Canons have been constructed for nearly 2000 years, providing collections of great works throughout history. With roots embedded in religious texts, canons today still exist with an aura of authority. In the fall of 2022, the Swedish government agreed to construct a national canon of culture. The ambition is for the canon to act as a social glue, creating a shared sense of unity. Within the next few years, there will be a list of what Swedish works of art are deemed essential to the country's cultural history. The decision was inspired by a similar canon constructed in Denmark in 2006; one that is mostly forgotten about today. Looking at the significance and inherent meanings of political efforts to use culture as a tool to unite a nation, this thesis presents a qualitative critical discourse analysis of the topic, using theories on collective memory, cultural hegemony, and theoretical approaches to canonisation. The objects of analysis consist of a radio segment, a debate article, and a visual novella; all of which were published within a few months after the decision was announced. The commitment to construct the canon has been met with criticism, partly stemming from the lack of impact the initiative had in Denmark. However, the focal point of criticism presented in the discourse analysis stems from the intentions behind the decision, as well as resistance against instrumentalization of culture.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:mau-69180 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Madsen Hult, Denise |
| Publisher | Malmö universitet, Institutionen för konst, kultur och kommunikation (K3) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| 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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