Updated 12.47 | Published 12.28
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full screenMarlen Eskander quits work with a cultural canon. “The assignment has become too subjective,” she writes to the government office. Photo: Läsfrämjarinstitutet
On Monday, Marlen Eskander announced in the committee for A Swedish cultural canon that she is leaving the assignment.
According to information to Aftonbladet, a conflict is behind the dispute at the Ministry of Culture
For almost a year, the investigation has been ongoing in the committee A Swedish cultural canon. The proposal for a canon is anchored in the Tidö Agreement and has been described with the aim of making “Swedish culture accessible to all”. But it has been met with criticism. The permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, Mats Malm, has formerly called it for putting ideology before literature.
But recently things have been chaotic in the Ministry of Culture. And on Monday, Aftonbladet was able to reveal that two people are leaving the assignment: Committee member Marlen Eskander and a secretary.
In her resignation letter, Marlen Eskander writes that the reason is that “the interpretation of the assignment has become too subjective”.
But Aftonbladet can now also reveal that, according to information, it has to do with the chairman of the committee – Lars Trägårdh – and his previous statements.
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full screen Lars Trägårdh. Photo: Magnus Lejhall/TT
“No sour cream”
Last week he was interviewed by Today’s News after a meeting the committee had with Sweden’s national minorities. They wanted to secure their role in the Swedish cultural canon.
– The minorities are welcome to send in proposals and photographs of a little of each. But they have no special status in relation to all other people in this country. I don’t have sour cream for tower valleys before bandy lovers, he told the newspaper at the time.
But it was not well received.
– What he said was very serious, says a person with insight.
Another reason for the friction is Lars Trägårdh’s prominent role – and that, according to information, he does not have the entire committee behind him for a lawsuit.
“Takes criticism seriously”
“I take seriously the criticism that appears in her (Malin Eskander reds.anm) request for dismissal regarding the committee’s compliance with the directives. The committee is set to work according to the directives decided by the government. The ministry has therefore asked the chairman of the committee to give an account of his view on the criticism that has emerged,” wrote Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand in a comment yesterday.
Aftonbladet has searched without success for Lars Trägårdh. Parisa Liljestrand has also been sought for a comment, but she declines.