Scandinavian Political Studies
@scandpolstud.bsky.social
The leading journal on politics and public administration in the Nordic countries
High-ranking political aides in Finland are often linked to lobbyism. Read more in Distinct From the Nordic Revolving Door? The Before and Post-Appointment Employment of High-Ranking Political Aides in Finland, by Ville-Pekka Niskanen and Jari Autioniemi, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
Distinct From the Nordic Revolving Door? The Before and Post‐Appointment Employment of High‐Ranking Political Aides in Finland
The movement of political aides to the Finnish government between businesses or lobbyist organisations and government roles—the revolving door—has been debated since the 2000s. That scrutiny has incl...
doi.org
November 10, 2025 at 4:22 PM
High-ranking political aides in Finland are often linked to lobbyism. Read more in Distinct From the Nordic Revolving Door? The Before and Post-Appointment Employment of High-Ranking Political Aides in Finland, by Ville-Pekka Niskanen and Jari Autioniemi, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
Voters rallied behind the Danish Government at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that increased support gradually diminished during the pandemic period. See Kasper M. Hansen’s research note Rally-Round-the-Flag: The Case of COVID-19 in Denmark, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
Rally‐Round‐the‐Flag: The Case of COVID‐19 in Denmark
Rally-round-the-flag describes a situation where voters rally behind their government and leader in the fight against an external enemy. The COVID-19 pandemic was such an external enemy and Danish vo...
doi.org
November 6, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Voters rallied behind the Danish Government at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that increased support gradually diminished during the pandemic period. See Kasper M. Hansen’s research note Rally-Round-the-Flag: The Case of COVID-19 in Denmark, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
Does political hypocrisy affect the functioning of democracy? Read The Sole Effect of Double Standards—How Public Scandalization of Political Hypocrisy Influences Citizens' Democratic Trust and Engagement by Silas Harrebye, Anders Ejrnæs and Mark Ørsten, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
The Sole Effect of Double Standards—How Public Scandalization of Political Hypocrisy Influences Citizens' Democratic Trust and Engagement
Political hypocrisy is popularly understood as the discrepancy between what an individual says they believe one ought to do, and what they themselves actually do. Political hypocrisy is thus often li...
doi.org
October 31, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Does political hypocrisy affect the functioning of democracy? Read The Sole Effect of Double Standards—How Public Scandalization of Political Hypocrisy Influences Citizens' Democratic Trust and Engagement by Silas Harrebye, Anders Ejrnæs and Mark Ørsten, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
Are MPs able to influence climate policy in Sweden? Through output structures yes. Less so in terms of influencing the electorate, if the policies involve lifestyle changes. See Swedish Members of Parliament's Perceived Ability to Act on Climate Change, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
Swedish Members of Parliament's Perceived Ability to Act on Climate Change
This study explores how Swedish politicians perceive their ability to influence climate policy in relation to their ideals of political representation. Through in-depth interviews with nine Swedish m...
doi.org
September 11, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Are MPs able to influence climate policy in Sweden? Through output structures yes. Less so in terms of influencing the electorate, if the policies involve lifestyle changes. See Swedish Members of Parliament's Perceived Ability to Act on Climate Change, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
Women’s stronger environmental concern does not mean they are more likely to support climate policies, according to a new study by Henning Finseraas and Charlotte Luckner, Gender and Support for Climate Change Policies: The Case of Offshore Wind Farms, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
Gender and Support for Climate Change Policies: The Case of Offshore Wind Farms
Women express stronger environmental concern and more pro-active climate change attitudes, but whether gender differences translate to gaps in policy preferences is less known. Attitude gaps might no...
doi.org
September 10, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Women’s stronger environmental concern does not mean they are more likely to support climate policies, according to a new study by Henning Finseraas and Charlotte Luckner, Gender and Support for Climate Change Policies: The Case of Offshore Wind Farms, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
Have external crises like Fukushima, the occupation of Crimea and Russia’s attack on Ukraine in 2022 challenged the legitimacy of Finland’s nuclear energy policy? See The Impact of Three Crises on the Hegemony of Finland's Nuclear Power Elite, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
The Impact of Three Crises on the Hegemony of Finland's Nuclear Power Elite
Finland is a homogenous corporatist country characterised by a tight-knit, consensus-seeking nuclear power elite that has had a close relationship with Russia for decades. The Finnish nuclear power e...
doi.org
September 6, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Have external crises like Fukushima, the occupation of Crimea and Russia’s attack on Ukraine in 2022 challenged the legitimacy of Finland’s nuclear energy policy? See The Impact of Three Crises on the Hegemony of Finland's Nuclear Power Elite, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
Civil society organizations play an important role in shaping climate action through normative governance mechanisms. Read more in Normative Governance for Green Policies: Exploring the Practices of Civil Society by Håkon Solbu Trætteberg and Marte Winsvold, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
Normative Governance for Green Policies: Exploring the Practices of Civil Society
Societal norm formation is crucial in shaping collective action on global challenges such as climate change. This study explores the norm-building role of civil society organizations (CSOs) by examin...
doi.org
September 3, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Civil society organizations play an important role in shaping climate action through normative governance mechanisms. Read more in Normative Governance for Green Policies: Exploring the Practices of Civil Society by Håkon Solbu Trætteberg and Marte Winsvold, doi.org/10.1111/1467....
Can states extend collective wage agreements through the force of law, thus propping up dwindling collective bargaining? Trond Holmen Erlien and Georg Picot @gpicot.bsky.social examine this feature in Norwegian labour market politics and the appears to be positive. doi.org/10.1111/1467....
The Politics of Statutory Extensions of Collective Bargaining in Norway
By extending collective wage agreements through the force of law, states can prop up dwindling collective bargaining. This is a common policy in Continental Europe, but less so in Scandinavia. Norway...
doi.org
August 29, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Can states extend collective wage agreements through the force of law, thus propping up dwindling collective bargaining? Trond Holmen Erlien and Georg Picot @gpicot.bsky.social examine this feature in Norwegian labour market politics and the appears to be positive. doi.org/10.1111/1467....
A small but significant share of surveyed political scientists experience harassment or threats, particularly when engaged in politically sensitive research or public discourse, according to a new study by @arjupskas.bsky.social, Iris B. Segers and @audreygagnon.bsky.social. doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Institutional Responses to Threats and Harassment of Academics: Evidence From a Survey Among Political Scientists in Norway
In an era marked by increasing polarization, academics face growing risks of harassment and threats, particularly when engaging in politically sensitive research or public discourse. This study inves....
doi.org
August 19, 2025 at 1:18 PM
A small but significant share of surveyed political scientists experience harassment or threats, particularly when engaged in politically sensitive research or public discourse, according to a new study by @arjupskas.bsky.social, Iris B. Segers and @audreygagnon.bsky.social. doi.org/10.1111/1467...
How are Nordic municipalities using social media and how engaged are their citizens? Raphaël Zumofen, Vincent Mabillard and Martial Pasquier explore the adoption and use of social media by Nordic municipalities, and citizen engagement using such platforms. doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Citizen Engagement on Social Media Government Pages: Insights From Nordic Municipalities
This article explores the adoption and use of social media at the local level, focusing on how communication managers (or administrators) in Nordic municipalities leverage platforms such as Facebook,...
doi.org
August 11, 2025 at 10:07 AM
How are Nordic municipalities using social media and how engaged are their citizens? Raphaël Zumofen, Vincent Mabillard and Martial Pasquier explore the adoption and use of social media by Nordic municipalities, and citizen engagement using such platforms. doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Entrepreneurship occupies a central position in Finnish policy. But its reality differs starkly from policy expectations and predictions. In this article, Anuhya Bobba analyses strategy documents and argues they advocate market deregulation and stripping labour protections. doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Self‐Reliant Citizens, Market Deregulation, and Labour Flexibility: The Case of Finnish Entrepreneurship Strategy (2000–2022)
Since 2000, entrepreneurship has come to occupy a central position in Finnish policy, praised not simply as a form of work but as a disciplinary ethos that places increased responsibility on the indi...
doi.org
August 8, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Entrepreneurship occupies a central position in Finnish policy. But its reality differs starkly from policy expectations and predictions. In this article, Anuhya Bobba analyses strategy documents and argues they advocate market deregulation and stripping labour protections. doi.org/10.1111/1467...
What makes ministers lose their posts while a government is still in office? Tom Christensen and Per Lægreid examine the ministerial resignation process in terms of accountability concepts, drawing on eight recent examples from Norway. doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Cabinet Turbulence and Political Scandals—Accountability Under Pressure
This article adds to studies of why ministers lose their posts due to political scandals while a government is still in office. It examines the ministerial resignation process in terms of accountabil...
doi.org
August 6, 2025 at 11:06 AM
What makes ministers lose their posts while a government is still in office? Tom Christensen and Per Lægreid examine the ministerial resignation process in terms of accountability concepts, drawing on eight recent examples from Norway. doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Does elite deliberation at the local level live up to the ideals of a deliberative and consensus-oriented model for decision making? Yes, largely it does according to a new study by Sofie Blombäck and Gustav Lidén (@gustavliden.bsky.social) doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Elite Deliberation at the Local Level ‐ Politicians and Civil Servants Reaching Agreements in a Swedish Municipality
This paper studies the introduction of an innovative way of organizing local politics, through a new system for management and governance system in the Swedish municipality Timrå. The study is focuse...
doi.org
June 19, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Does elite deliberation at the local level live up to the ideals of a deliberative and consensus-oriented model for decision making? Yes, largely it does according to a new study by Sofie Blombäck and Gustav Lidén (@gustavliden.bsky.social) doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Drawing on Norway‘s EU referendum, Troy Saghaug Broderstad, Sveinung Arnesen, Mikael P. Johannesson and Jonas Linde conclude there is an elite-citizen procedural congruence when it comes to the legitimacy of majority-rule procedure. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Trustees, Delegates, and Direct Democracy: Exploring Mass‐Elite Incongruence in Perceptions of Advisory Referendums
Previous research has demonstrated that the legitimacy of a majority-rule procedure, as perceived by the general population, is dependent on turnout, the size of the majority, and the favourability o...
doi.org
June 11, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Drawing on Norway‘s EU referendum, Troy Saghaug Broderstad, Sveinung Arnesen, Mikael P. Johannesson and Jonas Linde conclude there is an elite-citizen procedural congruence when it comes to the legitimacy of majority-rule procedure. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Do predispositions—such as beliefs, attitudes and biases—shape misperceptions about immigration and immigrants? Not according to a new study by Rasmus Sandy Harboesgaard Nielsen, Karen N. Breidahl and Troels Fage Hedegaard. Nor does self-reported knowledge. doi.org/10.1111/1467...
The Link Between Individual Predispositions and Misperceptions About Immigrants: Insights From Denmark
Misperceptions about immigration and immigrants are widespread throughout the Western world. A common explanation for this prevalence, relying on motivated reasoning theory, stresses the role of pred...
doi.org
June 4, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Do predispositions—such as beliefs, attitudes and biases—shape misperceptions about immigration and immigrants? Not according to a new study by Rasmus Sandy Harboesgaard Nielsen, Karen N. Breidahl and Troels Fage Hedegaard. Nor does self-reported knowledge. doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Did you know that SPS is accepting proposals for virtual issues?
All details and instructions can be found on our website at onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1467....
All details and instructions can be found on our website at onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1467....
Scandinavian Political Studies
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onlinelibrary.wiley.com
May 14, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Did you know that SPS is accepting proposals for virtual issues?
All details and instructions can be found on our website at onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1467....
All details and instructions can be found on our website at onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1467....
How do personality traits shape individuals‘ willingness to participate in deliberations? Marina Lindell and Kim Strandberg examine how the Big Five personality traits shape individuals‘ willingness to participate in deliberation. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
The Deliberative Type? How Different Personalities Prefer and Experience Public Deliberation
Personality significantly affects political attitudes and behaviours, yet its role in deliberative participation remains underexplored. This study examines how the Big Five personality traits shape i....
doi.org
May 14, 2025 at 8:58 AM
How do personality traits shape individuals‘ willingness to participate in deliberations? Marina Lindell and Kim Strandberg examine how the Big Five personality traits shape individuals‘ willingness to participate in deliberation. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Is the Swedish Parliament a racialized workplace? Matilda Albertsson and Josefina Erikson examine how MPs in Sweden with immigrant backgrounds experience discrimination in their parlimentary work, racialized or gendered. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Racism and Gender in the Parliamentary Workplace: Insight Into Immigrant Background MPs' Experiences of Discrimination in Sweden
Numerous studies have explored MPs' opportunities to participate in politics from a gendered perspective. Still, a much smaller number of studies have focused on parliamentarians' immigrant backgroun...
doi.org
April 25, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Is the Swedish Parliament a racialized workplace? Matilda Albertsson and Josefina Erikson examine how MPs in Sweden with immigrant backgrounds experience discrimination in their parlimentary work, racialized or gendered. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Social trust and crises. Ali Abdelzadeh and T. Sedelius @sedelius.bsky.social examine the dynamics of social trust and its interaction with different fears during the COVID-19 pandemic, using a three-wave longitudinal dataset from Sweden (2020-2022). See the full article at doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Fears, Pandemic, and the Shaping of Social Trust: A Three‐Wave Panel Study in Sweden
This study examines the dynamics of social trust and its interaction with different fears during the COVID-19 pandemic, using a three-wave longitudinal dataset from Sweden (2020-2022). We investigate...
doi.org
April 23, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Social trust and crises. Ali Abdelzadeh and T. Sedelius @sedelius.bsky.social examine the dynamics of social trust and its interaction with different fears during the COVID-19 pandemic, using a three-wave longitudinal dataset from Sweden (2020-2022). See the full article at doi.org/10.1111/1467...
NEW ARTICLE ALERT:
Karin Fossheim examines the potential for democratic legitimacy of non-elected actors, such as interest groups and experts, along with that of elected officials, in contemporary politics. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Karin Fossheim examines the potential for democratic legitimacy of non-elected actors, such as interest groups and experts, along with that of elected officials, in contemporary politics. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Authorised, Accountable and Autonomous? A Comparison of Elected and Non‐Elected Representatives and Their Potential for Democratic Legitimacy
In contemporary politics, both elected officials and non-elected actors, such as interest groups, activists, and experts, serve as political representatives. However, the potential for democratic leg...
doi.org
April 1, 2025 at 10:42 AM
NEW ARTICLE ALERT:
Karin Fossheim examines the potential for democratic legitimacy of non-elected actors, such as interest groups and experts, along with that of elected officials, in contemporary politics. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Karin Fossheim examines the potential for democratic legitimacy of non-elected actors, such as interest groups and experts, along with that of elected officials, in contemporary politics. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
NEW ARTICLE ALERT:
Ole Martin Lægreid, Marit Klemetsen @illustriousbird.bsky.social and Marianne Aasen @maasen.bsky.social examine the interaction between political orientation and climate concern, drawing on Norwegian survey data. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Ole Martin Lægreid, Marit Klemetsen @illustriousbird.bsky.social and Marianne Aasen @maasen.bsky.social examine the interaction between political orientation and climate concern, drawing on Norwegian survey data. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
doi.org
March 29, 2025 at 11:23 AM
NEW ARTICLE ALERT:
Ole Martin Lægreid, Marit Klemetsen @illustriousbird.bsky.social and Marianne Aasen @maasen.bsky.social examine the interaction between political orientation and climate concern, drawing on Norwegian survey data. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Ole Martin Lægreid, Marit Klemetsen @illustriousbird.bsky.social and Marianne Aasen @maasen.bsky.social examine the interaction between political orientation and climate concern, drawing on Norwegian survey data. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Johanna Vuorelma @johannavuorelma.bsky.social and Pinja Lehtonen study how public performances by pandemic authorities were evaluated and contested during the intensive pandemic years 2020–2022 in Finland. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Performing Authority in Times of Crisis: Six Frames of Contested Authority During the Pandemic Era in Finland
The question of how authority is performed and gained is one of the classical puzzles in the study of politics. It is a particular salient question during crises when there are various types of socie...
doi.org
March 14, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Johanna Vuorelma @johannavuorelma.bsky.social and Pinja Lehtonen study how public performances by pandemic authorities were evaluated and contested during the intensive pandemic years 2020–2022 in Finland. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
New article alert: Thea Gregersen (@theagregersen.bsky.social), Mari S. Helliesen and Sverker C. Jagers investigate whether the Norwegian public acknowledges a link between climate change and (in)justice, and, if so, what they consider unjust. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
“The Poor Are Hit the Hardest”—Norwegians' Perceptions of Climate (In)Justice
The concept of climate justice is frequently discussed in academic literature focusing on the societal impacts of climate change and climate policy. Less attention has been paid to the public's under...
doi.org
February 27, 2025 at 10:20 AM
New article alert: Thea Gregersen (@theagregersen.bsky.social), Mari S. Helliesen and Sverker C. Jagers investigate whether the Norwegian public acknowledges a link between climate change and (in)justice, and, if so, what they consider unjust. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
@drbergh.bsky.social and Gissur Ó Erlingsson explore seven tentative explanations why both tax revenue and economic freedom have declined in Sweden after 2000, opposite to the trends from 1980 to 2000. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Retrenchment Without Liberalisation: Making Sense of Sweden's Shift Away From Consensual and Evidence‐Based Politics
Fifteen years ago, Bergh and Erlingsson (2009) argued that Sweden's period from 1980 to 2000 was characterised by ‘liberalisation without retrenchment’. This resulted from pragmatic policymaking, a c...
doi.org
February 25, 2025 at 9:40 AM
@drbergh.bsky.social and Gissur Ó Erlingsson explore seven tentative explanations why both tax revenue and economic freedom have declined in Sweden after 2000, opposite to the trends from 1980 to 2000. See the full article here: doi.org/10.1111/1467...
Julie Hassing Nielsen and @agustingoenaga.bsky.social examine how different pandemic strategies in Denmark and Sweden affected business owners‘ opinions regarding not only public health measures but also democratic rights. See the full article at onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/....
Back to Business? Business‐Owners and Their Responses to COVID‐19 Policies in a Comparative Perspective
While necessary to protect human lives, many of the measures implemented by governments to contain the COVID-19 pandemic imposed significant costs on the population. Drawing on an original representa...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 21, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Julie Hassing Nielsen and @agustingoenaga.bsky.social examine how different pandemic strategies in Denmark and Sweden affected business owners‘ opinions regarding not only public health measures but also democratic rights. See the full article at onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/....