The conspicuous absence of Dancing Queen isn’t the only reason Swedes are upset about an official catalogue of Swedish culture.
Driving the news: The Swedish government recently published an official cultural canon containing 100 quintessentially Swedish things. Of these, 50 are in the artifact category (like movies and books) and 50 in the societal category (everything from places to legal ideas).
- The list was a culmination of a project commenced by the government in 2023 that involved fielding submissions from both cultural experts and the general public.
- Notable honourees include Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, the Nobel Prize, the tiled stove, Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal, and Ikea (obviously).
Yes, but: The list has been mostly a cause for criticism rather than celebration. One of the main points of contention is that 1975 was the cutoff year. Not only did this mean no Abba (which is criminal), critics argue it ignored the impact immigrants have had on Swedish culture.
- In fact, 1975 was the year that the Swedish parliament voted to reject an official stance of assimilation and ethno-cultural homogeneity for multiculturalism.
Plus: Some have also criticized the government for commissioning the project just to placate the far-right Sweden Democrats party, which finished second in the last federal election.
Why it matters: Debates over official national culture are relevant in many countries that have seen cultural impact from immigration. This includes Canada, which has seen renewed questions about national character in the midst of Donald Trump’s annexation talk.—QH