Between 2000 and 2017 the number of immigrants in Iceland increased from 8 500 to 36 000. A study conducted on the immigrant population in the North of Iceland in 2015-2016 showed that 82% of immigrants reported being either "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with their lives.

When it comes to studying immigrant populations the focus is almost exclusively on dissatisfaction, and problems like discrimination, prejudice, or other difficulties immigrants face.

This presentation intends to take a different approach, and aims to determine the factors and reasons why such a large proportion of the immigrant population reports high levels of satisfaction.

Debates and studies about immigration very rarely address well-being and happiness. Focusing on well-being might help shift the perception of immigrants in public opinion from being linked to problems, to being associated with possibilities and enrichment.

Professor Markus Meckl is a lecturer at the University of Akureyri, which is a partner university of RSU. As a guest lecturer the professor has contributed to the Master’s study programme Communication and Media Studies at RSU. For the past few years he has published several studies addressing migration and politics from an Icelandic perspective.