In Scandinavia, there is separation in the electorate between those who embrace diversity and those who wish for tighter bonds between people and nation. This book focuses on three nationalist populist parties in Scandinavia—the Sweden Democrats, the Progress Party in Norway, and the Danish People’s Party. In order to affect domestic politics by addressing this conflict of diversity versus homogeneity, these parties must enter the national parliament while earning the nation’s trust. Of the three, the Sweden Democrats have yet to earn the trust of the mainstream, leading to polarized and emotionally driven public debate that raises the question of national identity and what is understood as the common man.

Anders Hellström is Associate Professor in Political Science at Malmö Institute for Studies of Migration, Diversity, and Welfare. His research has been published in journals including Government & Opposition, Journal of International Migration and Integration, and The European Legacy.

“Hellström has made a substantial contribution to the literature on nationalist populist parties.” • Social Anthropology

“Political research on Scandinavia has entered a phase in which edgier taboo-free analysis reflects the starker social reality of the times. This book points the way toward ‘Nordic’Noir’ social science.” • Scandinavian Studies

“An excellent and timely contribution to the study of populist radical right parties. Its thorough comparative framework and the richly detailed analysis recommend it as a solid piece of research in the field.” • Ov Cristian Norocel, University of Helsinki

“A promising book . . . Nordic countries, by virtue of their international reputations . . . are crucial test cases for one of the great questions of our time: how much diversity can democratic welfare states handle given that they historically are based on a shared sense of national community.” • Lars Trägårdh, Ersta Sköndal University College