Swedish Policy Research Articles

Permanent residence permits and demands for integration: a genealogical analysis of Swedish immigration policy

ABSTRACT This article explores the contemporary civic integration policy trend of fusing migration control and integration requirements, by analysing Swedish immigration policies from a governmentality perspective. Through a genealogical analysis, the article focuses on policies on permanent residence permits and explores key concepts which underly contemporary policies on permanent residence permit, and the technologies of citizenship and anti-citizenship produced through them. The material consists of Swedish official documents published between 1951 and 2021. The analysis shows that ‘incentives’ and ‘conduct’ are key concepts which underly contemporary policies, where the permanent residence permit is constructed as part of an assemblage of technologies of (anti-)citizenship, governing non-citizens towards becoming law-abiding and working subjects. Furthermore, both these concepts have been given different meaning over time, especially the concept of incentives. This concept was central in the 1950s, then backgrounded during the late twentieth century and reactivated in 2015. The policies on permanent residence permit once again activated an assemblage of technologies aimed at governing the motivation of non-citizens who require residence permits. This reactivation relates to a wider trend of civic integration within western countries, where policies are recurringly designed to ‘improve’ non-citizens who are portrayed as morally lacking.

Assessing regional road traffic safety in Sweden through dynamic panel data analysis: Influence of the planned innovative policies and the unplanned COVID-19 pandemic

Efficient transport infrastructures are crucial to improve traffic safety and reduce negative effects of human activities, where effective transport policies play a vital role. It is also important to evaluate the effects of the policies to document and update them with time. The purpose of this study is to examine road traffic crashes with fatalities and severe injuries at the county level in Sweden, considering both planned innovative policies and the unexpected influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on road traffic crashes with fatalities and severe injuries from 2010 to 2021 in twenty-one counties in Sweden were collected, as well as road network data, vehicle registration data, land use data and socio-demographic data. Negative binomial autoregressive models with region fixed effect were proposed to estimate the effects of explanatory variables on crash frequency, along with Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) models. The findings demonstrate that the speed limit changes and the introduction of safety cameras in Sweden is effective in reducing fatalities and severe injuries. Importantly, different regions exhibit distinct responses to these interventions, with varying effects on different types of crashes. Additionally, findings show that other factors, such as land use characteristics, presence of trucks, and population density also influence the crash frequencies. Moreover, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was investigated, which shows a reduction in traffic crashes during the pandemic period. Important policy implications based on the findings are discussed to enhance transport safety and resilience. By considering regional variations, this study provides insights into the spatial dynamics of road safety patterns, and supports the Vision Zero policy in Sweden.

Head teacher perspectives on school lunch: At variance with national policy

Objective: Previous research indicates that head teachers in Sweden frequently fail to see school lunch as part of the educational activities of a school. This study contributes to an understanding of how head teachers in Sweden perceive and experience current national policy intentions related to school lunch. Design: Qualitative inquiry. Setting: Ten municipal state schools in Sweden. Method: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 head teachers responsible for the compulsory education of 6- to 15-year-olds in state schools. Data from digitally recorded and transcribed interviews were thematically analysed. Results: Head teachers primarily saw school lunch as a means to ensure pupils were fed and energised. Their focus tended to be on what followed after school lunch in the form of academic performance and mood, rather than the stated intentions of national school meal policy. Head teachers stressed the value of a free and nutritious school lunch for social equality, and the importance of good collaboration with food service managers and school meal personnel, despite the difficulty of achieving this. Conclusion: This paper highlights a gap between head teachers’ perspectives with respect to school lunch and official intentions stated in Swedish national school meals policy. The meanings head teachers saw as connected to school lunch were those of social equality and ensuring pupils were fed, rather than the wider potential envisioned by the authorities. This paper identifies factors that affect the possibility of realising national policy intentions for school lunch in Sweden.

Abandoning testing for asymptomatic microscopic haematuria in Sweden - a long-term follow-up.

To test the hypothesis that the Swedish national policy of abandoning testing for asymptomatic microscopic haematuria (AMH) introduced in 1999 did not adversely affect the prognosis of patients with urinary bladder cancer. Specific aims were to investigate possible effects on (1) Diagnostic delay as represented by stage distribution at diagnosis, (2) Survival and mortality trends, also in comparison to other countries and (3) National health care costs. The design was an observational study using open sources on patients included in the Swedish National Bladder Cancer Registry 1997-2016. Outcome measures were: Changes in initial tumour presentation during 5 years after the change and long-term relative survival and mortality in comparison to the other Nordic countries. Costs related to investigations were estimated based on the national price lists. The proportion of patients diagnosed with muscle-invasive bladder cancer decreased following the policy change. The long-term relative 5-year survival increased during the study period. Mortality has remained constant during the period. In comparison to the other Nordic countries, Sweden remains among those with the best outcome despite a more restrictive approach. Cost savings because of the policy change were estimated to be substantial. Based on open-source registry data, the new restrictive policy was not found to adversely affect the survival of patients with urinary bladder cancer in Sweden. These observations argue against a major negative impact of abandoning further work-up for patients with AMH and may be of use for other countries when revising guidelines. The reduced number of patients undergoing investigation may allow for increased focus and be a relief both for caregivers and the health budget.

Parental Involvement All the Way Through Local School Boards

This article comments on the development of school boards in Sweden. These boards are elected with parents in majority in compulsory schools. Data were gathered through interviews, observations and analysis of documents (e.g., school board minutes). The results indicate that different interests are not adequately balanced on the boards. Communication between the board and parents not on the board was unsatisfactory in many cases and such parents felt excluded from the board’s activity. The principal’s collaboration with the board’s chairperson was an important influence on the board. Evaluation, support and feedback from the local school authority were often neglected. These developments are linked to the transfer of welfare policy in Sweden and to the resultant market-oriented political governance. Partnership became the new prestige word. Parents are today seen as individual consumers in a market, yet if they become board members, they are expected to make decisions for all parents. Parental influence is increased in the schools, but the net effect may increase differences between pupils and between parents since the parents are never a homogenous group. The state implementation of local school boards in Sweden and in many countries is, therefore, complex and is reflected in the weak interest shown towards the top-down creation of boards.

Genesis of Legal Regulation of Pre-Trial Detention in Sweden and Ukraine: Comparative Analysis

Abstract The paper goes on to discuss the prevalence of issues in pre-trial detention practices in both Sweden and Ukraine, as noted by international and national organizations. Sweden has witnessed a growing trend in pre-trial detention statistics, while Ukraine, despite a decreasing trend in remand, faces a substantial number of cases brought against it at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) pertaining to pre-trial detention. The historical context reveals that these two countries have responded differently to criticism and challenges, reflecting variations in their legal systems and corresponding regulations on pre-trial detention. Nonetheless, both nations have pursued reforms with a shared objective: to improve the pre-trial detention system. Given these divergent experiences, statistical data, and overall context, it is evident that a comparative analysis of pre-trial detention policies in Sweden and Ukraine is warranted. Such a comparison can offer valuable insights into the existing problems in both countries and suggest pertinent solutions, taking into consideration their distinctive experiences and circumstances.

The search for professional digital competence in Swedish teacher education policy—A content analysis of the prerequisites for teacher educators’ dual didactic task

The search for professional digital competence in Swedish teacher education policy—A content analysis of the prerequisites for teacher educators’ dual didactic task

Conceptualizing diversity in ECEC policy: implications for the role of diverse preschool in Sweden

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to examine contemporary conceptualizations of cultural and linguistic diversity in the Swedish policy for early childhood education and care (ECEC). The analysis draws on in-depth interviews with high-level policy actors and the analysis of documentary material. Using the concepts of interculturality and hybridity as theoretical tools, the study explores understandings of diversity at preschool and connects these with the role of preschool in culturally and linguistically diverse settings. The findings suggest that the concept of diversity is (a) embedded in dynamic notions of culture, (b) articulated within discourses of democratic citizenship, and, (c) its enactment is promoted in time and space where negotiation and dialogue emerge. Within the context of increased population diversity, there is consensus over the core functions of the Swedish language in preschool, while discourses of multilingualism are characterised by positive yet complex and sometimes diversified constructions. These are reflected in the multiple roles assigned to preschool based on preparing, preventing, and promoting educational and welfare values to children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Research to reduce polarisation in the swedish energy policy debate

Research to reduce polarisation in the swedish energy policy debate Filip Johnsson, Professor at Chalmers University of Technology, argues that research can help to reduce polarisation in the Swedish energy policy debate. Sweden is an industrial country rich in natural resources such as iron ore, timber, and rivers for hydropower generation. These favourable conditions and the fact that Sweden remained neutral in WW2, resulted in strong post-war industrialisation, with many large companies expanding and becoming global players, including iron ore mining, steel companies, automotive industries, telecommunications, and the pulp and paper, shipbuilding and textile industries.

Period effects in the risk of labour market marginalization among refugees in Sweden: cohort study

Abstract Background Changes in Swedish national insurance policies over time and/or migration-related health inequalities may influence the risk for labour market marginalization (LMM) in refugees as compared to the Swedishborn host population. This study aimed to investigate potential period effects in the association between refugee status and the risk of LMM and explore any differences by country of birth, age and duration of residence. Methods Using national registers, three cohorts including all Swedish residents during 1999, 2004 and 2009 were followed for 4 years (cohort 2000, 2005 and 2010). Cox regression models were used to examine associations between refugee status and LMM defined as long-term unemployment (>180 days annually) and disability pension. The analyses were adjusted for socio-demographic factors, morbidities and labour market-related factors. Stratified analyses were run for age, country of birth and duration of residence. Results Across the cohorts, hazard ratios (HRs) were higher for long-term unemployment [2000: HR = 1.98; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.96-2.01; 2005: HR = 2.30; 95% CI: 2.27-2.33; 2010: HR = 2.78; 95% CI: 2.75-2.81] for refugees compared to Swedish-born but not for disability pension. HRs for long-term unemployment were highest among refugees aged 25-34 and 35-44 years, from Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq and refugees with a shorter duration of residence. Conclusions The risk of long-term unemployment appears to have increased for refugees over time. Particularly some refugee subgroups experienced more difficulties. These findings highlight ongoing disparities for refugees and implicate on a broader scale that changes in policies such as stricter regulations in the insurance or healthcare system might adversely affect them. Key messages • A period effect for long-term unemployment among refugees as compared to Swedish-born could be observed, and increases in the risk estimates were particularly pronounced for specific subgroups. • Refugees seem to face increasing challenges and difficulties over time to access the labour market and changes in policies might adversely affect this situation.

“The Door You Can Walk Through to Society”: Social Inclusion and Belonging in Vocational Programmes for Immigrants

This article presents a qualitative, empirical study of two educational programmes for immigrants that integrate language instruction and vocational training. In the context of migration, social inclusion is often conceptualised as access to social capital. Proficiency in the national language is considered key for employment and fast integration into working life has become a primary goal in Swedish migration policies. This article examines the two programmes from the perspective of inclusion into an (imagined) future professional community of practice (CoP), focusing specifically on the participants’ possibilities to invest in a professional linguistic repertoire. The article is dedicated to empirical analyses and positive factors, recognising the need for research. Data consists of interviews with students and teachers, observations, and video recordings of course activities. Organisational aspects of the courses, such as the teachers’ backgrounds and the courses’ proximity to future CoPs, as well as relational aspects of the learning environments, are considered essential for the participants’ inclusion in a future professional CoP. Analyses of the programmes’ content demonstrate that participants are assumed to lack context‐specific, vocational knowledge, including professionally related vocabulary. The article contributes to knowledge on how inclusion can be managed in practice in educational settings for adult immigrants and promotes an understanding of how vocationally adapted courses can assist immigrants in becoming members of a future professional CoP.

Unintended perinatal health consequences of a Swedish family policy: A population-based study

Abstract Background Family policies can influence parents’ fertility behaviors, with consequences for perinatal health. The 1980 and 1986 Swedish speed premium policies aimed to protect parents’ income-based parental leave benefits within birth intervals shorter than 24 and 30 months, respectively, but additionally encouraged shorter birth spacing and childbearing at older ages - both risk factors for several perinatal health outcomes. This study evaluates the association of the 1980 and 1986 speed premium policies with perinatal health outcomes. Methods We used information on all singleton births in Sweden from 1974 to 1991 (n = 1,762,784) to calculate rates of preterm birth, low birthweight (LBW), small for gestational age (SGA) at preterm and stillbirth, by month and year of birth. Changes in outcomes at reform periods were evaluated with interrupted time series analyses. Results The 1980 speed premium policy was linked to a monthly rate increase in preterm births relative to the pre-reform period (0.013 [95% CI 0.0061-0.0200] percentage points), equivalent to a 24% increase from 1980 to 1986. After the 1986 relaxation of the policy, the trend in monthly rates reversed (-0.025 [95% CI -0.033--0.018] percentage points). LBW displayed a similar pattern over both reform periods, which was attenuated when considering LBW at term. Rates of SGA at preterm and stillbirths did not change following either reform. Further analyses suggested that changes in perinatal health were restricted to births among native- and Nordic-born mothers, i.e., the primary groups to adjust their fertility behaviors to the reforms. Conclusions Despite its economic advantages for couples, especially mothers, the introduction of the speed premium policy had adverse perinatal health consequences particularly for preterm births. Family policies should be carefully designed with a ‘Health in All Policies’ lens to avoid possible unintended adverse repercussions for perinatal health. Key messages • Family policies can have unintended, adverse perinatal health effects if their eligibility requirements encourage individuals to make fertility decisions that are associated with health risks. • Policymakers should adopt a ‘Health in All Policies’ approach for developing and evaluating family policies to avoid unintended public health harms.

How the concept of the “chain of command” is construed through problematizations in Swedish adult education policy

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on how the chain of command is construed in Swedish municipal adult education. With a qualitative research approach and by drawing on the theoretical and methodological framework ‘What’s the “problem” represented to be?’ (WPR) approach, the aim is directed at identifying, interrogating, and reconstructing problem representations. The empirical material consists of contemporary key adult education policy that focuses on the chain of command and was analyzed in NVivo. Ethical considerations as well as data credibility, validity and reliability reflections were made in the form of WPR-guided self-reflexivity. The results indicate that both heads of education and principals are held responsible for the ‘weaknesses’ of the chain of command. Different solutions are also construed to solve the ‘problem’ that calls for increased trust between the actors in the chain of command. However, this trust seems to be underpinned by a request for more follow-ups, rather than a trust in the principal’s pedagogical leadership. The way that these issues are construed as specific kinds of ‘problems’ and ‘solutions’ has effects on the individuals that are involved in adult education. Based on the analysis, the need for policymakers to work on understanding the unintentional consequences of policies is stressed.

The governance of policy integration and policy coordination through joined‐up government: How subnational levels counteract siloism and fragmentation within Swedish migration policy

AbstractModern welfare states struggle with fragmented policies and siloed governments, as well as with the need to deal with wicked problems. We argue that addressing such problems from the perspective of central government can be facilitated by notions of joined‐up government that, combined with vertical aspects of modern governance, provide a basis for analysis. To embark upon such challenges, we examine policy integration and policy coordination within the complex area of Swedish migration policies in light of the European migrant crisis. Through a content analysis of an extensive qualitative material (interviews and documents), we show that policy integration is weakly associated with joint objectives and decision‐making. As a contribution to prior knowledge in the field, we emphasize the unintuitive finding that counteracting siloism and fragmentation in Swedish migration policy is not achieved through coherent governance ranging across tiers, functions, and sectors but mainly at subnational levels through policy coordination relying on a bottom‐up approach.

Waiting for Discovery and Support?

PURPOSE: In this paper, we explore and contrast the Swedish state and NGO arguments for initiating two changes in national educational degree objectives in Swedish teacher education: one regarding sex and cohabitation education, and the other regarding support for pupils with ʻneuropsychiatric difficultiesʼ such as autism and ADHD (here referred to as neurodivergent pupils). APPROACH: Using critical policy analysis, we compare the arguments from the government as well as responding bodies for introducing the two objectives, with a focus on neurodivergent pupils. RESULTS: Our findings suggest that discourses concerning sex and cohabitation education for all pupils and support for pupils with ʻneuropsychiatric difficultiesʼ respectively derive from different educational ideologies and reproduce different ideas about pupils as active citizens versus passive objects of interventions. The objective of sex and cohabitation education is framed within a norm critical discourse putting forward reflexivity and identity, and where pupils are active subjects to be involved in the process. In contrast, neurodivergence is framed within a deficit approach as neurobiological, individual impairment, and a special educational problem that should be managed by professionals. It is seen as a risk for school failure, where neurodivergent pupils are passive objects of professional discovery and support. CONCLUSION: In a Swedish educational policy landscape, stressing the importance of educating pupils in line with ideas of children as right-bearers, our exploration illustrates how ʻall pupilsʼ versus neurodivergent pupils, within teacher education, are positioned as belonging to different categories of citizens: as active subjects of rights, versus passive subjects of care. This perception of neurodivergence, we argue, hampers progress towards embracing neurodivergence as a social category, and neurodivergent pupils as political subjects.

'Super Bowl of the world conference circuit'? A network approach to high-level science and policy conferencing.

Elite conferences, such as the Nobel Symposia organized by the Nobel Foundation since 1965, have often put a premium on the uninhibited exchange of ideas rather than the broad exchange of information. Nobel Symposium 14, The Place of Value in a World of Fact (1969), combined this ethos with the ambition to engage with 'world problems' that were thought by many at the time to constitute a global crisis. This paper examines the relationship between the Nobel Foundation's ideal of scientific neutrality/objectivity and the 'neutral activism' in Swedish 1960s foreign policy. Furthermore, it investigates the social networking that preceded and followed the symposium, arguing that these processes were more important for the symposium's impact than the actual meeting. They formed channels through which it was able to influence other larger meetings, like the 1972 UN conference on the human environment, and contributed to the creation of international organizations, most importantly the International Federation of Institutes for Advanced Study. This suggests that the common historiographic focus on science meetings as events should be complemented by analytical perspectives that also view them as processes.

Modernity, mobility, and acceleration: cycling as the blind spot in Swedish transport innovation

ABSTRACT As climate ambitions have increased, questions regarding the sustainability of transport systems have been placed on the transport innovation agenda. Yet the relationship between economic competitiveness and sustainability agendas in national innovation policy is an uneven one. We aim to unpack this relationship by analysing the position of cycling in Swedish innovation policy, focusing on the funding of projects within the field of sustainable mobility. We apply a critical theoretical approach and build on Hartmut Rosa’s critical work on modernity and acceleration, Sheller and Urry’s theories on mobilities – including contributions from followers to this field – and critical innovation studies. The result of our analysis for cycling is threefold. First, the conceptualisation of ‘progress’ does not help to place cycling high on the innovation agenda. Second, the bicycle and cycling have difficulties appearing as ‘new’, in contrast to the car and driving. Third, the unreflexivity regarding automation, digitisation, and sharing prevents taking account of negative effects on cycling and obstructs a fundamental questioning of automobility. In our conclusion, we propose a different view of progress, of which the current interpretation seems to be preventing innovation policy from having a stronger sustainability agenda. An alternative interpretation of progress logically also questions the role and primacy of technological novelties.

Den mätande socialtjänsten

The measuring social service organization – the use of individual-based systematic follow-up of interventions For the past two decades, national policy in Sweden has repeatedly argued that social services should follow the principles of evidence-based practice (EBP) and that intervention effects should be informed by research. Conversely, there is a recurring critique against the “EBP movement” concerning a too narrow view of evidence and limited applicability in social services. Despite these differences, common perceptions advocate a need for local and systematic production of knowledge about the significance of interventions for service users. Individual-based systematic follow-ups (ISF) of interventions aggregated at group level could be a relatively undisputed path towards an increased knowledge base of social services. Therefore, the article examines and problematizes different dimensions of how ISF is practiced and how results come into use in social services. The research was conducted within social service units providing non-institutional treatment for children, young people, and families in two Swedish municipalities. Both have several years of experience using the ISF models LOKE (Local Evidence) and FIT (Feedback-Informed Treatment) respectively. The empirical material consists of 8 observations, 45 documents, and 21 interviews with family therapists, heads of units and departments, executive directors, and development officers. The findings reveal a wide range of types of use of ISF, which both overlap and presuppose each other and where the use differs depending on the user’s organizational level and role. Although the results are rarely used for development purposes in distinct ways, it is noted that the ISF models and their results play important roles within the organizations, for example strategic, legitimacy-enhancing and conceptual perspective-giving, which also affect work within the units.

Swedish Diplomats and Holocaust Knowledge

Abstract How did Swedish diplomats report the persecution and killing of European Jewry by Nazi Germany in the 1930s and during the Second World War? What did the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs do with reports on the Holocaust during the war, and to what extent did such reports affect policy? This article shows that Swedish diplomats provided their superiors with reliable, if at times unverifiable, information about the different phases of the Holocaust from 1933 until the end of 1942, and argues that awareness of the transition from persecution to mass murder did not alter Swedish refugee policies. The author thus details the process whereby knowledge of the annihilation of the European Jews seeped out from eastern Europe by examining Swedish diplomatic reports on the Holocaust. Furthermore, he sheds new light on the history of Swedish refugee policies and Swedish German relations during the Nazi period.

Paradoxes in the cultural doula concept for migrant women: Implications for gender-inclusive care versus migrant-friendly maternity care

ObjectiveSwedish healthcare policies promote gender equality, shared parenting and cultural diversity. In response to the risk of adverse outcomes for migrant women, cultural doulas were introduced as support for migrant women during pregnancy and/or labour. The aim is to investigate potential tensions in the cultural doula concept in relation to policies of gender equality and diversity. DesignAn interview study was designed to analyse perceptions of the cultural doula concept among healthcare providers in Swedish sexual and reproductive healthcare. Through the framework of Bacchi's approach ‘What Is the Problem Represented to Be?’ and Hochschild's concept of ‘global care chains’, we analyzed whether the introduction of the cultural doula concept is in line with the policies of gender equality and culturally sensitive care by exploring paradoxes, unintended consequences and what was not reflected upon. Setting and participantsSemi-structured interviews (n = 18) with midwives and obstetricians at hospitals in two Swedish counties during 2022. Measurements and findingsThe interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis. Cultural doulas were perceived as multi-tasking resources for facilitating integration and providing healthcare information and psychosocial support. Respondents did not identify doula support as a cultural practice in migrants’ origin countries. Despite awareness of cultural differences in gender norms, many respondents stated that doula support included male partners. Key conclusionsThe cultural doula concept includes paradoxes in relation to gender equality and diversity. Rather than empowering migrant women, the cultural doula concept is related to gendered patterns of low-educated, underpaid care work. Labour support interventions including migrant women's social network and intensified partner involvement would be more in line with Swedish policies of gender equality, shared parenting and cultural sensitivity when needed. However, doulas may be an imperfect solution for women lacking partners or social networks, for example, newly arrived migrant women, if no support is to be found within the perinatal care system. Implications for practiceMidwives and obstetricians need reflexivity about what the problem is represented to be when it comes to gender equality and cultural sensitivity in their collaboration with cultural doulas, boundaries between roles, how they handle confidentiality, and why cultural doulas are needed in relation to migrant women's integration.