Made in Sweden: How the Swedes Are Not Nearly So Egalitarian, Tolerant, Hospitable or Cozy as They Would Like to (Have You) Think - Hardcover
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Critical Examination of Swedish Society and National Identity
What are the real Swedish Values? Who is the real Swedish Model? Is Sweden all that?
In recent times, we have come to favor all things Scandinavian--their food, furnishings, fiction, fashion, and general way of life. We seem to regard the Swedes and their neighbors as altogether more sophisticated, admirable, and evolved than us. But what if Sweden has in fact never been as moderate, egalitarian, dignified, or tolerant as it would like to (have us) think?
The recent rise to political prominence of an openly neo-Nazi party has begun to crack the illusion, and here now is Swede Elisabeth Åsbrink, who loves her country "but not blindly," presenting twenty-five of her nation's key words and icons afresh. "There is," she writes, "a dark side to Utopia." As she did in her acclaimed 1947, she creates a collage that helps us not only see a more complex and problematic society, but also illustrates how national identity is constructed as much by what (or who) is excluded as what (or who) is included.
Unveiling the Complexities Behind Scandinavian Idealism
This book challenges the romanticized perception of Swedish culture that has dominated international discourse. Åsbrink dissects twenty-five key Swedish concepts and symbols, revealing the contradictions between Sweden's self-image and its historical and contemporary realities. From political movements to cultural practices, this work examines how national narratives are constructed and maintained.
Award-winning journalist Elisabeth Åsbrink brings her investigative expertise to this critical analysis, building on her previous work that exposed uncomfortable truths about Swedish institutions. Her approach combines rigorous research with accessible writing, making complex sociological and political topics engaging for general readers interested in understanding the gap between perception and reality in modern European societies.
Åsbrink, Elisabeth:
Elisabeth Åsbrink is a journalist and author. Her parents were Hungarian and English, and she was born and raised in, and now lives in, Sweden. Her book And in the Vienna Woods the Trees Remain received worldwide attention for revealing new information about IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad's ties to Nazism. It won several awards, including the August Prize for Best Swedish Non-Fiction Book of the Year (2011). Her most recent book, 1947, won the prestigious Letterstedt Prize, was translated into 19 languages, and published in the USA in 2018 by Other Press.
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