Försvarsvilja hos unga i ett förändrat säkerhetsläge

This study explores the factors influencing the defense willingness of Swedish young adults, particularly their willingness to contribute to national defense efforts and the paradox between perceived threats and strong belief that a threat could occur which leads to mixed responses in defense willingness through qualitative interviews. The aim of this study is to provide a deeper understanding of young Swedish people's defense willingness and the perceived contradiction between threat awareness and defense willingness. The research question concerns the youth's views on military service and perceived threats. One key finding concerns the youth’s awareness of potential threats which they do not express strong fear of. There is also a noticeable gap in knowledge and trust between civil defense institutions and the military. They have a higher trust in but also have a lower willingness to engage in the military defense institution. Despite this, there is still a strong sense of collective responsibility, particularly for protecting family, which influences their willingness to defend. The study highlights that defense willingness in young Swedes is shaped more by personal and familial concern rather than national threats. The findings also suggest that more accessible information and clearer roles in war or crisis situations are important in order to foster engagement in both military and civil defense. The study emphasizes the importance of further understanding these attitudes and developing strategies for increasing defense willingness among youth.