Swedish Culture: What is Swedish Culture?
Individualism, Tolerance, Freedom, Trust, Freedom, Rationality…
How can one summarise the culture of a country especially the one that is one of the most developed countries in the world in terms of social indices and social security?
Sweden is a remarkable country. The country has systematically and scientifically eliminated poverty, ushered a sense of egalitarianism in the society, provided social security to its citizens. What is its culture?
VETARNA is an organization that conducts training and educational programmes on culture, religion, and migration. Its uniqueness is the staff are aware of the social challenges (or opportunities) that a country like Sweden is facing because of immigration from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Syria and Iraq. Robert Johansson is an expert on religious behaviour and religious history, and has studied ‘religion’ from the University of Gothenburg. He has conducted field studies in India and Syria, and his interests are in the sociological and psychological dimensions of religions. He is aware of the cultural challenges faced by Sweden in the wake of immigration as a result of giving asylum to the immigrants from war-ravaged countries and issues of societal significance.
Many immigrants come from countries that nurture clannism, oppression (subservience of women to men), sexual restrictions and lack of choice, religious interpretations from a jaundiced perspective, and religion as the basis for discrimination, violent extremism and radicalization among others. Whether an immigrant agrees or disagrees to the Swedish cultural values, but one ought to be aware, and value them. If not, one can choose one’s own path in the country or culture of his or her choice.
Sweden has time-test cultural values that are functional and fair: those who come from other cultures and countries eventually assimilate those cultural values.
Robert Johansson from VETARNA pointed out to the cultural aspects of Sweden from a political science approach: The SWEDISCH CULTURAL VALUES are:-
- Individualism
- Equality
- Free sexuality (the right to choose)
- Equality
- Secularism
- Animal Rights
- Children’s Rights
- Tolerance
- Rationality
- Antiracism
- Honesty and Fairness
- Sincerity
- Trust & confidence in the Government / Swedish State
Robert Johansson also highlighted how the other cultures and countries view Swedish culture for one or the other reason: A VIEW OF THE WORLD OF SWEDISH CULTURE are:-
- Bad mothers
- Egoism
- Alcoholics &drug addicts
- Everyone has sex with everyone
- Atheists
- Leave theold people (parents) alone
- Just care about houses and cars (materialists, sans spirituality)
- Immoral
The positive and negative aspects of Swedish culture: PERSPECTIVE ON SWEDISH CULTURE:-
- Positive: queue system, respect for gays or homosexuals, gender equality, conservation of nature and animals
- Negative: socially difficult to access
- Syria is more than war and misery
Robert Johansson conducted the workshop at the OPPORTUNITY DAY on 30 October 2017 at Clarion Hotel Post. He answered the questions posed by the audience. OPPORTUNITY DAY is an organisation that fosters integration of migrants through jobs.
You can read more about Swedish culture at COMMISCEO GLOBAL, and at the official website on Sweden.
I really appreciate the swedish culture. Because of these positive cultural values, the country is among the most developed countries in the world. Many developing countries can learn (by respecting and putting aside their ego) and incorporate these values in their system and visualise positive changes in the future.