Social Exclusion, Polarization and Security in the Nordic Welfare State

In order to maintain and strengthen the welfare state and democracy, the Social Exclusion, Polarization and Security in the Nordic Welfare State (SEPOS) -project develops a broader, policy-relevant conceptualization of societal security, built on the notion of human security that covers aspects such as social cohesion, trust and drivers for marginalization. Instead of naming new issues as security challenges, the project highlights and intervenes in the unequal distribution of security, particularly among marginalized and racialised groups, studying how the divergence in the lived experience of safety, and the securitizing practices contribute to polarization and social exclusion. SEPOS (2021-2023) is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers organisation NordForsk and is led by Helena Blomberg-Kroll from the University of Helsinki.