Alicia Barker-Åström is a student in the Dual Degree between Sciences Po Paris and the University of British Columbia. She got her first Bachelor’s in Politics and Government with a Middle East and North Africa specialization from Sciences Po Campus de Menton. She is currently pursuing an Honours degree in Political Science and International Relations at UBC. Alicia’s research interests include the state of Swedish segregation and the connections between government policy and increasing crime rates. Beyond the national level, she is interested in how the national issue of segregation relates to the international political climate and is affected by multilateral organizations.
My project at the Centre for European Studies has focused on the nexus of inequality, social segregation and crime in contemporary Sweden. This micro-essay aims to provide a brief overview of its main findings.
As a country with a collective identity that is strongly linked to the welfare state and equality, Swedish society prides itself on its long history of egalitarian policies. Over recent decades, however, inequality has increased alongside social segregation, furthering a divide between neighborhoods that are socio-economically well-off and those that are experiencing socioeconomic challenges. The country has been shocked by the recent spike in crime and gun violence over the past few years, much of which can be attributed to ongoing gang conflicts in neighborhoods negatively affected by the rise in inequality. Unlike what the media is portraying, this is not a phenomenon that occurred solely during the past years, but rather a problem that is now endemic to Swedish inequality and integration policies. The decline of the welfare state is key in understanding the recent increased social segregation and high crime rates, as it exacerbated inequality and enabled social and residential compartmentalizing of society over time.
Starting in the mid-1990s, consecutive Swedish governments cut spending on welfare services, narrowing its scope of social programs and allowing for broader privatization in sectors like education and healthcare to replace the assistance that the State was previously responsible for. This resulted in a weaker distributive force within the country, furthering the gaps between the upper and lower classes. In fact, from the mid-1970s until the early 2010s, inequality in Sweden rose more than any other OECD country. While still being a comparatively equal country, the rate at which inequality has increased is notable as it presents a rapid societal change that has not been sufficiently addressed. The decreasing presence of a welfare state coupled with increasing inequality, has led to an unprecedented situation of social segregation and a spike in crime rates across a country that has proven to be incapable of instituting policies that ensure the economic and social safety and security of its inhabitants.
A crucial part of my project has been centered around reading personal accounts of the increased crime rates associated with the rise in inequality. Diamant Salihu (Tills Alla Dör, 2021) and Evin Cetin (Mitt Ibland Oss, 2022) are two key authors who allowed me to further understand the reasons behind the violence that has shaken Sweden to the core. Their work rightly highlights the personal socio-economic struggles that underlie the willingness to take part in gang-violence and commit ever more serious crimes. Personal experiences and opinions pertaining to the effects of increasing inequality shed light on the consequences to individuals and communities alike, providing a much needed nuance to the discussion of organized crime. Many of the personal accounts tell a similar story: inequality has either forced or encouraged people to enter crime networks. The driver of gang violence itself is illegal drug trafficking. Highly representative of the social inequalities that Sweden faces, the drug trade is driven by a demand for drugs from those who can afford it. For those involved in smuggling and distributing the drugs, it is a lucrative opportunity that offers chances to move up the socioeconomic ladder that legal professions and state-provided services do not. Mainstream Swedish politicians have admitted this issue, yet struggle to see the impact that a stronger, more robust welfare state presents to solve the current, untenable situation. Returning to extensive social welfare services and decreasing privatization may offer a long-term solution that differs from the band aids politicians have used so far.
My fellowship with the Centre for European Studies has allowed me to further explore a topic that my home country, Sweden, is currently struggling with. I have been able to join seminars about issues affecting Europe, allowing me to draw deeper connections between broader issues and what is underway in Swedish society. The Centre also gave me the opportunity to access more material on the topic, which was essential as much of the material I needed to analyze is not easily accessible from Canada. I appreciated our common workspace, and the opportunities to discuss with other fellows to hear more about their work.
*Alicia was a 2024 CES Undergraduate Student Fellow.