This thesis investigates the developing understanding of male homosexuality as a societal issue in Sweden between 1930 and 1960, primarily detailing what political motives and scientific ideas defined the governmental discourse around the group in question. In doing so, the discussion about male homosexuality is situated within a rapidly transforming political landscape. 1930–1945 has been described as a preamble to the Swedish welfare state, while 1945–1960 is commonly seen as its defining period. The study shows that in the 1930s, the question of homosexuality was connected to population policy, while from 1941 and onwards, it was primarily connected to social policy. It is then argued that these changes can be understood using theoretical ideas of biopower, more specifically state generated ideals regarding productivity and biological reproduction. It is also argued that the surge in negative attitudes towards male homosexuality in the 1950s must be understood as an effect of this development.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:su-218820 |
| Date | January 2023 |
| Creators | Östman, Axel |
| Publisher | Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för kultur och estetik |
| 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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