Migration and Welfare: Differential Grievabilities in the Swedish Right-Wing Continuum
In this study, we examine the way access to welfare provision for migrants is articulated discursively among three right-of-center parties in Sweden. For this, we suggest two theoretical advances. First, deploying the concept of the right-wing continuum, we highlight the gradual and reciprocal align...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Helsinki University Press
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Nordic Journal of Migration Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://account.journal-njmr.org/index.php/uh-j-njmr/article/view/678 |
| _version_ | 1797315770261176320 |
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| author | Felicia Hägerbäck Ov Cristian Norocel |
| author_facet | Felicia Hägerbäck Ov Cristian Norocel |
| author_sort | Felicia Hägerbäck |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, we examine the way access to welfare provision for migrants is articulated discursively among three right-of-center parties in Sweden. For this, we suggest two theoretical advances. First, deploying the concept of the right-wing continuum, we highlight the gradual and reciprocal alignment between mainstream right-of-center and radical-right populist parties. Second, by resorting to the concept of grievability, we analyze the implications for migrants of such an ideological alignment. We argue that this specific alignment along the right-wing continuum is best understood by means of a series of discursive (re)articulations, whereby migrants have been progressively excluded, devalued, and construed as ungrievable, to the point where the different actors on the right-wing continuum no longer find collaboration among themselves unthinkable. Employing a methodological approach embedded in Political Discourse Theory, we evidence how the radical-right populist Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna, SD) has articulated welfare provision in a restrictive manner, which consequently excluded migrants. Concomitantly, the mainstream right-of-center parties, namely the liberal-conservative Moderate Party (Moderaterna, M), and the social-conservative Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna, KD), have gradually radicalized their positions and aligned with those of the SD. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:08:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2b01ecfa634644cd9d7985b4c026eac9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1799-649X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:08:39Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Helsinki University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nordic Journal of Migration Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-2b01ecfa634644cd9d7985b4c026eac92024-02-13T07:42:30ZengHelsinki University PressNordic Journal of Migration Research1799-649X2024-01-011421110.33134/njmr.678654Migration and Welfare: Differential Grievabilities in the Swedish Right-Wing ContinuumFelicia Hägerbäck0https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2787-5982Ov Cristian Norocel1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7349-4000Uppsala University, UppsalaLund University, LundIn this study, we examine the way access to welfare provision for migrants is articulated discursively among three right-of-center parties in Sweden. For this, we suggest two theoretical advances. First, deploying the concept of the right-wing continuum, we highlight the gradual and reciprocal alignment between mainstream right-of-center and radical-right populist parties. Second, by resorting to the concept of grievability, we analyze the implications for migrants of such an ideological alignment. We argue that this specific alignment along the right-wing continuum is best understood by means of a series of discursive (re)articulations, whereby migrants have been progressively excluded, devalued, and construed as ungrievable, to the point where the different actors on the right-wing continuum no longer find collaboration among themselves unthinkable. Employing a methodological approach embedded in Political Discourse Theory, we evidence how the radical-right populist Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna, SD) has articulated welfare provision in a restrictive manner, which consequently excluded migrants. Concomitantly, the mainstream right-of-center parties, namely the liberal-conservative Moderate Party (Moderaterna, M), and the social-conservative Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna, KD), have gradually radicalized their positions and aligned with those of the SD.https://account.journal-njmr.org/index.php/uh-j-njmr/article/view/678anti-immigrationgrievabilityideological alignmentmigration policies in swedenwelfare state |
| spellingShingle | Felicia Hägerbäck Ov Cristian Norocel Migration and Welfare: Differential Grievabilities in the Swedish Right-Wing Continuum Nordic Journal of Migration Research anti-immigration grievability ideological alignment migration policies in sweden welfare state |
| title | Migration and Welfare: Differential Grievabilities in the Swedish Right-Wing Continuum |
| title_full | Migration and Welfare: Differential Grievabilities in the Swedish Right-Wing Continuum |
| title_fullStr | Migration and Welfare: Differential Grievabilities in the Swedish Right-Wing Continuum |
| title_full_unstemmed | Migration and Welfare: Differential Grievabilities in the Swedish Right-Wing Continuum |
| title_short | Migration and Welfare: Differential Grievabilities in the Swedish Right-Wing Continuum |
| title_sort | migration and welfare differential grievabilities in the swedish right wing continuum |
| topic | anti-immigration grievability ideological alignment migration policies in sweden welfare state |
| url | https://account.journal-njmr.org/index.php/uh-j-njmr/article/view/678 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT feliciahagerback migrationandwelfaredifferentialgrievabilitiesintheswedishrightwingcontinuum AT ovcristiannorocel migrationandwelfaredifferentialgrievabilitiesintheswedishrightwingcontinuum |