Migration i svensk partipolitik: Från solidaritet till säkerhet : En diskursanalys av svenska partiers problemrepresentationer 2014-2022

Sammanfattning

This study examines if migration is defined as a political problem in Swedish political parties´ election manifestos between 2014 and 2022, and whether a discursive shift can be identified during this period. Using Caron Bacchi´s What´s the problem represented to be? (WPR) approach as the theoretical and analytical framework, the study conducts a qualitative discourse analysis of the election manifestos and key policy texts from four parliamentary parties: Socialdemokraterna, Moderaterna, Sverigedemokraterna and Vänsterpartiet. The analysis demonstrates that migration is not understood as a uniform problem across parties, but is instead constructed though ideologically distinct problem representations. Vänsterpartiet consistently frames migration through a humanitarian and rights based discourse, where the core problem lies in restrictive policies and insufficient welfare provisions rather than migration itself. In contrast, Moderaterna and Sverigedemokraterna increasingly construct migration as a problem related to volume, integration capacity, security and social cohesion. Sverigedemokraterna articulates the most restrictive representation, portraying migration as a fundamental threat to national identity and societal stability. Socialdemokraterna occupy an intermediate position, where an initially humanitarian discourse gradually shifts toward an emphasis on control, order and system sustainability. In conclusion the study identifies a clear discursive shift in Swedish migration policy debates during the examined period, from a predominantly humanitarian framing toward a more security and capacity oriented discourse. By applying the WPR approach, the study highlights how political parties not only propose different solutions but also fundamentally define migration as different kinds of political problems.