Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

When peace nations go to war: Examining the narrative transformation of Sweden and Norway in Afghanistan

Sjöstedt, Roxanna LU orcid and Noreen, Erik (2021) In European Journal of International Security 6(3). p.318-337
Abstract
What happens to dominant narratives and settled self-images of so-called peace nations when experiencing actual combat in out-of-area military missions? This question arises when studying the contemporary international engagement of small states that previously have mostly been engaged in peacekeeping with limited mandates and non-use of force restrictions. As today's international missions have altered radically, it is important to analyse narrative friction and transformation in small states with little prior experience of international war-fighting. This article addresses this lacuna by examining two small states and self-proclaimed peace nations – Sweden and Norway – in relation to their engagement in the International Security... (More)
What happens to dominant narratives and settled self-images of so-called peace nations when experiencing actual combat in out-of-area military missions? This question arises when studying the contemporary international engagement of small states that previously have mostly been engaged in peacekeeping with limited mandates and non-use of force restrictions. As today's international missions have altered radically, it is important to analyse narrative friction and transformation in small states with little prior experience of international war-fighting. This article addresses this lacuna by examining two small states and self-proclaimed peace nations – Sweden and Norway – in relation to their engagement in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the NATO-led security mission to Afghanistan 2002–14. By examining the interplay and discursive struggle of two narratives — peace nation and military culture – this article finds that these narratives constantly constitute and reconstitute a small state's self-image and the boundaries for acceptable or even required behaviour. With altered principles regarding use of force there is an increased friction between the narratives. By addressing these frictions, the article contributes to the literature on small state international military engagement and develops and refines assumptions regarding the drivers and consequences of small state participation in out-of-area missions. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
European Journal of International Security
volume
6
issue
3
pages
318 - 337
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85110371506
ISSN
2057-5637
DOI
10.1017/eis.2021.6
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c13cb36c-b9be-4f8e-a975-713ace9f938a
date added to LUP
2021-05-03 19:54:52
date last changed
2022-11-16 07:04:26
@article{c13cb36c-b9be-4f8e-a975-713ace9f938a,
  abstract     = {{What happens to dominant narratives and settled self-images of so-called peace nations when experiencing actual combat in out-of-area military missions? This question arises when studying the contemporary international engagement of small states that previously have mostly been engaged in peacekeeping with limited mandates and non-use of force restrictions. As today's international missions have altered radically, it is important to analyse narrative friction and transformation in small states with little prior experience of international war-fighting. This article addresses this lacuna by examining two small states and self-proclaimed peace nations – Sweden and Norway – in relation to their engagement in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the NATO-led security mission to Afghanistan 2002–14. By examining the interplay and discursive struggle of two narratives — peace nation and military culture – this article finds that these narratives constantly constitute and reconstitute a small state's self-image and the boundaries for acceptable or even required behaviour. With altered principles regarding use of force there is an increased friction between the narratives. By addressing these frictions, the article contributes to the literature on small state international military engagement and develops and refines assumptions regarding the drivers and consequences of small state participation in out-of-area missions.}},
  author       = {{Sjöstedt, Roxanna and Noreen, Erik}},
  issn         = {{2057-5637}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{318--337}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{European Journal of International Security}},
  title        = {{When peace nations go to war: Examining the narrative transformation of Sweden and Norway in Afghanistan}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/eis.2021.6}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/eis.2021.6}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}