The public library as a political symbol : a post-political reading of the demise of the consensus-model in Swedish cultural policy
Hanell, Fredrik ; Carlsson, Hanna and Engström, Lisa LU
(2023)
In International Journal of Cultural Policy
- Abstract
- 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... (More)
- 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. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/04ea3662-42d1-46b7-846a-1e046a876e25
- author
- Hanell, Fredrik
; Carlsson, Hanna
and Engström, Lisa
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023-12-20
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- keywords
- Public libraries, post-politica, radical right, arm’s length principle, democracy
- in
- International Journal of Cultural Policy
- pages
- 16 pages
- publisher
- Routledge
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85180183132
- ISSN
- 1028-6632
- DOI
- 10.1080/10286632.2023.2289174
- project
- Folkbiblioteken i ett förändrat politiskt landskap – ett demokratiuppdrag för en ny tid?
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 04ea3662-42d1-46b7-846a-1e046a876e25
- date added to LUP
- 2023-12-27 06:47:56
- date last changed
- 2024-02-09 09:11:34
@article{04ea3662-42d1-46b7-846a-1e046a876e25,
abstract = {{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.}},
author = {{Hanell, Fredrik and Carlsson, Hanna and Engström, Lisa}},
issn = {{1028-6632}},
keywords = {{Public libraries; post-politica; radical right; arm’s length principle; democracy}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{12}},
publisher = {{Routledge}},
series = {{International Journal of Cultural Policy}},
title = {{The public library as a political symbol : a post-political reading of the demise of the consensus-model in Swedish cultural policy}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10286632.2023.2289174}},
doi = {{10.1080/10286632.2023.2289174}},
year = {{2023}},
}