Sweden Unveils Controversial cultural Canon, Excluding ABBA But Including Pippi longstocking
STOCKHOLM – Sweden has launched a national cultural canon intended to foster education, community, and inclusion, but the project is already facing significant criticism. Commissioned by the Swedish government and prepared by a team led by a historian, the canon focuses on elements deemed representative of Swedish history and identity – with a key stipulation: inclusion requires being at least fifty years old.
This age limit means globally recognized pop group ABBA is excluded, while figures like Pippi longstocking are included. Other entries encompass furniture giant Ikea, Ingmar Bergman’s film The Seventh Seal, and the nobel Prizes. The cutoff date of 1975 reflects a belief that Sweden has undergone substantial internationalization in the past five decades.
The initiative, championed by coalition parties including the Sweden Democrats, has drawn fire from the Swedish Academy – the body awarding the Nobel Prize for Literature, wich refused to cooperate, deeming the project “spreading.” Marlen Eskander, chairman of a reading promotion organization and former Canon Committee member, described the canon as “very exclusive,” arguing the 50-year limit deliberately excludes contemporary experiences. Concerns have also been raised by Sami representatives, noting a complete lack of involvement from the indigenous community.
Critics further characterize the canon as “messy and arduous to understand,” lamenting the omission of less favorable aspects of Swedish history. Despite the backlash, the canon’s authors and Culture Minister Parisa liljestand insist it is intended as a “living monument” open to future additions, and have refuted accusations of hidden agendas.
The Netherlands maintains a similar cultural canon, last updated in 2020, featuring fifty themes and individuals summarizing Dutch history.
