Heated Policy Change: A Framing Analysis of the Swedish and Danish Policy Response to the 2023 Quran Crisis
2025 (English) Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 20 credits / 30 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
In 2023, Denmark and Sweden faced negative security and foreign policy consequences when Qurans were publicly burned in each country. Despite similarities in crisis characteristics and that implications appeared worse for Sweden, only Denmark responded with significant policy change by prohibiting improper treatment of religious scriptures. Previous research has identified reasons for why and how crises can facilitate significant policy change, and potential factors that may inhibit it. However, since these factors are not always applicable and the policy response in Denmark and Sweden is previously unresearched, knowledge on why the level of policy change differed is low. Thus, the aim of this thesis was to investigate how policymakers in Denmark and Sweden reacted to the 2023 Quran Crisis, how the policy processes unfolded, and identify factors that can help explain the difference in policy outcome. To accomplish this aim, a framing analysis in accordance with Boin, t’Hart, and McConnell’s framework on crisis exploitation was utilized to analyze the framing contests in Denmark and Sweden. The findings suggest that the Danish government perceived it as a significant crisis caused by repeated provocative Quran burnings. In Sweden, consequences were at times played down and blame for them diffused over multiple actors. Findings also indicate a more pragmatic stance on freedom of expression and a stronger willingness to compromise from the Danish government compared to the Swedish parties. The existence of a substantial blame game in Sweden can also have affected the difference in policy change. This thesis thus contributes to a better understanding of how the 2023 Quran Crisis was perceived and handled by policymakers in Sweden and Denmark, and why the policy outcome diverged.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages 2025. , p. 62
Keywords [en]
Policy change, Quran burnings, Crises, Framing contests, Denmark, Sweden
National Category
Political Science Peace and Conflict Studies
Identifiers URN: urn:nbn:se:fhs:diva-13524 OAI: oai:DiVA.org:fhs-13524 DiVA, id: diva2:1939417
Subject / course Political Science with a focus on Crisis Management and Security
Educational program Master's programme in Politics, Security and War
Uppsok Social and Behavioural Science, Law
Supervisors
Examiners
2025-02-282025-02-212025-02-28 Bibliographically approved