Ett paradigmskifte i den svenska integrationspolitiken? : Den politiska debatten om språk-och kunskapskrav för permanent uppehållstillstånd och medborgarskap i Sverige

Sammanfattning: The following study explores the political debate on integration requirements for permanent residence and citizenship in Sweden between the years of 2000 and 2023. Prior research by Christian Joppke shows that Europe is undergoing a policy trend called civic integration, wherein a large number of countries have introduced various types of requirements for permanent residence and citizenship. The trend emphasizes the fulfilment of duties as a precondition for obtaining certain rights, such as the right to stay permanently in the host country.  Sweden has been considered an exception from the policy trend, having not introduced any formal language and civics tests for immigrants. Previous research by Karin Borevi argues that Sweden´s integration politics are rights-based, in contrast to the duty-based approach characterizing civic integration.  However, in 2019 the Swedish government changed its stance on the integration requirements and proposed their introduction. Although these requirements have not yet been voted on in the parliament, recent developments suggest that it is only a matter of time.  By studying the political debate on language and civics requirements among different Swedish governments, findings show that the country has shifted from the rights-based approach to the duty-based approach within integration politics. The findings support previous research by Joppke and show that the country has become more aligned with the policy trend of civic integration.