Social Policy

Researchers have identified six interconnected dimensions—strategy, technology, structure, people, processes, and rewards—that must align for hybrid work to succeed. Companies ignoring these dependencies are likely creating invisible friction that undermines productivity, retention, and culture, according to a new systems analysis.EN

Arbetsförmedlingarnas interaktioner med lågt utbildade migranter formar deras möjligheter på arbetsmarknaden mer än personliga egenskaper gör. En studie baserad på 23 intervjuer med före detta flyktingar visar att regelefterlevnad och matchning mellan migrant och arbetsmarknad beror på hur väl gatekeepare — främst handläggare — kommunicerar jobbmarknadens dolda spelregler. Forskarna använder Bourdieus begrepp för att analysera processen. Resultatet avslöjar kritiska brister: handläggares begränsade förståelse för hur migranternas tidigare utbildning och erfarenhet värderas, samt dåliga relationer mellan migrant och myndighet, leder till passiv jobbsökning och minskade chanser. För kommuner och Arbetsförmedlingen innebär detta att utbildning av gatekeepere — inte enbart av migranter — är central för integration. Utan aktivt kapitalbyggande i dessa relationer riskerar systemet att reproducera utanförskap snarare än att lösa det.

**Hur människor tolkar väder styr klimatpolitikens acceptans** Direkta erfarenheter av extremväder förutsäger inte automatiskt stöd för klimatpolitik — men hur människor *förklarar* väderuppsvinget gör det. En analys av 71 922 respondenter från 68 länder visar att allmän stöd för klimatåtgärder existerar, och att folk länkar extremväder till klimatförändring. Det avgörande: människor som tillskriver väderhändelser till antropogen klimatpåverkan stöder fem vanliga klimatpolitiker betydligt oftare än andra. Exponering för faktiska extremväder visade sig däremot inte förutsäga politikstöd. För beslutsfattare innebär det en väsentlig insikt. Att bara öka informationen om klimatrisker räcker inte — samtalet måste adressera *kausaluppfattningen*. Kommuner och regeringar som vill bygga majoritet för klimatåtgärder bör fokusera på att förbättra förståelsen av väderförsämringens ursprung, inte bara exponera hotbilden. Forskningen omfattar Global South-länder, vilket öppnar för globala policystrategier bortom väststernbildningen.

A new study examines how collaborative teaching methods can embed sustainable food education into Finnish school curricula. The findings matter for policymakers and educators designing food systems change—schools may be more effective when teachers work together rather than operating in silos.EN

**Google Trends ger begränsat värde för prognoser över flyktingars destinationsval** Prediktiva modeller för asylsökande kan inte förlita sig på Google Trends-data som universell indikator på migrationsmönster. Forskare vid Malmö universitet och Vrije Universiteit analyserade först­gångsansökningar via EUROSTAT tillsammans med traditionella push-pull-indikatorer och testade om sökvolymdata från Google Trends förbättrade prognoserna. Resultatet avslöjar en kritisk begränsning: Google Trends kan endast öka noggrannheten i enkla migrationsgravitetsmodeller. I mer komplexa modeller med fixerade effekter eller autoregressiv analys bidrar Google Trends inte till bättre prediktioner. Effecten är starkt beroende av geografisk kontext, valet av sökord och Googles marknadsandel. För beslutsfattare innebär detta att digitala spårdata kräver försiktighet vid användning i migrationsprognoser. En mer nyanserad bedömning av både styrkor och svagheter krävs innan sådan data integreras i underlag för migrationsplanering.

A new study reveals why mathematics and art curricula respond differently to policy changes: math's rigid hierarchical structure resists shifts in content, while art's looser framework invites constant reinvention. For education policymakers and curriculum designers, this explains why updating one subject takes vastly different effort and strategy than the other.EN

A new historical study reveals how Sweden's early Vasa dynasty created sophisticated spy systems to consolidate control during a volatile period. Understanding these proto-modern intelligence operations offers insights into how emerging states build institutional power and manage information—lessons relevant to governance and organizational authority today.EN

A Norwegian university's Arctic futures course had to abandon its planned Northwest Passage route due to unexpected ice conditions, underscoring how rapidly Arctic environments are becoming unpredictable. The disruption highlights a growing challenge for institutions and companies planning Arctic operations: climate models and historical data may no longer reliably predict navigation windows and resource access.EN

Researchers tracking nearly 400 Swedish seniors found that loneliness correlates with specific gaps in social ties and health outcomes—not just isolation itself. The findings could reshape how communities and health systems design programs targeting the growing elderly population, shifting focus from simply increasing social activities to building connections that matter most.EN

Ten-year-olds who designed comics about evolving lizards showed stronger grasp of complex biological concepts through combining images, words, and gestures. The finding suggests educators should rethink science curricula to include visual storytelling—a low-cost tool that engages multiple learning styles simultaneously.EN

Stefan Thomas Hopmann, a leading voice in educational theory and practice, has died at age 71. Hopmann shaped debates on teaching authority, student supervision, and transformative learning across Scandinavian universities—work that influenced how institutions balance pedagogical standards with educational access and equity.EN

A new study reveals that fact-checkers in France, Sweden, and the US view their role fundamentally differently—shaped by each country's journalistic traditions and press freedom norms. For media companies and policymakers, this suggests fact-checking effectiveness depends less on universal best practices than on cultural context.EN

A review of two decades of research found wide variation in how existential group therapy is delivered across mental health settings, with little standardization in outcomes or best practices. For healthcare administrators and insurers, this fragmentation suggests an urgent need for clinical guidelines to ensure consistent, measurable results as demand for group-based mental health interventions grows.EN

A new editorial in Crime Prevention & Community Safety explores emerging strategies for reducing crime through community engagement. For city planners, police departments, and social service agencies, the findings could reshape how they allocate resources and design intervention programs to address neighborhood safety challenges.EN

A new study reveals how Yugoslavia's government systematically controlled worker emigration from 1962-1975 to boost economic development and state capacity. By reconstructing government strategies from archival records, researchers show how states use migration policy as a tool for national planning—a framework still relevant for modern labor and immigration policy.EN

# Högerjuventudens organisering och retorik kartläggs över Europa Forskare från Duitse, svenska och brittiska institutioner analyserar hur högerextrema ungdomsrörelser organiseras och vilka budskap de sprider. Studien kartlägger aktörer, strategier och diskurser inom denna miljö – tre dimensioner som är centrala för att förstå rörelserekrytering och spridning av politiska narrativ. Stockholm University och Goldsmipp University of London samarbetar med Institut für Rundfunktechnik i arbetet under ledning av Susi Meret. Undersökningen täcker den europeiska kontexten, vilket ger jämförande insikter över nationsgränser. För beslutsfattare är detta relevant för insatser mot extremism och för att förstå hur ungdomliga målgrupper exponeras för radikaliserad politik. Kartläggningen av organisatoriska strukturer och retorik kan underlätta både förebyggande arbete och faktakontroll av spridningskanaler. Studien bidrar till en mer nyanserad bild av en växande utmaning för demokratiska institutioner.

A study of Swedish universities reveals that Education for Sustainable Development remains margininal in teacher training curricula, with limited representation in course syllabi despite the country's long ESD commitment. The finding suggests that policy ambitions on climate and sustainability education are not translating into actual classroom preparation for educators who will shape the next generation.EN

A new review finds that most smart meter studies treat the devices as simple plug-and-play technologies, missing the human and organizational factors that determine success or failure. For utilities and policymakers rolling out smart grids, this blind spot risks expensive deployments that fail to deliver promised savings or customer acceptance.EN

Swedish researchers found that student teachers with strong intrinsic motivation and healthier coping habits report significantly greater confidence in their ability to teach. The findings suggest teacher training programs could boost retention and classroom effectiveness by screening for motivation quality and teaching emotional resilience early.EN

A year-long study of 250 vocational students reveals that most arrive unprepared to solve workplace problems—even basic mathematical ones. The finding matters to employers and educators: both standard and workplace-focused teaching improved students' applied skills, suggesting the gap stems from earlier educational stages, not vocational training alone.EN

A new comparative analysis of how Denmark, Finland, and Sweden organize and fund elder care reveals significant structural differences that could shape policy decisions across Europe. The findings matter for governments weighing costs, quality, and responsibility as aging populations strain healthcare budgets worldwide.EN

The VACCELERATE project has developed a pan-European communication framework designed to improve how vaccine trials are explained to the public. Clear, accessible messaging about clinical trials could increase participation rates and accelerate drug development timelines—critical advantages in future health emergencies.EN

Researchers asked seniors directly what features they need in telerehabilitation exercise systems—and the answers challenge how companies currently design these products. The findings matter for healthcare providers, insurers, and tech companies racing to capture the growing remote care market.EN

A new analysis of Swedish-language social media reveals significant public skepticism toward COVID-19 vaccination, capturing attitudes that shaped real-world uptake rates. For policymakers and health communicators, the findings highlight why traditional messaging failed to persuade online populations—and what discourse patterns predicted resistance.EN

A new multinational study finds intimate partner violence increased significantly during pandemic restrictions, raising urgent questions for employers, insurers, and policymakers about workplace safety and social support systems. The findings suggest that future lockdowns or similar crises require parallel investments in domestic violence prevention to avoid compounding public health damage.EN