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Hur dansar samhällskroppen? En studie av bakgrunden och förutsättningarna för fritidsdans och den politiserade kroppen i samtida Sverige

Sjölin, Celeste LU (2015) KULK10 20151
Division of Cultural Management
Abstract
This thesis utilizes content analysis and the method of theory triangulation to explore how leisure dancing is connected to other societal tendencies. Its focus is contemporary leisure dancing in Sweden and its connections to history, capitalism and international tendencies. This is managed by juxtaposing the following themes:
First, dancing is an integral part of leisure, ritual and festivities. These events appear to be a necessary part of culture, both as meaning-bearers, and as counterweight for the disciplinary practices of work.
Second, under capitalism, leisure activities have grown individualized and rationalized and, in effect, become a prologation of work. Combined with public health policies, this affects leisure dancing by... (More)
This thesis utilizes content analysis and the method of theory triangulation to explore how leisure dancing is connected to other societal tendencies. Its focus is contemporary leisure dancing in Sweden and its connections to history, capitalism and international tendencies. This is managed by juxtaposing the following themes:
First, dancing is an integral part of leisure, ritual and festivities. These events appear to be a necessary part of culture, both as meaning-bearers, and as counterweight for the disciplinary practices of work.
Second, under capitalism, leisure activities have grown individualized and rationalized and, in effect, become a prologation of work. Combined with public health policies, this affects leisure dancing by the institutionalization of dance as tool for exercise, therapy and pedagogy – rather than as an end in itself.
Third, institutionalized dancing in contemporary Sweden is largely based on theories and methods devised for mass control and propaganda in nazi Germany.
Fourth, the strong focus on public health in Sweden stems from in paticular the 1920s-1940s. The vision was ”total health”, and eugenics as well as strict self-control were considered part of public hygiene and health. Drawing parallels to the reality of bodily practices like group exercise programs today, we can see that this ideology has vastly influenced contemporary bodily practices. (Less)
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author
Sjölin, Celeste LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
How Does the Body of Society Dance? – A study of the background of leisure dancing and politics of bodily practices in Sweden
course
KULK10 20151
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Dance, biopolitics, Laban, Hitler, Folkhemmet, folkhälsa, public health management, Höjer, Gustave Le Bon, masses, people, bodily practices, embodied knowledge, dance theory, German expressionist dance, modern dance, swing dancing, les mills, group exercise, military training, wwii, movement theory, propaganda, Sweden, Germany, dance anthropology, capitalism, leisure theory, culture, cultural administration.
language
Swedish
id
7695634
date added to LUP
2015-08-10 11:21:52
date last changed
2015-08-10 11:21:52
@misc{7695634,
  abstract     = {{This thesis utilizes content analysis and the method of theory triangulation to explore how leisure dancing is connected to other societal tendencies. Its focus is contemporary leisure dancing in Sweden and its connections to history, capitalism and international tendencies. This is managed by juxtaposing the following themes:
First, dancing is an integral part of leisure, ritual and festivities. These events appear to be a necessary part of culture, both as meaning-bearers, and as counterweight for the disciplinary practices of work.
Second, under capitalism, leisure activities have grown individualized and rationalized and, in effect, become a prologation of work. Combined with public health policies, this affects leisure dancing by the institutionalization of dance as tool for exercise, therapy and pedagogy – rather than as an end in itself.
Third, institutionalized dancing in contemporary Sweden is largely based on theories and methods devised for mass control and propaganda in nazi Germany. 
Fourth, the strong focus on public health in Sweden stems from in paticular the 1920s-1940s. The vision was ”total health”, and eugenics as well as strict self-control were considered part of public hygiene and health. Drawing parallels to the reality of bodily practices like group exercise programs today, we can see that this ideology has vastly influenced contemporary bodily practices.}},
  author       = {{Sjölin, Celeste}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Hur dansar samhällskroppen? En studie av bakgrunden och förutsättningarna för fritidsdans och den politiserade kroppen i samtida Sverige}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}