Svenska politikers självbiografier : En receptionsstudie med genusperspektiv

Abstract Autobiographies by politicians are growing as a genre in Sweden and since 1991 female politicians have gradually become active writers in the genre. This thesis is concerned with the effect of gender on how autobiographies by politicians are being received in editorials and reviews in Swedish daily press. By using theories by Judith Butler, Paulina de los Reyes, Raewyn Connell and John Chr. Jørgensen both a quantitative and a qualitative study are carried out. Based on an analysis of editorials and reviews of all political autobiographies published 1991–2013, I find that male politicians get both a higher number of and longer editorials and reviews than female politicians. This difference is growing over time. In addition to the quantitative study, the thesis also provides an intensive study of editorials and reviews from six selected autobiographies. The specific focus in this part is how questions of gender and gender-equality are treated; how and to what extent the background and personal life of the writing politician are described and if the autobiography is valued based on literary values and/or the reviewers personal opinions. I find that gender does have an impact on all these subjects and that it intersects with mainly class concerning the background and personal life of the politician