A Roadmap for Swedish Island Research – Previous Knowledge, Current Debates, and Imminent Research Gaps

Abstract

This study is the result of a participatory and collaborative project in which Swedish scholars and representatives of island organizations in Sweden set out to define what Swedish island research is and identify imminent research gaps. The article answers the following questions: 1) Which key research gaps can be identified in Swedish island research? 2) How can we relate Swedish island research to the international field of island research? The study is based on community based participatory research. Data was collected through a participatory process with workshops, webinars, and participatory activities in 2022. The main conclusion is that there is a democracy deficit affecting island development which is caused by the institutional structure in Sweden where island communities are mainly subordinated mainland municipalities, and a lack of island and archipelago policies.

Keywords

Democracy deficit; Institutions; Island studies; Islandness; Swedish islands and archipelagos

Published in

Rural Landscapes
2024, volume: 11, number: 1, article number: 5

SLU Authors

• Tunon, Håkan

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

SLU Swedish Biodiversity Centre

UKÄ Subject classification

Human Geography
Social Sciences Interdisciplinary

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.16993/rl.131

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/139917