Tillväxt, anpassning eller statens ansvar? : om en landsbygdskommuns hantering av befolkningsminskning

Sammanfattning: Despite stable growth in the national population, many rural municipalities in Sweden are suffering from persistent population decline. Because of the severe consequences this has for their economy and capacity to deliver welfare, many are anxious to find strategies to deal with the situation. This essay examines the local perspective on rural shrinkage by attempting to answer the question: How can a small rural municipality deal with long-term population decline? The analysis is mainly concerned with comparing the use of growth-oriented policies with adaptation policies. Municipalities’ need of support from the state or the region is also discussed. To investigate this topic a qualitative case study of Högsby municipality has been carried out. The case has been studied by examining interviews and planning documents, and comparing the different goals and priorities found there to theories about rural development and strategies for growth or “planned shrinkage”. The study suggests that Högsby is using a number of growth strategies with varying results, but has no cohesive plan for adaptation in case of continued population decline. Furthermore, the conclusion is drawn that municipalities like Högsby seem to need more support from the state, no matter if they are aiming for growth or adaptation.