When the body gives out but society turns a blind eye – they took matters into their own hands
The Swedish Covid strategy was based on voluntarism and personal responsibility – but what happens when no one listens? The study examines the Swedish Covid Association’s stories and struggle, revealing how accounts of previously healthy, working individuals became a path to recognition. But the researchers also issue a warning: this strategy risks rendering invisible those who have never fit the mould of "the productive citizen".
By analysing websites, opinion pieces, and interviews, the researchers show how the association’s narratives became a weapon – not just against the virus, but against a social system where illness is often met with distrust.
For you as a citizen, the study raises an important question: Who counts when we talk about healthcare and rights? And what does it take to be seen – is it always about performance?
Read the full study by Stina Melander and Julia Bahner in the Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research:
“Forced Into an Ableist Narrative? The Swedish Covid Association’s Quest for Recognition.”
Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research 27(1): 299–312.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.16993/sjdr.1234