Mid Sweden University

This master thesis examines the relationship between the strategic litigation practiced by the Equality Ombudsman (the Swedish government agency for equality “Diskrimineringsombudsmannen”) and levels of social and institutional trust. The thesis also investigates whether the strategic litigation is, or has been, influenced by political notions of social equality and perceptions of necessary priorities. Scientifically established knowledge and acknowledged theories regarding conditions for institutional and social trust have also been analyzed in connection with the prospects of influencing the strategies and practices of the Equality Ombudsman. The results suggest that political perceptions communicated through regulatory letters, that formulate the general official assignment for the authority in question, do not direct the operational orientation or practice within the litigation branch. Research on conditions for institutional trust, however, seems to have played (and could still play) a role in case selection. Similarly, the thesis can demonstrate how ideas of institutional trust motivate higher economic compensation when the discriminatory party is a public actor. The thesis also concludes that neither social nor institutional trust is significantly affected when information about the Equality Ombudsman and its work for anti-discrimination is presented. This implies that the Equality Ombudsman demonstrates a high Quality of Government (QoG).