Socio-semiotics and the history of "working-class comics and cartoons" in Sweden

In the following, I will first relate how certain graphic works of autofiction have come to be accepted as contributions to the tradition of working-class literature in Sweden. Then I will exemplify how some of these works could be analysed from a socio-semiotic point of view, drawing some inspiration from Bruce Campbell’s studies of the political use of comics in Mexico. Lastly, I will sketch the outlines of a Swedish history of cartooning aimed at a working-class audience, and repose the following question, which I regard to be socio-semiotic in essence: Are simple artistic means and deskilling a visual marker of grassroot authenticity, and is it even a decisive semiotic choice for cartoonists who want to be associated with working-class autofiction, leftist politics and labour history?

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Åbo Akademi University Research Portal
Published
2026-04-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111133553-008
Primary Topic
Comics and Graphic Narratives
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Socio-semiotics and the history of "working-class comics and cartoons" in Sweden

Fred Andersson, Fred; id_orcid 0000-0002-9161-5136 Andersson
Åbo Akademi University Research Portal
Comics and Graphic Narratives
article

Socio-semiotics and the history of "working-class comics and cartoons" in Sweden

Fred Andersson, Fred; id_orcid 0000-0002-9161-5136 Andersson
article en

Abstract

In the following, I will first relate how certain graphic works of autofiction have come to be accepted as contributions to the tradition of working-class literature in Sweden. Then I will exemplify how some of these works could be analysed from a socio-semiotic point of view, drawing some inspiration from Bruce Campbell’s studies of the political use of comics in Mexico. Lastly, I will sketch the outlines of a Swedish history of cartooning aimed at a working-class audience, and repose the following question, which I regard to be socio-semiotic in essence: Are simple artistic means and deskilling a visual marker of grassroot authenticity, and is it even a decisive semiotic choice for cartoonists who want to be associated with working-class autofiction, leftist politics and labour history?

Åbo Akademi University Research Portal
Openalex Percentile: Top 85%
Comics and Graphic Narratives
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