Constructing Welfare Crime: A Discourse Analysis of Municipal Problem Representations in Turbulent Times - A Multi-Site Case Study of Three Swedish Municipalities

Sammanfattning

This thesis explores how welfare crime is discursively constructed as a problem in policy documents from Järfälla, Malmö, and Uppsala, using Carol Bacchi’s What’ s the Problem represented to Be? (WPR) approach. Within a context of turbulence (Ansel et al 2024) the study examines how welfare crime is presented, what remains unproblematized, and the political and discursive effects of these representations. Drawing on discourse theory and a social constructivist perspective, the analysis shows that welfare crime is primarily depicted as a threat to trust in the welfare state, with solutions centered on increased control, surveillance, and coordination. These measures are seen as necessary to uphold public trust. The thesis demonstrates how municipal constructions of welfare crime affect governance strategies and illuminate underlying tensions in addressing the issue.