SEK 4.9 million from the Swedish Research Council for new research project on defence willingness

Defence willingness is a concept frequently highlighted as crucial to total defence, yet it still lacks clear definitions. A new research project at the Swedish Defence University has now been awarded SEK 4.9 million from the Swedish Research Council to examine what defence willingness actually is, how it can be measured, and which factors influence it.

The Swedish Research Council has granted SEK 4,870,000 to the three-year research project “Defence willingness: measurement, origins and manipulation”.

Developing better ways to measure defence willingness

Although defence willingness is increasingly emphasised in both political and military contexts, it remains unclear what the concept actually encompasses, how it is best measured, and which factors shape it. The project therefore brings together experts from the countries around the Baltic Sea to jointly develop clearer definitions and improved methods of measurement.

These new metrics will then be tested through survey studies in Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The studies will also examine how relatively unexplored factors—such as personality types, moral reasoning and views on what is genuinely worth defending—affect people’s defence willingness.

Central to total defence

“Defence willingness, meaning the population’s willingness to step up for the country in times of crisis or war, has long been and continues to be seen as a cornerstone of total defence. For the system to function, people must be prepared to do what is required if the situation demands it. It is therefore essential that we understand what defence willingness is, where it comes from and how resilient it is to manipulation,” says Ralph Sundberg, Senior Lecturer in War Studies at the Swedish Defence University and leader of the project.

The research is also relevant for the Baltic states, where the focus on total defence continues to grow against the backdrop of a deteriorating security situation.

Building on previous research on defence willingness

Ralph Sundberg specialises in political and military psychology and has in recent years conducted research on defence willingness, which forms the basis for this newly funded initiative. The project will begin in January 2026 and will be carried out in close collaboration with universities in Riga, Vilnius and Tartu.