Transformations of the Swedish Welfare State: From Social Engineering to Governance?

by B. Larsson (Editor), M. Letell (Editor), H. Thïrn (Editor)

Overview

Using an analytical framework based on Foucault's concept of governmentality and through unique case-studies, this volume explores the ongoing transformations taking place in the Swedish welfare state.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780230293410
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	01/25/2012
Edition description:	2012
Pages:	322
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

CHRISTEL BACKMAN Ph.D. Candidate at the Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden MATTIAS BENGTSSON Post-doctoral Researcher at the Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden TOMAS BERGLUND Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden ULLA BJÖRNBERG Professor Emerita affiliated to the Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden MARK ELAM Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden OSKAR ENGDAHL Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden HANS GLIMELL Professor in Science and Technology Studies at the Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden ANDREAS GUNNARSSON Ph.D. Candidate in Science and Technology Studies at the Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden CECILIA HANSEN LÖFSTRAND Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden ERICKA JOHNSON Pro Futura Scientia Fellow at the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study, Uppsala University, and Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden MICHAEL LANDZELIUS Associate Professor and Director of the Urban Safety and Societal Security Research Centre, University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden NORA MACHADO DES JOHANSSON Researcher at the Lisbon University Institute in Portugal and Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden MARTIN PETERSON Professor Emeritus affiliated with the Research Department of Social Philosophy as well as the Department of Cultural Science at the University of Bergen, Norway JESPER PETERSSON Ph.D. Candidate in Science and Technology Studies at the Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden EBBA SJÖGREN Assistant Professor at the Department of Accounting, Skholm School of Economics, Sweden GÖRAN SUNDQVIST Professor of Science, Technology and Culture at the University of Oslo, Norway GÖRAN THERBORN Professor Emeritus and former Chair of Sociology at the University of Cambridge, UK CATHRIN WASSHEDE Post-doctoral Researcher at the Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Table of Contents

List of Figures, Tables, and Illustrations Acknowledgements Notes on Contributors PART I: APPROACHING THE SWEDISH MODEL Transformations of the Swedish Welfare State: Social Engineering, Governance and Governmentality – An Introduction; B.Larsson, M.Letell & H.Thörn Pathways of the Welfare State: Growth and Democracy; M.Peterson PART II: SECURITY AND CONTROL The Swedish 'Welfare-Warfare Nexus' and the New Security Architecture; H.Glimell Governing Unruly Technology: Swedish Politicians and Nuclear Power; G.Sundqvist Social Policy Reforms in Sweden: New Perspectives on Rights and Obligations; U.Björnberg Labour Market Policies in Transition: From Social Engineering to stand-by-ability; M.Bengtsson & T.Berglund Decentring Economic Regulation and Control: Reinforcing Trust through Self-regulation; B.Larsson & O.Engdahl Criminal Records: Governing Symbols; C.Backman PART III: PUBLIC HEALTH The Advanced Liberal Logic of Nicotine Replacement and the Swedish Invention of Smoking as Addiction; M.Elam and A.Gunnarsson From Medicine by Wire to Governing Wireless: Changing Geographies of Healthcare; J.Petersson Governance of End of Life: The Case of Sweden; N.Machado Governing by Drugs: The Denial of Subsidy for Viagra Use in Sweden; E.Sjögren & E.Johnson PART IV: THE CITY Governing Movements in Urban Space; H.Thörn From the Lonely Homophile in the Darkness to Rainbow Families in the Streets – A Story of Liberation?; C.Wasshede Real Estate Ownership Concentration and Urban Governance; M.Landzelius Homelessness as Politics and Market; C.Löfstrand Conclusions: Re-engineering the Swedish Welfare State; H.Thörn & B.Larsson Epilogue: Social Change, Scholarly Change, and Scholarly Continuity; G.Therborn References

Editorial Reviews

'For many of us Sweden is the iconic social democratic welfare state. But this fascinating collection of essays from the University of Gothenberg, covering a wide range of aspects of contemporary Sweden, helps us to understand that the Swedish welfare state is certainly reconfiguring and may well be transforming'. - Jonathan Bradshaw, Professor at the Social Policy Research Unit, University of York, UK

'The plural in the title signals the break between this book and many others on the topic. Typically seen in monolithic terms, the Swedish Welfare State is invariably regarded as either a continuing marvel or in the 'neoliberal fairytale' alluded to in the Introduction as ineluctably broken. But what if a mix of social engineering by experts and public-private partnerships as much as central governmental administration by design was always intrinsic to the Swedish welfare state? Rather than state versus market versus civil society, the detailed chapters in this volume point to a variety of ways in which human welfare continues to be regarded as a collective political engagement in Sweden even as an emphasis on 'responsibility' represents a renegotiation of the old social contract.' - John Agnew, Professor in the Department of Geography, UCLA, USA

'This collective project of a new generation, the most circumspect and theoretically engaged attempt at grasping contemporary Sweden, is also a manifestation of the continuing vitality of the Sociology Department at Gothenburg University.' - Göran Therborn, Chair and Professor of Sociology, University of Cambridge, UK

From the Publisher