What motivates people to help others, even when doing so may involve breaking rules or laws? And what happens to trust in public institutions when people perceive laws as being applied in unfair ways?
This research project examines solidarity, civil disobedience, and support for people with asylum and migration experiences, primarily in Sweden but also, to some extent, in other European countries where transnational support networks have been established. We are particularly interested in individuals who engage in informal solidarity networks to assist people whom they believe are not being granted their fundamental rights.
We investigates how such actions challenge, reinterpret, or contribute to the resilience and development of democratic institutions and norms. Particular attention will be given to how welfare law frameworks and principles of social and legal rights are renegotiated through practices of civil disobedience.
By tracing how individuals’ actions, motivations, and trust in democratic institutions evolve over time, the research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the conditions under which democratic resilience is sustained or eroded.
