This thesis analyzes how honour-related violence is constructed in three Swedish governmental policy documents. The aim is to examine how the violence is defined, which groups are portrayed as vulnerable or responsible, and how support interventions are justified and structured. The study is based on critical discourse analysis, drawing on Bacchi’s (2009) What’s the problem represented to be? (WPR) model as well as theoretical perspectives from Foucault (1972), Hirdman (1988), and Crenshaw (1991). Three themes are identified: power and responsibility, norms related to gender and sexuality, and cultural and intersectional dimensions. The results show that honour-related violence is often represented as culturally determined, which risks obscuring broader patriarchal structures and marginalizing certain vulnerable groups. At the same time, authorities are constructed as neutral actors, while individuals are frequently portrayed as passive recipients of support. The thesis demonstrates how policy texts not only reflect reality but also actively shape the understanding of violence, gender, and responsibility.

Keywords: honour-related violence, discourse analysis, gender, power, intersectionality, policy documents

Denna uppsats analyserar hur hedersrelaterat våld konstrueras i tre statliga styrdokument. Syftet är att undersöka hur våldet identifieras, vilka grupper som framställs som utsatta eller ansvariga, samt hur stödinsatser motiveras och struktureras. Studien bygger på kritisk diskursanalys med utgångspunkt i Bacchis (2009) What’s the problem represented to be? (WPR) samt teorier av Foucault (1972), Hirdman (1988) och Crenshaw (1991). Tre teman identifieras: makt och ansvar, normer kring kön och sexualitet, samt kulturella och intersektionella dimensioner. Resultaten visar att hedersrelaterat våld ofta framställs som kulturellt betingat, vilket riskerar att dölja bredare patriarkala strukturer och marginalisera vissa utsatta grupper. Samtidigt konstrueras myndigheter som en neutral aktör, medan individen ofta framställs som passiv mottagare av hjälp. Uppsatsen visar hur policytexter inte bara speglar verkligheten utan även formar förståelsen av våld, kön och ansvar.