Changing viewpoints of booktalk aimed at kids and youngsters. A discursive reading of articles in Biblioteksbladet 1932-2007

My thesis is a study of how the perception of booktalk aimed at kids and youngsters in the Swedish educational system has changed between 1932 and 2007. A discursive reading of articles in the magazine Biblioteksbladet provides the basis for my investigation. The thesis argues that an older "authoritaritan" and "traditional" discourse has given way for a more modern, "anti-authoritaritan" and "lust"-directed discourse. The older discourse was designed to make sure that young people were provided with a certain well-defined quantity of "approved" literature. The new discourse stresses the importance of fostering kids and youngsters with a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards reading in general. However the new discoruse is not without conflicts of its own, som e of which are addressed in this thesis. In order to provide for a basis of method concerning the making of a discursive reading of the articles of Biblioteksbladet included in the investigation are several discourse analytical perspectives such as amongst others that of Michel Foucault discussed in the thesis