Mid Sweden University

Year 2023 saw significant international attention on Sweden due to Quran burnings, with over 2 million posts and articles recorded. This event, reminiscent of the 2005 Muhammad cartoon controversy, emphasizes the need to study governmental crisis communication strategies. Our research aims to analyze Sweden's response and identify communication patterns for improvement. The purpose of our study is to, through qualitative content analysis and theories within crisis communication and framing, examine how the government figurated the Quran burnings in 2023 and attempt to identify patterns, changes, and areas for improvement in their communication. We opted for qualitative content analysis to dissect various text materials. This method enables careful examination and categorization of extensive text, deepening our understanding of the subject. Our study examines press releases, press conferences, and social media posts from 2023. The diverse selection allows for nuanced insights into governmental actions and responses, enhancing our analysis. Using a coding scheme, we systematically categorized the collected data, providing a comprehensive view of their approach. The government employed a combination of strategies and communicative measures to address the Quran burnings and their effects. Initially emphasizing the protection of the constitution as paramount, the government later shifted focus to combatting the portrayal of Sweden as incapable of handling such events. Following the Brussels terrorist attack, the messaging underscored the severity of the situation and the government's collaborative security measures, including legislative changes. Throughout the year, the government maintained a dual strategy of highlighting the seriousness of the situation while emphasizing constitutional protection. The study's findings offer insights into crisis communication and framing within the context of the Quran burnings in 2023. While specific to this case, they may inform similar crises for governments or organizations needing effective communication strategies to manage situations and build public trust.