From directive to reality : How civil defense was organized in Karlstad Municipality 1945–1959.

This study examines how Karlstad Municipality built up its civil defense during the period between 1945–1959, a period characterized by uncertainty and the Cold War. Through a qualitative content analysis of archival material, it is analyzed how national guidelines were put into practice, what organizational needs Karlstad Municipality needed to build up, and which actors were involved in the building process. The study shows that Karlstad Municipality followed the state directives but that the implementation was affected by local conditions such as lack of personnel, premises and so on. Throughout the period, an implementation gap emerged between state directives and the municipality's implementation, which required local interpretation and adaptations. The study highlights the importance of the municipality's role as an implementing actor and showing how the building up of civil defense was an interaction between state requirements and local conditions to translate national security policy into local action.