Haunted by the Law: Young Male Migrant Victim-Survivors in the Swedish Upside-Down Welfare State

The thesis introduces the metaphor of the Upside Down as a conceptual frame for examining victim protection as an alternative dimension that sits beneath, or deeply within, the Swedish welfare state. The metaphor illuminates an upside-down welfare state in which racism animates the punitive dimensions of ostensibly protective legal regimes, held together by the racialising underside of law. It captures not only the structural conditions of this landscape, but also how young men seeking refuge navigate it. 

The findings demonstrate the harmful effects of purportedly protective laws. While policies and practices of abandonment facilitate violent victimisation, attempts to engage purportedly protective laws and institutions often intensify suffering in the aftermath of interpersonal violence. At the same time, relying on law can still provide moments of respite and refuge, especially when aided by practices of friendship, solidarity and informal support. The thesis highlights the limits and ambivalent potential of protective laws, while showing how struggles for safety and justice unfold both within and far beyond the reach of the state.