Resan i runornas land under 1800-talet : Bilder av Sverige och svenskhet i utländska reseberättelser

Sammanfattning: The purpose for this study was to illustrate how images of Sweden and Swedishness is produced and reproduced in travel literature written by four foreign travellers in 19th century Sweden. By doing a close reading and comparing the material, several analytical themes connected to time, place, nationality and social class were located. The theory of representation were then applied, together with the theoretical concepts representing practices, figure of thought and gaze. Locating different figures of thought and representing practices revealed how the travel literature produced and reproduced several and even opposing images of Sweden and Swedishness. The study is to be regarded as an analytical example of 19th century travel in Sweden, but also as the experiences of four individual travellers.