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The Enemy of Russia is Sweden’s Ally: A qualitative interview study about Swedish military officers’ perceptions of collective defense via NATO

Brorsson, Victoria LU (2024) FKVK02 20241
Department of Political Science
Abstract
Following the Swedish NATO accession in 2024, this thesis aims to portray views of the shift in defense policy from within the Swedish Armed Forces (SAF). By conducting a qualitative research study comprising six interviews with senior officers from the Swedish Air Force, Navy, and Army, the aspiration has been to investigate to what extent the institutional changes of the Swedish NATO membership have been integrated into an individual identity level. By applying a framework from the identity salience approach derived from social psychology, the goal has been to determine if a shift in national defense policy automatically results in identification and commitment by those expected to perform the task. This thesis finds that NATO membership... (More)
Following the Swedish NATO accession in 2024, this thesis aims to portray views of the shift in defense policy from within the Swedish Armed Forces (SAF). By conducting a qualitative research study comprising six interviews with senior officers from the Swedish Air Force, Navy, and Army, the aspiration has been to investigate to what extent the institutional changes of the Swedish NATO membership have been integrated into an individual identity level. By applying a framework from the identity salience approach derived from social psychology, the goal has been to determine if a shift in national defense policy automatically results in identification and commitment by those expected to perform the task. This thesis finds that NATO membership can be integrated into the officers’ identity images if it does not challenge their most salient identities, such as their private or SAF identity. Their commitment to collective defense efforts is determined by several aspects, such as the regime time of the given country to defend, its geographic proximity to Sweden, a shared common enemy, strategic interest for Swedish security, and their balance between professional responsibility and private life. This thesis calls for an increased understanding of the relationship between individual identity construction and the process of national integration within regional alliances. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Brorsson, Victoria LU
supervisor
organization
course
FKVK02 20241
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
SAF, NATO, social identity, collective defense, alliance integration
language
English
id
9154076
date added to LUP
2024-07-18 14:04:31
date last changed
2024-07-18 14:04:31
@misc{9154076,
  abstract     = {{Following the Swedish NATO accession in 2024, this thesis aims to portray views of the shift in defense policy from within the Swedish Armed Forces (SAF). By conducting a qualitative research study comprising six interviews with senior officers from the Swedish Air Force, Navy, and Army, the aspiration has been to investigate to what extent the institutional changes of the Swedish NATO membership have been integrated into an individual identity level. By applying a framework from the identity salience approach derived from social psychology, the goal has been to determine if a shift in national defense policy automatically results in identification and commitment by those expected to perform the task. This thesis finds that NATO membership can be integrated into the officers’ identity images if it does not challenge their most salient identities, such as their private or SAF identity. Their commitment to collective defense efforts is determined by several aspects, such as the regime time of the given country to defend, its geographic proximity to Sweden, a shared common enemy, strategic interest for Swedish security, and their balance between professional responsibility and private life. This thesis calls for an increased understanding of the relationship between individual identity construction and the process of national integration within regional alliances.}},
  author       = {{Brorsson, Victoria}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Enemy of Russia is Sweden’s Ally: A qualitative interview study about Swedish military officers’ perceptions of collective defense via NATO}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}