Conducting civil society : an exploration of swedish civil society governance during the 2015 refugee situation

Abstract: The influx of refugees to Europe in the latter part of 2015 triggered a number of significant responses across the continent. In Sweden, civil society organisations (CSOs) played a crucial role in both welcoming and responding to the needs of arriving refugees. This thesis draws on New Social Movement and governmentality theories in analysing the changing role of CSOs in Sweden. Focussing predominantly on the development of one CSO as a case study, it discusses the extent to which liberalisation in the public sector and an increase in New Public Management techniques are affecting the characteristics of Swedish CSOs.