Between Rationality and Identity: An Analysis of Sweden's Path to NATO-Membership

The full-scale war waged by Russia against Ukraine as of February 2022 has had profound consequences for the European security landscape, triggering significant shifts in geopolitical dynamics and influencing individual states' foreign and security policy decisions. This article provides an in-depth analysis of Sweden's foreign and security policy spanning 2014 to 2022. The focus is particularly on understanding the factors that have shaped and influenced Sweden's trajectory towards NATO membership - and away from military non-alignment. The examination encompasses a review of strategic and geopolitical considerations that played a role in Sweden's approach to security and alignment with NATO. The article also considers internal factors relevant to the path toward Sweden's NATO membership, such as decisionmakers (threat) perceptions, state structure, the strength and legitimacy of the state apparatus, and internal processes related to culture, identity, the Social Democrat's dominant role in Swedish politics, and the country's relationship with Finland. From this, the article seeks to provide a thorough understanding of the complex dynamics at play, shedding light on the internal and external factors that have contributed to Sweden's NATO membership application in the face of evolving global security challenges.