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Contesting identities - Sweden's foreign policy and the creation of the Self

Ng, Rudi LU (2015) SIMV07 20151
Department of Political Science
Master of Science in Global Studies
Graduate School
Abstract
This paper engages in the study of identity formation in Swedish foreign policy debate. The study is situated within a broad constructivist field of research, drawing upon theoretical debates on subjectivity and the performative making of the state. The study draws upon the notion of ontological security and claims that sub-state actors, just as individuals, search for stable identities and a sense of continuity between self-esteem and action. Through the analysis of policy declarations and parliamentary debates, this study outlines two contrasting narratives of the state of Sweden represented by the two leading political coalitions. The analysis shows how Sweden's state identity continues to move through a process of europeanization while... (More)
This paper engages in the study of identity formation in Swedish foreign policy debate. The study is situated within a broad constructivist field of research, drawing upon theoretical debates on subjectivity and the performative making of the state. The study draws upon the notion of ontological security and claims that sub-state actors, just as individuals, search for stable identities and a sense of continuity between self-esteem and action. Through the analysis of policy declarations and parliamentary debates, this study outlines two contrasting narratives of the state of Sweden represented by the two leading political coalitions. The analysis shows how Sweden's state identity continues to move through a process of europeanization while simultaneously experiencing a reawakening of an internationalist foreign policy brand. Sweden's candidature to the United Nations Security Council is used as an example to illustrate this development and to demonstrate the link between biographical narratives and political decision making. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Ng, Rudi LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMV07 20151
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
foreign policy, identity, Sweden, internationalism, europeanization
language
English
id
5468224
date added to LUP
2015-06-16 08:55:54
date last changed
2015-06-18 14:04:25
@misc{5468224,
  abstract     = {{This paper engages in the study of identity formation in Swedish foreign policy debate. The study is situated within a broad constructivist field of research, drawing upon theoretical debates on subjectivity and the performative making of the state. The study draws upon the notion of ontological security and claims that sub-state actors, just as individuals, search for stable identities and a sense of continuity between self-esteem and action. Through the analysis of policy declarations and parliamentary debates, this study outlines two contrasting narratives of the state of Sweden represented by the two leading political coalitions. The analysis shows how Sweden's state identity continues to move through a process of europeanization while simultaneously experiencing a reawakening of an internationalist foreign policy brand. Sweden's candidature to the United Nations Security Council is used as an example to illustrate this development and to demonstrate the link between biographical narratives and political decision making.}},
  author       = {{Ng, Rudi}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Contesting identities - Sweden's foreign policy and the creation of the Self}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}