Rätten till abort: diskursteori och innehållsanalys applicerad på svensk abortlagstiftning

Sammanfattning: In this essay, I use discourse theory on three versions of the Swedish abortion law: the current law from 2016, the law from 1974 and a bill from an abortion committee added in 1965. I also do a thematic content analysis on a parliamentary bill from 1974 discussing the need for and the purpose of a more permissive law. The history of the Swedish abortion law is diverse. In 1938, the law stated that abortion was only allowed if the life of the pregnant person was in serious danger – illegal abortions was punished with imprisonment for all involved. In 1974 a new law was passed, that was allowing abortions instead of prohibiting them. This law from 1974 is the basis of the law that is currently in place. I want to see which parties take on an active role, and how this affect the law. I also want to see what similarities and differences there are in content and creation of meaning between the four texts. My analysis show that there are problems of consistency in use of concepts, which have an impact on the interpretation and overall purpose of the law.