Space and place for health and care – Nationalist discourses in Swedish daily press during the first year of COVID-19
Sweden’s strategy during COVID-19 with restrictions but no firm closure of the society surprised the rest of the world and was questioned, not least by neighbouring countries. This article analyses public discourses on space and place for health and care in the Swedish daily press during the first y...
Main Authors: | , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-04-01
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Series: | Heliyon |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024038891 |
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author | K. von Brömssen Å. Roxberg C. Werkander Harstäde |
author_facet | K. von Brömssen Å. Roxberg C. Werkander Harstäde |
author_sort | K. von Brömssen |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Sweden’s strategy during COVID-19 with restrictions but no firm closure of the society surprised the rest of the world and was questioned, not least by neighbouring countries. This article analyses public discourses on space and place for health and care in the Swedish daily press during the first year of the pandemic, 2020. Critical discourse analysis was conducted on daily press newspaper articles to approach issues of space, place, health and care during the COVID-10 pandemic. The findings suggest three main discourses. First, a powerful discourse on unity against the threat is articulated, urging citizens in Sweden to be loyal in the national space. Secondly, an affirming national reconstructing discourse is manifested, related to constructions of borders of national space but also in relation to places of family life and social contacts to ‘flatten the curve’ and stay healthy. Thirdly, later in the period the overarching discourse of the nation and its loyal citizens was torn apart and increasing tensions were articulated due to, as it appeared, the uncertain actions from the government. This study adds to the literature on a theoretical and practical level. Raising awareness on nationalist discourses in relation to place, space, health, and care could prove important in combating inequalities in the local society as well as when cooperating on an international level. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:48:38Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-932f17a4724c43eeae732f7972e057fa |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2405-8440 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:48:38Z |
publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
publisher | Elsevier |
record_format | Article |
series | Heliyon |
spelling | doaj.art-932f17a4724c43eeae732f7972e057fa2024-03-25T04:17:54ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402024-04-01107e27858Space and place for health and care – Nationalist discourses in Swedish daily press during the first year of COVID-19K. von Brömssen0Å. Roxberg1C. Werkander Harstäde2Department of Social and Behavioural Studies, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden; Corresponding author.Department of Health Sciences, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden; VID, Specialized University, Bergen, Norway; UiT, University of Tromsø, Campus Harstad, NorwayDepartment of Health and Caring Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Växjö, SwedenSweden’s strategy during COVID-19 with restrictions but no firm closure of the society surprised the rest of the world and was questioned, not least by neighbouring countries. This article analyses public discourses on space and place for health and care in the Swedish daily press during the first year of the pandemic, 2020. Critical discourse analysis was conducted on daily press newspaper articles to approach issues of space, place, health and care during the COVID-10 pandemic. The findings suggest three main discourses. First, a powerful discourse on unity against the threat is articulated, urging citizens in Sweden to be loyal in the national space. Secondly, an affirming national reconstructing discourse is manifested, related to constructions of borders of national space but also in relation to places of family life and social contacts to ‘flatten the curve’ and stay healthy. Thirdly, later in the period the overarching discourse of the nation and its loyal citizens was torn apart and increasing tensions were articulated due to, as it appeared, the uncertain actions from the government. This study adds to the literature on a theoretical and practical level. Raising awareness on nationalist discourses in relation to place, space, health, and care could prove important in combating inequalities in the local society as well as when cooperating on an international level.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024038891COVID-19Critical discourse analysisHealthNationalismPlaceSpace |
spellingShingle | K. von Brömssen Å. Roxberg C. Werkander Harstäde Space and place for health and care – Nationalist discourses in Swedish daily press during the first year of COVID-19 Heliyon COVID-19 Critical discourse analysis Health Nationalism Place Space |
title | Space and place for health and care – Nationalist discourses in Swedish daily press during the first year of COVID-19 |
title_full | Space and place for health and care – Nationalist discourses in Swedish daily press during the first year of COVID-19 |
title_fullStr | Space and place for health and care – Nationalist discourses in Swedish daily press during the first year of COVID-19 |
title_full_unstemmed | Space and place for health and care – Nationalist discourses in Swedish daily press during the first year of COVID-19 |
title_short | Space and place for health and care – Nationalist discourses in Swedish daily press during the first year of COVID-19 |
title_sort | space and place for health and care nationalist discourses in swedish daily press during the first year of covid 19 |
topic | COVID-19 Critical discourse analysis Health Nationalism Place Space |
url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024038891 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT kvonbromssen spaceandplaceforhealthandcarenationalistdiscoursesinswedishdailypressduringthefirstyearofcovid19 AT aroxberg spaceandplaceforhealthandcarenationalistdiscoursesinswedishdailypressduringthefirstyearofcovid19 AT cwerkanderharstade spaceandplaceforhealthandcarenationalistdiscoursesinswedishdailypressduringthefirstyearofcovid19 |