This book compares and contrasts publicly espoused security concepts in the Nordic region, and explores the notion of societal security.

Outside observers often assume that Nordic countries take similar approaches to the security and safety of their citizens. This book challenges that assumption and traces the evolution of 'societal security', and its broadly equivalent concepts, in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. The notion of societal security is deconstructed and analysed in terms of its different meanings and implications for each country, through both country- and issue-focused studies. Each chapter traces the evolution of key security concepts and related practices, allowing for a comparison of similarities and differences between these four countries. Using discourses and practices as evidence, this is the first book to explore how different Nordic nations have conceptualised domestic security over time. The findings will be valuable to scholars from across the geographical and theoretical spectrum, while highlighting how Nordic security discourses and practices may deviate from traditional assumptions about Nordic values.

This book will be of much interest to students of security studies, Nordic politics and International Relations.

The Open Access version of this book, available at https: //www.routledge.com/Nordic-Societal-Security-Convergence-and-Divergence/Larsson-Rhinard/p/book/9780367492922, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Author: Sebastian Larsson
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 06/25/2020
Series: Routledge New Security Studies
Pages: 268
Weight: 1.22lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 0.63d
ISBN: 9780367492922

About the Author

Sebastian Larsson is a Researcher and Teaching Fellow in International Relations at Stockholm University, Sweden.

Mark Rhinard is Professor of International Relations at Stockholm University and Senior Research Fellow at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs.