Terrorism-related worry in Sweden: the roles of gender and foreign background

In 2017, Sweden experienced its first lethal first-hand terrorist attack. Although lethal terrorist attacks are regarded as rare, terrorism-related worry should be of substantial interest since politicians tend to translate worry about terrorism into public support for antiterrorism and security measures. Efficient actions need to be based on a better understanding of the underlying dynamics of the public’s worry. However, efforts to understand how the Swedish public’s worry about terrorism has been affected by the 2017 terrorist attack and the role of intersections of gender and native/foreign background in the disparity in the public’s worry have been limited. These concerns comprise the investigative aim of this study. Based on data from the Swedish National Annual Survey for the years 2016, 2017, and 2018, the findings suggest that the public’s worry about terrorism, in general, increased relatively sharply after the 2017 terrorist attack and then decreased due to the absence of similar attacks. The findings also suggest the importance of including intersections of gender and native/foreign background to understand the disparity in the public’s worry about terrorism. In conclusion, this study contributes valuable insights into the evolving landscape of public worry in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. By acknowledging the importance of nuanced intersections, policymakers can craft more informed and targeted strategies to address the specific concerns of different demographic groups within the Swedish population.