Experiences of Sámi and Migrants to Provide New Perspectives on Democracy

New perspectives on democracy will be explored in the project “Reassembling Democracy in Sweden: Trans-Disciplinary Research on Minority Narratives,
Civic Imagination, and Participatory Futures in Sweden and Beyond.” The newly launched project examines the challenges of democratic societies and how democracy can be strengthened by drawing on the experiences of groups that are not fully included in political processes.

The researchers will work together with migrants and Sámi communities in Sweden to understand how their experiences and practices relate to prevailing democratic values and norms. The project will use several different methods to study how democracy is created through language and participation. Funding from the Swedish Research Council makes it possible to carry out this extensive and in‑depth study of democratic processes.

The Project Will Provide Important New Knowledge
Kristina Sehlin MacNeil, Associate Professor and Deputy Director at Várdduo – Centre for Sámi Research, is part of the project:

Kristina Sehlin MacNeil, Associate Professor and Deputy Director at Várdduo – Centre for Sámi Research.

ImageHans Karlsson

“For my own research, the funding means I can continue developing transdisciplinary methods in collaboration with Indigenous peoples, and that I have the opportunity to work closely with the communities involved. For the research field as a whole, the project provides an important contribution, it highlights how democratic practices are shaped within groups that are often underrepresented, and how their experiences can contribute to more inclusive democratic processes, both in Sweden and internationally.”

In her previous work, Kristina has focused on matters that affect Indigenous communities including power relations, conflicts and participation. She has extensive experience studying how Sámi and other Indigenous groups navigate power structures despite limited political influence.

“This project connects to themes I have researched before. I’m really excited to further develop my work at the intersection of Indigenous studies, migration research, and democracy studies, together with other dedicated researchers from different fields,” Kristina says.

Highlighting Voices and Perspectives Rarely Heard
The project builds on a growing body of international research showing that democracy is not static but shaped through people’s actions and relationships. The researchers hope to contribute new knowledge by foregrounding the perspectives of Sámi people and migrants — two groups whose experiences are often missing from discussions about democracy.

“By working transdisciplinarily and incorporating Indigenous methodologies, the project introduces new ways of understanding democratic processes. It complements and deepens existing research by highlighting voices and forms of knowledge that have traditionally existed outside established democratic institutions and research fields,” Kristina explains.

One of the project’s goals is to gather knowledge about how migrants and Sámi people participate, or are prevented from participating in democratic processes, and to shed light on what changes are needed to create a more inclusive and sustainable democratic society.

“Our hope is that the project will contribute new insights into how democracy is actually practiced in people’s everyday lives, and how it can be strengthened by including more voices and perspectives. We also want to contribute to a discussion about democracy as something dynamic and evolving, rather than a fixed set of institutions and rules,” Kristina concludes.