Families Navigating the Landscape of Consumption in the Swedish Welfare Society

Abstract

Swedish welfare policy has in several ways promoted the individual rather than the family as a unit. This is not a phenomenon happening only in Sweden, but one occurring in many other Western countries where individualization is strongly emphasized. Sweden is, however, interesting as an example of a country with deep collective roots regarding issues of welfare. The welfare state has been, and to a major part still is, the main provider of social services, a fact that has affected the Swedish family in certain ways. During the last decades, the Swedish welfare society has changed toward marketization implying that individuals and families have to take on more responsibility regarding their welfare. The aim of this article is to discuss the transformation of Swedish families as consumers reflecting upon the effects of the Swedish welfare society.