Dans och framtid. 1890 års Ghost Dance-rörelse och de nordamerikanska ursprungsfolkens religiösa praktiker i svensk-amerikanska tidningar, 1857-1891

Abstract

This thesis examines how Swedish-American newspapers portrayed the Ghost Dance movement of 1890 and the aftermaths following the associated Wounded Knee massacre on December 29th the corresponding year. The period of the investigated aftermaths has been delimited to the subsequent year of 1891. Furthermore, general newspaper portrayals of the religious practices of Native North Americans – between 1857–1891 – are explored for contextual purposes. Historical changes in the newspaper portrayals are also traced and thematic similarities and differences are examined and discussed. A structuralist perspective is formatted and applied as a mainly inductive theoretical and methodological framework. It centres on the notion of dual oppositions and the human tendency to classify and categorise her surroundings. The structuralist approach brings forth oppositional themes, manifested in the binary schematics of civilisation – wilderness and civilised religion – fanatic religion. Additionally, two subthemes – dance and future – are found to be emanating from the main set of oppositional themes. Although not oppositional as such they are nonetheless contrasting, related, and deeply embedded within the aforementioned schematics. Historical changes in the newspaper portrayals are primarily discernible in the emergence of the Ghost Dance movement, although similar attitudinal tendencies and variations are found across all investigated historical periods. Variations in attitudes are discussed as being related to the genre in which they were written, with negative attitudes primarily correlating with event-driven statements.