melanie rideout

The past few years has seen a huge surge in support for the once described “neofascist” party, Sweden Democrats. It has been found that the popularity of the party has grown out of support for the anti-immigration policy advocated by the party, a stance previously rejected by the highly cosmopolitan and liberal political and moral ethos of Sweden. Despite the unfortunate popularity of such a stance, which can be seen most notably in the UK and in South-Eastern Europe, the story of Sweden has gained much international attention, particularly by the British media. Is it possible that finally, after decades of unchallenged moral superiority, fault has been found in the Swedish model? Are tensions rising between cosmopolitan solidarity and national belonging? What is the media’s role (both national and international) in further perpetuating the perceived, or imagined, crisis? And finally, without a strong moral ‘compass’ upheld by the Nordic countries it begs the question: who can guide us now?