Poetry Slam. En studie av vilken betydelse Poetry Slam har som litteratur och som identitetsskapande verksamhet för ett antal tävlingsdeltagare.

Sammanfattning: Today, the definition of literature has changed. Walter J. Ong talks about the secondary spoken language that has surfaced as a result of new technical innovations to our writing tools. This also transforms our attitude towards literature and we can see a return to literature based on verbal characteristics. According to Hans Hertel the verbal renaissance reflects a modern man need to come closer to each other and create togetherness. This master thesis adheres to these views and states that Poetry Slam is a manifestation of these theories. It also argues that Poetry Slam can not only be viewed upon as a literary movement. Besides providing literary teaching practices for large quantities of individuals, performing Poetry Slam also facilitates personal development. The master thesis is an interview based study, which aims to ascertain the importance of Poetry Slam as literature and its effect on the identity defining processes of those participating in Poetry Slam contests. The foundation for the essay’s line of questioning is based on the literary theories of Pierre Bourdieu. It also incorporates the theories of identity creation in a modern day society by Thomas Ziehe. The subjects interviewed have a thorough understanding on how to assess verbal art forms. It is also a common understanding that poetry is a wider art form than literature. Despite this, there is a positive interpretation and evaluation of the literature in question. Several of the subjects supplying the underpinning information firmly believes that participation in Poetry Slam sessions will further their carriers as poets. This consequently leads to a conflict between their goals and the aim and purpose of Poetry Slam.