För Sverige i tiden? : En studie om den svenska monarkins relation till samhället och sekulariseringsprocessen mellan 1858-2012

Sammanfattning: Christendom has under a long period of time in Swedish history been the central component in legitimating the monarchs' power, a continuous process than can be clearly observed through the customs of royal coronation and baptism rites. However, during the 20th century those close ties between the state and the church of Sweden have been dissolving at a steady rate, alongside a growing societal democratization and modernization process. Officially the monarch still had a clear constitutional power legitimated through the transcendent, but unofficially his power was in reality heavily reduced. How do the Swedish monarchy relate to a rapidly changing society and secularization process? This pilot study investigates this relation by analyzing the news reports of the royal coronation and baptism rites between 1858 and 2012 from two leading newspapers, Aftonbladet and Dagens Nyheter. Principally two sides of the monarchy could be identified, one slow changing external side with a close connection with the national identity through history, religion and tradition, and a more swift and growing internal side with a clear connection with the ordinary citizen, family values and social norms. In conclusion the Swedish monarchy seemed to have progressed from a clear sacral foundation to a more family oriented development.