The Reading Movement campaign. Tradition or fresh ideas?

A reading campaign, Läsrörelsen The Reading Movement took place in Sweden 2000 until 2002. It was started by some adult educationists, and was supported by over 120 organizations. The aim of my study was to examine which messages the campaign wanted to mediate. As the campaign meant that reading was important for democracy, I wanted to study if there was any public debate about reading around 1900 when the democracy process had just started in Sweden. I have also studied if reading is regarded in the same way by the rulers of Sweden as it was by the campaign. I have used argumentation analysing and rhetoric analysing on two posters, one informative text and a book, all used by Läsrörelsen. The most interesting result is the similarities between the two turns of centuries. Reading is important for democracy, and it is of minor interest what one read than that one read. How to read is discussed in similar ways: reading shall be qualitative. One big difference is that the purpose of reading at 1900 was to learn how to think independently in order to become a responsible citizen. The campaign, as the rulers of Sweden at 2000, is more concerned about the Swedish language, which they mean create the necessary conditions for a democracy. To see what type of organization the campaign was, I have used Manuel Castells typology for social movements: identity, antagonist and purpose. I found that the campaign Läsrörelsen was part of a tradition.Uppsatsnivå: