The Changing Geography of Sweden: Patterns, Processes and Policies

About the course

During much of the 20th century, Sweden had a reputation for being one of the most advanced and egalitarian social welfare states. Based on the idea of folkhemmet (the "people's home") social justice was enshrined as a core value of the political-economic system. This had an impact not least on urban and regional development policies, as well as the shaping of the landscape.

By the 21st century, however, many of the policies upon which folkhemmet was constructed have been significantly transformed or even dismantled. This course focuses on the reasons behind these changes, and their implication for the social, economic and political geography of Sweden. What are the contemporary challenges to, and possibilities for, achieving common welfare goals within a national space increasingly divided, for example, along lines of class, ethnicity, and age, as well as between the urban and the rural? How are these changes and challenges manifested in people's everyday landscapes?