026\/03\/16\/weekly-reflection-5-understanding-current-events-in-sweden\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Reflection #5: Understanding current events in Sweden"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"669\" src=\"https:\/\/learningwithmacy.opened.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10109\/2026\/03\/IMG_1814-1024x669.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People hold banners welcoming refugees in Malm\u00f6, Sweden. From <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketplace.org\/story\/2019\/07\/17\/sweden-immigration-economy\">https:\/\/www.marketplace.org\/story\/2019\/07\/17\/sweden-immigration-economy<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Swedish language learning update<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Duolingo streak:<\/strong> 47 days<\/p>\n<p><strong>New words unlocked<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ingenj\u00f6r \u2013 engineer<\/li>\n<li>Han \u2013 he<\/li>\n<li>Hon \u2013 she<\/li>\n<li>Men \u2013 but<\/li>\n<li>Bor \u2013 lives<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Feeling inspired to be more knowledgable<\/h2>\n<p>I\u2019m a dual citizen of Canada and the UK, and until very recently I had absolutely no idea that I might not be able to enter my own country of birth using my Canadian passport. New UK travel rules mean that some British Canadian dual citizens may need to use a British passport or apply for special travel authorization, which costs nearly $2000 CAD) when entering the UK, rather than relying on a Canadian one. Reading this made me realize that I am, frankly, woefully underprepared and under-informed as my trip to Sweden rapidly encroaches. I ended up applying for a new UK passport (mine expired when I was 5 years old!) and I am praying that it arrives in time!<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"774\" src=\"https:\/\/learningwithmacy.opened.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10109\/2026\/03\/IMG_1816-1024x774.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-200\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">UK Passport. Image from <a href=\"https:\/\/nationalpost.com\/news\/canada\/new-passport-rules-for-british-canadian-dual-citizens\">https:\/\/nationalpost.com\/news\/canada\/new-passport-rules-for-british-canadian-dual-citizens<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>That realization sent me down a bit of a research spiral. I started looking not only for any other bureaucratic hoops or travel rules that could potentially interfere with my practicum abroad, but also at how current global events might be shaping the lives of the people I\u2019ll soon be interacting with in Stockholm \u2013 students, fellow teachers, and the people I\u2019ll pass on the street, in restaurants, and bars \u2013 potential future friends.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s easy to get wrapped up in your own life and your own travel plans, but part of developing cultural intelligence is stepping outside of that bubble and actually paying attention. That means learning about Sweden, of course, but also paying attention to broader global issues \u2013 I also wonder how conflicts like the war in Iran might be affecting how people are feeling and living in Sweden right now.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"746\" src=\"https:\/\/learningwithmacy.opened.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10109\/2026\/03\/IMG_1807-1024x746.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-201\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Screenshot from <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.gc.ca\/destinations\/sweden\">https:\/\/travel.gc.ca\/destinations\/sweden<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Issues in Sweden<\/h2>\n<p>I started with the Government of Canada travel advisory webpage for Sweden. According to the Government of Canada\u2019s advice for travellers to Sweden, the following issues mean that you need to exercise a high degree of caution:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Terrorism<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There is a threat of terrorism in Europe. Terrorists have carried out attacks in several European cities and further attacks are likely.<\/p>\n<p>Targets could include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>government buildings<\/li>\n<li>schools, including universities<\/li>\n<li>places of worship<\/li>\n<li>airports and other transportation hubs and networks<\/li>\n<li>public areas such as tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, shopping centres, markets, hotels and other sites frequented by foreigners<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Always be aware of your surroundings when in public places.<\/p>\n<p>Be particular vigilant during:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>sporting events<\/li>\n<li>religious holidays<\/li>\n<li>major political events, such as demonstrations<\/li>\n<li>other public celebrations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Violent crime<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Organized crime-related violence occurs in the three biggest cities in Sweden:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Stockholm <strong>(where I\u2019m going!)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Gothenburg<\/li>\n<li>Malm\u00f6 (where I plan on visiting\/passing through on my way to Copenhagen after my practicum)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Apparently, there has been an increase in gun violence and homicides in Stockholm County, which is linked to gang rivalries. \u201cViolent incidents have occurred in public areas, including bars and restaurants.\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/travel.gc.ca\/destinations\/sweden\">https:\/\/travel.gc.ca\/destinations\/sweden<\/a>). I am minorly concerned about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, I also know that these incidents are rare and often spun by those in power to promote certain narratives.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" src=\"https:\/\/learningwithmacy.opened.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10109\/2026\/03\/IMG_1817-1024x681.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-202\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A police officer patrols the immigrant borough of Rinkeby, in Stockholm. From: <a href=\"https:\/\/newlinesmag.com\/reportage\/the-unraveling-of-swedens-great-society\/\">https:\/\/newlinesmag.com\/reportage\/the-unraveling-of-swedens-great-society\/<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Anti-immigration sentiment<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gu.se\/sites\/default\/files\/2025-10\/The%20ripple%20effect%20of%20gang%20violence%20-%20Has%20the%20rise%20in%20shootings%20fueled%20anti-immigrant%20sentiment%20in%20Sweden.pdf\">This master\u2019s thesis<\/a> from a student at Uppsala University discusses the uptick in anti-immigrant sentiment in Sweden, and how it is connected to media presentation of gang-related shootings. Swedish mass media often subtly presents shootings as an issue of immigration, highlighting when shooters are first- or second-generation immigrants to Sweden.<\/p>\n<p>I recently spoke to a Swedish woman who \u201cwarned\u201d me about how some immigrants can be \u201cdangerous,\u201d specifically talking about men who had come from Syria, Somalia, and Afghanistan. She said that I should be careful as a woman in Sweden, especially in the big city, where there are more immigrants. I didn\u2019t know what to say to her, and it was a little awkward. I think that Sweden has been a very homogenous society for so long, and that there are tensions with the arrival of refugees and immigrants that cannot be separated from issues of racism and xenophobia.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls src=\"https:\/\/learningwithmacy.opened.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10109\/2026\/03\/ScreenRecording_03-15-2026-14-20-51_1.mov\" preload=\"none\"><\/video><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Excerpt from fantastic YouTube video about the anti-immigration sentiment in Sweden, <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/YzWFxsvuq4Y?si=mMbW6qPKORLqIu35\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/YzWFxsvuq4Y?si=mMbW6qPKORLqIu35<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This article from The Guardian shows the real-life impact of new Swedish immigration legislature on a family from Uzbekistan: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jan\/24\/a-lot-of-fear-the-families-bearing-brunt-of-swedens-immigration-crackdown\">https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jan\/24\/a-lot-of-fear-the-families-bearing-brunt-of-swedens-immigration-crackdown<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\">\n<blockquote>\n<p>Sofiye, who has three children, arrived in Sweden from Uzbekistan as an asylum seeker in 2008, and for much of that time she was able to build a life in the Scandinavian country. The family lived in a flat in a Stockholm suburb and Sofiye worked for the municipality in the home help department. She learned Swedish and her children went through the Swedish school system. Her youngest son was born in Sweden and her 18-year-old son, Hamza, who is studying in college to be a technician, doesn\u2019t know life anywhere else.<\/p>\n<p>Three years ago, however, after unsuccessfully seeking refugee status four times, Sofiye lost her right to work and is now living under the threat of a deportation order. For the last two years she and two of her children have been living in limbo in an asylum return centre in an industrial area near Stockholm\u2019s Arlanda airport. <\/p>\n<p>The situation is causing her so much anxiety that for the last two months she has lost her appetite and been vomiting with stress. As she spoke to the Guardian she held a plastic bag into which she regularly retched.<\/p>\n<p><cite><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jan\/24\/a-lot-of-fear-the-families-bearing-brunt-of-swedens-immigration-crackdown\">https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jan\/24\/a-lot-of-fear-the-families-bearing-brunt-of-swedens-immigration-crackdown<\/a><\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n<p>I had no idea about these issues in Sweden until recently. I think that a lot of people have a picture of Sweden as an inclusive, open, liberal utopia. But it is not immune to the challenges that we\u2019re seeing around the world, like the rise of nationalism.<\/p>\n<p>Further reading:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2024\/10\/07\/swedens-immigration-stance-has-changed-radically-over-the-last-decade.html\">https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2024\/10\/07\/swedens-immigration-stance-has-changed-radically-over-the-last-decade.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/newlinesmag.com\/reportage\/the-unraveling-of-swedens-great-society\">https:\/\/newlinesmag.com\/reportage\/the-unraveling-of-swedens-great-society<\/a><\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>People hold banners welcoming refugees in Malm\u00f6, Sweden. From https:\/\/www.marketplace.org\/story\/2019\/07\/17\/sweden-immigration-economy Swedish language learning update Duolingo streak: 47 days New words unlocked: Ingenj\u00f6r \u2013 engineer Han \u2013 he Hon \u2013 she Men \u2013 but Bor \u2013 lives Feeling inspired to be&#8230; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/edtechuvic.ca\/edci336\/2026\/03\/16\/weekly-reflection-5-understanding-current-events-in-sweden\/\">Continue Reading &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edtechuvic.ca\/edci336\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edtechuvic.ca\/edci336\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edtechuvic.ca\/edci336\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edtechuvic.ca\/edci336\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edtechuvic.ca\/edci336\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5975"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/edtechuvic.ca\/edci336\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5975\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edtechuvic.ca\/edci336\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edtechuvic.ca\/edci336\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edtechuvic.ca\/edci336\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}