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Artwork for Sweden in Focus

Sweden in Focus

The Local
Sweden
NATO
Sweden Democrats
Gang Violence
Jimmie Åkesson
Inflation
Economy
Coffee Culture
Centre-Right Political Parties
European Union Elections
Sweden's Green Party
Tesla Strike
Advent Celebrations
Drug Policy Reform
Russia
Civil Rights Defenders
Immigrant Job Market In Sweden
Cost Of Living
Immigration
Crime

Sweden in Focus is The Local’s weekly podcast where we discuss the big news and talking points in Sweden as well as explore and explain the issues that impact life in the country. We also answer your essential questions and look ahead at what’s coming up.

In each episode presenter Paul O’Mahony chats about the most important news and must-know information with The Local Sweden’s James Savage, Emma... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes226Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
News CommentarySociety & CultureNews

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Artwork for Sweden in Focus

Latest Episodes

Can our panelists pass the vocabulary section of högskoleprovet, the Swedish university entrance exam?

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Becky Waterton and James Savage.

Do you know what a nässeldjur is? None of our panelists di... more

In this week's episode we talk about Sweden’s immigrant deportation centres and why reports of miserable conditions there should concern everyone in Sweden.

We also discuss the two-decades old murder in a religious sect of a pastor’s wife in a case ... more

In this week’s episode we hear a conversation our Nordic editor Richard Orange had recently with Sasan Kazemian, an Iranian doctor who quit his job and left Sweden for Iran in September after he was refused a work permit extension.

We’ve spoken to h... more

In this week's episode we talk about strategies for coping with the long Swedish winter now that temperatures have taken a serious nosedive.

In politics, with several parties teetering on the brink of the parliamentary threshold, we examine what hap... more

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Recent Guests

Richard Orange
Commentator and journalist
The Local
Episode: Why The Local is investigating Sweden's immigrant detention centres
Maria Vestelin
Author of the audit report from the Swedish National Audit Office
Episode: Why The Local is investigating Sweden's immigrant detention centres
Denise Vesterberg
Head of the Sweden Democrats Youth Wing, Ung Svenskarna
Sweden Democrats
Episode: Why The Local is investigating Sweden's immigrant detention centres
Sasan Kazemian
An Iranian doctor who quit his job in Sweden due to frustrations over the work permit extension process.
Episode: Talent deportation: 'It's a lose-lose game for Sweden and Swedish taxpayers'
Ibra Idrees
Restaurant owner in Malmö who shared his struggles with the migration agency
Humuson
Episode: What's too expensive in Sweden (and what do you miss when you're not here)?
Tomas Fridh
migration lawyer with over 20 years of experience working with asylum cases.
Fridh Advokatbyrå, Gothenburg
Episode: Sweden’s teen deportation problem ‘extremely easy’ to fix
Moa Bursell
A sociologist who specializes in ethnic discrimination in the labor market
Institute for Future Studies and Mälardalen University
Episode: 'A big impact': How important is your name when seeking a job in Sweden?
Masoud Jamshidian
Solutions architect from Iran facing deportation due to an insurance error
Episode: 'I've never even jaywalked in Sweden'
Nagendra Siddoutam
Founder of Anchor Sports, promoting cricket in Sweden
Anchor Sports
Episode: Cricket in Sweden: how can an immigrant-powered sport attract new players?

Hosts

Paul O'Mahony
Host known for engaging discussions on Swedish politics and culture.
Richard Orange
Editor known for in-depth analysis and commentary on Swedish affairs.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 400 ratings
  • Disappointing

    I’ve listened to this podcast for a while now. Sometimes it’s really helpful and informative but mostly it’s just some British people - often men - opining. Take the most recent episode about the cultural canon. No interviews. No critical insights from anyone who isn’t from England - Paul, thank you for the questions but get stuck in. No one who interrogates the idea that creating an exclusive canon (the creator of which has owned his politics on this very show) might exclude the migrant experie... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    JoelHorwood
    Sweden3 months ago
  • Moved away from Balanced Discussion

    I have been a listener and a reader of The Local for 6 years and I am disheartened to see how much the publication has moved away from a balanced discussion to extreme left

    I am an immigrant myself but I find the discussions here so biased. Podcast never acknowledges crimes being committed, problems that illegal Immigration has caused in Sweden. It’s always blindly defending Sweden’s failed migration policy.

    That is why it fails to present a true reflection of how Swedish society feels. I fac... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Randomvk34
    India7 months ago
  • Causal racist and western superiorilism

    Really disappointed that people call non-western people uncivilized in this podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Directusy
    Sweden10 months ago
  • Great podcast

    Informative and well presented. Thank you

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    evaaos
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Great weekly podcast about news in Sweden

    I’ve been listening to this since the first episode and I absolutely recommend it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Karthik-m
    India2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

There's notable criticism regarding perceived biases in discussions, particularly around immigration topics and political stances.
Overall, reviews indicate a strong following from expatriates and individuals seeking reliable insights on Sweden.
Listeners appreciate the informative and well-researched content, finding it especially helpful for understanding Swedish culture and current events.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What's too expensive in Sweden (and what do you miss when you're not here)?
Q: How have business groups responded to the proposal to raise the limit to 90 rather than 100 percent of the median salary?
Business groups are somewhat relieved that the threshold is not set at 100%, but still view the increase to 90% as worse than the previous system.
Cricket in Sweden: how can an immigrant-powered sport attract new players?
Q: Why is it interesting for you as politicians to get people interested in cricket?
Mattias Karlsson noted the importance of understanding sports that are growing fast in Sweden, particularly among the Indian and Pakistani diasporas.
Cricket in Sweden: how can an immigrant-powered sport attract new players?
Q: What do you think about the cricket community in Sweden?
Richard Orange describes the community as incredibly engaged, vibrant, yet extremely fractious with governance problems.
'We have let the Sweden Democrats become our voice on immigration'
Q: And what solutions, possible solutions, you think there might be for this problem to help some of these people stay?
Thor suggests changing the law to raise the age limit for work permits to retain young individuals who contribute to society.
'We have let the Sweden Democrats become our voice on immigration'
Q: What worries you about the impact that this issue might have?
Thor explains the significant negative impact on individuals who feel Swedish but face deportation, resulting in potential loss for Sweden.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Sweden in Focus

What is Sweden in Focus about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A structured examination of major news events and societal topics in Sweden is the hallmark of this weekly audio series, providing listeners with informative discussions that are both engaging and insightful. The hosts bring a mix of journalistic expertise and personal anecdotes to tackle complex issues ranging from immigration policies to cultural nuances, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of contemporary Swedish society. The insightful analyses often include voices from diverse backgrounds, making it particularly useful for non-Swedes seeking to navigate the intricacies of Swedish life.

Notably, the podcast has a keen focus on immigration, integration, and societal challenges, often highlighting the experiences of foreign national... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Sweden in Focus?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Sweden in Focus:

1. Simple Swedish Podcast
2. Swedish podcast for beginners (Lätt svenska med Oskar)
3. Livet på lätt svenska
4. Inside Europe
5. New Economics Podcast

How many episodes of Sweden in Focus are there?

Sweden in Focus launched 4 years ago and published 226 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Sweden in Focus?

Recent guests on Sweden in Focus include:

1. Richard Orange
2. Maria Vestelin
3. Denise Vesterberg
4. Sasan Kazemian
5. Ibra Idrees
6. Tomas Fridh
7. Moa Bursell
8. Masoud Jamshidian

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