EN SVENSKKULTURKANON? : En diskursanalys över debatten om en svensk kulturkanon 2022

Sammanfattning: This paper examines the political proposition of a Swedish cultural canon as proposed by the Swedish coalition government in the Tidö-treaty. By a discourse analysis of the media debate I aim to get a deeper understanding of the proposition and what shape it will take. Canon and canon formation have been object for many debates through the ages and has often been accused as an elitist tool that helps keep certain groups in power. By applying a theoretical lens of cultural hegemony onto the debate I am therefore able to draw conclusions from the opinions expressed regarding the proposition. Every canon is shaped by it’s specific social and historical context which means Ideas expressed specifically regarding this specific proposition is essential to gain an understanding of it. For thar reason articles from the current debate will serve as material for the analysis. The articles are collected from four Swedish newspaper with the ambition to get such complete coverage of the debate as possible. Four discourses emerge from the debate. Canon as a nationalistic weapon, canon as status quo, canon as symbolic politics and canon as cultural capital. The first discourse show canon perceived as a nationalistic weapon, a tool by the Swedish parliamentary party Sverigedemokraterna, with whom the proposition is associated, to make society conform to Swedish culture. Canon as status quo is a discourse which is a critique of the critics rather than a critique of the proposition itself. It argues that the objection to the proposals comes from a fear of the current cultural elite to share knowledge which ultimately could result in a hegemonic downfall. Canon as symbolic politics argues that the proposition is merely a way for politicians to make it seem like they engage in cultural politics while in fact they are cutting down on funding in other areas. The last discourse, canon as cultural capital. Instead argues that canon do have potential to deal with educational and societal problems like integration and literacy by putting pressure I schools and headmaster to provide a certain education. The results show an overall negative perception of canon, not in itself as an educational tool but canon as proposed in the Tidö-treaty. The conclusion draws from the proposition’s close association with the parliamentary party Sverigedemokraterna and the view of canon as means to a political end. Research in the area supports the idea of canon as a reproductive tool able to reinforce certain political ideas, however it depends as much on how it is used as it’s content and purpose. That means that if treated as such canon could very well turn out to be a nationalistic weapon however its not a given.