Trouble in Paradise: Exploring Patterns of Research and Policy Response to Men's Violence in Denmark and Sweden

Abstract

This article compares the situation in Denmark and Sweden regarding research and policy-making around the issue of men's violence to women and children. Although the emerging picture is complex, the overall conclusion is that in Sweden in recent years one finds many more examples of a critical, power-oriented approach than is the case in Denmark. A potential multidimensional explanation for this divergence is suggested, with an emphasis placed on institutional factors—in particular the possible impact of contrasting dominant discourses of collectivism and individualism on welfare and other social institutions in the two countries.