This thesis aims to investigate how culture and hence values change in an immigrant group in Sweden and if their understanding of gender changes over generations, by using first- and second-generation Somali immigrants.

The study is a comparative small-N study design and uses a qualitative method of data collection with the help of a focus group interview.

This study employs the theory of agenda setting priming & framing, the aspects of gender and gender ideal types of traditional and liberal gender role ideologies - to explore the differences and similarities of the understanding and importance of gender between the two groups. The analysis was categorized under the first- and second-generation Somalis with subcategorization of the aspects of gender, to have a better structured analysis.

The key findings of this study indicate that the first-generation Somalis are compelled to conform to the liberal mainstream of the Swedish society, whilst keeping their core values such as their religious beliefs. However, they hold their religion to a higher esteem and placed more values on religion than culture. This is so because Somali culture is routed in religion and a lot of their cultural practices are based on religion, as indicated by both groups. Further, none of the aspects of gender raised in this study seems to be of great importance to the participants other than the aspects of clothing which is the wearing of Hijab.