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Starting with 1809, Sweden's 'year zero' and a period of deep national trauma, this book studies the relationship between Sweden and its environment, and foreign policy and overlapping security and defence policies. The book displays the pattern to Swedish foreign policy behavior, at times solidarity and involvement, at times disengagement and isolation, depending on the actions of larger powers in the neighbourhood. The author examines Sweden's independence from, dependence on, orientation towards, and then acquiescence in Europe, and the release of a 'revolution' in Swedish foreign policy from the early 1990s. The author also studies a process of steady Swedish Europeanization and the emergence of a post-neutral stance. The book's endpoint is the European Parliamentary election 2019, which resulted in a stemming of the populist tide in Sweden which had grown from disconnection between a Europe-reluctant electorate and Europe-enthusiastic politicians. The book also looks towards Swedish policy ambitions and prospects for the 2020s and continuation of the 'revolution'.
List of contents
List of Tables - Acknowledgements - Acronyms and Abbreviations -Swedish Political Parties in May 2019 -Introduction - Island-Like Sweden in an Arena of Conflict - The Evolution of Neutrality and the Evolution of the Swedish - Dual Challenge for Sweden-a Strategic Dimension and an Economic Dimension -From 'Metal' and 'Tetra Pak', to 'Paper'-the Turnaround on Europe - A New Start to Domestic Policy-Cutting the 'Gordian Knot' of Security Policy-a Swedish Revolution - Sweden and European Security- Russian Disengagement-a Leaner, Meaner Swedish - A Suitable Candidate for EU Membership-EU Referendum 1994 - On the Domestic Front-Europeanized Sweden - Sweden in Europe-One Among Many-Small Facet in a Larger Jewel - Bibliography -Index.
About the author
Graeme D. Eddie has worked and studied in Sweden, and his political science research in Stockholm contributed to a PhD (Aberdeen University). He has published in The World Today, RIIA, London. He was a librarian/archivist at the Centre for Research Collections, Edinburgh University Library, of which he is currently an Honorary Fellow.
Summary
This comprehensive modern history of Swedish foreign policy across 200 years is presented in an analytical, descriptive, journalistic and approachable narrative style.
