The public library as a political symbol
A post-political reading of the demise of the consensus-model in Swedish cultural policy
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12340985 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Fredrik Hanell (0000-0002-6184-6603, Linnaeus University, corresponding author), Hanna Carlsson (0000-0002-3240-8022, Linnaeus University), Linda Engström (0000-0002-0138-2050, Lund University) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue | 7 |
| Pages | 899-913 |
| Publication date | 2023-12-20 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Cultural Policy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1028-6632 • E-ISSN: 1477-2833 |
| Publisher | Routledge (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10286632.2023.2289174 |
| OpenAlex | W4390003594 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 51 |
Recent use of public libraries as political symbols by the radical right in their challenge of the established consensus in Swedish cultural policy is part of an ongoing (re)politicization of the field of cultural policy. This paper frames this development as part of a post-political condition of Swedish cultural and library policy. Through an analysis of previous research, policy, and policy debates, a conceptual understanding of the post-political condition is offered. The paper also provides an analysis with empirical examples of how this condition unfolds in librarians’ accounts of everyday public library practices. This composite analysis furthers our understanding of the enactment of Swedish cultural and library policy and contributes to a broader discussion of the current challenges facing these policy fields following the rise of the radical right in several countries. The findings point to a need for more nuanced and ideological discussions concerning the relationship between politics and culture and where public libraries are situated between autonomy and democracy
Demise · Linguistics · Political science · Politics · Reading (process · Sociology · Symbol (formal · Information Society and Technology Trends · Law · Library Science and Administration · Philosophy · Public Administration · Social Media and Politics
Cultural Backlash
Cultural Policy in an Illiberal State
City councillors and the mission of public libraries
The Post-Political and Its Discontents
The radical right and the end of Swedish exceptionalism
What about cultural policy? Interdisciplinary perspectives on culture and politics
Paradoxical autonomy in cultural organisations
Distance or intimacy?—The arm's length principle, the British government and the arts council of Great Britain 1
Autonomy or democratic cultural policy
The end of cultural policy? 1
Cultural policies in illiberal democracies
Theoretical reflections
Culture wars? The (re)politicization of Swedish cultural policy
Political populism and adult education
The Scandinavian far-right and the new politicisation of heritage
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,5 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2025 (2) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |