Firefighters as exceptional: heroism, nationalism and masculinity in times of suburban riots and anti-racist protests

Abstract

Recent years have seen riots in metropolitan suburbs in Sweden which have raised public debates on segregation processes in Sweden and the downsizing of the welfare state. In this process attacks on firefighters are highlighted as indicators that the welfare state of Sweden is in trouble. At the same time the firefighters' profession could also be seen as exceptional in terms of resistance towards gender equality and diversity work. Based on ethnographic studies of firefighters this article suggests that such paradoxes call attention to the contingency of masculinity construction in this progression. It is proposed that the growing field of studies on firefighters and masculinity may contribute to understanding how the masculine and heroic imaginary of firefighters may reproduce normalizing intersections of heroism, nationalism and masculinity.

Keywords:

• firefighters
• masculinity
• suburban riots
• segregation
• anti-racist protests

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency.

Note on contributor

Mathias Ericson, PhD, is an assistant professor and researcher in gender studies at the Department of Cultural Sciences, Gothenburg University, Sweden. He received his PhD degree in Sociology at Gothenburg University in 2011. His publications and conference presentations have focused on firefighters and masculinity, especially on issues such as homosociality, gender equality, professionalism, heteronormativity and gender equality. He is currently working with three research projects in this field, funded by VINNOVA and SCCA.