Multilingual practices and normative work in the context of a civic integration project in Sweden

Abstract

This article explores multilingual practices and normative work in intercultural encounters in a language café set up as part of an integration project promoted by The Equmenia Church in Sweden. The method used in the study combines an ethnographic approach with two research methodologies used for studying interaction: conversation analysis and membership categorisation analysis. For this article, I have selected two examples extracted from video-recordings of interactions when volunteers and migrants at the café are engaged in normative work concerning sensitive, culture-related topics. The article zooms in on the mediating work of a multilingual facilitator, who is assigned the role of assisting as an interpreter in the integration project. It was found that the facilitator does something more than simply translate. Specifically, she also addresses moral issues through (i) explaining and clarifying; (ii) adding information; (iii) expanding on the agenda of the primary party; and (iv) expressing stances and taking sides. Based on these findings, I discuss the implications of this study, highlighting the role of lay multilingual speakers’ mediating work for intercultural communication and for migrants’ early process of integration.