Rättvisa för vem i den exploaterande välfärdsmodellen? - En kritisk diskursanalys om samernas plats i den svenska gruvpolitiska diskursen

The Swedish welfare model has historically been financially dependent on the mining industry, which has played an important role in the Swedish economic development. Many mines are located in Swedish Sápmi, a region traditionally inhabited by the Sami people, which has led to conflicts regarding land use and land rights. In this essay I use critical discourse analysis to examine how the Swedish political discourse on mining has changed since the late 1920’s, when the Swedish welfare model began developing, until today. Since the Swedish welfare model is based on the principle of universalism, where the good of the majority is prioritized, the essay also discusses how the rights of Sami people in many cases has been overseen which becomes an issue of justice. The results show that the Swedish political discourse on mining has prioritized the growth of the mining industry in the name of universalism over Sami land use. The study also shows that justice in the Swedish welfare model focuses on financial redistribution for the good of the citizens. The political discourse on mining and fails to recognize the perspectives and culture Sami people as well as provides inadequate opportunities for Sami participation in decision making regarding new mines