Transformations of the Swedish Welfare State - by B Larsson & M Letell & H Thörn (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

'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 Departmentat Gothenburg University.' - Göran Therborn, Chair and Professor of Sociology, University of Cambridge, UK

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 theDepartment 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, Stockholm 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