Logotyp: till Uppsala universitets webbplats

The object of study is the ongoing discussions on upper secondary literature instruction during 1947-1985, the foundation era of the integrated Swedish school system. Publications from the Swedish Teacher Association have been the main source material. The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the tensions between contemporary and historical reproduction. The pedagogical ideals of the upper grammar school met with progressive ideals politically introduced in the 1940s, renewed in the 1970s. Four subject emphases work as analytical tools: Culture, Skills and Experience and Aesthetics.

The literature discussions among the teacher representatives shift over time, partly following the school reform process. Before 1970, Culture was dominant, but Skills was to some degree welcomed by the teacher association. In the 1970s, Culture is marginalized. Skills together with Experience heavily dominate, partly as opposites. The literature discussions generally decrease and move from literature to literature instruction. Didactic research focusing learner-relevant or social-minded reading is introduced. In the 1980s, both literature and literature instruction are key topics. The discussions on Culture are especially intense, but still the 1980s represent a wide number of angles on literature, including both Experience and Aesthetics.

To conclude, the study indicates that the contemporary demands on education, connected to the reform of the school system, had a great impact on the subject discussions, both in the 1960s and in the 1970s. Furthermore it indicates an acceptance, more or less willingly, among the teacher representatives for these demands, partly including the more radical demands of the 1970s. The effects of these radical demands are visible in the 1980s. In addition, the reoccurrence of Culture in the 1980s were not all together a plea for the upper grammar school ideals. Thus the study suggests that the new Swedish school system was both forming and reformed by the school and their representatives.