Sweden, a literary model in the process of autonomy? The import issues of French language literature in Sweden in XXI century

This study offers an in-depth analysis of the reception in the Swedish daily press (2010–2014) of three Francophone authors: Crowther, Taïa, and Thúy. Through a new approach combining concepts like consecrational transfers (Casanova), cultural transfer (Espagne), and ideologic functions (Moura), the analysis reveals Sweden’s efforts to become a consecrating pole. Firstly, while stressing the “difference” as a principal feature of the commented literature, Sweden tries to foreground its own national project to jointly promote diversity, migrancy and cohesion. Secondly, comparing the Francophone literature with its own, Swedish critics manage to consecrate literature from another dominated country. Finally, comparisons with more international references leave space for self-consecration and access to a more dominant position on the market. Thus, the transmitted literature is less at stake than the receiving country’s own image.