Nationell identitet under geopolitisk förändring

Den svenska Nato-debatten 1995–2015 i elitmedial spegel

Abstract

National identity during geopolitical change: The Swedish Nato debate from 1995–2015 reflected in an elite-media mirror.

It has been suggested that there has been “no real debate” on the issue of Swedish NATO membership. This article shows that in the four major Stockholm newspapers there has been a dynamic debate on this topic for over twenty years. The number of articles has also increased: from about a dozen in 1995, to over 80 in 2015. With the exception of the first year, articles advocating membership dominated quantitatively over the articles rejecting membership. However, the pro-NATO articles changed qualitatively over time: from general arguments about the desira-bility of joining international organisations to specific arguments about joining NATO against the Russian military threat. The contra-NATO articles contained primarily geopolitical-isolationist and identity-related arguments. In the light of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022, the different perceived strengths of these arguments might have contributed indirectly to the Swedish decision of applying for NATO membership the same year.