Logo: to the web site of the Swedish Defence University

Swedish defence policy has undergone changes during the 2020s, including the NATO membership and military build-up due to increasing geopolitical tensions in Europe. Since the traditional Swedish military identity has been centered around being a neutral and impartial peacekeeper, a relevant question could be raised regarding if these changes have had an impact on this identity. The question could be particularly relevant as Sweden for the first time in over 200 years, no longer maintains a position of neutrality. 

This study aims to contribute to the understanding of a changing Swedish military identity, by doing a qualitative content analysis of the Swedish Armed Force’s Instagram account. The content published during 2020 and 2024 will be analysed using Iselin Ilja Kaspersens’ theory of soldier types, in order to examine how the Swedish Armed Forces has communicated an image of the Swedish soldier the respective years. The results of each year will then be compared, in order to analyze if and how the conveyed military identity has changed between these two years. 

The analysis shows that the Swedish Armed Forces no longer communicates a neutral standpoint year 2024, which they did in 2020. Clear statements are made in 2024 regarding both NATO and Russia. Beyond that, the comparison shows a decrease in the portrayal of Swedish soldiers in international operations, an increase in patriotic and nationalist messages, a decrease in the emphasis of soldiers supporting civil society, and a decrease in highlighting personal growth as a motive behind joining the Swedish military.