The Role of Volunteering in Crisis and War

SESA03, stand-alone course, 3 credits

Are you interested in understanding how volunteerism can strengthen Sweden's preparedness in times of crisis and war? To enhance total defense and civil preparedness, Sweden has intensified its efforts, especially after joining NATO. This course focuses on the role of volunteerism in crises and wars, and how volunteer organizations collaborate with public authorities.

In recent decades, Sweden has faced an increasingly complex and dynamic threat landscape. Security policy changes, climate-related crises, cyberattacks, and system-threatening crimes have created new challenges for both civil and military preparedness. To meet these challenges, Sweden has intensified the reconstruction of its total defense, where civil defense is a central part of the national security strategy. The country’s entry into NATO has further reinforced the need for expertise in total defense and civil preparedness, both within the public sector and among private actors responsible for crisis management.

Volunteering is an important component of total defense. Many countries are entirely dependent on volunteer organizations during crises, and the efforts of volunteers are often crucial in reducing the societal impact of a crisis. This course revolves around the phenomenon of volunteering and discusses the role of volunteering and volunteer organizations related to crisis and war in Swedish society as political and empirical phenomena. The course inventories and discusses volunteering and volunteer organizations and their formal, and informal, relationship with public organizations and authorities. The image of Swedish volunteering is contrasted during the course with international examples of volunteering in crisis and war.

The course is structured around examinable seminars where students are given the opportunity to reflect on the phenomena of volunteering and volunteer organizations. The course concludes with a written reflection that relates to and is applied to an area chosen by the student.

Apply through antagning.se (link to website). Deadline for application April 15th, 2025.

Incoming exchange students:
Find more information on how to apply as an exchange student, visit this webpage.