The purpose of this Master’s thesis is to examine how The Trilogy of Pippi Longstocking, written by the author Astrid Lindgren, has been received by the critics in the Swedish daily press. A second aim is to examine how the critics could be of importance for the consecration of Pippi as a literary character. The study is mainly based on reviews from the daily press with nationwide coverage. The theoretical framework consists of the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu’s theories of the literary field, and the method of the reviews is a qualitative text analysis. The literary character, Pippi Longstocking, and the new current in children’s literature are explained through the Russian literary scholar Michael Bachtin’s carnival theory. Based on the study our conclusions are that a female network was very important for the consecration of Pippi, as well as for the good criticism. The author, Astrid Lindgren, was herself essential for the consecration in her role as children’s books publishing editor at Rabén & Sjögren, where her own books were published. Bonnier’s rejection of the first manuscript of Pippi Longstocking played a major role for the consecration. As a consequence of the rejection Astrid Lindgren decided to change her character to a better behaved girl than the original. It is our conclusion that this change of character was of great importance for the consecration since that was the foundation for Pippi’s establishment as a classic literary figure. The study also shows that beside the female network there where a few men who became significant for the consecration. Their contribution consisted of bringing other perspectives and views to the literary character which gave rise to a big national and general debate on children, children’s upbringing, education and ethics. / Uppsatsnivå: D

This thesis is treating how Swedish liberal adult education research (folkbildningsforskning) has emerged and consolidated. The concepts of doxa, consecration, capital and field of Pierre Bourdieu are used to reconstruct liberal adult education research as a social field. The empirical material consists of texts and documents, structured chronologically between the years of 1954-2007. Central questions are: In which way can liberal adult education research be reconstructed as a field? How does it emerge? Which are the central values (doxa) that hold the field together and going, and where are the boundaries of the field? Who are the central agents of the field? How do they achieve recognition, and on which grounds? Which are the arenas that work as concecrating instances? The study indicates that the area establishes common concepts and references. A gradual expansion occurs. This involves increased opportunities, but also involves competition. Four different phases can be reconstructed as central: the emergence (1954-1979), the expansion (1980-1989), the institutionalisation (1990-1999) and the consolidation (2000-2007). Research summaries as well as organizations of special interests are contributing to the glow of the area. A number of strong positions are established as are a number of pretenders. These relate, in different ways, to the area and to broader perspectives and settings. The area is successfully handling and employing different kinds of challenges and opportunities. This is considered a sign of relative strength of the reconstructed field of liberal adult education research. / Avhandlingen handlar om hur svensk forskning om folkbildning vuxit fram och konsoliderats. Med hjälp av Pierre Bourdieus begrepp doxa, konsekration, kapital och fält rekonstrueras folkbildningsforskning som ett fält. Det empiriska materialet består av texter och dokument. Detta struktureras längs en tidsaxel, mellan 1954-2007. Centrala frågor är: Hur kan folkbildningsforskningen som fält rekonstrueras? Hur sker dess framväxt? Vilka är de centrala värden (doxa) som håller samman och bär upp fältet och var går dess gränser? Vilka är agenterna på fältet? Hur når de erkännande och på vilka grunder sker det? Vilka är de arenor som fungerar som instanser för erkännande?Studien visar att området etablerar gemensamma begrepp och referenser. En successiv expansion sker. Detta innebär ökade möjligheter, men också större konkurrens. Fyra olika skeden kan rekonstrueras som centrala: framväxten(1954-1979), expansionen (1980-1989), institutionaliseringen (1990-1999) och konsolideringen(2000-2007). Kunskapsöversikter, liksom intresseorganisationer, bidrar till områdets formering. Ett antal starka positioner uppstår, liksom pretenderande grupper. Dessa knyter, på olika sätt, an till området, men också till bredare perspektiv och kontexter. Att området förmår hantera, och införliva, utmaningar av olika slag, tyder på en relativ styrka.

<p>This thesis is treating how Swedish liberal adult education research (folkbildningsforskning) has emerged and consolidated. The concepts of doxa, consecration, capital and field of Pierre Bourdieu are used to reconstruct liberal adult education research as a social field. The empirical material consists of texts and documents, structured chronologically between the years of 1954-2007. Central questions are: In which way can liberal adult education research be reconstructed as a field? How does it emerge? Which are the central values (doxa) that hold the field together and going, and where are the boundaries of the field? Who are the central agents of the field? How do they achieve recognition, and on which grounds? Which are the arenas that work as concecrating instances? The study indicates that the area establishes common concepts and references. A gradual expansion occurs. This involves increased opportunities, but also involves competition. Four different phases can be reconstructed as central: the emergence (1954-1979), the expansion (1980-1989), the institutionalisation (1990-1999) and the consolidation (2000-2007). Research summaries as well as organizations of special interests are contributing to the glow of the area. A number of strong positions are established as are a number of pretenders. These relate, in different ways, to the area and to broader perspectives and settings. The area is successfully handling and employing different kinds of challenges and opportunities. This is considered a sign of relative strength of the reconstructed field of liberal adult education research.</p> / <p>Avhandlingen handlar om hur svensk forskning om folkbildning vuxit fram och konsoliderats. Med hjälp av Pierre Bourdieus begrepp doxa, konsekration, kapital och fält rekonstrueras folkbildningsforskning som ett fält. Det empiriska materialet består av texter och dokument. Detta struktureras längs en tidsaxel, mellan 1954-2007. Centrala frågor är: Hur kan folkbildningsforskningen som fält rekonstrueras? Hur sker dess framväxt? Vilka är de centrala värden (doxa) som håller samman och bär upp fältet och var går dess gränser? Vilka är agenterna på fältet? Hur når de erkännande och på vilka grunder sker det? Vilka är de arenor som fungerar som instanser för erkännande?Studien visar att området etablerar gemensamma begrepp och referenser. En successiv expansion sker. Detta innebär ökade möjligheter, men också större konkurrens. Fyra olika skeden kan rekonstrueras som centrala: framväxten(1954-1979), expansionen (1980-1989), institutionaliseringen (1990-1999) och konsolideringen(2000-2007). Kunskapsöversikter, liksom intresseorganisationer, bidrar till områdets formering. Ett antal starka positioner uppstår, liksom pretenderande grupper. Dessa knyter, på olika sätt, an till området, men också till bredare perspektiv och kontexter. Att området förmår hantera, och införliva, utmaningar av olika slag, tyder på en relativ styrka.</p>