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Swedish Awkwardness à La Carte? The Difference a Question Mark Can Make

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Nordic States and European Integration

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics ((PSEUP))

Abstract

This chapter explores Sweden’s engagement in the European integration process, both before and after joining the EU in 1995. It explores Sweden’s relationship with the integration process through three dimensions: economic, identity and political/security. The chapter finds that depending on the dimension explored, the awkwardness label sits somewhat uncomfortably however it also becomes clear that Sweden can indeed be an awkward partner in the European integration process, although the label fits better with some policy areas, and at certain points in the integration process, more than with others.

This chapter benefitted from presentations and discussions at the panels ‘Awkward States’ at the UACES annual conferences in Bilbao, September 6–9, 2015, and ‘Awkward Nordic Partners in the European Integration Process?’, UACES 46th Annual Conference, Queen Mary University, London, 5–7 September, 2016. I would also like to express my thanks to feedback from and discussions with my fellow collaborators in this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden

    Malin Stegmann McCallion

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  1. Malin Stegmann McCallion
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Correspondence to Malin Stegmann McCallion .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden

    Malin Stegmann McCallion

  2. University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom

    Alex Brianson

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Stegmann McCallion, M. (2018). Swedish Awkwardness à La Carte? The Difference a Question Mark Can Make. In: Stegmann McCallion, M., Brianson, A. (eds) Nordic States and European Integration. Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57562-9_4

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