Sober alternative public sphere and alternative literary institution a literature sociological research of the publishing firms of the Swedish branch of the Independent Order of Goodtemplars.

The aim of this masters thesis is to examine what political, social and ideological reasons that were the base for the establishment of the Swedish temperance movement. Which judgements within this movement that resulted in the decision to establish publishing firms, how these publishing businesses were organised and what function they had in the literary circuit. The questions are: What principal political, social, economical and ideological reasons were the bases for the establishment of the Swedish temperance movement? How has their need for publishing firms arisen? Which were the publishing firms and who were the publishers? What ideas, purposes, experiences, values and judgements led to the establishment of publishing firms? In the first part of the theory I have used the historical materialism of Karl Marx; in the second part the theory of middle class publicity by Jürgen Habermas; and in the third part I have made a presentation of the literary circuit and how it works according to Marx and Habermas. The method used is an analysis of ideas and ideologies in literature and documents. I have used the tool dimensions for the analysis. Dimensions that are examined are e.g. outlooks on mankind, theory of society, national economy and morality. This thesis has resulted in the statements that the temperance movement was established in a time when the society moved from an agrarian to an industrial structure, in which people got the opportunity to take new steps concerning ideologies and activities. This made it easier for voluntary associations to establish publishing firms. The Independent Order of Goodtemplars wanted to become an alternative society, which can explain their need for publishing firms. These firms would provide the need for members' study literature, missionary literature for sympathisers to be and propaganda concerning temperance. These issues were important for the temperance movement, as a lot of drunkenness and extreme poverty were predominant in the early industrial society.Uppsatsnivå: