The Image of Sweden in the USA: History, events and mechanisms

This report examines the historical image of Sweden in the United States against the backdrop of recent debates on how Sweden is portrayed abroad. The Swedish-American relationship is important for Sweden - culturally, economically, and politically. This is highly relevant given current security concerns and Sweden"s recent NATO application. The USA is also a key arena for the global dissemination of perceptions about Sweden, which is critical in today"s increasingly polarized media landscape. The report does not aim to present a comprehensive overview of the entirety of American image of Sweden but focuses on events and occasions where attention to Sweden and Swedish affairs has both quantitatively intensified and qualitatively changed.