Att Tala Politik: En Diskursanalys Av Sveriges Utrikespolitiska Identitet 2015–2025 : Från värdebaserad universalism till säkerhetspolitisk orientering

This study investigates how the concepts of human rights, democracy, and security are articulated and understood in Sweden’s foreign policy statements between 2015 and 2025. By tracing how these notions are constructed and related over time, the thesis explores how Sweden’s foreign policy identity is shaped linguistically within a shifting international landscape. Drawing on securitization theory and the English School, the analysis applies a discourse-theoretical approach situated within a social constructivist framework. The annual foreign policy declarations, delivered by the Swedish government, are examined as political texts that both reflect and reproduce Sweden’s self-image in world politics. The findings reveal a gradual discursive transformation from a value-oriented focus on democracy and human rights toward a security-centered narrative. This shift demonstrates how language does not merely describe foreign policy but actively constitutes the meanings and identities that define it.