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Biopolitics and zoēpolitics in a post-political era: hegemonic struggle in the Swedish debate on foreign terrorist fighters

Van Paaschen, Camilla LU (2016) STVM25 20152
Department of Political Science
Abstract
With an increasing number of Swedish citizens joining military extremist organizations in the Middle East, this study aims to identify and discuss the current discourses on how to handle foreign terrorist fighters through an analysis of the Swedish debate during 2014-2015. While one faction presents strategies and policy suggestions aiming to restitute what are described as mentally ill and socioeconomically excluded individuals, others in turn propose repressive measures through harsher punishment and revocation of citizenship of individuals identified as a threat to Western values. Using the methodological approach from discourse theory, this work aims to explore the ways in which the discourses are constructed. Furthermore, the study... (More)
With an increasing number of Swedish citizens joining military extremist organizations in the Middle East, this study aims to identify and discuss the current discourses on how to handle foreign terrorist fighters through an analysis of the Swedish debate during 2014-2015. While one faction presents strategies and policy suggestions aiming to restitute what are described as mentally ill and socioeconomically excluded individuals, others in turn propose repressive measures through harsher punishment and revocation of citizenship of individuals identified as a threat to Western values. Using the methodological approach from discourse theory, this work aims to explore the ways in which the discourses are constructed. Furthermore, the study applies the Foucauldian toolbox of governmentality, and the ideas of biopolitics and zoēpolitics respectively to explore the inherent rationalities within each discourse, opening up for a discussion on what possible consequences a hegemonic struggle between the discourses implies. The work concludes that in an era of post-politics where morals can be argued to have triumphed over politics, repressive measures referring to the securitization and protection of Western values present themselves as an objective and reasonable lines of action in contrast to restitutive strategies where foreign terrorist fighters are constructed as victims in need of help. (Less)
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author
Van Paaschen, Camilla LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVM25 20152
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
governmentality, biopolitics, zoēpolitics, foreign terrorist fighters, post-politics
language
English
id
8513976
date added to LUP
2016-02-02 14:47:37
date last changed
2016-02-02 14:47:37
@misc{8513976,
  abstract     = {{With an increasing number of Swedish citizens joining military extremist organizations in the Middle East, this study aims to identify and discuss the current discourses on how to handle foreign terrorist fighters through an analysis of the Swedish debate during 2014-2015. While one faction presents strategies and policy suggestions aiming to restitute what are described as mentally ill and socioeconomically excluded individuals, others in turn propose repressive measures through harsher punishment and revocation of citizenship of individuals identified as a threat to Western values. Using the methodological approach from discourse theory, this work aims to explore the ways in which the discourses are constructed. Furthermore, the study applies the Foucauldian toolbox of governmentality, and the ideas of biopolitics and zoēpolitics respectively to explore the inherent rationalities within each discourse, opening up for a discussion on what possible consequences a hegemonic struggle between the discourses implies. The work concludes that in an era of post-politics where morals can be argued to have triumphed over politics, repressive measures referring to the securitization and protection of Western values present themselves as an objective and reasonable lines of action in contrast to restitutive strategies where foreign terrorist fighters are constructed as victims in need of help.}},
  author       = {{Van Paaschen, Camilla}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Biopolitics and zoēpolitics in a post-political era: hegemonic struggle in the Swedish debate on foreign terrorist fighters}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}