Från pluralism till värderingskartläggning : En diskursanalys av “svenska värderingar” i svensk migrationspolitik 2009-2025

Sammanfattning

This study analyses how the discourse on “Swedish values” is constructed and developed in the Swedish political debate between 2009 and 2025, as well as how this discourse can be understood in relation to the government’s initiative to survey immigrants’ values. The study further aims to analyze how liberal democratic values are used to define integration, belonging, and the national community within the Swedish migration discourse. The theoretical framework is based on discourse theory, with a focus on concepts such as hegemony, antagonism, nodal points, and the construction of “us” and “them.” Methodologically, the study is based on a qualitative discourse analysis of party leader debates and political statements by Swedish political representatives. The analysis is organized chronologically to study how the discourse changes over different time periods. The results show that the discourse on “Swedish values” has clearly evolved over time. Before 2010, the discourse on integration was characterized to a greater extent by pluralism, rights, and socioeconomic inclusion. Following the refugee crisis of 2015, issues of cultural cohesion, compatibility of values, and national community came to play a more prominent role in the political debate. During the period 2023-2025, this trend was further institutionalized through the government’s mapping initiative, in which “Swedish values” were increasingly framed as a tool for political governance and integration.