Women's organisations in Sweden's and Finland's war preparedness

The project will investigate how women and women's sections contribute to defence and preparedness in Sweden and Finland.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, an increasing number of European countries are preparing for war. In Sweden, the 32-page brochure If Crisis or War Comes has been distributed to all households (MSB 2025). It states: “Everyone must do their part to defend Sweden’s independence and democracy.” It also emphasises that resilience is built every day, and that every individual is part of the country’s total defence. In November 2024, Finland—a close Swedish ally—published a guide on crisis preparedness, which also addresses the risk of military conflict (Government of Finland 2024).

Like the Swedish brochure, the Finnish guide highlights that “if something serious happens, everyone’s preparedness and actions affect how well we cope with the situation.” But what do these expectations of wartime preparedness mean for women, who remain a minority in the Nordic armed forces? And how are women expected to contribute to the country’s defence in everyday life?

Drawing on feminist and critical research in political economy, international relations (IR), and war studies (Enloe 2000; True 2012; Hedström et al. 2024), the project emphasises the significance of women’s everyday work for wartime preparations, with a focus on women’s sections. The project proposes that a feminist political economy of war can broaden analyses of violence, militarisation and defence preparedness.

Project leader: Jenny Hedström