Sverige kan ryta : En analys av hur en statsidentitet kan omdefinieras på retorisk väg

The aim of this thesis is to examine Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s and Minister of Defence Pål Jonsson’s rhetorical efforts to construct and redefine Sweden’s identity from being portrayed as a neutral state to that of a credible military actor. The central questions are how these government representatives personify Sweden and portray it as a competent military actor, and how they attempt to create and define the subject of Sweden. The material analysed consists of two speeches delivered at Folk och Försvar’s (People and Defence) conference in January 2025. The theoretical framework is based on ontological metaphors, metaphorical framing, framing theory and constitutive rhetoric. The thesis employs a qualitative methodology, focusing on the role of language in the creation of identities, the framing of reality, and the use of metaphors. The analysis shows that Ulf Kristersson and Pål Jonsson display a notable consistency in how they construct Sweden as a subject. Sweden is personified as a militarily capable actor, with citizens actively interpellated as part of this subject.