In Ekot's Saturday interview, Lars Trägårdh, chairman of the government's canon committee, explained that he sees the school as central when it comes to disseminating the cultural canon that is now taking shape.
If this doesn't have an effect in school, it's completely pointless, he said to Sveriges Radio.
Jenny Edvardsson, a member of the Swedish Teachers' and Teacher Union's expert council for reading, does not believe in a Swedish cultural canon as a measure against the ongoing reading crisis in school. She believes that teachers would be discouraged by specific directives on exactly what to read in school.
I'm afraid I don't think a cultural canon would help, rather – I could almost imagine – it would hinder, that many more would think it's boring to read, she says to Ekot.
According to the canon committee, a Swedish cultural canon should include 100 works within a range of different categories. These are to be presented to the government by August 31 at the latest.
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