Negotiating Social Responsibilities : NGOs in the Swedish Welfare System

Abstract: The Swedish welfare system is in transformation: while previously, a vast public sector has taken responsibility for welfare provision, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are increasingly invited to participate as service providers in the past years. In a qualitative case study, this paper analyses in which ways three NGOs in Malmö perceive their role in the welfare system and by identifying challenges and prospects in the cooperation with the local government. Semi-structured interviews with representatives of the NGOs are analysed through the lens of the social investment discourse by using qualitative content analysis (QCA). Findings show that the perception of all respondents exceeds a substitutionary role of civil society in welfare provision, while two respondents emphasize the social responsibility of the state. The view of one respondent demonstrates a significant change in conventional civil society engagement towards the provision of professionally managed service work. Finally, the paper anticipates that the negotiation of social responsibility could change the understanding of socio-economic human rights as such.