Karolina Pikus

LikeSweden: Beyond the Postcard

Society EN ↓ 4 episodes

Welcome to LikeSweden! We look beyond the red wooden houses and fika to explore the real Sweden. Join us for deep dives into the country's fascinating history, complex social issues, and the everyday reality of navigating the Swedish system. We explore a wide range of topics—from pop culture to legal changes and society—alongside honest conversations with the people who call Scandinavia home. Whether you’re an expat, planning a move, or simply curious about modern Sweden, tune in to discover the true culture and reality of the North.

Author

Karolina Pikus

Episodes

Sweden’s nuclear comeback - Why the country reversed its energy policy 27.03.2026 26:23

For decades, Sweden was known for its long political hesitation around nuclear energy, shaped by the 1980 referendum and the promise of a full phase-out. But today, that old approach is being replaced by something very different. Nuclear is now being presented as a key part of Sweden’s fossil-free future, its industrial competitiveness, and even its national security. So what changed? In this epis...

How Sweden accidentally created Minecraft (and the billionaire who walked away) 12.03.2026 43:16

Minecraft started as a small experiment posted on an indie forum in 2009. Today it is the best-selling video game in history, a $2.5 billion acquisition, a platform used in schools, a cornerstone of YouTube gaming, and a cultural phenomenon that shaped an entire generation. But the story behind Minecraft is far more complex than most people realise. In this episode we explore: ✅ how Sweden’s 1990...

The city that sold itself for $1? Malmö’s Reinvention (and its dark side) 05.03.2026 53:05

For more than a century, Malmö was built around one thing: ships. The Kockums shipyard wasn’t just an employer. It was the city’s identity, its pride, and its economic engine. And then it collapsed. In the early 1990s, Malmö hit rock bottom: tens of thousands of jobs disappeared, young people left, and the city’s future looked bleak. And in 2002, Malmö’s most iconic industrial symbol, the Kockums...

Who gets left behind? The hidden costs of Sweden’s 2026 citizenship reform 26.02.2026 30:56

The legislative proposal unveiled by the Swedish government this February marks a true watershed moment for Scandinavian migration history. Under this new restrictive model, citizenship is no longer viewed as a stepping stone to help you integrate; it is explicitly framed as a "reward". But beyond the political headlines and the new 8-year waiting period, who is actually paying the price...