Governing Diversity at the Frontline: The Dual Logics of Cultural Sensitivity and Assimilation in Sweden

This article investigates how street-level bureaucrats (SLBs) in Sweden manage cross-cultural challenges in their everyday interactions with migrants. While Swedish integration policy promotes both respect for cultural diversity and adherence to core national values such as gender equality and secularism, SLBs are often tasked with navigating the tensions between these potentially conflicting goals in practice. Drawing on 49 semi-structured interviews with SLBs across education, healthcare, labour market and social services, the study explores how cultural value dilemmas are interpreted and addressed at the frontline of the welfare state. The findings show that SLBs frequently perceive cultural diversity as a challenge to effective service delivery. Although they adopt culturally sensitive strategies, such as dialogue, adaptation, and contextual understanding, these are often employed to guide migrant clients toward alignment with dominant societal norms. Cultural sensitivity and assimilation thus emerge not as oppositional, but as coexisting logics that shape SLB practice. The article argues that culturally sensitive engagement may function as a method for advancing assimilationist goals, particularly in relation to gender roles, parenting, and religion. By highlighting these dynamics, the study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how diversity is governed within Swedish welfare institutions.