‘It feels made up’: Post racialism and colorblind ideology within individual constructions of self identity

Abstract

This article aims to explore the interrelation between post racialism, colorblind ideology, and the perception of Swedishness. Through 40 interviews and surveys conducted in Malmö, Sweden, participants were asked to reflect on race, ethnicity, and Swedishness. Multiple meanings were present in the participants’ responses, half of whom were white and half non-white. For white participants, boundaries around the in-group construction of ‘Swedishness’ were based in whiteness, yet these participants held overwhelmingly negative attitudes towards the use of words race or racialization. On the other hand, non-white participants viewed race and racialization with less negative connotations, yet they also endorsed the need to be white in order to be perceived as being Swedish. The results support the notion that abandonment of the word race does not always equate to an abandonment of whiteness. This article builds upon and expands previous findings in the U.S. context while contributing to an emerging body of literature on race and racialization in Sweden. Additionally, it seeks to challenge dominant narratives and assumptions of 'Swedishness' and its connection to whiteness.