Welfare state citizenship discourses in the programs for the parliamentary elections between 1991-2019
Keywords:
citizenship, political parties, program for parliamentary electionsAbstract
The aim of this study is to clarify what kind of citizenship discourses are mobilised in the programs for the parliamentary elections by the four biggest parties in Finland. The focus is firstly on the interpretation of the political and social rights and duties of the citizen and secondly on the interpretation of the juridical bond between the citizens and the state and how that bond is legitimised. The data of the study consists of the party programs of the four biggest parties in Finland for the parliamentary elections between the years 1991-2019. The methodological approach of the study is a critical discourse analysis. Concerning the rights and duties of the citizens, we identified two discourses: one in which the citizen is the object of the government actions and one in which the citizen is an active subject. Concerning the bond between the state and the citizen, we identified one discourse: the citizens as democratic power users. The results of the study show that there are some differences how the parties emphasize these discourses.
