The role of symbolic politics in exceptional crime policy debate: a study of the 2014 Swedish general election

ABSTRACT

Symbolic politics are often considered to be closely linked to an alarmist rhetoric, as well as to punitive crime policy initiatives. This article explores the symbolic dimension of the Swedish crime policy debate. Since Sweden is frequently depicted as an antithesis to punitive Anglophone societies, exploring symbolic politics in this setting might expand our understanding of what symbolic statements may consist of. The article analyses the electoral campaign preceding the Swedish general election of 2014, with the aim of identifying which symbolic statements occupy a central position in the debate through the use of a qualitative content analysis. This analysis reveals an ambiguous political rhetoric, comprising morally and emotionally charged condemnatory statements about getting tough on crime, as well as reformist and restrained references to expert knowledge and long-term solutions. On the one hand, these reformist statements strengthen the image of Swedish crime policy as being based on ideals such as rationality and humanity. On the other, they also serve to legitimize and obscure penal expansion.

KEYWORDS:

• Elections
• Sweden
• symbolic politics
• political parties
• crime policy

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Kalle Tryggvesson, the editor and two anonymous reviewers for this journal for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this article. I also would like to thank Dave Shannon and Tea Fredriksson for translating and reviewing the language of the article.

Notes

1. My observation that crime policy was not a salient issue in 2014 Swedish general election is supported by several other indicators. In 2014, crime policy did not attain the role of one of the top ten most important issues for the voters (e.g. Oscarsson & Bergström, 2017). Different studies report varying numbers regarding the percentage of voters ranking ‘law and order’ as one of the most important issues. Many surveys report similar trends, however, that the numbers are lower in 2010 and 2014 compared to previous elections as well as in comparison with the succeeding years (Oscarsson & Bergström, 2017). Additionally, the Swedish public service broadcasting company (SVT, 2014) listed, in 4 May 2014, the three most important issues for the political parties during the electoral campaign, and ‘law and order’ did not make it to any of top three lists.