Offentliga bibliotek som arena för aktivism

Sundeen, Johan; Blomgren, Roger

doi:10.18261/issn.2000-8325/2020-02-06

Cited by 18 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…In its self-description, BiS emphasizes equitable distribution of material, social and cultural assets and their "struggle for a progressive library service that counters inequality and injustice, both nationally and internationally" (Bibliotek i Samh€ alle, 2011). Researchers Sundeen and Blomgren (2020) have critically characterized this organizations' members as activists (as opposed to their ideal of the neutral civil servant), which have led to a wave of reproaches from BiS members against the researchers (Aghed, 2021;Atlestam, 2020;Persson et al, 2021). At the same time, the Swedish far-right party, The Sweden Democrats, has actively prevented librarians in some municipalities to engage with the LGBT þ movement (Eriksson, 2019(Eriksson, , 2021 on the grounds that it was "political".…”

Section: Activism or Cultural Policy?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the informants of this study stress that their work is lonely, needs a lot of energy and faces resistance among their colleagues. Furthermore, engagement in contemporary social movements at times makes cultural organizations vulnerable to criticism for engaging themselves in work that is outside of their legal scope (Kidd, 2019; Sundeen and Blomgren, 2020). Furthermore, library work, particularly anti-racist work, has shown a potential of creating a field of tension between new interpretations of values of social justice and traditional values of free access to information (see, e.g.…”

Section: Legitimacymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, library work, particularly anti-racist work, has shown a potential of creating a field of tension between new interpretations of values of social justice and traditional values of free access to information (see, e.g. Helgason, 2020; Sundeen and Blomgren, 2020 who describe legal actions against librarians that have hindered lending of anti-immigration literature).…”

Section: Legitimacymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One type of research wants to demonstrate that libraries are not neutral places, because of existing structures that favour, for example, whiteness or heterosexuality (Drabinski, 2013;Hudson, 2017;Schrader, 2009) or to advocate for libraries to take a stand against climate change (Barnes, 2012;Beutelspacher and Meschede, 2020;Binks et al, 2014). Another type of research aims at criticizing librarians for compromising traditional values of information freedom by being reluctant to choose, display or lend out certain material (Helgason, 2020;Sundeen and Blomgren, 2020). The purpose of this article is not to endorse or criticize libraries or librarians for engaging in social or green agendas.…”

Section: Introduction: Librarians' Engagement In Contemporary Social ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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When librarians speak up: justifications for and legitimacy implications of librarians' engagement in social movements

Kann-Rasmussen

2022

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PurposeThis article presents a discussion of how librarians' engagement in certain social movements manifests itself in public libraries, how librarians justify their engagement with specifically the LGBT + movement and the climate movement and what it might entail in terms of legitimacy.Design/methodology/approachBesides an extensive international literature on libraries and climate/LGBT + issues, the article draws on data from an interview study with librarians from Denmark and Sweden. Theoretically, the article utilizes the orders of worth framework by French sociologists Boltanski and Thévenot. The framework is used to analyse librarians' justifications for engaging in certain agendas in society.FindingsActive engagement in social and green agendas takes place through strategies of education, efforts to make the cause more visible in the library and by setting an example. Justifications for active engagement in social movement agendas draw on inspirational, civic, projective and green orders of worth (OoW).Originality/valueMuch of the existing research on librarians who engage themselves in either climate issues or in agendas concerning minorities has a normative character. However, this study shows that there is no causal (positive or negative) relation between active engagement in social movements' causes and legitimacy of libraries, but that the justifications for doing so might have an impact on legitimacy.

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Section: Activism or Cultural Policy?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Legitimacymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Legitimacymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introduction: Librarians' Engagement In Contemporary Social ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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When librarians speak up: justifications for and legitimacy implications of librarians' engagement in social movements

Kann-Rasmussen

2022

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“…Men i dag haevder visse forskere og praktikere, at bibliotekerne tillige bør positionere sig som aktører i bestraebelserne på at fremme forandring og retfaerdighed (Beutelspacher & Meschede, 2020;Lankes, 2016). På denne måde udfordres ideen om neutralitet i disse år, og saerligt i en svensk sammenhaeng er sådanne bestraebelser blevet betegnet aktivisme (Sundeen & Blomgren, 2020). Aktivisme er typisk forbundet med et ønske om at forandre eller gå imod eksisterende strukturer, for at skabe et bedre samfund (Della Porta & Diani, 2020;Lindekilde & Olesen, 2015).…”

Section: Indledningunclassified

Bibliotekarer som aktivister i Danmark og Sverige

Nissen

Kann-Rasmussen

2022

NJLIS

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This article concerns differences in the types of conflicts related to librarians acting as activists in Denmark and Sweden. The conflicts in Denmark are limited and mainly of internal character while the conflicts in Sweden are debated in more broadly in the field. Through the Orders of Worth framework by Boltanski & Thévenot the article analyses interviews with both Danish and Swedish librarians. The analysis shows that activism in Denmark is considered an appropriate description for library work that involves doing more than making materials available in working towards social justice. In Sweden, the understanding of activism is more problematic and the Swedish informants in the article do not see themselves as activists, nor the library’s work for social justice as activism. The article shows that Danish librarians work strategically with activism through partnerships. In contrast, the Swedish librarians justify their work by focusing on work done for the good of society or certain groups, since this is considered the best possible position in order to avoid conflict, as the library institution itself also is justified from this perspective. Finally, the article discusses the cultural policy-climate in both countries and shows, that libraries and the cultural field in general have been low on society’s agenda in Denmark, while there is an ongoing ideological conflict in Sweden between left- and rightwing political actors and between national and local levels of government. Overall, the article shows that the difference in the conflicts related to activism in libraries in Denmark and Sweden must take the cultural policy climate in each country in to account, but that it is important for the understanding of the conflict to discuss how actors justify their work for social change.

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