Abstract:
My presentation for HLHS will be on an article that examines the uneasy relationship between the rule of law and democratic backsliding through a legal‑historical case study of Sweden. Challenging the conventional assumption that legality and the rule of law inherently safeguard democracy, the article traces how early rule‑of‑law discourse and rights‑based litigation in Sweden emerged not from left‑wing civil rights activism but from a right‑libertarian legal movement inspired by U.S. public‑interest law firms. Through an analysis of the landmark 2006 “Uppsala case” and the intellectual and strategic foundations behind it, the article shows how concepts such as equality and the rule of law were mobilized to expand judicial power and reshape the balance between courts and the political branches. By situating these developments within Sweden’s unique political and constitutional history, the article highlights how legal strategies aimed at strengthening individual rights can simultaneously redistribute political power in ways that complicate dominant narratives of democratic resilience. The piece forms part of an ongoing research project and should be read as work in progress.
Bio:
Karolina Stenlund is a university lecturer in law at the Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki. She holds an LL.M. and a doctoral degree in law from Uppsala University. During her doctoral studies, she conducted research both at Uppsala University and as a visiting doctoral researcher at Harvard Law School. Before joining the Faculty of Law in Helsinki, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for European Studies at the University of Helsinki.
Her research lies at the intersection of law, history, and collective memory, and she has published a monograph as well as several articles in internationally recognized journals. Her work primarily examines how differing interpretations of history shape contemporary legal frameworks, lawmaking, and adjudication.
Time: 15:00-16:30, Tuesday 28.4.2026
Location: Porthania, P673, University of Helsinki (Yliopistonkatu 3)
Online attendance:
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