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The theoretical point of departure in this dissertation proposes that the liberal welfare state includes a fundamental logic of integration, viewing the attainment of social equality between different categories in society as a main condition for social integration. But how can this logic of integration be applied to a multicultural society? Is trying to achieve equal access to certain socio-economic standards sufficient, or does cultural diversity call for other measures in order to fulfill the aim of equality and integration?

In this study it is argued that the liberal welfare state in a multicultural society is confronted with three tensions. Firstly there is a tension between the welfare state’s aim to promote equality and freedom for the individual and at the same time to fulfill certain collective interests and goals. Secondly there is a tension between on the one hand the aim to promote integration within the community of citizens – demos – and on the other hand to tolerate (or even to actively promote) the fact that citizens also enjoy membership in different ethnic communities – ethnos. Thirdly there is a tension between a policy strategy that is general in the sense that all citizens are in principle involved as recipients, and a policy strategy that is targeted as it identifies only members of a certain category of the population as its recipients.

These three tensions are used as Weberian ideal types in analyzing the Swedish discourse about policies targeted towards immigrants over a period of 30 years. The study includes an analysis of the discourse within four separate policy areas: the general policy towards immigrants, policies towards immigrants’ voluntary associations, educational policies and housing policies. The empirical results show that, over time, the discourse has moved from a multicultural policy towards a position of civic assimilation.