Sten Widmalm
Biographic Data
| ID | 3821258 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Sten Widmalm |
| GIVEN NAMES | Sten |
| FAMILY NAME | Widmalm |
| SIGNATURE | WIDMALM S |
| AFFILIATIONS | Uppsala University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2359-4193 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 62 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 20 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1997 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Speaking freely or staying silent? Self-censorship and democratic discontent in Sweden
This article examines the prevalence and patterns of self-censorship in Sweden – widely regarded as one of the world’s leading democracies – against the backdrop of global autocratization. While self-censorship is often studied in authoritarian contexts, we explore its occurrence in a democratic setting that has almost no formal constraints on free expression. Drawing on original survey data, we identify the individual-level factors associated wi…
Political intolerance in comprehensive welfare states
Previous research has shown that comprehensive welfare states are effective at bridging ethnic divisions and promoting political tolerance of marginalized groups. Do these results hold up in the face of the great influx of migrants into European welfare states following the 2015–16 refugee crisis? In this case study of Sweden, we map the general level of political tolerance and test various individual‐level explanations for it. Based on a survey …
Democratic virtues and educational institutions in India – black swans in conflict-ridden Jammu and Kashmir
What goes on within educational institutions can be pivotal for whether and how democracy and political tolerance are nurtured, and peaceful relations between groups encouraged. Several studies oriented to the content of curricula have shown that education in India must be reformed if it is to promote inter-ethnic peace, political tolerance and democracy. The focus of this study, however, is more on the praxis of education – how it is conducted, …
The effectiveness of national and EU-level civil protection systems
A number of high profile crises and disasters have driven the EU to increase cooperation among its member states in the area of civil protection and to enhance its capacity to conduct civil protection operations in Europe and around the world. However, in the light of recent transboundary crises in the EU, manifested by the refugee crisis, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters, it is far from clear how effective such cooperative EU arrangement…
How trust in EU institutions is linked to trust in national institutions
This article analyzes the link between trust in national institutions and trust in European Union-level institutions among national public officials. Previous research has mainly looked at citizens; in contrast, little is known about the views national officials actually hold towards European Union-level institutions or how much confidence they place in them. Our study draws on a unique survey of 670 officials in 17 European Union member states w…
Violent conjunctures in democratic India
TOLEDO
Social Trust, Impartial Administration and Public Confidence in Eu Crisis Management Institutions
In this article, we investigate whether differences in social trust and impartial public administration have an impact on public confidence in EU crisis management institutions. Our assessment is based on a cross‐country comparison using aggregate country‐level data of the member states in the European Union. Earlier studies on the EU as a crisis manager have not carefully studied to what extent differences in social trust and administrative cult…
Political Tolerance in the Global South
Personality and Political Tolerance
Inspired by recent studies on personality and political attitudes and behaviour we use the Big Five approach to assess the influence of a comprehensive set of personality traits on political tolerance. Our study is based on surveys in Bhopal in India and Lahore in Pakistan. We find that all Big Five traits – openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism – are significantly related to individuals’ willingness to grant po…
Political Tolerance in India
This study of political tolerance in India reveals a positive correlation between such tolerance and membership in political parties and unions, and living in urban areas. Surprisingly, the study finds no difference in the levels of political tolerance between BJP and Congress (I) supporters, and no connection with education levels
Dan Banik
Who Knows Best what the People Want
The notion of representation lies at the heart of liberal democratic thinking, and over the years considerable effort has gone into defining and measuring the concept. The least common denominator in the voluminous literature is that in a representative political system there should be a certain amount of attitudinal congruence between masses and elites. One much-debated strategy for obtaining a better match between elite and mass policy opinion …
Decentralisation, Corruption and Social Capital
After four days of searching examination of the State Paper 2 issued by the Cabinet Mission and the Viceroy on behalf of the British Government, my conviction abides that it is the best document the British Government could have produced in the circumstances.It reflects our weakness, if we would be good enough to see it.The Congress and the Muslim League did not, could not agree.We would grievously err if at this time we foolishly satisfy ourselv…
The Return of the Periphery
The article highlights some of the achievements of decentralisation reforms in India. There is strong empirical support for the conclusion that, as a result of the reforms, Indian citizens feel that their influence has increased and that they are closer to the holders of power. On the other hand, there is nothing to suggest that the state has necessarily become less corrupt as a result of the reforms—something that is often expected to result fro…
The utility of bonding social capital
In most studies of social capital, bridging social capital is emphasized as ‘good’ for democracy and economic performance. It is rarer to find studies showing that bonding social capital can bring positive effects. Mostly, bonding social capital is either overlooked or depicted as the ‘villain’ that leads to ethnic conflict, intolerant behaviour and poor economic and democratic development. In this article, it is argued that this picture needs to…
Trust and Tolerance in India
Explaining Corruption at the Village and Individual Level in India
This study of decentralization reforms in India challenges the assumption that corruption should be seen as a function of culture. At the individual level, the capacity to distinguish between public and private sectors is important for rejecting the use of bribes to public sector employees, while at the aggregate level social capital plays an important role for resisting corruption
Book Notes
Defining Partners hip with Africa
Sten Widmalm, ‘Defining Partnership with Africa: Sweden's New Africa Policy and Strategies for Relations with Democratic and Authoritarian States’, Forum for Development Studies, 1999: 2, pp. 289–314. What does it mean when Sweden declares that a ‘partnership relationship’ should be developed with Africa? This article discusses the content of Sweden's new partnership policy and some of its more problematic inherent contradictions, followed by a d…
The Rise and Fall of Democracy in Jammu and Kashmir
Why did democracy in Jammu and give way to armed struggle? What looked like the democratization of India's northernmost state in the late 1970s had become a small-scale civil war by the end of the 1980s. Since then, the conflict has brought indescribable suffering and resulted in possibly 25,000 casualties or more.' What gave rise to violent separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, and could it have been avoided? Indian, Kashmiri, and Pakistani nationali…
Social Trust, Impartial Administration and Public Confidence in Eu Crisis Management Institutions
In this article, we investigate whether differences in social trust and impartial public administration have an impact on public confidence in EU crisis management institutions. Our assessment is based on a cross‐country comparison using aggregate country‐level data of the member states in the European Union. Earlier studies on the EU as a crisis manager have not carefully studied to what extent differences in social trust and administrative cult…
How trust in EU institutions is linked to trust in national institutions
This article analyzes the link between trust in national institutions and trust in European Union-level institutions among national public officials. Previous research has mainly looked at citizens; in contrast, little is known about the views national officials actually hold towards European Union-level institutions or how much confidence they place in them. Our study draws on a unique survey of 670 officials in 17 European Union member states w…
Who Knows Best what the People Want
The notion of representation lies at the heart of liberal democratic thinking, and over the years considerable effort has gone into defining and measuring the concept. The least common denominator in the voluminous literature is that in a representative political system there should be a certain amount of attitudinal congruence between masses and elites. One much-debated strategy for obtaining a better match between elite and mass policy opinion …
The effectiveness of national and EU-level civil protection systems
A number of high profile crises and disasters have driven the EU to increase cooperation among its member states in the area of civil protection and to enhance its capacity to conduct civil protection operations in Europe and around the world. However, in the light of recent transboundary crises in the EU, manifested by the refugee crisis, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters, it is far from clear how effective such cooperative EU arrangement…
Personality and Political Tolerance
Inspired by recent studies on personality and political attitudes and behaviour we use the Big Five approach to assess the influence of a comprehensive set of personality traits on political tolerance. Our study is based on surveys in Bhopal in India and Lahore in Pakistan. We find that all Big Five traits – openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism – are significantly related to individuals’ willingness to grant po…
Explaining Corruption at the Village and Individual Level in India
This study of decentralization reforms in India challenges the assumption that corruption should be seen as a function of culture. At the individual level, the capacity to distinguish between public and private sectors is important for rejecting the use of bribes to public sector employees, while at the aggregate level social capital plays an important role for resisting corruption
The Rise and Fall of Democracy in Jammu and Kashmir
Why did democracy in Jammu and give way to armed struggle? What looked like the democratization of India's northernmost state in the late 1970s had become a small-scale civil war by the end of the 1980s. Since then, the conflict has brought indescribable suffering and resulted in possibly 25,000 casualties or more.' What gave rise to violent separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, and could it have been avoided? Indian, Kashmiri, and Pakistani nationali…
The utility of bonding social capital
In most studies of social capital, bridging social capital is emphasized as ‘good’ for democracy and economic performance. It is rarer to find studies showing that bonding social capital can bring positive effects. Mostly, bonding social capital is either overlooked or depicted as the ‘villain’ that leads to ethnic conflict, intolerant behaviour and poor economic and democratic development. In this article, it is argued that this picture needs to…
Defining Partners hip with Africa
Sten Widmalm, ‘Defining Partnership with Africa: Sweden's New Africa Policy and Strategies for Relations with Democratic and Authoritarian States’, Forum for Development Studies, 1999: 2, pp. 289–314. What does it mean when Sweden declares that a ‘partnership relationship’ should be developed with Africa? This article discusses the content of Sweden's new partnership policy and some of its more problematic inherent contradictions, followed by a d…
Political Tolerance in India
This study of political tolerance in India reveals a positive correlation between such tolerance and membership in political parties and unions, and living in urban areas. Surprisingly, the study finds no difference in the levels of political tolerance between BJP and Congress (I) supporters, and no connection with education levels
The Rise and Fall of Democracy in Jammu and Kashmir
Why did democracy in Jammu and give way to armed struggle? What looked like the democratization of India's northernmost state in the late 1970s had become a small-scale civil war by the end of the 1980s. Since then, the conflict has brought indescribable suffering and resulted in possibly 25,000 casualties or more.' What gave rise to violent separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, and could it have been avoided? Indian, Kashmiri, and Pakistani nationali…
Defining Partners hip with Africa
Sten Widmalm, ‘Defining Partnership with Africa: Sweden's New Africa Policy and Strategies for Relations with Democratic and Authoritarian States’, Forum for Development Studies, 1999: 2, pp. 289–314. What does it mean when Sweden declares that a ‘partnership relationship’ should be developed with Africa? This article discusses the content of Sweden's new partnership policy and some of its more problematic inherent contradictions, followed by a d…
Book Notes
The utility of bonding social capital
In most studies of social capital, bridging social capital is emphasized as ‘good’ for democracy and economic performance. It is rarer to find studies showing that bonding social capital can bring positive effects. Mostly, bonding social capital is either overlooked or depicted as the ‘villain’ that leads to ethnic conflict, intolerant behaviour and poor economic and democratic development. In this article, it is argued that this picture needs to…
Trust and Tolerance in India
Explaining Corruption at the Village and Individual Level in India
This study of decentralization reforms in India challenges the assumption that corruption should be seen as a function of culture. At the individual level, the capacity to distinguish between public and private sectors is important for rejecting the use of bribes to public sector employees, while at the aggregate level social capital plays an important role for resisting corruption
The Return of the Periphery
The article highlights some of the achievements of decentralisation reforms in India. There is strong empirical support for the conclusion that, as a result of the reforms, Indian citizens feel that their influence has increased and that they are closer to the holders of power. On the other hand, there is nothing to suggest that the state has necessarily become less corrupt as a result of the reforms—something that is often expected to result fro…
Decentralisation, Corruption and Social Capital
After four days of searching examination of the State Paper 2 issued by the Cabinet Mission and the Viceroy on behalf of the British Government, my conviction abides that it is the best document the British Government could have produced in the circumstances.It reflects our weakness, if we would be good enough to see it.The Congress and the Muslim League did not, could not agree.We would grievously err if at this time we foolishly satisfy ourselv…
Who Knows Best what the People Want
The notion of representation lies at the heart of liberal democratic thinking, and over the years considerable effort has gone into defining and measuring the concept. The least common denominator in the voluminous literature is that in a representative political system there should be a certain amount of attitudinal congruence between masses and elites. One much-debated strategy for obtaining a better match between elite and mass policy opinion …
Dan Banik
Political Tolerance in India
This study of political tolerance in India reveals a positive correlation between such tolerance and membership in political parties and unions, and living in urban areas. Surprisingly, the study finds no difference in the levels of political tolerance between BJP and Congress (I) supporters, and no connection with education levels
Social Trust, Impartial Administration and Public Confidence in Eu Crisis Management Institutions
In this article, we investigate whether differences in social trust and impartial public administration have an impact on public confidence in EU crisis management institutions. Our assessment is based on a cross‐country comparison using aggregate country‐level data of the member states in the European Union. Earlier studies on the EU as a crisis manager have not carefully studied to what extent differences in social trust and administrative cult…
Political Tolerance in the Global South
Personality and Political Tolerance
Inspired by recent studies on personality and political attitudes and behaviour we use the Big Five approach to assess the influence of a comprehensive set of personality traits on political tolerance. Our study is based on surveys in Bhopal in India and Lahore in Pakistan. We find that all Big Five traits – openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism – are significantly related to individuals’ willingness to grant po…
Violent conjunctures in democratic India
TOLEDO
Democratic virtues and educational institutions in India – black swans in conflict-ridden Jammu and Kashmir
What goes on within educational institutions can be pivotal for whether and how democracy and political tolerance are nurtured, and peaceful relations between groups encouraged. Several studies oriented to the content of curricula have shown that education in India must be reformed if it is to promote inter-ethnic peace, political tolerance and democracy. The focus of this study, however, is more on the praxis of education – how it is conducted, …
The effectiveness of national and EU-level civil protection systems
A number of high profile crises and disasters have driven the EU to increase cooperation among its member states in the area of civil protection and to enhance its capacity to conduct civil protection operations in Europe and around the world. However, in the light of recent transboundary crises in the EU, manifested by the refugee crisis, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters, it is far from clear how effective such cooperative EU arrangement…
How trust in EU institutions is linked to trust in national institutions
This article analyzes the link between trust in national institutions and trust in European Union-level institutions among national public officials. Previous research has mainly looked at citizens; in contrast, little is known about the views national officials actually hold towards European Union-level institutions or how much confidence they place in them. Our study draws on a unique survey of 670 officials in 17 European Union member states w…
Political intolerance in comprehensive welfare states
Previous research has shown that comprehensive welfare states are effective at bridging ethnic divisions and promoting political tolerance of marginalized groups. Do these results hold up in the face of the great influx of migrants into European welfare states following the 2015–16 refugee crisis? In this case study of Sweden, we map the general level of political tolerance and test various individual‐level explanations for it. Based on a survey …
Speaking freely or staying silent? Self-censorship and democratic discontent in Sweden
This article examines the prevalence and patterns of self-censorship in Sweden – widely regarded as one of the world’s leading democracies – against the backdrop of global autocratization. While self-censorship is often studied in authoritarian contexts, we explore its occurrence in a democratic setting that has almost no formal constraints on free expression. Drawing on original survey data, we identify the individual-level factors associated wi…
Political science (17 works) · Politics (14 works) · Law (12 works) · Law (12 works) · Geography (7 works) · Sociology (7 works) · Democracy (6 works) · Economics (6 works) · Political economy (6 works) · Civil society (5 works)