Since 1814 Sweden has avoided involvement in armed conflicts and carried out policies of non-alignment in peacetime and neutrality during war. Even though the Swedish government often describes Sweden as a nation of peace, in 2004 the 200-year anniversary of that peace passed by with barely any attention. Despite its extraordinary longevity, research about the Swedish experience of enduring peace is underdeveloped.200 Years of Peace places this long period of peace in broader academic and public discussions surrounding claimed Swedish exceptionality as it is represented in the nations social policies, expansive welfare state, eugenics, gender equality programs, and peace.

Leos Müller is Professor of History and the Head of the Centre for Maritime Studies at Stockholm University. His research interests include global history, history of early modern and modern neutrality and Swedish maritime history from early modern time to present. His recent publications includeSveriges första globala århundrade: En 1700-tals historia (2018) andNeutrality in World History: Themes in World History (2019).

Introduction: Pax Suecia 18142020Nevra Biltekin, Leos Müller& Magnus Petersson

Chapter 1. Long Peace, Neutrality and Sweden-Norways Foreign Policy, 17941856Leos Müller

Chapter 2. How Small States Manage to Stay Out of Wars: Explaining Swedens 200 Years of PeaceJacob Westberg

Chapter 3. Swedish Peace Movements and the Breakup of the Forced Union Between Sweden and Norway in 1905Fredrik Egefur

Chapter 4. The Swedish Lotta Movement and its Neighbours: Navigating Neutrality, Peace Building and Womens Issues in the Twentieth CenturyAnne Hedén

Chapter 5. The Quest for Neutrality: Sweden, Finland and the Language Question in a Cold War ContextJanne Väistö

Chapter 6. No Peace Without Equality: The North-South Conflict and its Effects on Sweden, the Netherlands and West GermanyChristopher Seiberlich

ConclusionNevra Biltekin, Leos Müller& Magnus Petersson