IS-återvändarna och samhällskontraktet - En normativ analys om svenskt medborgarskap

Sammanfattning: During the spring of 2019 a debate arised in Swedish politics regarding returning IS-fighters and if they should be allowed to retain their Swedish citizenship. With a normative analysis, the essay answers how the Swedish government ought to act from a normative standpoint. This is done from the viewpoint of social contract theory, where the possession of a citizenship is equated to being a part of the social contract. By examining the thoughts of John Locke, John Rawls and Philip Pettit, the essay creates its theoretical framework. In the analysis, it is noticed that governmental acts should be generalizable, which means that the withdrawal of citizenship for IS-fighters also leads to the withdrawal of other groups of people such as neo-Nazis. The argument that the social contract needs stability is used to reject this notion. Another argument is made that freedom only can exist within the social contract. The conclusion is drawn that the Swedish government ought not to withdraw citizenships, and should instead prosecute the returners. With its final remarks the essay creates a future approach regarding citizenship, where only one citizenship should be allowed, to guarantee political and democratic freedom and equality.