Governing through risk: A governmentality analysis ofSweden’s efforts against money laundering

During the last decade governments and international organizations have taken multipleactions to combat money laundering. Despite this, anti-money laundering policies have haddubious effects. This paper investigates efforts to combat money laundering from theFoucauldian ideas of governmentality. By investigating Sweden’s efforts to fight moneylaundering the paper sheds light on the different problematizations, rationalities, identityformations, techniques, and mechanisms that can be found in Sweden’s anti-moneylaundering regime. By focusing on the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, the CountyAdministrative Board and private actors this paper provides insights into how the regimegoverns through knowledge-based technologies of government and risk-based rationality