Civil Defence (Re)Emerged : A Multi-Level Perspective on Policy Developments in Post-Crimea Europe
(2025) In Lund Political Studies- Abstract
- This dissertation examines the (re)emergence of civil defence in Europe in the aftermath of Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. More specifically, it investigates the existing conceptions of civil defence and how these are shaped in a multi-level institutional context, focusing on the interplay between national, regional, and international levels. Through the lens of discursive institutionalism, the thesis emphasizes the dynamic relationship between ideas and institutions in shaping security policies, while revealing the limitations of ideational processes’ impact on policy implementation. Drawing on a novel set of data from interviews conducted between 2020 and 2023, and extensive document analysis, the dissertation maps the evolution... (More)
- This dissertation examines the (re)emergence of civil defence in Europe in the aftermath of Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. More specifically, it investigates the existing conceptions of civil defence and how these are shaped in a multi-level institutional context, focusing on the interplay between national, regional, and international levels. Through the lens of discursive institutionalism, the thesis emphasizes the dynamic relationship between ideas and institutions in shaping security policies, while revealing the limitations of ideational processes’ impact on policy implementation. Drawing on a novel set of data from interviews conducted between 2020 and 2023, and extensive document analysis, the dissertation maps the evolution of Sweden’s contemporary civil defence policy; the Nordic and Baltic states’ approaches to resilience; and the role of NATO and the European Union (EU) in the development of civil defence. Conceptually, it advances understandings of civil defence, resilience, and strategic autonomy within contemporary security paradigms. It pushes the concept of civil defence beyond exclusively nuclear associations; critically analyzes the conceptualization of resilience within the total defence principle; and emphasizes the role of strategic autonomy in strengthening dimensions of civil defence, particularly within the EU. Collectively, the four articles in this dissertation contribute with insights into complex and simultaneous security policy processes taking place in multiple institutional settings, offering a unique snapshot of a transformative era in European security. They emphasize the challenges of translating policy ideas into practice and assess the prospects for enhanced international cooperation, including by underscoring the potential for the EU to serve as a central platform for civil defence collaboration. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Denna avhandling undersöker (åter)uppbyggnaden av civilt försvar i Europa efter Rysslands annektering av Krim 2014. Mer specifikt analyserar den befintliga uppfattningar om civilt försvar och hur dessa formas i ett flernivåsammanhang, med fokus på samspelet mellan nationella, regionala och internationella institutioner. Genom ett diskursivt institutionellt perspektiv betonar avhandlingen den dynamiska relationen mellan idéer och institutioner i utformningen av säkerhetspolitik, samtidigt som den synliggör utmaningarna med att översätta politiska idéer till praktik. Avhandlingen bygger på data från intervjuer genomförda mellan 2020 och 2023 samt omfattande dokumentanalys. Den utforskar Sveriges politik för civilt försvar, jämför hur de... (More)
- Denna avhandling undersöker (åter)uppbyggnaden av civilt försvar i Europa efter Rysslands annektering av Krim 2014. Mer specifikt analyserar den befintliga uppfattningar om civilt försvar och hur dessa formas i ett flernivåsammanhang, med fokus på samspelet mellan nationella, regionala och internationella institutioner. Genom ett diskursivt institutionellt perspektiv betonar avhandlingen den dynamiska relationen mellan idéer och institutioner i utformningen av säkerhetspolitik, samtidigt som den synliggör utmaningarna med att översätta politiska idéer till praktik. Avhandlingen bygger på data från intervjuer genomförda mellan 2020 och 2023 samt omfattande dokumentanalys. Den utforskar Sveriges politik för civilt försvar, jämför hur de nordiska och baltiska staterna använder sig av totalförsvar för att bygga resiliens, samt granskar Natos och EU:s roller i utvecklingen av civilt försvar. De fyra artiklarna i denna avhandling kartlägger komplexa samtida säkerhetspolitiska processer som äger rum i olika institutionella sammanhang. I artiklarna bedöms även potentialen för ett stärkt internationellt samarbete inom civilt försvar, särskilt inom EU och regionala ramverk. Därmed bidrar avhandlingen med värdefulla insikter om pågående utveckling av civilt försvar och ger en djupare förståelse för hur europeiska stater och institutioner bygger resiliens och stärker säkerheten i osäkra tider. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/28a412f7-2f02-4d9b-bed8-6c2fe1356bca
- author
- Wrange, Jana LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Professor Ångström, Jan, Försvarshögskolan
- organization
- alternative title
- Det civila försvarets (åter)uppbyggnad : Ett flernivåperspektiv på policyutvecklingar i Europa efter Krim
- publishing date
- 2025-04
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- civil defence, total defence, resilience, crisis preparednes, strategic autonomy, discursive institutionalism, security logic, socialization, strategic culture, Sweden, Baltic Sea region, European Union, NATO, civilt försvar, totalförsvar, resiliens, krisberedskap, socialisering, strategisk autonomi, säkerhetskultur, Sverige, Europeiska unionen, Nato, Östersjöområdet
- in
- Lund Political Studies
- issue
- 223
- pages
- 206 pages
- publisher
- MediaTryck Lund
- defense location
- Edens hörsal, Allhelgona kyrkogata 14, Lund
- defense date
- 2025-05-09 10:15:00
- ISSN
- 0460-0037
- ISBN
- 978-91-8104-470-6
- 978-91-8104-469-0
- project
- Nytt vin i nya läglar - Om förutsättningarna för ett modernt civilt försvar
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 28a412f7-2f02-4d9b-bed8-6c2fe1356bca
- date added to LUP
- 2025-04-07 09:09:50
- date last changed
- 2025-04-08 07:45:32
@phdthesis{28a412f7-2f02-4d9b-bed8-6c2fe1356bca,
abstract = {{This dissertation examines the (re)emergence of civil defence in Europe in the aftermath of Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. More specifically, it investigates the existing conceptions of civil defence and how these are shaped in a multi-level institutional context, focusing on the interplay between national, regional, and international levels. Through the lens of discursive institutionalism, the thesis emphasizes the dynamic relationship between ideas and institutions in shaping security policies, while revealing the limitations of ideational processes’ impact on policy implementation. Drawing on a novel set of data from interviews conducted between 2020 and 2023, and extensive document analysis, the dissertation maps the evolution of Sweden’s contemporary civil defence policy; the Nordic and Baltic states’ approaches to resilience; and the role of NATO and the European Union (EU) in the development of civil defence. Conceptually, it advances understandings of civil defence, resilience, and strategic autonomy within contemporary security paradigms. It pushes the concept of civil defence beyond exclusively nuclear associations; critically analyzes the conceptualization of resilience within the total defence principle; and emphasizes the role of strategic autonomy in strengthening dimensions of civil defence, particularly within the EU. Collectively, the four articles in this dissertation contribute with insights into complex and simultaneous security policy processes taking place in multiple institutional settings, offering a unique snapshot of a transformative era in European security. They emphasize the challenges of translating policy ideas into practice and assess the prospects for enhanced international cooperation, including by underscoring the potential for the EU to serve as a central platform for civil defence collaboration.}},
author = {{Wrange, Jana}},
isbn = {{978-91-8104-470-6}},
issn = {{0460-0037}},
keywords = {{civil defence; total defence; resilience; crisis preparednes; strategic autonomy; discursive institutionalism; security logic; socialization; strategic culture; Sweden; Baltic Sea region; European Union; NATO; civilt försvar; totalförsvar; resiliens; krisberedskap; socialisering; strategisk autonomi; säkerhetskultur; Sverige; Europeiska unionen; Nato; Östersjöområdet}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{223}},
publisher = {{MediaTryck Lund}},
school = {{Lund University}},
series = {{Lund Political Studies}},
title = {{Civil Defence (Re)Emerged : A Multi-Level Perspective on Policy Developments in Post-Crimea Europe}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/216497488/Jana_Wrange_-_Dissertation_Kappa._pdf.pdf}},
year = {{2025}},
}