Den humana, välordnade och hållbara migrationspolitiken: En kritisk analys av den politiska debatten kring invandring, ensamkommande ungdomar och nya gymnasielagen

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this thesis is to problematize how Swedish migration policy is being legitimized. The study examines discourses in debates about migration between the Moderate Party and the Swedish Social Democratic Party. There are two major areas of interest: firstly, their discussions about the change in migration policies in 2015 and 2016, and secondly, their articulations of the unaccompanied minors affected by nya gymnasielagen: a legislation that, with certain conditions, grants residence permits. This thesis also aims to examine how these discourses relate to the Swedish self-image of being a “moral superpower”. The theoretical framework draws upon Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory and critical theorizations of the nation-state, as well as theories of immigration and ‘The Other’. Further, the methodology is based on the operationalization of articulatory practices, nodal points, hegemonic positions and floating signifiers. Findings of the study demonstrate that “the refugee crisis”, “integration problems” and arguments about the welfare system, are all used as justifications for the need of a strict migration policy. Additionally, the unaccompanied minors are presented as “problematic” subjects over which there is a discursive struggle. Within the discourse there is no opposition between the policy changes and Sweden being a righteous country.