New Zealand and Sweden: Likeminded partners in a geopolitical world

Co-PIs:

Associate Professor Malena Rosén Sundström (Lund University, Sweden)

 Professor Natalia Chaban (University of Canterbury, New Zealand)

In its first step, the project aims to conduct a pilot study and apply for funding of a joint research project. In Step 1, the pilot focuses on Sweden and NZ as two small likeminded Western democracies in a geopolitical world, and their coping with (new) security threats, applying a broad understanding of security and (perceived) security threats. Th project will map the security debates and experiences in both countries, but also in how these debates/experiences are perceived by the other country and the potentials for learning from each other (e.g. NZ’s experiences in coping with natural disasters and Sweden’s experiences in tackling hybrid threats), contributing to increased preparedness and resilience. The project also wants to study how the two states advance their diplomatic dialogue, widening its scope in collaboration and preparation to co-tackle global security challenges. In focus is RSTI diplomacy, cybersecurity, big tech, space and energy exchanges.

In our initial focus is joint comparative analysis of frames and narratives of Sweden and NZ tackling security threats in an increasingly fragile world – by themselves and together – in each other’s official, media, and diplomatic discourses. This analysis will be supported by the relevant literature review and offset by interviews with decision-makers and opinion-formers who will be invited to reflect on the potential of mutual learning and value of international collaboration between NZ and Sweden, two likeminded democratic partners, in a changing geopolitical world.

Inter- and multi-disciplinary synergy between EU studies, political science, and international strategic communication; a novel case in the study of bilateral NZ-Sweden cooperation; new contribution to IR literature on the likeminded democratic country-dynamic in a geopolitical world where competition, contestation and democratic backsliding are taking place. Opportunity to produce impact on practice community in both countries.