In the heart of the matter : a political discourse analysis of the process of regional enlargement in South Sweden

Abstract: This thesis aim is to understand the ongoing regional development in South Sweden by focusing on how the regional enlargement is exposed in the discourse of Region Skåne ́s political elite. The material is based on eighteen interviews with the political elite and analyses a discursive transformation of the factors that could contribute to the political process of enlargement. These factors require further and more detailed research to gain better understanding to what extent and how the project is situated within this discourse. Nevertheless, based on interviews conducted with politicians and experts within the political discourse of Region Skåne and operationalized through the method of political discourse analysis and content analysis three major factors are discussed. Firstly, important for this process is the Swedish governance structure where the regional level is weak and the state is not working to promote regional development. Consequently, regional political actors are working for the ability to take action by focusing on regional enlargement hence power is one factor that structure this process. Secondly, a deconstruction of the rhetoric of the political actor ́s arguments showed that future challenges such as an ageing population, infrastructure, public transport and environmental politics are seen as important and accordingly demand cooperation between municipalities over county levels. Moreover, due to unwillingness of major actors in discussing identity and culture, it may be argued that the far right discourse on identity and culture – i.e. the discourse based on an excluding rhetoric - has conquered the political discourse in this area. Thus the actors actualizing far right discourse have better chances to influence debates on normative aspects of identity and culture.