As Skolverket (2022b) highlights, reading fiction novels can develop students’ understanding of both themselves and others, as well as challenge new ways of thinking about the world. This study aims to examine how racialized characters and multicultural encounters are portrayed in four chosen young adult novels, and to discuss their didactic potential. To accomplish this, the young adult novels were chosen through asking Swedish teachers what young adult novels they used. The method used is a qualitative thematic text analysis. Moreover, the material has been analyzed through two main themes: Racialized who are observed and Racialized who observe. In addition, three subthemes have been subject to our analysis: exclusion as feeling and action, social relations and the importance of place. Further, the theoretical basis of the study is based on concepts which include multiculturalism, racialization, representation, the Other, and recognition. Accordingly, the results suggest that racialized characters are often portrayed as the deviant and exotic Other, and this is done through clear as well as subtle mental and linguistic representations, which reinforce the multicultural encounters characterized by power structures. Finally, we discussed their didactic potential, such as the advantages of the double perspective and counter-stories, in fostering students’ understanding and empathy towards all cultural identities.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:mau-68132 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Kayacan, Damla, Persson, Ida |
| Publisher | Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för lärande och samhälle (LS) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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