Dominant discourses of Green Growth and the Swedish North: A topic model of the “green” transition in Swedish news media, 2015–2023

A so-called green transition is ongoing in the Swedish North, primarily driven by investments in making basic industries fossil-free. The societal impact in the region is widespread and complex, and the ecological gain is sometimes disputed. In this study, we identify topics, themes, and evolving discourses about the “green” transition in a dataset (N = 9,755 texts) comprising published texts in Swedish news media between 2015 and 2023. Discourse analysis and topic modelling are combined, and the analysis shows two intersecting dominant discourses. The Green Growth discourse included articulations of beneficial, although challenging, green growth and energy transitions. The Swedish North discourse revealed continued tensions in the understanding of the region as a centre and a periphery. Even if marginal, contestations were identified, for example, questioning the “greenness” in green growth. Taken together, the dominance of industrial and political perspectives in the news media coverage and debate limits possibilities for alternatives.