In 2017, social scientists Ilker Ataç and Sara de Jong described the emergence of a new type of movement in Europe following the 2015 refugee crisis. According to the authors, these ‘new refugee aid movements’ are characterised by the way in which they combine humanitarian and political work with refugees. This combination sets them apart from conventional humanitarian NGOs (e.g. Caritas and the Red Cross) and social movements (e.g. the people’s campaign against nuclear power).

This study examines if two Swedish organisations, Refugees Welcome to Malmö and Kontrapunkt, can be understood as part of this European trend. It is based on a thematical reading (following Hunt, Benford and Snow’s theory of social movement identity) of previously conducted interviews with movement volunteers. The main result of this study is that the investigated organisations share several features with the new type of movement. These shared features include a flexible way of working with refugees and the belief in the need for a political solution to the humanitarian crisis. Still, smaller differences are also identified. Refugees Welcome to Malmö, for example, chose to co-operate with local authorities, setting them apart from the European trend where the new movements often pursue autonomy from public authorities. Ultimately, this study calls for further investigation into an important period of modern Swedish migration history.