ABSTRACT
This concluding chapter contends that a hidden and ignored Sweden lies beneath the surface image of a modern, democratic, and impartial nation perpetuated by the myth of Swedish exceptionalism. The veiled Sweden, revealed through the testimonies in this book, offers a starkly contrasting narrative. The authors employ the metaphor of ‘scars’ to emphasise the enduring trauma inflicted on asylum seekers through the slow and bureaucratic violence exercised by Swedish authorities. These scars not only symbolise individual suffering but also point to broader societal harm, illustrating the decline of human rights and the normalisation of oppression. This harsh reality of injuries and trauma is politically and officially overlooked, even as Sweden’s increasingly restrictive migration policies and rhetoric aim to render even those with permanent residence permits deportable. The authors argue that it is through working with the injuries, letting silenced perspectives be expressed and transformed into new strategies for social mobilisation, that resistance towards injustices can lead to sustainable change.
