How Gender Equal Is Sweden? An Analysis of the Shift in Focus under Neoliberalism

Abstract

Sweden’s proven ability to enact family-friendly policies to support its gender equality ambitions has made it an exemplar of gender equality to emulate among developing countries. The aim of this article is to demonstrate that while Swedish gender equality has become an important part of Swedish identity, paradoxically, the foundations upon which this identity was built has gradually been eroded––Sweden has shifted from a welfare state with collective solutions and inclusiveness towards one of neoliberal governmental rationalities where individual autonomy and freedom of choice are seen as means of achieving gender equality. This new direction has implications for how gender equality policy is formulated. Using Bacchi’s ‘What is the problem approach?’ this article traces the Swedish gender equality discourse from the 1960s to the present while at every stage interrogating how equality was problematised and what solutions were offered.