Den, men inte den - en forskningsöversikt över litteratururvalsprocesser i den svenska gymnasieskolan

Abstract

This paper aims to survey the research done on which factors affect the literature selection process in the Swedish upper secondary school today. It also aims to understand if there is a specific literature canon in the Swedish upper secondary school. We ask ourselves three questions; which factors affect the literary selection process in the Swedish education? Does the literary selections lead to a so called school canon? And Is there a link between the literary selection and the western literary canon? In the paper we make a distinction between the western literary canon and a school canon as the latter is the theoretical compilation of literature emerged from the choices of teachers and the limitations they are under.

The material gathered takes different positions on the field. One dissertation presents a postmodern analysis of the literary selection processes, another one questions the esthetical values in western canon presented by Harold Bloom and one article presents a Foucauldian analysis of literary selections. The research done on the field shows indications of a wide array of factors that may impact the selection process, such as the curriculum, availability, influence by colleagues, the teachers preferences and the pupils, amongst others. In the survey we categorize the factors as inner and outer factors, depending on if they take place outside or within the teacher. We are able to find a total of thirteen factors and therefore conclude that the literary selection in the Swedish upper secondary school is a very complex process. It is essential to understand this as a teacher, as you then can make conscious justified choices. The material shows no indications of a so called school canon, with a few exceptions of some Swedish authors such as August Strindberg. We also come to the conclusion that more research is needed in this field to reach a more certain answer to what impacts the literature selection process and if there is a literature canon, a