"When poverty compels the saving of fuel": Historical practices of energy poverty in Sweden

Research Project, 2025 – 2027

This project addresses the history of energy poverty in Sweden. By using energy as a vantage point, the ambition is to disentangle the role of energy deprivation in the transformation of society during the period 1860-1920. The aim is to examine the historical and changing relationship between energy use and welfare systems in Sweden by studying historical narratives surrounding energy vulnerability, the strategies employed by governmental bodies to mitigate fuel and energy poverty, the evolution of practices and interactions between central and local authorities, and the mundane energy practices in different urban settings.The methodology involves analysing historical materials, parliamentary debates, newspaper entries, and archival records to grasp the intersections of energy scarcity and welfare systems. The project comprises three levels: (i) examination of narratives in public debates and parliamentary discussions, (ii) political initiatives and institutions at both central and local levels, and (iii) exploration of the experiences of energy users and their interactions with local government and poor relief institutions. The project employs the concept of energy materiality to examine the material features of different energy sources and their influence on vulnerability to energy poverty. This project will add new insights to economic- and welfare history on the one hand, and energy history on the other, while offering depth to the discussion of energy poverty in Sweden.