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When Europe speaks of security, it speaks of itself. The increased security threats posed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and American protectionism has changed the geopolitical context of the European Union, which seems to have increased EU officials’ emphasis on a European identity in political speeches. Consequently, this thesis sought to investigate the link between security threats and Europe
Conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) against women can be considered a crime against humanity when used as a strategy in war. The purpose of this thesis is to, through a qualitative case study of the Bosnian War, map out how CRSV was used during the war, how it can be explained, and if there is a way to separate strategic and opportunistic rape in wartime. The research questions are answered th
This bachelor’s thesis examines how Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico justify their foreign and security policy positions regarding the war in Ukraine through a comparative idea analysis. Drawing on social constructivism and combining Benedict Anderson’s concept of imagined communities, Maurice Halbwachs’ theory of collective memory, and Robert Entman’s framing
This study examines how the Trump administration legitimizes the military interventions in Venezuela and Iran during 2026 through legal, moral, and political arguments. The aim is to analyze how the administration justifies the use of military force and which ideas and values carry this legitimization. The study is based on a qualitative comparative research design in which three political stateme
This study examines the role of civil society organizations in the integration of Swedish Afghans in France, referring to Afghan refugees who, after repeated asylum rejections in Sweden, have relocated to France to reapply for asylum. This type of secondary movement of asylum seekers challenges the viability of the EU’s system of refugee reception and is heavily restricted by the Dublin Regulation
The “teenage deportations” emerged from more austere migration politics and have received considerable medial attention in Sweden since early January. This paper broadens the literature on the depiction of migrants through this contemporary case and expands previous research, primarily focused on ethnicity, gender and religion. A qualitative critical discourse analysis (CDA), combined with mediat
This study explores how expert knowledge is perceived and how the government adjusts to expert knowledge within the Swedish referral system, by studying the case of the Security Zones Act (Lagen om säkerhetszoner, SFS 2024:200). The purpose is to analyze how experts and officials perceive the referral systems’ instrumental and symbolic meaning, and how the Swedish government adjusts to the expert
This study examines how the reform from the Department of Education (SOU 2021:30) aimed at improving students’ achievement through additional study time and expanded school programs is implemented in elementary schools. The focus is on teachers’ perceptions and the importance of their room for maneuver and organizational conditions. The study addresses two research questions; how teachers perceive
Sweden and its Nordic neighbours have for a long time been understood as norm entrepreneurs on the international stage. This role appears to be challenged by events, changes and legitimacy crises in the international order. With a theoretical underpinning in role theory this essay aims to explore whether and how Sweden can be understood as a norm entrepreneur by constituting an ideal type over a n
This study examines how the Danish government responded to American pressure regarding Greenland between December 2024 and February 2026, and how this response can be understood in light of Denmark’s position as a small state in an asymmetric alliance relationship with the United States. Drawing on shelter theory and pragmatic idealism, the study applies explaining outcome process tracing to anal
Since the end of World War II, the relationship between China and Japan has been complicated. A lot of which has to do with the Japanese handling of atrocities committed by the Japanese empire. Collectively dubbed the history problem, it serves as an example of when constructed ideas and narratives shape international relations. With the Chinese side accusing Japan of denying the events and the Ja
In post-conflict societies, transitional justice processes must navigate the tension between victimhood and perpetratorhood in relation to child soldiers. This study examines how the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission constructs and negotiates this relationship in its representations of child soldiers. One chapter of the Commission’s Final Report is analyzed through three dimensions
The introduction of soft policy instruments is increasing across multiple policy domains. One example of this is the national coordinator for voluntary repatriation (frivillig återvandring) appointed in 2025 by the Swedish government. The purpose was to improve coordination between municipalities and governmental authorities in order to increase voluntary repatriation. The reception of this policy
Our study examines how the asymmetric economic relations between Russia - Ukraine and China - Taiwan are constructed by national leaders and governments in speeches and official documents. The study concludes that the realities of the economic relations do not match how asymmetries are envisioned in the examined material, and that the leaders of the countries express the economic circumstances in
Bureaucracy and politics have a tension-filled relationship. A more complex democratic system is dependent on bureaucracy and its ability to implement the decisions made, and the Weberian ideal of the neutral implementer is still the dominating one. In light of increasing reports of democratic erosion even within established representational democracies, however, this ideal comes into question. Dr
This thesis examines and analyses how masculinity is constructed and politicized in selected parts of manosphere-discourses. Drawing on Raewynn Connell's theory of masculinities, Laclau & Mouffe´s discourse theory and Mouffe's distinction between antagonism and agonism, the thesis analyzes three YouTube-based podcasts/interviews, featuring the four most prominent figures associated wit
This study examines whether Ibadi principles can be identified in Oman's diplomatic behavior in two cases: the US-Iran nuclear negotiations leading to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the Yemeni civil war. Drawing on constructivist theory, the analysis operationalizes three principles derived from the literature on Ibadism and Omani diplomacy: neutrality, consensus-seeking, a
This thesis aims at analysing the political representation of young political candidates and how their representation may vary depending on municipality types. Furthermore, the paper seeks to highlight how youth are sidelined on the party lists in terms of ballot placement. Using a quantitative approach, Swedish electoral ballots from the municipality election of 2022 are studied to distinguish ho
This study examines whether Swedish arms exports have become increasingly shaped by security-policy considerations during the period 2020-2024 compared to 2014-2019. The study is based on a quantitative panel design which aims to analyze Swedish exports of military equipment in relation to geographical, political, institutional and economic factors. The theory used in the study is neorealism com
In 2024, a historically low birth rate of 1,43 children per woman was documented in Sweden, which is the lowest figure since measurements began in 1751. The Tidö government has therefore appointed the state-inquiry Utredningen för en framtid med barn. In the state-inquiry, the declining birth rate is presented as an economic crisis whose solution is a return to a higher fertility rate. In this pap
