How Lapland Became Swedish : An analysis of representations of Lapland, its nature, minorities, resources, and communications in shaping Swedish nationality and identity.

This thesis examines how Lapland and its population were portrayed in the annual publications of the Swedish Tourist Association during the period 1886–1914. Through a qualitative content analysis of various texts such as travelogues, it is analyzed how themes such as communications, nature, natural resources, language and minorities contributed to the construction of a particular image of the area in the far north. These representations are also linked to identity and nation-building. The study shows that Lapland was often portrayed as an exotic and underdeveloped region, but at the same time as a potential resource for the future of the Swedish nation-state. Railway construction, industrialization and increased tourism were presented as keys to civilization and modernity, where Sami or “Finnish” culture and presence were often marginalized or seen as a threat. The essay contributes knowledge about how ideological and cultural boundaries were produced in popular science and tourism contexts during a time when Swedish identity was formulated in relation to the country’s periphery.